📉 Asian Markets:
On the final trading day of 2024, Asian stocks dipped in thin holiday trading.
MSCI Asia-Pacific Index: -0.2%, but up 8% for the year.
Markets closed in 🇯🇵 Japan, 🇰🇷 South Korea, and 🇹🇭 Thailand.
Shortened sessions in 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, 🇵🇭 Philippines, 🇦🇺 Australia, and 🇳🇿 New Zealand.
📊 China:
Manufacturing PMI slowed in December: 50.1 (vs. 50.3 in November).
CSI 300: -0.4%
Shanghai Composite: -0.4%
Hang Seng: +0.7% 📈
Non-Manufacturing PMI improved to 52.2 (from 50.0).
🇰🇷 South Korea:
Political turmoil deepens:
Arrest warrant approved for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol following martial law declaration in December.
Acting President Han Duck-soo also impeached.
Nation mourns Sunday's Jeju Air crash (179 fatalities).
💱 Currencies:
Most Asian currencies weakened vs. the dollar:
Dollar Index: 107.95 (-0.1%) but near 2-year highs.
USD/JPY: 156.43 (-0.3%), on track for a 10% annual loss.
USD/INR: Rupee hit record lows, down over 3% in 2024.
🛢️ Commodities:
Oil Prices:
Brent: $74.64 (+0.8%)
WTI: $71.67 (+0.9%)
Both benchmarks face yearly losses (-3.2% & -0.6%).
Gold: $2,607 (flat), set for a 26% yearly gain, its best in a decade! 🌟
Silver: $29.31 (steady), Copper: $8,925 (-0.2%).
🍫 Top Performers:
Cocoa & coffee dominated in 2024: Cocoa prices nearly tripled due to supply deficits.
🚗 Tech & Regulations:
Beijing introduces regulations for autonomous vehicles.
From April 2025: Driverless public buses & taxis allowed post-safety checks.
Major players: Baidu's Apollo Go, Pony.ai, and Tesla (launching full self-driving in Q1 2025).
🌍 New Year’s Eve Closures:
Fully closed: 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇰🇷 South Korea.
Early closures:
🇭🇰 Hong Kong & 🇸🇬 Singapore: 12:00
🇬🇧 UK: 12:30
🇳🇿 New Zealand: 12:45
🇪🇸 Spain: 14:00
🇫🇷 France: 14:05
🇦🇺 Australia: 14:10
🎆 Wishing you a prosperous end to 2024 and a fantastic 2025! 🥂
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