Overview
- Asian benchmarks climbed, with Japan and South Korea advancing roughly 2% to 3% and Taiwan higher as semiconductor shares led gains.
- Gold rose about 2% and silver roughly 6% as investors sought havens following the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.
- Oil prices fluctuated around $57–$61 a barrel as traders weighed Venezuela’s deteriorated capacity and the uncertain timeline for restoring output.
- December FOMC minutes highlighted divisions that temper hopes for aggressive easing in 2026, putting fresh focus on the upcoming payrolls report.
- Indian equities opened cautious with pressure on IT shares, while investors tracked services PMIs, the approaching Q3 IT earnings, and shifts in foreign and domestic flows.