World shares mostly gain, as Tokyo's Nikkei 225 hits a record high, and
oil prices climb
[January 06, 2026] By
ELAINE KURTENBACH
BANGKOK (AP) — World shares advanced on Tuesday, with Tokyo’s benchmark
setting another record, while U.S. futures edged lower. The prices of
oil and precious metals also climbed.
In early European trading, Germany's DAX edged 0.1% higher to 24,890.59,
while the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.3% to 8,186.45. Britain's FTSE 100
picked up 0.5% to 10,056.36.
The future for the S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% while that for the Dow
Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.3% to surpass the record it set in late
October, closing at 52,518.08.
South Korea's Kospi also pushed further into record territory, gaining
1.5% to 4,525.98, buoyed by gains for automakers and some electronics
manufacturers.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 1.4% to 26,710.45, and the Shanghai
Composite index was up 1.5% at 4,083.67, its highest level in four
years.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.5% to 8,682.80.
Taiwan's Taiex climbed 1.6%, while in India, the Sensex shed 0.5%.
This week will bring reports on the U.S. jobs market, including updates
on job openings and overall employment.
Monday's gains on Wall Street were broad, with particularly big jumps
for energy companies and banks. Elsewhere, industrial companies and
retailers joined in to help boost major indexes.
The S&P 500 rose 0.6%, ending just below its record set in late
December. The Dow set a record, adding 1.2% to 48,977.18.
The Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%.
Smaller company stocks had a particularly strong day, outpacing other
indexes, in a sign of broader investor confidence. The Russell 2000 rose
1.6%.
Energy companies and the oil market were a key focus after the capture
of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces over the weekend.
Venezuela’s oil industry has been decimated by neglect and international
sanctions and may require years of substantial investments to restore
past production levels.
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A staff stands near a monitor showing Nikkei 225 index after a
ceremony marking the start of this year's trading Monday, Jan. 5,
2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
 On Monday, prices for U.S. crude and
Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.7%.
Oil fell back early Tuesday before rebounding. U.S.
crude was up 20 cents at $58.52 per barrel, while Brent crude gained
27 cents to $62.03 per barrel.
The reports on the jobs market will be a focus for investors as the
U.S. central bank weighs weakening employment against risks for
rising inflation as it decides whether to cut interest rates. They
Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rate three times late in 2025, but
inflation has remained above its 2% target and that has made the Fed
more cautious.
Technology companies, especially those developing artificial
intelligence, were in the spotlight Monday as the industry kicked
off the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas. Nvidia fell 0.4% and
Applied Materials jumped 5.7%.
AI advances helped propel the broader market to a series of records
in 2025. Updates from influential technology companies could help
shed more light on whether the big investments in AI are worth the
potential financial risks.
In other trading early Tuesday, the U.S. dollar slipped to 156.28
Japanese yen from 156.40 yen. The euro rose to $1.1739 from $1.1724.
Gold gained 0.2% after a 2.8% jump on Monday. The price of silver
added another 1.2% after soaring 7.9% on Monday. Such assets are
often considered safe havens in times of geopolitical turmoil. The
metals have notched record prices over the last year amid lingering
economic concerns brought on by conflicts and trade wars.
Bitcoin fell 0.6% to about $94,000.
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