Asian Shares Mixed as U.S. Stocks Hit Record Highs

Asian markets were mixed Thursday amid thin holiday trading, with many exchanges closed for Christmas. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 edged down 0.1% to 50,317.43, marking nearly a 30% gain for the year. The Shanghai Composite advanced 0.3%, while markets in Hong Kong remained closed. Thailand and Indonesia saw declines.
Investors were encouraged by the People’s Bank of China’s pledge to ensure sufficient money supply to support economic growth and inflation targets. In currency markets, the dollar slipped to 155.70 yen, while the euro remained steady at $1.1780.
U.S. markets continued to climb Wednesday, with the S&P 500 up 0.3% to 6,932.05, the Dow Jones rising 0.6% to 48,731.16, and the Nasdaq gaining 0.2% to 23,613.31. Trading volumes were light ahead of the Christmas holiday, though the S&P 500 has risen more than 17% this year, fueled by optimism over AI technology and deregulatory policies.
Corporate news influenced individual stocks: Dynavax Technologies surged 38.2% after Sanofi announced a $2.2 billion acquisition, while Novo Nordisk rose 1.8% following U.S. approval for a pill version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy. Crude oil closed at $58.35 a barrel for WTI and $61.80 for Brent.