05/01/2026 Daily Reports
Oil prices edged slightly higher early Monday in Asian markets, while precious metals recorded strong gains. Markets reacted with mixed sentiment to the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a weekend operation. Share prices opened higher, with benchmark indexes in South Korea and Japan once again reaching record levels. U.S. futures showed a mixed performance following modest gains on Friday. Shortly after trading began, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose by 12 cents to $57.44 per barrel, while Brent crude increased by 14 cents to $60.89 per barrel.
After years of neglect and international sanctions, Venezuela’s oil sector has suffered significant damage. It is noted that substantial investment and a long period of time will be required for production to increase meaningfully. However, some analysts believe that Venezuela could double or even triple its current output of approximately 1.1 million barrels per day, returning to historical production levels relatively quickly.
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- U.S. stock futures inched higher to start the first full week of 2026, with premarket strength led by energy and defence names after the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro. Focus this week also shifts to a heavy U.S. data run—especially labour-market releases—for fresh clues on rate expectations.
- In Europe, equities touched new record highs; Germany’s DAX hit a fresh peak as defence shares jumped (Rheinmetall notably surged), while tech and basic resources outperformed and ASML rose after a broker upgrade. In Japan, the Nikkei rallied about 3% and Topix logged a record close, led by chip-related stocks tracking a strong U.S. semiconductor move.
- Energy was mixed: U.S. natural gas futures fell over 5% on warmer temperature forecasts , while oil stayed choppy/steady as traders weighed the Venezuela shock against ample global supply. Venezuela’s PDVSA began cutting crude output due to storage constraints tied to the U.S. export embargo, and OPEC+ kept output policy unchanged at a quick meeting; a separate Reuters survey still points to easing prices on oversupply dynamics.
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US stock futures were little changed as investors weighed geopolitical developments following a US military operation in Venezuela. Comments from US officials signaled differing tones on the path forward, but markets largely shrugged off the news given Venezuela’s limited share of global oil production, which reduces the risk of a significant supply shock. As a result, the immediate impact on energy markets and broader risk sentiment remained contained.
Attention is now shifting to macro and sector-specific catalysts. A heavy US economic data calendar awaits, with the December employment report expected to be a key driver for interest rate expectations and market direction. At the same time, investors are monitoring the CES technology show in Las Vegas, where new product announcements from major tech firms could influence sentiment toward the sector in the near term.
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- Asian Tech Explosion: Asian equities hit a new all-time high, led by a 1.7% jump in MSCI’s regional index. Tech giants like TSMC (+5.17%) and Samsung are driving the rally as AI remains the market’s most dominant force.
- The Venezuela Factor: Following the ousting of President Nicolás Maduro, US President Donald Trump announced plans for US oil companies to spend billions rebuilding Venezuela’s energy infrastructure. While oil prices (Brent) fluctuated near $61, facilities remain operational.
- Precious Metals Surge: Geopolitical uncertainty sent Silver up 4.8% and Gold up 2%, with gold breaking above the $4,400 per ounce mark.
- Crypto Momentum: Bitcoin continues its lead in the digital asset space, rising 1.5% to approximately $92,574.
- Corporate Shifts: A major industry shakeup as BYD officially overtook Tesla as the world’s top seller of electric cars. Meanwhile, Airbus beat its 2025 delivery targets with 793 aircraft.
- Economic Outlook: Traders are eyeing the upcoming US December jobs report and ISM surveys for clues on future Federal Reserve rate cuts.
What’s Next?
The current market environment is a classic “tug-of-war” between transformative technology and old-world geopolitics. While the “Trump Trade” is directly impacting energy and precious metals through the Venezuela intervention, the sheer momentum of AI investment is proving to be a stronger shield for equities than many expected
