ASIA/PACIFIC
-The Australian stock market closed high on Christmas Eve after shares of big U.S. technology companies rallied overnight in thin trading at the start of a holiday-shortened week.
-Asian stocks advanced after China’s Finance Ministry announced the government will increase public spending with a greater focus on promoting domestic demand growth next year.
-The minutes of the Bank of Japan’s October meeting showed that members agreed to stick with raising rates if the economic and inflation outlook was met.
. EUROPE
– European stocks edged higher in cautious trade on Tuesday ahead of Christmas break.
-Bank of England may be forced to prioritise growth in 2025, the City AM writes,
-The DAX and the Euro Stoxx 50 are not trading today.
. AMERICAS
North America
-Major Wall Street stock markets traded mostly lower during premarket hours.
Latin America
-Foreign investors flee Brazilian stocks, embrace fixed income in November, the Rio Times reported.
-Uruguay’s central bank has raised its benchmark interest rate to 8.75%, up from 8.50% in November.
. AFRICA
-Tanzania says card payments in the country will remain free of extra charges as it seeks to encourage digital and electronic financial transactions, The East African reported.
-Gold Era Egypt, a producer of gold bars and coins, is set to begin operations at its new EGP 1 billion gold manufacturing facility in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, an unnamed source told Al Borsa News.
-The Nigerian Capital Market Institute (NCMI) aims to build a stronger, more capable workforce ready for future emerging capital market innovations, Nigerian Tribune reported.
. MIDDLE EAST
-Stock markets in the Gulf were up in early trading on Tuesday, as oil prices rose on positive market outlooks for the short term and stronger U.S. economic data.
-Bahrain’s new $186mln treasury bills oversubscribed by 129%, holding a weighted average interest of 5.68%, Zawya reported.
-Shuaa Capital agrees waiver with senior creditor for $57mln facilities
. COMMODITIES
GOLD
Spot gold ticked up 0.1% to $2,616.13 per ounce, as of 0307 GMT while U.S. gold futures steadied at $2,629.80.
SILVER-PLATINUM-PALLADIUM
Spot silver added 0.1% to $29.68 per ounce and palladium gained 0.5% to $934.51. Platinum shed 0.1% to $938.00.
OIL
Brent crude futures were up 33 cents, or 0.45%, to $72.95 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 29 cents, or 0.42%, to $69.53 a barrel at 0114 GMT.
