Asian markets showed mixed performance Thursday amid light holiday trading, with many exchanges in the region and worldwide closed for Christmas.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 dipped less than 0.1% to 50,317.43, marking nearly a 30% gain for the year. The dollar weakened slightly to 155.70 yen from 155.94, while the euro held steady at $1.1780. Mainland Chinese markets rose, with the Shanghai Composite up 0.3%, although Hong Kong remained closed. Investors were supported by the People’s Bank of China’s pledge to maintain sufficient liquidity to back financing, growth, and inflation targets. Thailand and Indonesia saw share declines.

In the U.S., the S&P 500 rose 0.3% to 6,932.05 on Wednesday, the Dow Jones added 0.6% to 48,731.16, and the Nasdaq gained 0.2% to 23,613.31. Trading volumes were light due to early closures for Christmas Eve and Thursday’s holiday, with roughly 1.8 billion shares traded on the NYSE, about a third of a typical day. Full trading resumes Friday, although volumes are expected to remain subdued as many investors wrap up positions for the year.

The S&P 500 has climbed over 17% this year, boosted by deregulatory policies and optimism over artificial intelligence benefiting technology firms and broader corporate earnings. Investors are now watching U.S. economic trends and the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate decisions, widely expected to remain steady in January.

U.S. economic data showed a 4.3% annualized growth in Q3, the fastest in two years, fueled by strong consumer spending despite inflation concerns. Jobless claims fell to 214,000 last week, below forecasts, signaling continued labor market strength.

In corporate news, Dynavax Technologies surged 38.2% after Sanofi announced a $2.2 billion acquisition, while Novo Nordisk gained 1.8% following U.S. approval for a pill version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy. Oil prices closed at $58.35 a barrel for U.S. crude and $61.80 for Brent.

Source: AP