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Economic Forecasts News 8 December 2025 - 1 January 2026

ASX 200 forecast for 2026: Rate-hike bets return as strategists split on Australia stocks

ASX 200 forecast for 2026: Rate-hike bets return as strategists split on Australia stocks

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 closed 2025 more than 4% below its October record after investors shifted to expecting rate hikes. The index returned 6.8% for the year, with resources surging and technology slumping. Two major banks now anticipate a rate increase at the central bank’s February meeting. Forecasters remain split on whether 2026 brings steady gains or more sharp sector swings.
1 January 2026
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Industrials Stocks Outlook 2026: Today’s News, Forecasts, and Key Catalysts Shaping Industrial Stocks on Dec. 25, 2025

Industrials Stocks Outlook 2026: Today’s News, Forecasts, and Key Catalysts Shaping Industrial Stocks on Dec. 25, 2025

The Dow and S&P 500 closed at record highs in a shortened session Dec. 24 before U.S. markets shut for Christmas. Industrials stocks remain in focus as investors weigh Fed rate cut expectations, mixed manufacturing data, and ongoing investment in defense and AI-driven infrastructure. Trading volumes were thin ahead of the holiday. The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points on Dec. 10.
25 December 2025
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US Stock Market Today (Dec. 24, 2025, 1:32 p.m. ET): S&P 500 and Dow Close at Record Highs in Christmas Eve Session as 2026 Forecasts Turn Bullish

US Stock Market Today (Dec. 24, 2025, 1:32 p.m. ET): S&P 500 and Dow Close at Record Highs in Christmas Eve Session as 2026 Forecasts Turn Bullish

The S&P 500 closed at 6,932.12 and the Dow at 48,731.81, both setting new records in a holiday-shortened session Wednesday. Trading ended at 1 p.m. ET ahead of the Christmas holiday. Nike rose after Apple CEO Tim Cook bought shares, while Micron gained on renewed AI optimism. Jobless claims fell to 214,000 for the week ending Dec. 20.
24 December 2025
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BHP Group Ltd Stock Update (Dec. 24, 2025): Copper at $12,000, China Iron Ore Talks, and 2026 Forecasts in Focus

BHP Group Ltd Stock Update (Dec. 24, 2025): Copper at $12,000, China Iron Ore Talks, and 2026 Forecasts in Focus

BHP Group Ltd shares traded near A$45.62 in Australia on Dec. 24, 2025, and $61.08 in New York on Dec. 23, capping a roughly 15% gain for the year. Copper surged past $12,000 per tonne this week, boosting BHP’s growth narrative as the company invests over A$840 million in its Olympic Dam project. Iron ore prices face warnings of softness into 2026.
24 December 2025
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Johannesburg Stock Exchange News & Forecasts (21 December 2025): JSE All Share Near Record Highs as Rate-Cut Bets Build for 2026

Johannesburg Stock Exchange News & Forecasts (21 December 2025): JSE All Share Near Record Highs as Rate-Cut Bets Build for 2026

The FTSE/JSE All Share Index closed at 114,849.89 on December 19, up nearly 36% over the year and close to its record high. The JSE FTSE Top 40 rose 41% year-on-year. Headline inflation eased to 3.5% in November, prompting the South African Reserve Bank to cut its repo rate to 6.75%. Markets expect further rate cuts in 2026.
21 December 2025
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Visa Stock (NYSE: V) News, Forecasts and Analysis for Dec. 19, 2025: ATM Fee Settlement, Stablecoin Expansion, and the 2026 Outlook

Visa Stock (NYSE: V) News, Forecasts and Analysis for Dec. 19, 2025: ATM Fee Settlement, Stablecoin Expansion, and the 2026 Outlook

Visa and Mastercard agreed to pay $167.5 million to settle a class action over allegedly inflated ATM fees, with Visa’s share at $88.8 million. Visa stock traded near $348 in late-morning U.S. hours as investors tracked the settlement, ongoing merchant fee litigation, and new product moves in stablecoins and AI commerce.
19 December 2025
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Gold Price Today at 9:34 AM ET (19.12.2025): Spot Gold Holds Near $4,326 as Dollar Firms; 2026 Forecasts Eye $4,900–$5,000

Gold Price Today at 9:34 AM ET (19.12.2025): Spot Gold Holds Near $4,326 as Dollar Firms; 2026 Forecasts Eye $4,900–$5,000

Spot gold hovered near $4,326 an ounce Friday morning in New York, holding close to record highs after a strong 2025 rally. Softer U.S. inflation data supported rate-cut expectations, but a firmer dollar capped gains. U.S. gold futures traded in the mid-$4,350s. Silver stood out at $65.93 per ounce after hitting a record earlier in the week.
19 December 2025
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Mastercard Incorporated Stock (NYSE: MA) News Today: CPI Surprise, New Partnerships, Legal Overhang, and Wall Street Forecasts for 2026 (Dec. 18, 2025)

Mastercard Incorporated Stock (NYSE: MA) News Today: CPI Surprise, New Partnerships, Legal Overhang, and Wall Street Forecasts for 2026 (Dec. 18, 2025)

Mastercard traded near $563.71 Thursday as investors weighed new partnerships in open finance and blockchain, alongside a cooler-than-expected November U.S. inflation report. The Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% year-over-year, with data collection affected by a government shutdown. Mastercard announced a partnership with Interchecks to expand account-to-account payments.
18 December 2025
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Gold Price Today (18 December 2025): Spot Gold Holds Near $4,330 Ahead of US CPI; 2026 Forecasts Keep $5,000 in View

Gold Price Today (18 December 2025): Spot Gold Holds Near $4,330 Ahead of US CPI; 2026 Forecasts Keep $5,000 in View

Spot gold slipped 0.2% to $4,333.12 per ounce early Thursday, with US futures at $4,363.60. Prices steadied as traders awaited the delayed US November CPI, due later today, and Friday’s PCE inflation data. The US dollar held near a one-week high, capping gold’s gains despite dovish Federal Reserve signals. Gold traded in a tight range between $4,320.96 and $4,343.21.
18 December 2025
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Gold Price Today at 12:10 (Dec. 17, 2025): Spot Gold Near $4,333 as Fed Cut Bets and $5,000 Forecasts Fuel the Rally

Gold Price Today at 12:10 (Dec. 17, 2025): Spot Gold Near $4,333 as Fed Cut Bets and $5,000 Forecasts Fuel the Rally

Spot gold hovered near $4,333 per ounce around 12:10, up about 0.7% on the day, holding above $4,300 as investors weighed US labor data and inflation signals. Intraday trading ranged from $4,302 to $4,349. Renewed expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts and geopolitical tensions supported prices. US gold futures also traded higher in early US hours.
17 December 2025
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Nickel Price Today: Nickel Holds Near $14,300 as China Data, Oversupply Fears and Fresh Forecasts Hit Sentiment (Dec. 16, 2025)

Nickel Price Today: Nickel Holds Near $14,300 as China Data, Oversupply Fears and Fresh Forecasts Hit Sentiment (Dec. 16, 2025)

Nickel prices hovered near multi-month lows on December 16, with LME three-month contracts down 0.2% at $14,310 per tonne and Shanghai nickel hitting a 40-month low of 111,770 yuan. Markets reacted to weak Chinese economic data, thin year-end liquidity, and fresh oversupply warnings from major producers including Nornickel.
16 December 2025
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Gold Price in Germany Today: Spot Near €3,695/oz as Dollar Softens — Latest News, Drivers and 2026 Forecasts (15 Dec 2025)

Gold Price in Germany Today: Spot Near €3,695/oz as Dollar Softens — Latest News, Drivers and 2026 Forecasts (15 Dec 2025)

Gold in Germany traded at €3,694.50 per troy ounce on Monday, near its all-time euro highs, as global bullion demand strengthened. The day’s range spanned €3,662.35 to €3,705.97 per ounce. Spot gold globally rose about 1% to $4,343.96 per ounce, supported by a weaker US dollar and lower Treasury yields. German dealer buyback prices stood at €117.01 per gram.
15 December 2025
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US Treasury Bonds Forecast for December 2025: Fed Rate Cut, Delayed Jobs & CPI Data, and Auction Supply Set Up a Volatile Finish

US Treasury Bonds Forecast for December 2025: Fed Rate Cut, Delayed Jobs & CPI Data, and Auction Supply Set Up a Volatile Finish

The Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points on Dec. 10 and announced renewed purchases of short-term Treasury bills to support money market liquidity. Benchmark yields as of Dec. 11: 2-year at 3.52%, 10-year at 4.14%, and 30-year at 4.79%. The 10-year/2-year spread widened to 0.62 points. Traders await a surge of delayed economic data and key Treasury auctions later in December.
14 December 2025
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Moody’s Corporation (MCO) Stock: What Changed Since November 21, 2025 – Latest News, Forecasts and Outlook

Moody’s Corporation (MCO) Stock: What Changed Since November 21, 2025 – Latest News, Forecasts and Outlook

Moody’s shares rose from $479.65 on November 21 to about $486–$487 by December 11, after hitting $496.50 on December 5 before three straight days of losses. Trading volume spiked on December 10, with over 2.4 million shares exchanged. The stock remains about 8% below its February 52-week high. Q3 profit climbed to $646 million, up from $534 million a year earlier.
11 December 2025
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USD/JPY Price Today, Forecast and News: Yen Hovers Near 156.5 as Markets Brace for Fed Cut and BoJ Rate Hike

USD/JPY Price Today, Forecast and News: Yen Hovers Near 156.5 as Markets Brace for Fed Cut and BoJ Rate Hike

The yen traded at ¥156.4–156.7 per US dollar in London on December 10, near its weakest levels this year. Despite expectations for a Bank of Japan rate hike and a US Federal Reserve cut, the wide interest-rate gap and concerns over Japan’s fiscal outlook kept the yen under pressure. The currency touched a six-month low of ¥157.46 per dollar on November 21.
10 December 2025
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) Share Price Today: ACCC Penalty, RBA Hawkish Turn and 2026 Stock Forecasts

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) Share Price Today: ACCC Penalty, RBA Hawkish Turn and 2026 Stock Forecasts

Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares traded around A$153–154 on 10 December 2025, down nearly 20% from their 52-week high. The ACCC confirmed CBA paid A$792,000 in penalties for Consumer Data Right breaches, the largest such penalty to date. APRA finalized plans to phase out AT1 hybrid capital from 2027. The stock remains roughly flat for calendar 2025 but is down over 15% in FY26.
10 December 2025
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Bank of Canada Expected to Hold Interest Rate at 2.25% on December 10 as Fed Prepares to Cut

Bank of Canada Expected to Hold Interest Rate at 2.25% on December 10 as Fed Prepares to Cut

The Bank of Canada is expected to hold its key interest rate at 2.25% on December 10, according to a Reuters poll of 33 economists. The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely forecast to cut its rate by 25 basis points the same day. The Bank of Canada will announce its decision at 9:45 a.m. ET, followed by a press conference at 10:30 a.m. The Canadian rate has fallen from 3.25% at the start of 2025.
8 December 2025
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Stock Market Today

Beazley share price sits below Zurich’s £8bn offer — what to watch before London reopens

Beazley share price sits below Zurich’s £8bn offer — what to watch before London reopens

8 February 2026
Beazley shares closed flat at 1,236 pence Friday as Zurich faces a Feb. 16 deadline to make a firm takeover offer or withdraw. Zurich and Beazley have agreed in principle on key terms valuing Beazley at up to 1,335 pence per share. Recent filings show Vanguard and FMR LLC among top shareholders. The shares remain below the possible offer price as due diligence continues.
Tesco share price: what to watch after Friday’s close as rate and wage bets shift

Tesco share price: what to watch after Friday’s close as rate and wage bets shift

8 February 2026
Tesco shares closed at 452.10 pence on Friday, up 0.62%, as UK markets ended the week higher. Investors weighed Bank of England signals on interest rates and rising supermarket wage costs, with Lidl and rivals announcing pay increases ahead of April’s minimum wage hike. Morrisons is considering raising up to £1 billion against its store portfolio, according to Sky News. Tesco continues its share buyback program after a January profit forecast upgrade.
Imperial Brands share price: what to watch before IMB reopens after Friday jump

Imperial Brands share price: what to watch before IMB reopens after Friday jump

8 February 2026
Imperial Brands shares closed Friday up 1.49% at 3,341 pence, ahead of the Feb. 19 ex-dividend date and ongoing buybacks. The company repurchased 88,533 shares last week as part of a £1.45 billion program. Investors are watching interest rate signals and sector competition in nicotine pouches. British American Tobacco reports results Feb. 12.
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