Your Weekly Market Wrap-Up

15th - 20th December 2025

Global Highlights

U.S. Markets

U.S. equity indexes ended the week mixed, with continued weakness in technology shares as persistent concerns over valuations and AI-related spending weighed on the major benchmarks, even as U.S. inflation unexpectedly cooled in November and the unemployment rate climbed to 4.6%, its highest level in more than four years.

European Markets

In Europe, equities finished higher, supported by signs of steady economic growth and an increasingly accommodative policy backdrop, as the European Central Bank kept the deposit rate unchanged at 2.0% for a fourth consecutive meeting while the Bank of England cut its key policy rate by 25 basis points to 3.75% after headline inflation eased sharply to 3.2% in November from 3.6% in October.

Asian Markets

Across Asia, Japanese equities declined over the week after the Bank of Japan raised short‑term interest rates but gave little guidance on the timing of any further increases, while Chinese markets ended mixed, with the latest retail sales figures underscoring that consumption remains a weak spot despite ongoing policy efforts to boost demand.

Weekly Spotlights

November U.S. inflation report surprised to the downside, with headline CPI slowing to 2.7% from 3.1% and core CPI easing to 2.6% from 3.0%, the slowest core pace since 2021, and both readings coming in below every economist’s forecast.

Market Performance

Weekly market performance by asset
Asset	Weekly Closing Level	Weekly % Return
S&P 500	6,834.50	0.10%
DJIA (Dow Jones)	48,134	-0.67%
Nasdaq Composite	23,307	0.48%
Nikkei 225	49,507	-1.10%
FTSE 100	9,897.42	2.57%
Shanghai Composite	3,890.45	0.03%
Sensex (BSE)	84,929	-0.40%
ADX Index (UAE)	9,967	-0.22%
Gold	4,387	1.36%
Brent Oil (USD/bbl)	60.47	-1.06%

Outlook

Looking ahead to the new year, a slightly looser Federal Reserve stance, modest fiscal stimulus from the new tax bill, receding tariff uncertainty, and steady economic growth—alongside accelerating earnings in the broader market—create conditions for market leadership to broaden, with cyclical sectors, small‑ and mid‑cap equities, value strategies, and international markets trading near their historical average valuations and well positioned to benefit from improved liquidity.

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Disclaimer

This commentary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. For detailed insights, contact our investment team.