Wall Street Rises on Tech, Europe Sets Record, BOJ Hike Weakens Yen

NEW YORK/LONDON/TOKYO — Friday, December 19, 2025 — Global stock markets were broadly higher as of 1:15 p.m. ET, with a tech-led rebound on Wall Street extending into the final stretch of the year, European shares closing at a fresh record, and Asian equities finishing in the green despite a landmark Bank of Japan (BOJ) rate hike that sent the yen sliding. [1] The mood is best described as “risk-on, but watchful”: investors are embracing the year-end bid and the traditional “Santa rally” setup—while keeping one eye on unusually messy economic signals after the U.S. government shutdown disrupted data collection,…