S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico MarketThe offshore yuan held steady to around 7.04 per dollar, hovering near a three-month high, as investors assessed the People’s Bank of China’s decision to keep loan prime rates unchanged. The central bank kept its one-year LPR at 3.0% and the five-year LPR at 3.5%, holding both at record lows for the seventh consecutive month in December. The PBoC also left the seven-day reverse repo rate at 1.4%, signaling less urgency for additional monetary stimulus as the economy is on track to meet this year’s growth target. The decision came after last week’s data showed that retail sales and industrial output growth in November eased amid lingering property sector crises. Meanwhile, the yuan has been appreciating at a measured pace since April, guided by the central bank through reference rates to curb carry-trade benefits and protect exporters from sudden currency swings. At this pace, it is projected to reach 7 per USD by March and finish 2026 around 6.8–6.9 if interest rates stay unchanged.
