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Asian shares shrug off Venezuela impact and climb; oil volatile
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 5, 2026
By Gregor Stuart Hunter
So, what’s the latest buzz? In the bustling financial districts of Asia, stocks are on the up and up, shrugging off some drama from Venezuela. Seems like the weekend antics, including the U.S. capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, didn’t faze investors much. Trump decided to put Venezuela under temporary American control. Wild, right?
Everyone’s got their eyes glued to economic reports hitting this week. But in the midst of it all, MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index sans Japan ticked up 0.3%. Meanwhile, those S&P 500 e-minis inched up by 0.1%.
Neil Shearing at Capital Economics had some thoughts. He figures this Venezuelan shakeup won’t rock the global economy in the short term, but politically and geopolitically? Things could get spicy.
Now, let’s gab about oil. WTI crude had a seesaw moment, winding up 0.1% at $57.36. Folks are weighing the U.S. intervention and a recent OPEC+ vote to keep things steady on the production front. Marko Papic from BCA Research doesn’t see a bearish oil story unfolding. Venezuela’s going to need help to boost its production—help it doesn’t exactly have in abundance.
And, regional stocks? They’re partying too. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is up 2.5%, hitting a two-month high. Over in Seoul, the Kospi jumped 2%, marking a new record.
But what about the U.S. dollar? The dollar index edged up 0.1% to 98.55, pushing its winning streak to five days. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield edged slightly higher, adding 0.2 basis points to reach 4.187%.
How about commodities? Gold rose by 1%, trading at $4,371.29. Bitcoin saw a 0.2% bump, hitting $91,452.90, while ether? It stayed flat at $3,141.29.
See how seamlessly global events like the Venezuela situation and economic reports blend into the intricate fabric of finance? It’s a wild ride, but that’s what keeps it all interesting, right?
_Reporting by Gregor Stuart Hunter; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman_
