2025 Asian Stock Market Year-End Mixed Trade: Gold and Silver Surge

Asian markets wrap up 2025 with a mixed performance as major hubs like Tokyo and Seoul stay shuttered for the New Year holidays. While trading volumes remained thin, those bourses that stayed open reflected the complex interplay of cooling inflation and persistent trade tensions.

2025 Asian Stock Market Year-End Mixed Trade and Commodity Rally

According to Associated Press, China's Hang Seng index dipped 0.9% to 25,630.54, while the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.1%. Taiwan's Taiex stood out with a 0.9% jump. On Wall Street, despite three days of minor losses, the S&P 500 is on track to end 2025 with a gain of over 17%.

The real fireworks happened in commodities. Gold rose 1.4% to $4,386.30 per ounce, while Silver rocketed 10.9%. Copper, essential for AI-driven power infrastructure, climbed 4.4%, marking a massive 40% annual increase as data center demand strains global grids.

Tech Resilience and Fed's Policy Pivot

Big Tech remains the market's backbone. Meta Platforms saw a 1.1% rise after announcing the acquisition of AI startup Manus. However, AI heavyweights like Nvidia and Apple slipped slightly as investors rebalanced portfolios for the new year.

The Federal Reserve's actions defined the year, with three interest rate cuts in 2025. Despite this, the central bank faces a balancing act between a slowing labor market and inflation that stays above its 2% target. Current bets suggest the Fed will hold steady at its next meeting in January 2026.