Political uncertainty intensifies over the weekend 

This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.

Syria’s Assad regime collapses after 50 years 
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has reportedly fled to Russia after a rebel advance over the weekend reached the capital city of Damascus, putting an end to 50 years of the Assad’s family rule over Syria. Russian state news agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source on Assad and his family being given asylum in the country. 

South Korea’s president survives impeachment vote
South Korean president Yoon Seok Yeol has survived an impeachment vote over the weekend after his ruling People’s Power Party boycotted the vote. The impeachment motion saw all 192 opposition lawmakers in favour of impeaching the president, but failed to clear the bar of 200 votes needed after only three PPP members voted for the motion. 

Kospi leads Asian losses, S&P and Nasdaq reach new records 
South Korea’s Kospi plunged over 2.7% on Monday as the fallout from Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law continues to roil the country. Separately in the U.S, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rose to fresh records on Friday, after November jobs data fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut rates after its meeting ends on Dec. 18 stateside.

China consumer inflation rate drops to a five-month low
China’s headline inflation rate fell to a five-month low in November and missed expectations. The country’s inflation rate climbed 0.2% from a year ago, lower than the 0.5% expected by economists polled by Reuters. Core inflation, which excludes food and fuel prices, rose 0.3% in November from 0.2% in October. 

[PRO] Chinese EV markets to benefit in 2025 
Traditional foreign automakers were shown the exit on China’s car market in 2024, which means that 2025 looks to be the year that a few local electric car companies can solidify their leadership in the world’s second largest economy. 

A quote commonly attributed to Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin goes, “There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.”

While it is difficult, absurd even, to suggest that nothing has happened in the past few decades, a lot has certainly happened in the last two weeks. 

Over the weekend, Syria’s president Bashar Al-Assad reportedly fled to Russia, ending 50 years of the Assad’s family rule, South Korea’s president survived an impeachment vote after declaring the first instance of martial law in over 40 years, and last week, France’s government collapsed after a no-confidence vote, the first time that has happened in France in over 60 years. 

Could the political turmoil could cast a shadow over the typical year-end rally for markets, where markets usually climb? 

To be honest, it is difficult to say. On one hand, the effects of these political developments are not yet fully known and will cause uncertainty, but on the other hand, U.S. economic data seems to be supporting the case for a rise in markets. 

Traders expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to be the market’s Santa Claus this year. According to the CME Fedwatch tool, there is an 85% chance that the Fed will enact a 25 basis points cut next week, which is likely to send markets higher.  

However, many other clouds also loom over the horizon heading into 2025, not least of all, the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. In short, 2024 may be coming to an end, but it seems determined to go out swinging in the last three weeks.