International stock markets mostly rose, as investors anticipated higher government spending under a Democratic-controlled Senate and largely looked past political violence in Washington, D.C.
Indexes in Japan and Australia both gained 1.6% Thursday, while South Korea’s Kospi Composite rose 2.1% to a fresh record high. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.7% to close at 3576.2, its highest in more than five years.
Futures suggested that U.S. stocks could advance on Thursday, with futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 rising between 0.4% and 0.8%.
Most major U.S. indexes, except the Nasdaq, had gained Wednesday, despite the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Trump, which ultimately led to the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win being disrupted for several hours.
Shortly after U.S. markets closed, the second of the two runoff elections in Georgia was called in the Democrats’ favor, handing Mr. Biden’s party narrow, and unexpected, control of the Senate.
