The markets of Asia-Pacific started the first entire trading week of 2026 with a more promising outlook after the U.S. reported that it had invaded Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro on the weekend.
Oil prices moved down marginally, with the markets considering the possible influence of geopolitical tensions. After the operation, U.S. officials reported that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been flown to New York and accused of conspiracy to narco-terrorism and other offenses.
According to an indictment, drug trafficking had “enriched and entrenched Venezuela’s political and military elite.” The oil prices decreased following the escalation that involved the oil-rich country.
Brent crude prices were down more than 1 percent earlier before paring losses, and were last trading 0.25 percent lower, while the West Texas Intermediate crude prices dropped 0.4 percent.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that Venezuela, a founding member of OPEC, has the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, at 303 billion barrels, or about 17 percent of the global total. Spot gold prices gained more than 1 percent to $4,383.99.
The Nikkei 225 index of Japan soared 2.82 percent in the first trading session of the year, whereas the Topix index, which topped a record high, rose by 1.42 percent.
Defense stocks also ranked among the largest index gainers, with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries contributing 5.7 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.
South Korea’s Kospi index surged 2.41 percent to a record high of 4,420.92, and the small-cap Kosdaq added 0.2 percent. Shares of defense giant Hanwha Aerospace increased more than 4 percent, while Poongsan traded 3 percent higher. Australia’s ASX/S&P 200 gained 0.11 percent.
Meanwhile, the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong was stagnant compared to the mainland CSI 300, which increased 0.68 percent. Early Asian hours were steady in U.S. equity futures.
The S&P 500 finished marginally higher on the first trading day of 2026, Friday stateside, with the gains in semiconductor names sustaining the index.
Therefore, the benchmark ended up 0.19 percent at 6,858.47, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.03 percent to finish at 23,235.63. The two had been firmly positive in the earlier part of the day, with the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbing 0.7 percent and 1.5 percent at their highest points.
Thus, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to 319.10 points, or 0.66 percent, to settle at 48,382.39.
