Most Markets Open 2025 Lower
The start of the year appears less favorable for equities, with market sentiment clouded by uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s policies and tighter Federal Reserve expectations.
Global stocks struggled for traction on Thursday after a volatile close to 2024, while the dollar weakened as investor confidence wavered ahead of Trump’s return to the White House.
Despite ending 2024 with an impressive annual gain of nearly 16%, global equities posted a 2% loss in December and opened 2025 down 0.05%. The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 0.25%, reflecting the cautious mood.
U.S. stock futures showed signs of optimism, with S&P 500 futures rising 0.6% and Nasdaq futures climbing 0.8% before market open. However the S&P 500 index opened with a slight decline of 0.1%, settling at 5,880 basis points.
In contrast, Chinese markets suffered a sharp downturn, marking their weakest start to the year since 2016. Disappointing manufacturing data and unmet expectations for stronger policy support weighed heavily. The CSI 300 dropped 2.9%, the Shanghai Composite lost 2.7%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slid 2.2%.
Markets worldwide are closely watching key economic indicators and inflation trends. The latest Chinese PMI figures, falling short of expectations, highlight ongoing challenges in the manufacturing sector.
Still, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s New Year’s speech offered a glimmer of hope, as he pledged more proactive policies to boost growth in 2025, signaling potential shifts in the region’s economic strategy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
See More
Add 3442
Add 3440
Join 350 000+ traders receiving Free Trading Signals
Alerts
Rates
Calendar
Signals
Top Broker