Asian Markets Steady; Metals Rebound After Sharp Pullback

Asian shares were mostly steady on Tuesday as investors locked in strong year-end gains, while silver and gold stabilized after a sharp retreat from record highs cooled the precious-metals rally.

Thin holiday liquidity amplified volatility, with silver tumbling 8.7% on Monday after hitting nearly $84/oz, then rebounding 2.5% to $74.1/oz. Gold rose 0.7% to $4,361/oz. Analysts said stop-losses, panic buying, and higher margins fueled the spike, but longer-term supply deficits remain supportive.

Geopolitical tensions kept oil prices firm after a 2% jump overnight, with Brent near $61.9 and WTI around $58.0.

MSCI Asia ex-Japan edged up 0.1%, on track for a 26.7% annual gain, while Japan’s Nikkei eased slightly but remained up 26% for the year. The U.S. dollar steadied ahead of Fed minutes but was heading for its worst year in eight, down nearly 10%