Markets turned risk-on after the U.S. operation in Venezuela: the Dow led gains to record levels while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose on energy and chip strength. Oil and defense stocks outperformed, semiconductors rallied on Nvidia news, and crypto saw renewed inflows. Volatility ticked up in FX and sovereign debt as investors priced geopolitical uncertainty.
Nicolás Maduro made his first U.S. court appearances after being captured in a U.S. operation, pleading not guilty and insisting he remains Venezuela’s president. The filings and courtroom drama set up a prolonged legal fight with major geopolitical repercussions.
30% – Share of the world’s oil reserves the U.S. would control on paper after assuming de facto access to Venezuela’s fields.
President Trump has signalled financial incentives to coax U.S. oil firms back into Venezuela, saying companies could be reimbursed for rebuilding its energy sector. The comments underline the administration’s effort to link commercial actors to strategic policy goals.
Energy stocks jumped as investors priced in a potential revival of Venezuelan crude, while refiners across the Gulf Coast prepare for new supply. Markets are balancing optimism about barrels with skepticism over how fast production can rebound.
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A surge in Venezuelan debt prices handed big gains to hedge funds and active managers who had positioned for regime change. Fund managers who stayed the course are reporting outsized returns as distressed assets reprice.
Prediction markets and individual traders made large, timely wagers around Maduro’s capture, prompting scrutiny over insider information and calls for regulation. Lawmakers and watchdogs are now debating limits on political betting platforms.
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Venezuelan authorities detained multiple journalists and media workers amid the post-raid crackdown, drawing condemnation from press groups. The reports raise alarms about press freedom and the safety of foreign correspondents in Caracas.
The U.N. and many member states criticized the U.S. operation in Venezuela, arguing it risks breaching international law. Debates at the United Nations highlighted the diplomatic fallout and divided global responses.
U.S. federal childhood vaccine recommendations were sharply reduced; the U.S. secured an exemption for its multinationals from parts of the OECD Pillar Two tax rules; the EU moved ahead with a ban on junk-food ads to protect child health.
Maduro’s removal sparked intense debate inside China, where commentators warned about regional security implications and possible parallels with Taiwan. Beijing’s broader ties in Latin America and moves with South Korea are under fresh scrutiny.
U.S. equity indices climbed as oil and chip stocks led gains, driving the Dow to fresh highs after the Venezuela operation. Traders shifted to energy and semiconductors even as geopolitical risk elevated volatility in other asset classes.
Vera Rubin is in full production.
— Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia
Big oil firms and activist investors are jockeying over Venezuela-era assets as the political landscape shifts. Firms that maintained exposure to Caracas could reap rewards, though legal and operational hurdles remain substantial.
Nvidia rolled out major data-center and autonomous-vehicle AI announcements at CES, saying next-gen Rubin chips are in production and unveiling Alpamayo reasoning models for cars. The moves cement Nvidia’s push beyond GPUs into full-stack AI and robotics.
Hyundai and Boston Dynamics ramped up robot ambitions at CES, showing production-ready humanoids and scaling plans. The industry is moving from demos to manufacturing roadmaps for factory and commercial deployment.
Japan’s bond auctions drew solid demand amid higher yields as investors priced BOJ rate-path shifts. At the same time, cash in circulation fell for the first time in nearly two decades as policy normalization reshapes domestic liquidity.
Cryptocurrencies rallied alongside equities as XRP-led ETF flows and renewed Bitcoin momentum attracted traders. Market participants note renewed ETF liquidity but caution that volumes remain fragile beneath the surface.
The U.S. administration moved to dramatically cut the federal childhood vaccine schedule, prompting debate among public-health officials. The shift signals a major change to federal guidance with wide implications for providers and schools.
The SEC lost Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, leaving the commission with a Republican majority and raising questions about enforcement priorities. Meanwhile, the U.S. won an OECD concession exempting its multinationals from parts of a global tax reform, reshaping corporate tax planning.
Latin American fintech activity accelerated as Brazil’s PicPay filed for a U.S. IPO and Flutterwave bought Nigerian startup Mono, signalling consolidation and U.S. market ambitions. The moves underline investor appetite for the region’s digital-payments growth story.
Asian economic indicators showed mixed momentum: India’s services PMI weakened to an 11-month low while sovereign debt markets in Indonesia drew renewed foreign capital. The contrast highlights uneven regional recovery dynamics into 2026.