^{Photo: Bloomberg.com}

Regional Markets Open the Final Week Mixed

Asia-Pacific equity markets delivered a mixed performance on Monday as investors entered the final trading week of 2025 with a cautious and selective approach. Thin holiday volumes and year-end portfolio adjustments kept sentiment restrained, leading to uneven moves across major regional benchmarks.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.55%, while the broader Topix index slipped 0.26%, reflecting profit taking in large exporters and technology names after recent gains. Market participants in Tokyo remained focused on currency movements and expectations around global interest rate cuts in 2026.

South Korea and Greater China Show Relative Strength

South Korean equities outperformed several regional peers. The Kospi rose 0.62%, supported by strength in heavyweight semiconductor and battery related stocks, while the Kosdaq added 0.19% as investors selectively rotated into growth oriented names.

In Greater China, Hong Kong markets advanced, with the Hang Seng Index jumping 0.7% as bargain hunting emerged in beaten down technology and consumer stocks. Mainland China’s CSI 300, however, traded flat, highlighting ongoing uncertainty around domestic demand recovery and policy follow through.

Australia’s S&P ASX 200 edged lower by 0.21%, pressured by weakness in financials and materials, as commodity prices delivered mixed signals heading into year end.

Silver Hits Record Before Pulling Back

Commodity markets added volatility to the session, with spot silver surging to a fresh all time high above $80 per ounce before retreating sharply to around $77. Analysts attributed the sudden move to speculative buying combined with persistent supply tightness in the physical market.

According to asset managers, silver’s rally throughout 2025 has been fueled by shrinking freely traded inventories, which has amplified price swings as investment demand increased. Market strategists noted that expectations of lower global interest rates and a potentially weaker U.S. dollar in 2026 have further boosted the appeal of hard assets such as precious metals.

U.S. Markets Pause Near Record Levels

U.S. equity futures were largely flat during early Asian trading hours, signaling a pause after strong gains on Wall Street. On Friday, U.S. markets closed slightly lower but remained close to record highs as traders returned from the Christmas break.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.03% to finish at 6,929.94 after touching an intraday high of 6,945.77. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.09% to close at 23,593.10, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 20 points, ending the session at 48,710.97.

Despite the modest daily declines, U.S. markets delivered solid weekly performances. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% for the week, marking its fourth weekly gain in five weeks. Both the Dow and Nasdaq also advanced by more than 1% over the same period, reinforcing the broader bullish tone that has defined the latter part of the year.

Investor Focus Shifts to 2026 Outlook

With 2025 drawing to a close, investor attention across Asia-Pacific markets is increasingly shifting toward the economic and policy outlook for 2026. Expectations of gradual interest rate cuts, evolving central bank guidance, and currency dynamics are likely to shape positioning in the weeks ahead.

For now, the mixed regional performance reflects a market in transition, balancing strong year-end gains against lingering macroeconomic uncertainty and the need to lock in profits before the calendar turns.