Federal Reserve Begins Treasury Bill Purchases to Stabilize Reserves and Money Markets 
Forex Markets Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Minutes Amid Thin Year-End Volumes 
U.S. Dollar Slides Toward Biggest Annual Loss Since 2017 as 2026 Risks Loom 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Year-End Trading Turns Cautious 
China’s Central Bank to Launch New Digital Yuan Management Framework from January 1 
Oil Prices Slip Slightly as Markets Weigh Geopolitical Risks and Supply Glut Concerns 
Gold Prices Ease After Record Highs as Dollar Firms, Broader Bullish Outlook Intact 
Asian Stock Markets Trade Narrowly as Year-End Volumes Thin, KOSPI Outperforms on Tech Rally 
Oil Prices Rise as Ukraine Peace Talks and Middle East Tensions Stir Supply Concerns 
China’s Iron Ore Buyer Pressures Mining Giants as New Supply Shifts Market Power 
China LNG Imports Rise in December as Long-Term Contracts Drive Growth 
China Manufacturing PMI Rebounds in December, Offering Boost to Economic Growth Outlook 
Hong Kong Home Prices Rise for Sixth Straight Month as Rate Cuts Lift Market Sentiment 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech and Financial Stocks Weigh on Markets Amid Thin Holiday Trading 
European Defense Stocks Slide as Trump Signals Progress in Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks 
U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady as Markets Await Fed Policy Clues in Holiday-Thinned Trade 
U.S. stocks ended Tuesday modestly lower in a light-volume, pre-holiday session, while gold prices rebounded as global markets approached the penultimate trading day of 2025. Despite the subdued close, Wall Street remains on track to record strong double-digit gains for the year, underscoring the resilience of equities amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.20% to 48,367.06, while the S&P 500 fell 0.14% to 6,896.23. The Nasdaq Composite also edged lower, declining 0.23% to 23,419.08. Trading activity was thin as investors repositioned portfolios before year-end, following a volatile year shaped by tariff disputes, geopolitical tensions, and shifting monetary policy expectations.
Market sentiment was influenced by the release of minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s final meeting of 2025. The minutes revealed broad agreement on interest rate cuts, but also highlighted deep divisions among policymakers regarding inflation risks and labor market weakness. According to Ryan Detrick of Carson Group, strong corporate earnings have continued to justify the bull market, with no major signs of an imminent recession. He added that optimism remains for 2026, particularly if rate cuts support economic growth.
Globally, European stocks outperformed, with the STOXX 600 rising 0.6% to a fresh record high, driven by gains in banking and commodity-linked shares. Asian markets were mixed, as Japan’s Nikkei slipped while broader Asia-Pacific shares posted modest gains. MSCI’s global equity index edged slightly lower, reflecting cautious investor sentiment.
In commodities, gold and silver prices rebounded after profit-taking triggered sharp losses in the previous session. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $4,344.75 per ounce and remains on track for its strongest annual performance since 1979. The U.S. dollar held firm following the Fed minutes but is still heading for its steepest yearly decline in eight years.
Meanwhile, oil prices were steady as fading hopes for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal and Middle East tensions supported crude markets. Bitcoin and Ethereum posted modest gains, while U.S. Treasury yields remained largely unchanged, reflecting stable rate expectations heading into 2026.
