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BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 22: Visitors purchase cosmetics during China International Beauty Expo (CIBE) Beijing 2023 at China National Convention Center on February 22, 2023 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Zhang Yu/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
Zhang Yu | China News Service | Getty Images
Asia-Pacific markets were set to mostly climb on Tuesday, with investors awaiting business activity figures from several key economies in the region.
China's Caixin services purchasing managers' index from S&P Global is due later in the day, with the market reaction in China also in focus after the country's central bank said over the weekend it would implement a "moderately loose" monetary policy in 2025.
December PMI figures for India and Hong Kong will also released Monday.
Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index last traded at 19,827, pointing to a stronger open for the index compared to the HSI's Friday close of 19,760.27.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to fall, with the futures contract in Chicago at 39,815 and its counterpart in Osaka at 39,720 against the index's last close of 39,894.54
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 started the day up 0.39%.
CNBC Pro: From EVs to beauty: Strategist names four stocks to buy in 2025
The outlook for equity markets this year looks uncertain, with one market strategist describing the new year as "stepping into a house of cards."
"The stock market may fluctuate in 2025, but significant opportunities will arise for those focused on individual stock picks," Michele Schneider, chief market strategist at Marketgauge.com, said.
— Amala Balakrishner
Fri, Jan 3 20254:10 PM EST
Stocks close higher, but still finish down for holiday-shortened week
The stock market enjoyed a broad rally on Friday, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite. Still, the three major averages finished with losses for the week.
— Jesse Pound
Fri, Jan 3 20253:08 PM EST
S&P 500 will rise more than 12% in 2025, UBS says
The market may have more room to run in 2025, according to UBS' David Lefkowitz.
"We expect the bull market to continue with the S&P 500 reaching 6,600 by the end of the year, primarily driven by healthy profit growth of 9%," the firm's chief investment officer of U.S. equities wrote in a recent note. His price target implies about 12.5% upside from Thursday's close.
"That said, there are always risks that investors will have to navigate," Lefkowitz continued.
On that front, Lefkowitz said changes in trade policy under President-elect Trump, fiscal battles in Congress, inflation and the outlook for artificial intelligence could all possibly spur volatility in the coming year.
"But as long as corporate America puts up the numbers, stocks should respond favorably," he said.
The forecast comes after a record-breaking year for the S&P 500. In 2024, the broad market index gained more than 23%, scoring multiple new intraday and closing highs during the period.
— Sean Conlon
Fri, Jan 3 20252:26 PM EST
Microsoft expects to spend $80 billion on AI-enabled data centers in fiscal 2025
Microsoft plans to spend $80 billion to build artificial intelligence-enabled data centers in fiscal 2025, the technology titan said Friday.
The company said more than half of that spending in the fiscal year, which ends in June, will be in the U.S.
Shares last traded up more than 1% in Friday's session. The stock is on track to snap a five-day losing streak.
— Alex Harring, Jordan Novet
English (US)