Asian markets sparkle in 2026 debut

Asia stock markets kicked off the new year on a high note on Friday, Jan 2, defying the late-December slump seen on Wall Street. The regional optimism was mirrored in global energy markets and U.S. stock futures, both of which trended higher in early trading. The Hang Seng Index was the region’s standout performer, jumping 2.7% to close at 26,189.79. Gold rose to around $4,360 per ounce on the first trading day of 2026, extending its bullish momentum from its strongest annual performance in more than four decades.
The South Korean won held steady around 1,440 per dollar on the first trading day of 2026, as investors digested remarks from the BOK Governor Rhee Chang-yong. He said the won remains “misaligned” with economic fundamentals and signaled the central bank’s renewed determination to support FX stability. Singapore’s economy expanded 5.7% year-on-year in Q4 2025, up from an upwardly revised 4.3% in Q3, marking the strongest growth since the third quarter of 2024, preliminary data showed.
Japan (NKY:IND) market closed. The Japanese yen stabilized around 156.6 per dollar on Friday after two consecutive sessions of losses, though it remained near ten-month lows, intensifying calls for intervention.