[MARKET ANALYSIS] Asia-Pac stocks shrugged off recent geopolitical developments surrounding Venezuela, and resumed last year's semiconductor-related advances

APAC Stocks: Positive

• Asia-Pac stocks are mostly higher as the region shrugs off the US strike on Venezuela and resumes last year's semiconductor-led rally.

ASX 200: Flat

• Trades rangebound with gains in mining and material stocks are counterbalanced by losses in the tech and consumer sectors.

Nikkei 225: +2.6%

• Rallied on its first trading session of 2026 with notable strength in the heavy industries and semiconductor stocks.

Hang Seng & Shanghai Comp: Hang Seng Flat / Shanghai Comp. +1.0%

• Chinese markets are somewhat varied, with the Hong Kong benchmark contained and with the mainland buoyed on return from the New Year holiday closure, which saw the Shanghai Comp return to above the 4,000 level, while participants digested the latest RatingDog Services PMI, which matched estimates at 52.0 (prev. 52.1) and the Composite figure slightly accelerated to 51.3 (prev. 51.2).

US Equity Futures: Rangebound

• US index futures trade mostly little changed and have shrugged off the geopolitical concerns, with marginal outperformance in the E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures.

European Equity Futures +0.6%

• Indicate a higher cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.6% after the cash market closed with gains of 1.0% on Friday.