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Global stock markets advanced on Tuesday to fresh record highs while oil prices eased as investors tracked developments surrounding crude-rich Venezuela as well as the outlook for the global economy.Brushing off geopolitical concerns triggered by the surprise US raid Saturday on Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife taken to New York, some major stock markets have begun the new year with all-time highs, having already smashed records in 2025.Wall Street extended an upbeat start to the 2026 campaign, with both the Dow and S&P 500 ending at all-time records.”It’s just an upward bias to start the year here as people are putting money to work in areas that might have been left behind last year,” said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O’Hare. “People are broadening out their buying efforts.”Seoul rose more than one percent to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index reached a new high Tuesday above 10,000 points, with investors expecting more cuts to British interest rates to bolster growth in 2026.”Global equities are likely to keep looking through the geopolitical shock unless it threatens the broader supply chain or tightens financial conditions, because geopolitics has become a persistent feature rather than a surprise,” said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets.”Equities can continue grinding higher if earnings expectations, liquidity, and rate expectations remain supportive, especially in tech,” she added.A presentation by Nvidia at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas lent new buzz to the artificial intelligence industry, while an announcement that Microchip Technology lifted its sales outlook spurred major gains by semiconductor stocks.Traders are awaiting key US jobs data due Friday for clues on the outlook for interest rates.The Federal Reserve is expected to keep cutting American borrowing costs this year, but how many times remains unclear.But oil prices pulled lower as markets continued to digest the upheaval in Venezuela since Saturday’s US raid.While Venezuela sits on about a fifth of the world’s oil reserves, observers pointed out that a quick ramp-up of output would be hamstrung by several issues including its creaking infrastructure, low prices and political uncertainty.”With the country pumping less than one percent of the world’s oil after years of underinvestment, any major near-term disruption looks more bark than bite,” Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said Tuesday.Chevron, the sole US company still operating in Venezuela, dropped 4.5 percent, reversing Monday’s surge in the stock.- Key figures at around 2130 GMT – Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.7 percent at $60.70 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.0 percent at $57.13 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 1.0 percent at 49,462.08 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,944.82 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 23,547.17 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 1.2 percent at 10,122.73 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 8,237.43 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 24,892.20 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 52,518.08 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.4 percent at 26,710.45 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.5 percent at 4,083.67 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1693 from $1.1722 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3503 from $1.3542 Dollar/yen: UP at 156.59 yen from 156.38 yenEuro/pound: UP at 86.58 pence from 86.56 penceburs-jmb/iv

Oil prices climbed and stock markets hit new heights Tuesday as investors tracked developments surrounding crude-rich Venezuela as well as the outlook for the global economy.The United Nations voiced deep concern over the dramatic US operation in Venezuela, warning that it clearly “undermined a fundamental principle of international law”.”States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state,” Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN rights office, told reporters in Geneva.Oil prices have experienced choppy trading since the surprise US raid Saturday on Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife taken to New York.They pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges at a court hearing on Monday, where a judge ordered them to remain behind bars until the next hearing due March 17.While Venezuela sits on about a fifth of the world’s oil reserves, observers pointed out that a quick ramp-up of output would be hamstrung by several issues including its creaking infrastructure, low prices and political uncertainty.”With the country pumping less than one percent of the world’s oil after years of underinvestment, any major near-term disruption looks more bark than bite,” Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said Tuesday.Brushing off geopolitical concerns, some major stock markets have begun the new year with all-time highs, having already smashed records in 2025.Seoul rose more than one percent Tuesday to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.That came after the Dow ended at a record high Monday on Wall Street, boosted by a rally of technology titans Amazon and Meta.London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index reached a new high Tuesday above 10,000 points, with investors expecting more cuts to British interest rates to bolster growth in 2026.”Global equities are likely to keep looking through the geopolitical shock unless it threatens the broader supply chain or tightens financial conditions, because geopolitics has become a persistent feature rather than a surprise,” said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets.”Equities can continue grinding higher if earnings expectations, liquidity, and rate expectations remain supportive, especially in tech,” she added.Shares in Nvidia climbed 1.1 percent after the world’s most valuable company unveiled its latest AI platform the previous evening. Wall Street opened mixed, with the Dow dipping from its record close, but quickly stabilising.Traders are awaiting key US jobs data due Friday for clues on the outlook for interest rates.The Federal Reserve is expected to keep cutting American borrowing costs this year, but how many times remains unclear.- Key figures at around 1340 GMT – Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.7 percent at $62.20 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $58.72 per barrelNew York – Dow: FLAT at 48,966.58 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,910.63New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 23,448.82London – FTSE 100: UP 1.2 percent at 10,121.46 Paris – CAC 40: UP less than 0.1 percent at 8,216.11Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.3 percent at 24,954.31Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 52,518.08 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.4 percent at 26,710.45 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.5 percent at 4,083.67 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1705 from $1.1714 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3517 from $1.3525 Dollar/yen: UP at 156.43 yen from 156.31 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.56 pence from 86.57 penceburs-rl/js

Oil prices gained slightly and stock markets hit new heights Tuesday as investors tracked developments surrounding crude-rich Venezuela as well as the outlook for the global economy.The United Nations voiced deep concern over the dramatic US operation in Venezuela, warning that it clearly “undermined a fundamental principle of international law”.”States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state,” Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN rights office, told reporters in Geneva.Oil prices have experienced choppy trading since the surprise US raid Saturday on Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife taken to New York.They pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges while appearing at a court in the city on Monday. A judge ordered them to remain behind bars until the next hearing due March 17.While Venezuela sits on about a fifth of the world’s oil reserves, observers pointed out that a quick ramp-up of output would be hamstrung by several issues including its creaking infrastructure, low prices and political uncertainty.”With the country pumping less than one percent of the world’s oil after years of underinvestment, any major near-term disruption looks more bark than bite,” Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, noted Tuesday.Brushing off geopolitical concerns, some major stock markets have begun the new year with new all-time highs, having smashed records in 2025.Seoul rose more than one percent Tuesday to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.That mood was reflected on Wall Street, where the Dow ended at a record high Monday, boosted by a rally to share prices of technology titans Amazon and Meta.London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index reached a new high Tuesday above 10,000 points, with investors expecting more cuts to British interest rates in 2026.”Global equities are likely to keep looking through the geopolitical shock unless it threatens the broader supply chain or tightens financial conditions, because geopolitics has become a persistent feature rather than a surprise,” said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets.”Equities can continue grinding higher if earnings expectations, liquidity, and rate expectations remain supportive, especially in tech,” she added.Traders are awaiting key US jobs data due Friday for fresh clues on the outlook for interest rates.The Federal Reserve is expected to keep cutting American borrowing costs this year, but how many times remains unclear.- Key figures at around 1045 GMT – Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.5 percent at $62.09 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $58.58 per barrelLondon – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 10,054.63 pointsParis – CAC 40: DOWN 0.6 percent at 8,163.72Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 24,883.01Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 52,518.08 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.4 percent at 26,710.45 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.5 percent at 4,083.67 (close)New York – Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 48,977.18 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1712 from $1.1714 on MondayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3536 from $1.3525 Dollar/yen: UP at 156.45 yen from 156.31 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.54 pence from 86.57 penceburs-bcp/ajb/cw

Markets rallied Tuesday, tracking the year’s first record on Wall Street as investors racked up AI-linked tech bets, while oil prices steadied after whipsawing following the ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.Attention is also turning back to US monetary policy and the release of key data this week that could play a role in Federal Reserve interest rate decision-making ahead of its next meeting at the end of the month.Traders essentially ignored the noise of the surprise US raid on Caracas on Saturday that saw Maduro and his wife spirited away to New York to face drug charges.While there is still some nervousness about stretched valuations in the tech sector, analysts remain optimistic about the outlook for equities this year, with artificial intelligence still the main game in town.”Global equities are likely to keep looking through the geopolitical shock unless it threatens the broader supply chain or tightens financial conditions, because geopolitics has become a persistent feature rather than a surprise,” Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets, wrote in a commentary.”Equities can continue grinding higher if earnings expectations, liquidity, and rate expectations remain supportive, especially in tech.”That mood was reflected on Wall Street, where the Dow ended at a new record, boosted by a rally in tech titans including Amazon and Meta as well as energy giants.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also rose, helped by data showing US manufacturing activity contracted for a 10th straight month in December, giving the Fed fresh room to cut rates.The figures come ahead of jobs data due over the next couple of days, which could give it more justification to ease, even after the central bank suggested last month it could pause its easing.Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Taipei, Singapore and Jakarta all piled on more than one percent, while there were also healthy gains in Manila and Wellington. Mumbai, Sydney and Bangkok fell.Seoul, which soared more than three percent Monday, also rose more than one percent to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.South Korean car giant Hyundai jumped more than eight percent at the open after it unveiled a prototype of its humanoid robot called Atlas at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The firm said the AI-powered device would start working at a US plant by 2028. It ended more than one percent up.In Sydney, Australia’s BlueScope Steel rocketed almost 21 percent after saying it is evaluating a US$8.8 billion joint takeover bid by a US rival and a diversified local firm.London opened with more gains a day after ending at a record high, while Paris and Frankfurt also advanced.Oil prices slipped, having risen 1.7 percent Monday as the impact of developments in Venezuela were being weighed.While the country sits on about a fifth of the world’s oil reserves, adding to an existing supply glut, observers pointed out that a quick ramp-up of output would be hamstrung by several issues including its creaking infrastructure, low prices and political uncertainty.- Key figures at around 0815 GMT – Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 52,518.08 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.4 percent at 26,710.45 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.5 percent at 4,083.67 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 10,049.60 West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.6 percent at $57.96 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $61.44 per barrelEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1733 from $1.1714 on MondayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3550 from $1.3525 Dollar/yen: UP at 156.32 yen from 156.31 yenEuro/pound: UP at 86.59 pence from 86.57 penceNew York – Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 48,977.18 (close)

Oil prices finished higher Monday on a heady day for global equities after the US capture of Venezuela’s president sparked speculation on the implications for future crude supplies.The shake-up in Venezuela also sparked a rally in petroleum giant Chevron, which helped lift the blue-chip Dow index to a fresh all-time high after London’s FTSE 100 had earlier closed at a record.Following a more than five percent gain in Chevron, the Dow ended at 48,977.8, up 1.2 percent. The broad-based S&P 500 and Nasdaq also finished solidly higher.Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management attributed the sunny session in part to an infusion of new investor optimism after a sleepy end to 2025.”We’re coming into the first full week of trading in a while and a week of fresh economic data,” Hogan said. “It’s kind of a fresh look. Investors seem to be seeing more positives than negatives.”Besides Chevron, oil services giant Halliburton jumped 7.8 percent, while producers ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil also rose.Defense stocks also progressed, along with several leading tech names in the spotlight at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.Oil prices themselves experienced a rollercoaster ride as markets assessed the weekend’s dramatic events.Having spiked in an initial reaction to the military operation to apprehend Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, oil prices proceeded to drop on speculation that Venezuela — which sits on about a fifth of the world’s oil reserves — could crank up production quickly, adding to an existing supply glut.But then oil prices recovered again as investors realized that Venezuela is in no position to make a meaningful impact on oil supply in the short run, even with all the investment that US President Donald Trump has promised.Despite Trump’s “obvious desire for US oil companies to ramp up activity in Venezuela, lower oil prices and political uncertainty will frustrate efforts to exploit its vast energy potential,” predicted David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics.”It would take years, and massive investment, to bring Venezuela’s oil production back to pre-crisis levels,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, an analyst with Swissquote.Oil prices finished up 1.7 percent. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, at around 303 billion barrels, according to OPEC.But years of underinvestment and US sanctions have led to Venezuela producing less than one million barrels per day.”We would see additional barrels from Venezuela going to, let’s say, from one million barrels per day to two million barrels per day, only after five to seven years,” Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, told AFP.In European trading, London’s FTSE 100 closed above the 10,000-point level for the first time.Safe-haven investments gold and silver rose on increased geopolitical risk in the wake of the US invasion.The first full week of business for 2026 will see the release of key US jobs data that could play a role in the Federal Reserve’s decision-making on borrowing costs.- Key figures at around 2110 GMT – Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.7 percent at $61.76 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.7 percent at $58.32 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 48,977.18 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,902.05 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 23,395.82 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 10,004.57 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 8,211.50 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 1.3 percent at 24,856.32 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 3.0 percent at 51,832.80 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 26,347.24 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.4 percent at 4,023.42 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1714 from $1.1719 on FridayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3525 from $1.3456 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 156.31 yen from 156.84 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.57 pence from 87.08 penceburs-jmb/jgc

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on his visiting South Korean counterpart Monday to join Beijing in making the “right strategic choices” in a world that is “becoming more complex and turbulent”, state media reported.Lee Jae Myung is the first South Korean leader to visit the Chinese capital in six years and his meeting with Xi came a day after the nuclear-armed North fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.At their 90-minute summit, Lee and Xi agreed on the importance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of dialogue with North Korea, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.Lee’s visit to China also followed a shock US military operation in Caracas that deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and brought him to New York to face narcotrafficking charges — a raid condemned by Beijing and Pyongyang.At Monday’s talks, Xi warned “the world is currently undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century, and the international situation is becoming more complex and turbulent”, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.Beijing and Seoul “bear important responsibilities” in upholding peace in the region, Xi said, noting that the sides “have broad common interests”.”They should firmly stand on the right side of history and make the right strategic choices.”The South Korean leader then said he wished to open a “new phase” in relations, “based on the trust” between himself and Xi.And he vowed to “seek feasible alternatives together for peace on the Korean Peninsula”, footage broadcast by Yonhap showed.The leaders witnessed the signing of “15 cooperation documents” spanning technological innovation, the environment, transportation and trade, Xinhua said.A state banquet followed the signing of the agreements, the report added.Lee, accompanied by a delegation of business and tech leaders, hopes to secure pledges to expand economic cooperation with his country’s largest trading partner.He has called for South Korea and China to work towards “more horizontal and mutually beneficial” trade.- ‘Interconnected supply chains’ -On Monday, Lee also met with top executives from both South Korean and Chinese firms at Beijing’s opulent Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Yonhap reported.Among the Chinese firms represented were battery giant CATL as well as phone maker ZTE and tech giant Tencent, Yonhap said.On the South Korean side, Lee was accompanied by business leaders including from Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group.The South Korean President will meet on Tuesday with Chinese Premier Li Qiang — who is in charge of economic policy — before heading to China’s economic powerhouse city of Shanghai.- Pyongyang tensions -Lee hopes his visit can harness China’s clout over North Korea to support his bid to improve ties with Pyongyang.Hours before Xi and Lee were due to meet, Pyongyang declared that it had launched two hypersonic missiles and that its nuclear forces were ready for “actual war”.South Korean National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac told journalists after Monday’s talks that Lee and Xi “reaffirmed peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula serves the interests of both countries,” Yonhap reported.”The two leaders underscored the importance of resuming dialogue with North Korea,” Wi was quoted as saying.Xi and Lee last met in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju — a meeting Seoul framed as a reset of ties after years of tension.Seoul has for decades trodden a fine line between China, its top trading partner, and the United States, its chief defence guarantor.And Lee’s trip comes less than a week after China carried out massive military drills around Taiwan, the self-ruled island it claims as part of its territory.The exercise, featuring missiles, fighter jets, navy ships and coastguard vessels, drew a chorus of international condemnation that Seoul has notably declined to join.Lee also deftly stayed on the sidelines since a nasty spat erupted between Beijing and Tokyo late last year, triggered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan.burs-pfc/oho/msp/ksb

The oil market was jumpy on Monday after US forces captured the leader of oil-rich Venezuela, sparking speculation on the implications for future crude supplies.Having spiked in an initial reaction to the military operation to apprehend Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, oil prices quickly dropped again on expectations that Venezuela — which sits on about a fifth of the the world’s oil reserves — will crank up production quickly, adding to an existing supply glut.But then oil recovered again as investors realised that Venezuela is in no position to make a meaningful impact on oil supply in the short run, even with all the investment that US President Donald Trump has promised.Despite Trump’s “obvious desire for US oil companies to ramp up activity in Venezuela, lower oil prices and political uncertainty will frustrate efforts to exploit its vast energy potential”, predicted David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics.”It would take years, and massive investment, to bring Venezuela’s oil production back to pre-crisis levels,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, an analyst with Swissquote.Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, at around 303 billion barrels, according to OPEC.But years of underinvestment and US sanctions have led to Venezuela producing less than one million barrels per day.”We would see additional barrels from Venezuela going to, let’s say, from one million barrels per day to two million barrels per day, only after five to seven years,” Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, told AFP.Trump’s promise to rebuild Venezuela’s crude production capacity with the help of American companies meanwhile sent stocks in oil majors soaring.A five percent gain by Chevron helped lift the blue-chip Dow to a fresh record high.”These are expected to be big winners from the turmoil in Venezuela, given the new government’s need to placate the US administration,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at trading platform IG.Shares in ConocoPhilips climbed 2.7 percent while ExxonMobil rose by around 2.3 percent.In European trading, London’s FTSE-100 closed above the 10,000-point level for the first time.Safe-haven investments gold and silver rose on increased geopolitical risk in the wake of the US invasion.Prospects of more US interest-rate cuts this year and a booming technology sector meanwhile lent support to equity markets.The first full week of business for 2026 will see the release of key US jobs data that could play a role in the Federal Reserve’s decision-making on borrowing costs.- Key figures at around 1630 GMT – Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.2 percent at $61.43 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.2 percent at $58.02 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 1.4 percent at 49,056.82 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.8 percent at 6,910.59New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.0 percent at 23,467.20London – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 10,004.57 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 8,211.50 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 1.3 percent at 24,868.69 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 3.0 percent at 51,832.80 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 26,347.24 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.4 percent at 4,023.42 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1711 from $1.1720 on FridayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3514 from $1.3460 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 156.44 yen from 156.85 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.65 pence from 87.07 penceburs-rl/rmb

Oil prices dipped Monday after the United States ousted Nicolas Maduro, leader of crude-rich Venezuela, raising the prospect that billions of barrels could be added to the global market in coming years.Shares prices of defence companies and gold miners rallied on the new geopolitical risks in the wake of the US invasion, while prospects of more US interest-rate cuts this year and a booming technology sector lent additional support to equity markets.The dollar traded mixed while gold, seen as a safe haven investment, jumped along with silver.The prices of Brent North Sea crude oil, an international oil benchmark, and the main US contract WTI were slightly lower after US forces seized Maduro on Saturday.Leftist strongman Maduro, 63, faces narcotrafficking charges along with his wife, who was also seized and taken out of Caracas in the shock US assault that involved commandos, bombing by jet planes, and a massive naval force off Venezuela’s coast.The oil market, which is currently oversupplied, “will likely absorb this short-term supply uncertainty, with a limited impact on oil prices”, said Helge Andre Martinsen, senior energy analyst at DNB Carnegie.Trump said he wanted to allow American oil companies to head back into Venezuela to tap its massive crude reserves, boosting their share prices in limited trading Monday ahead of the Wall Street open. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, at around 303 billion barrels, according to OPEC. But its output is very low because of a lack of investment in the country’s infrastructure.The first full week of business for 2026 will also see the release of key US jobs data that could play a role in the Federal Reserve’s decision-making on borrowing costs.But the stock gains in Asia and Europe on Monday suggest investors are brushing off worries that valuations in the tech sector have become stretched, amid doubts about the timing and size of returns on huge investments in artificial intelligence.- Key figures at around 1045 GMT – Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $60.66 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $57.29 per barrelLondon – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 9,963.57 pointsParis – CAC 40: DOWN 0.1 percent at 8,187.54Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.6 percent at 24,687.91Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 3.0 percent at 51,832.80 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 26,347.24 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.4 percent at 4,023.42 (close)New York – Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 48,382.39 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1688 from $1.1720 on FridayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3459 from $1.3460 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 156.67 yen from 156.85 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.85 pence from 87.07 penceburs-bcp/ajb/js

Vietnam said on Monday its economy grew 8.0 percent last year, thanks to strong gains in services, construction and exports, including to the United States — despite fresh tariffs taking effect.”GDP in 2025 is projected to grow significantly at an estimated rate of 8.02 percent compared to the previous year,” the General Statistics Office (GSO) said in a statement.Vietnam has long been a success story among Asian economies. Last year’s growth rate was the highest since 2022 when GDP also hit 8.0 percent.Vietnam posted strong growth despite new trade levies from the United States, its largest export market, on a range of products including clothing and shoes.The value of exports to the United States jumped 28 percent, from $119.6 billion in 2024 to $153.2 billion in 2025.The global manufacturing hub’s exports rose 17 percent to $475 billion while imports climbed to $455 billion, up 19 percent from 2024, according to the GSO.China was its largest source of imports, the office said.When US President Donald Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, Vietnam had the third-largest trade surplus with the United States of any country after China and Mexico, and was targeted with one of the highest rates in Trump’s tariff blitz.But by July, Hanoi secured a minimum 20 percent tariff with Washington, down from more than 40 percent, in return for opening its market to US products including cars.”Despite potential downside risks from tariffs imposed by the US, Vietnam has shown resilience through strong domestic consumption, business investment growth and government spending,” said Chad Ovel, a partner at private equity firm Mekong Capital.Its 2025 growth “reflects the continued strong fundamentals of the Vietnamese economy and the government’s pro-private sector direction”, Ovel told AFP on Monday.Vietnam’s industry and construction sector grew nearly nine percent while its services sector rose 8.6 percent from the previous year, according to the GSO.In the fourth quarter of 2025, Vietnam’s year-on-year economic growth was 8.46 percent, “reaching the highest growth rate for a fourth quarter in the 2011-2025 period”, the GSO said.The economy grew just over five percent in 2023 and topped seven percent in 2024.Vietnam aims to grow its economy by at least 10 percent this year, and is vying for “middle-income country” status by 2030.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday in Beijing, with closer economic ties as well as the recalcitrant North on the agenda.Lee is the first South Korean leader to visit Beijing in six years and his meeting with Xi comes a day after the nuclear-armed North fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.Xi held a welcome ceremony for Lee and the two began talks, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.The signing of an agreement and a state banquet will follow, Seoul has said.The South Korean leader, accompanied by a delegation of business and tech leaders, hopes to secure pledges to expand economic cooperation with his country’s largest trading partner.He has called for South Korea and China to work towards “more horizontal and mutually beneficial” trade.On Monday, Lee also met with top executives from both South Korean and Chinese firms at Beijing’s opulent Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Seoul’s Yonhap news agency reported.South Korea and China “have helped each other grow through interconnected industrial supply chains and led the global economy”, he told them.Among the Chinese firms represented were battery giant CATL as well as phone maker ZTE and tech giant Tencent, Yonhap said.On the South Korean side, Lee was accompanied by Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group’s executive chair Chung Eui-sun, among others.Lee also hopes to possibly harness China’s clout over North Korea to support his bid to improve ties with Pyongyang.”China is a very important cooperative partner in moving toward peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula,” Lee said during a meeting with Korean residents in Beijing on Sunday, according to Yonhap.- Pyongyang tensions -Hours before Xi and Lee were due to meet, Pyongyang declared that it had launched two hypersonic missiles and that its nuclear forces were ready for “actual war”.Xi and Lee last met in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju — a meeting Seoul framed as a reset of ties after years of tension.Seoul has for decades trodden a fine line between China, its top trading partner, and the United States, its chief defence guarantor.And Lee’s trip comes less than a week after China carried out massive military drills around Taiwan, the self-ruled island it claims as part of its territory.The exercise, featuring missiles, fighter jets, navy ships and coastguard vessels, drew a chorus of international condemnation that Seoul has notably declined to join.Lee also deftly stayed on the sidelines since a nasty spat erupted between Beijing and Tokyo late last year, triggered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan.In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Friday, Lee said he “clearly affirms” that “respecting the ‘one-China’ principle and maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia, including in the Taiwan Strait, are very important”.