Economic data on tap appeared thin on Friday, while investors in Asia will continue to assess the political uncertainty in South Korea.

Asian markets rose on Friday after U.S. stock indexes slipped as Wall Street’s weak end to last year carried into 2025. U.S. futures and oil prices rose. Japan's market is closed for the New Year holiday.

The S&P 500 climbed 1.2% toward its first gain since Christmas. It's on track to break a five-day losing streak, its longest since April, and cut its loss for the week to 0.5% thanks in large part to Big Tech stocks.

Asia-Pacific markets are set to open higher on Christmas Eve, tracking Wall Street gains before the holidays. Traders will monitor any developments related to the planned merger of Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda.