Stock Market
Japan stocks lower at close of trade; Nikkei 225 down 1.65%
Crude oil for February delivery was down 0.26% or 0.19 to $73.77 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March fell 0.27% or 0.21 to hit $76.30 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract fell 0.40% or 10.59 to trade at $2,644.11 a troy ounce.
Tesla’s China sales rise to record high in 2024, bucking global decline
As an EV price war in China enters a third year, Tesla has extended a 10,000 yuan ($1,369.99) discount on outstanding loans for its best-selling Model Y as well as zero-interest financing of up to five years for some Model 3 and Model Y cars until the end of this month.
Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump Las Vegas hotel, killing driver
The Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas is part of the Trump Organization, the company of President-elect Donald Trump, who will return to the White House on Jan. 20. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was a key backer of Trump in his 2024 presidential campaign and is also an adviser to the incoming president.
Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine halted as transit deal expires
The shutdown of Russia’s oldest gas route to Europe ends a decade of fraught relations sparked by Russia’s seizure of Crimea in 2014. Ukraine stopped buying Russian gas the following year.
Taiwan stocks higher at close of trade; Taiwan Weighted up 0.43%
Crude oil for February delivery was up 0.11% or 0.08 to $70.18 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March rose 0.08% or 0.06 to hit $73.23 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract rose 0.19% or 4.94 to trade at $2,640.44 a troy ounce.
Taiwan stocks higher at close of trade; Taiwan Weighted up 2.64%
Crude oil for February delivery was up 0.40% or 0.28 to $69.52 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March rose 0.43% or 0.31 to hit $72.63 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract rose 0.14% or 3.74 to trade at $2,631.94 a troy ounce.
Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 1.67%
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.06% or 1.70 to $2,643.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.50% or 0.35 to hit $69.81 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.45% or 0.33 to trade at $72.89 a barrel.
US stock futures drop as Trump-backed spending bill fails to pass
Government funding is set to expire at midnight on Friday, marking the beginning of a partial government shutdown that could disrupt operations ranging from border security to travel. The disruption is expected to be particularly dire amid increased travel trends during the holiday season.
Asian stocks fall after Fed flags slower rate cuts, BOJ stands pat
Asian stocks slipped and the dollar was perched near a two-year high on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve cautioned it would temper the pace of rate cuts next year, while the yen dipped after the Bank of Japan kept rates steady.
Tesla’s China factory head Song Gang leaves company, letter to staff shows
Song, who became Gigafactory Shanghai’s manager in 2018, informed Tesla employees that Wednesday would be his last day, according to the note seen by Reuters. The Shanghai plant is Tesla’s largest factory by output and also exports to Europe and Southeast Asia.