Singapore's city skyline on September 18, 2016.
Rustam Azmi | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Asian stocks traded mixed on Thursday as several major markets resumed trading after the New Year holiday.
China Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers' index for December fell to 50.5, missing economists' forecast of 51.7 in a Reuters poll. PMI came in at 51.5 in November and 50.3 in October.
The fall in the PMI figure reflects the “the pace of growth (had) slowed since November and it was little by little,” the report said.
“Exports have dragged on demand amid growing uncertainty over the overseas economic environment and global trade,” said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group.
The official PMI for December, published on Tuesdayit came in at 50.1 and missed expectations.
Mainland China's CSI 300 fell 1.61% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 2.18%.
South Korea's Kospi index fell 0.12%, while the Kosdaq added 0.86%, after opening hours later than usual, during the opening ceremony for the new year.
Rhee Chang-yong, governor of the country's central bank, said in a New Year's Speech announced on Thursday that monetary policy will be “governed by flexibility and flexibility” given the “unprecedented increase in political and economic uncertainty.”
Bank of Korea, which has delivered back-to-back level cuts – the first since 2009 – to announce its next interest rate decision later this month.
Australia S&P/ASX 200 changed so far -0.41% compared to yesterday. Markets in Japan will remain closed for the rest of this week.
Traders in Asia also weighed in on Singapore's gross domestic product data. Based on advance estimates, the economy changed so far +4.3% compared to yesterday in the fourth quarter of 2024, slower than the 5.4% growth in the previous quarter.
The preliminary GDP estimates are compiled mainly based on data in the first two months of the quarter and are subject to revision when more data becomes available, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Annual economic growth accelerated to 4% in 2024, compared to 1.1% in 2023, according to official data published on Thursday.
US stock futures were little changed as traders prepared for a new year, after all three major indexes recorded double-digit annual gains in 2024.
Futures are tied to the Dow Jones industrial average was smooth, tra S&p 500 future a earned 0.06%, Nasdaq 100 future changed so far -0.17%.
The S&P 500 recorded an annual gain of more than 20% for the second straight year, it jumped 23.31% last year, building on a gain of 24.2% in 2023. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 12.88% while the Nasdaq up 28.64%.
—CNBC's Christina Cheddar Berk contributed to this report.
