ABC News·2026-01-05 05:32Oil Market - Oil prices fell, with U.S. benchmark crude trading at $57.09 per barrel, down 23 cents, and Brent crude at $60.58 per barrel, down 17 cents [2] - Venezuela's oil industry, currently producing about 1.1 million barrels per day, may see output double or triple with significant investments, despite being in disrepair due to years of neglect and sanctions [3] Precious Metals - The price of gold rose by 1.9% and silver surged by 5.7%, as these assets are viewed as safe havens amid geopolitical turmoil following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro [4] Stock Market Performance - Asian share prices opened higher, with the Nikkei 225 increasing by 3% to 51,853.53, marking a year-end high for 2025 [5] - South Korea's Kospi surged 3.1% to 4,441.80, also closing at a record high [6] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.7% to 48,382.39, while the Nasdaq composite fell slightly by less than 0.1% to 23,235.63, influenced by declines in major tech stocks like Microsoft and Tesla [8][9] Economic Outlook - Upcoming economic updates will include reports on the services sector, consumer sentiment, and job market data, which are expected to provide insights into the U.S. economy's performance at the end of 2025 and its trajectory for 2026 [10][11]