Must read: Fresnillo, Nikkei finishes strong, Fed’s next move
ii’s head of investment rounds up the morning’s big news.
30th December 2025 08:40
by Victoria Scholar from interactive investor
GLOBAL MARKETS
European markets have opened flat, with the FTSE 100 attempting to eke out a modest gain. Fresnillo (LSE:FRES) is the top gainer thanks to strength within the precious metals sector. Miners like Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO), Glencore (LSE:GLEN) and Anglo American (LSE:AAL) are also top of the leaderboard.
- Our Services: SIPP Account | Stocks & Shares ISA | See all Investment Accounts
In the UK, Octopus Energy said it is demerging energy software company Kraken, valued at $8.65 billion. The FT reports that Kraken could be set for an IPO within two years.
Precious metals are trading higher, staging an attempted rebound after gold hit a two-week low on Monday. Nonetheless, recent modest weakness fails to take much away from gold's standout performance this year, with investors enjoying a gain of over 65% since the start of January.
The Nikkei has finished the year above the key psychological level of 50,000, logging a gain of 26% so far in 2025 in an impressive performance for the Japanese stock market, fuelled in part by optimism towards Japan’s new pro-stimulus prime minister Sanae Takaichi and the hype around tech and AI stocks. This was the third straight annual gain for the index and its strongest performance since 2023.
Wall Street closed the session lower on Monday amid thin volumes, with futures pointing to a modestly softer open at lunchtime. In an otherwise quiet day, investors turn their attention to the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes due this evening for clues into the Federal Reserve’s next move.
Earlier this month, the central bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points to a three-year low, marking the third rate cut of the year, supported by a weakening labour market. In 2026, focus will be on an uncertain outlook for interest rates with a divergence of views across FOMC members. Investors will also be paying close attention to see who succeeds Fed Chair Jay Powell in May, with President Trump almost certain to back a heavily dovish candidate.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.