Asian stock markets surged to a six-week high on Friday, December 26, as investors drove prices higher than anticipated despite the light trading due to holiday closures. The latest information and market data reflect that Japanese and South Korean shares gained big while other regional markets remained closed for holidays. Precious metals staged an impressive rally in Asian trading, with silver climbing to unprecedented levels and gold approaching its historic high, underscoring strong investor demand.
Asia-Pacific markets have finally opened up after the Boxing Day holiday, and the stock market is currently green with major Asian stocks advancing, with Japan’s Topix (.TOPX) hitting a record high after rising 0.5%. South Korea’s benchmark index (.KS11) gained 0.6%, lifting its annual increase to 72%. Meanwhile, China’s blue‑chip CSI300 added 0.27% on Friday, extending its yearly gain to 18%. Currently, China’s Shanghai Composite Index is holding near the 3,960 level, edging up about 0.1%. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed nearly 0.2% higher.
ET NOW, India’s leading English-language business and finance news channel, reported that Asian markets had risen as Wall Street reached record highs, oil had rebounded to around $62, silver was nearing $75, and gold remained elevated. They added that BlackRock expected only limited Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026, and Goldman Sachs continued to remain bullish on technology stocks.
#WATCH | Asian markets rise as Wall Street hits records, oil rebounds to $62, silver nears $75 and gold stays elevated; BlackRock sees limited Fed cuts in 2026, Goldman stays bullish on tech and Putin flags AI-led job shifts@Ashesha_A breaks down global updates and their… pic.twitter.com/P94rMK29tl
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) December 26, 2025
The latest market boost has pushed MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares to its highest level since November 14. According to the latest data, the index was up to 0.5% and managed to exhibit a 25% gain so far this year. Reuters reported that beyond equities, precious metals were drawing strong attention, with spot silver surging more than 4% to a record high on Friday. It added that gold had also touched a record peak, last trading at $4,503.39 per ounce. According to Reuters, gold had climbed over 71% for the year, marking its strongest annual performance since 1979, while silver had risen 158% over the same period.
Asian Equities Advance While U.S. Futures Slip; Precious Metals Extend Yearly Gains
Asian stocks climbed into year‑end 2025, driven by strong gains in Japan and South Korea. Investor confidence in riskier assets remained firm, with buyers continuing to add positions despite thin holiday trading. ET Now World reported that U.S. futures had edged lower and Asian shares were mixed on Friday, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was trading near record-high levels.
It added that gold and silver prices had surged to record highs, extending their sharp gains for the year as investors, including central banks, continued to stock up on the precious metals, which are seen as safe-haven assets during periods of uncertainty.
According to their reports, the U.S. futures edged lower as the prominent U.S. stock index futures like the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq futures are showing a slight decline in the pre-market trading. The reporters believe that this slight decline indicates a mild caution or profit-taking ahead of the U.S. market open. According to their report, Central banks have emerged as major buyers of precious metals like gold and silver, and this initiative is to diversify their reserves. They value precious metals higher as they are traditionally seen as protection against macroeconomic factors and geopolitical tensions like currency devaluation, inflation, or economic/political uncertainty.
