Today's News Update - 31st Dec 2024 Asia Australia’s market opened lower on the final trading day, while Asian investors assessed China’s December PMI, which fell to 50.1, missing the forecast of 50.3 and highlighting limited stimulus impact. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.35%, Mainland China’s CSI 300 slipped 0.11%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.56%. Japan and South Korea’s markets were closed, but South Korea’s inflation rose to 1.9% in December, up from 1.5% in November. US U.S. stocks fell in one of the final trading sessions of 2024, ending a strong year for investors on a weak note. The Dow dropped over 700 points during intraday trading before closing down 418.48 points, or 0.97%, at 42,573.73. The S&P 500 lost 1.07% to end at 5,906.94, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.19% to 19,486.78. Trading was choppy with no clear catalyst and remained light due to the shortened week. Commodity Gold prices slipped on Monday in light trading as investors awaited key U.S. economic data and policy signals from incoming President Donald Trump, both of which could shape the Federal Reserve’s 2025 rate outlook. Spot gold dropped 0.6% to $2,603.53 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures fell 0.6% to $2,616.40. Meanwhile, natural gas prices surged, with February futures jumping 15% to a 52-week high. The rally followed Sunday’s updated forecast from The Weather Co. and Atmospheric G2, which predicted colder-than-average January temperatures across the Eastern U.S., including Florida, Maine, and parts of the Great Lakes region. The above analysis is only for the views of market researchers and is for reference only and is not Regarded as a specific investment suggestion. #Forex #trading #tradingforex