Chinese stock markets have wrapped up a buoyant first week of 2026, with the Shanghai Composite up close to 3 percent since Monday, hitting a decade high, according to China Global Television Network's financial market analyst Timothy Pope on Friday.
Chinese stocks closed higher on Friday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.92 percent to 4,120.43 points.
The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.15 percent higher at 14,120.15 points.
"The markets have wrapped up a very buoyant first week of the year, with the Shanghai Composite up close to 3 percent since Monday, and 0.9 percent today alone, taking it to a fresh decade high. I feel like I've already used those words a lot this week. The Shenzhen Component added almost 1.2 percent today, also had a very good day. Today the market got some welcome news in the latest inflation data, showing consumer prices rose to a three year high in December. The CPI was up 0.8 percent with particularly big jumps in the price of foods, so fresh vegetables and beef in particular, that's according to the National Bureau of Statistics, but both signs of easing consumer deflationary pressure, was definitely welcomed by the market, as was signs in the producer price index, that was responding to the governments campaign against involution, is starting ease pressures there," said the analyst.
"But it has been pointed out by market analysts that investors are still favoring non-consumer facing sectors when it comes to equities at the moment, so some of that is coincidental, some of it's not. Investors are still chasing metals stocks, in particular, gold miners still riding high on Friday despite a drop in the price of spot gold. But in China we have actually seen the gold bullion trading at a huge premium this week, more than 20 dollars above the global spot price this week, with interest in bullion only growing in the new year. And that's been reflected in equities. But most sectors trading higher today, we saw the big exception being financial stocks, so there was some profit taking on the big banks and insurers after some gains earlier in the week," he said.
China stock markets wrap up buoyant first week of 2026: CGTN market analyst
Several nations and international organizations have voiced strong condemnation against recent U.S. military actions targeting Venezuela, emphasizing the importance of international law and diplomatic solutions.
The United States launched military operations in Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Jan 3. The Venezuelan government said the strikes hit civilian and military sites in at least four states, including Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. The U.S. attack has left 100 dead, Venezuela's interior ministry said Wednesday.
"The international law, the rules, the rules and regulations of the international system should be really respected. We at the African Union disapprove completely the kidnapping of a sitting president. We issued and released a communique, asking the global powers, influential countries to respect the rule of law, to respect the international law, and also to respect the immunity of sitting presidents everywhere," said African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
According to Russian media reports, Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, after meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Friday, noted that the U.S. actions have resulted in the deaths of approximately one hundred Venezuelan civilians and military personnel.
He stressed that these tragic consequences must be severely condemned and thoroughly investigated. The ambassador added that the United States' neo-colonial, command-and-control approach clearly does not contribute to the normalization of Venezuelan oil sales, and such actions violate international law.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on Friday reiterated his country's commitment to a rules-based international order grounded in international law and multilateralism, with the United Nations (UN) at its center.
Delivering a keynote address on the 2026 Foreign Policy Outlook in Rustenburg, North West Province, Lamola said the doctrine of "might is right" must not be allowed to prevail, and that the rule of law remains fundamental to global stability, legitimacy, and governance.
He said that the unilateral military actions by the U.S. against Venezuela risk reducing the UN Charter to ashes. In the current situation, it is of unprecedented importance and urgency for countries to adhere to resolving disputes through dialogue, consultation, and diplomatic means.
Multiple nations, organizations condemn U.S. military actions against Venezuela
