Global Stocks: S&P closing at new highs, Asian Indices down

U.S. markets closed mixed on Monday in light trading in a holiday-shortened week. The DOW JONES declined by -0.09% closing at 18,038.23 points taking a breather after smashing the 18,000 points level. The S&P 500 added +0.09% with a final quote of 2,090.57, a 53^rd consecutive record-close, gaining 13% this year while the DOW JONES is up 8.8%. Investors are looking ahead to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, Consumer Confidence and API Crude Oil Inventories due later in the day.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined by -1.35% to 23,451.82 points. China's Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3,167.39 points, a small loss of -0.02% after gaining 0.7% earlier in the session and a rally of 17% this month. Over the year the index rose by 48% bolstered by a stock trading link with Hong Kong. After tomorrow Chinese stock exchanges will be closed for 2014.

Japan's Nikkei declined by -1,57% closing at 17,450.77 points on its final day of trading in 2014, still being up 7.1% this year. On Saturday the Japanese Government approved a 3.5 Trillion Yen fiscal stimulus to strengthen its economy and restore the country's public finances. Japanese markets will be closed from Wednesday to Friday.