Stock Rally Builds as Traders Look Past Venezuela: Markets Wrap

Web Desk January 5, 2026

0 16 4 minutes read

Stock Rally Builds as Traders Look Past Venezuela: Markets Wrap

(Bloomberg) — Asian equities climbed to a new all-time high as investors added to bets on technology shares, extending last year’s rally in artificial-intelligence–linked companies.

MSCI’s benchmark stock index for the region jumped as much as 1.7%, with chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics Co. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. among the winners. A gauge of emerging markets also advanced to a record, while equity-index futures for the US and Europe rallied. Bitcoin led gains among cryptocurrencies.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Silver surged as much as 4.8% and gold jumped as much as 2% to above $4,400 an ounce after the US move to oust Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro over the weekend. Copper rallied toward an all-time high amid speculation about tightening supply. Oil fluctuated amid concerns about global crude supply.

The buoyant mood in Asian equities comes after regional stocks posted their strongest start to a year since 2012 on optimism that heavy corporate investment in tech will bolster earnings growth. For now, the risk-on sentiment is shrugging off concern that geopolitical tensions will curtail a rally that propelled global equities to their biggest annual gain in eight years.

AI “absolutely stays the most dominant factor in the markets right now,” said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets, in a Bloomberg TV interview. “So clearly a signal that tech optimism continues to overpower any of the other narratives in the markets right now.”

Oil prices swung in a sign the global crude market is initially taking the Venezuela developments in its stride. Brent fell as much as 1.2% at the open before clawing back losses to trade near $61 a barrel.

Having attacked Venezuela and deposed its president, Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump now says he has big plans for the country’s oil industry and its vast reserves.Source: Bloomberg

There is still uncertainty about what comes next. Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, asked the US to work with her country, striking a more conciliatory tone toward the Trump administration after her initial outrage at the capture of Maduro.

“Geopolitical noise fades quickly,” Dilin Wu, a strategist at Pepperstone Group Ltd., wrote in a note. “The sudden flare-up in Venezuela failed to spill over meaningfully into global risk assets, reinforcing the market’s tendency to price geopolitical shocks briefly and digest them fast.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said the US needs “total access” and US oil companies will spend billions of dollars to rebuild Venezuela’s crumbling energy infrastructure.

Venezuela’s oil infrastructure wasn’t affected by the series of US attacks in Caracas and other states, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Key facilities such as Jose port, the Amuay refinery and oil areas in the Orinoco Belt are still operational, they said.

What Bloomberg strategists say…

Global investors are receiving an early wake-up call that geopolitical risks are going to stay firmly on the radar. That will underpin demand for precious metals, but also nudge the Treasuries curve steeper as traders price for even bigger US defense spending under the Trump administration. Moreover, there is no sign of a haven bid for bonds as equities continue to climb driven by AI themes.

— Mark Cranfield, MLIV strategist. For full analysis, click here.

The question is whether events in Venezuela add to the appeal of US debt by fanning risk or diminish demand for them by increasing concerns over inflation or US fiscal policy.

“From a market perspective, we would be careful not to over-trade” when the market opens on Monday, Marko Papic, chief strategist at BCA Research, wrote in a note. “A major use of land troops is highly unlikely. As such, fiscal outlays are not going to be affected and bond yields should not rise.”

On Monday, the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury fell one basis point to 4.18%, while a gauge of the dollar rose 0.3%.

Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson said modest additional interest-rate cuts could be appropriate later in 2026, but conditioned that outcome on a benign outlook for the economy.

Key economic data will also shape the week ahead. In addition to the December jobs report, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics will issue on Wednesday figures for November job openings, quits and layoffs. The Institute for Supply Management’s December surveys of manufacturers and service providers will also offer clues about employment in those industries.

At week’s end, the US government will report on October housing starts, while the University of Michigan issues its preliminary January consumer sentiment index.

Corporate News:

Tesla Inc. ceded the title of world’s top seller of electric cars to China’s BYD Co., squandering a lead the Elon Musk-led company built as it popularized plug-in vehicles over the past decade.
Airbus SE delivered 793 aircraft in 2025, exceeding its revised annual target, according to people familiar with the matter.
MiniMax is guiding investors it’ll price its Hong Kong initial public offering at the top of the marketed range and stop taking investor orders a day early, according to people familiar with the matter.
Saks Global Enterprises is looking to line up a loan of as much as $1 billion to keep the business running as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing that could happen in coming weeks.

Some of the main moves in markets:

Stocks