People pose for photos in front of a Christmas light installation in central Seoul on December 22, 2023.
Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets opened higher on Christmas Eve after key U.S. benchmarks rose overnight thanks to gains in technology stocks.
Japan Nikkei 225 and Topix opened almost flat as investors awaited minutes from the Bank of Japan’s October meeting.
South Korea Kospi rose 0.31%, while the Kosdaq gained 0.72%.
South Korea’s consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in more than two years. That of the country Consumer sentiment index According to a survey released by the Bank of Korea, the reading fell more than 12 points from November to 88.4 in December, falling below the 100-point mark that separates optimism from pessimism.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures were at 19,924, above the HSI’s previous close of 19,883.13.
Australia S&P/ASX 200 traded slightly around the flatline on a shortened trading day.
Dealers will be monitoring any developments related to the planned merger of Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda, announced on Monday They had begun formal discussions to merge, to level the reward for creation the third largest automobile manufacturer in the world in terms of sales. The talks are scheduled to conclude in June 2025.
Overnight stay in the USA, Stocks rose as the strength of technology stocks benefited the broader market.
The S&P 500 rose 0.73% to 5,974.07. The tech-heavy one Nasdaq Composite rose 0.98% to 19,764.89, as Tesla And Metaplatforms more than 2% added and Nvidia rose by more than 3%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average erased earlier losses to end the day 66.69 points higher, or 0.16%, at 42,906.95.
Trading was weak on Monday and is expected to remain subdued throughout the week. The New York Stock Exchange closes early Tuesday on Christmas Eve at 1:00 p.m. ET and the market will be closed on Christmas Day.
—CNBC’s Yun Li contributed to this report.
