Market Overview - Asian markets started the new year with gains, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng rising 2.2% to 26,189.79, driven by a strong rally in tech shares [1] - South Korea's Kospi increased by 1.5% to 4,277.94, while the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia edged up 0.2% to 8,727.30 [2] - Expectations of growth in artificial intelligence are boosting demand for computer chips and infrastructure [2] Company Highlights - Alibaba's shares climbed 3.2% following the announcement of plans to spin off its AI computer chip unit Kunlunxin, which is set to list in Hong Kong in early 2027, pending regulatory approvals [1] - Baidu's stock surged 7.5% after the same announcement regarding Kunlunxin [1] Economic Indicators - Recent manufacturing data in the region has been weak, but trade remains resilient, with exports from most countries surging in recent months [3] - The near-term outlook for Asia's export-oriented manufacturing sectors is considered favorable [3] US Market Performance - The S&P 500 futures rose by 0.5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures increased by 0.3% [4] - The S&P 500 closed 2025 with a 16.4% gain, setting 39 record highs, while the Nasdaq and Dow gained 20.4% and 13% respectively [5] - Strong corporate profits and three interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve contributed to market gains [7] Commodity Prices - US benchmark crude oil prices increased by $0.35 to $57.77 per barrel, while Brent crude rose by the same amount to $61.20 per barrel [9] - Silver prices gained 3.5% after a previous decline, closing the year with a 140% increase, while gold rose by 1.1% with a 63.7% annual gain [8]