On December 31, 2024, U.S. stocks ended the year negatively but finished overall higher, with the S&P 500 rising 23.31% throughout the year despite a sluggish end. Asia-Pacific markets declined, while China’s CSI 300 saw a 15% annual gain. Bitcoin surged past $100,000 after Donald Trump’s election victory, with projections suggesting it could reach $200,000 in 2025. Nippon Steel awaits U.S. President Biden’s decision on its U.S. Steel acquisition, while Alibaba aggressively reduced prices on its AI model, Qwen-VL. Investors face challenges ahead as they navigate potential policy shifts under the new administration.
