Asian Markets were Varied on Christmas Day Amid Light Trading

 

Asian stocks were mixed on Wednesday (December 25) with Japan and mainland China being the only two open stock markets in Asia on Christmas Day. Markets gave the mixed performance as investors remained cautious when trades became fewer.

 

Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 0.24%. Gains in automotive and industrial stocks surpassed losses in the communication, warehousing, and precision instrument sectors.

 

Nissan Motor (TYO: 7201) led the gain with an impressive 8.66% jump, bolstered by optimism over recent merger talks and robust performance in global markets. Kawasaki Heavy Industries (TYO: 7012) rose 4.28%, reaching a five-year high.

 

However, Rakuten Inc. (TYO: 4755) slid 2.50%, leading to the day’s decline. It was followed by Konami Corp. (TYO: 9766), down 2.28%, and Fuji Electric Co. (TYO: 6504), which lost 2.17%.

 

In China, the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.01%, and the Shenzhen Component Index fell 0.64%. The downtrend was led by the Internet services, cement building materials, automotive services, education, and software sectors. However, the banking, insurance, coal, and commercial department store sectors rose against the trend but did not cover the loss.

 

It is worth noting that on December 25, the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee decided to convene the Third Session of China's 14th National People's Congress on March 5, 2025, in Beijing. The National Housing and Urban-Rural Development Work Conference ended in Beijing, pointing out that it is necessary to stabilize the real estate market and enhance the housing demand in 2025.

 

 

Merry Christmas to everyone!