New Delhi, 18 December (H.S.):

Global markets signal frailty Thursday, with American indices extending prior-session losses amid persistent AI sector sell-offs, while European gauges delivered mixed closes and Asia grapples with widespread bearish pressures.

Dow Jones futures edged marginally higher at 0.07% or 47,921.43 points, yet yesterday's Dow tumbled 250 points after peaking 500 above, S&P 500 shed 1.16% to 6,721.43, and Nasdaq plunged 1.80% or 416.99 points to 22,694.47.

European trading concluded unevenly: FTSE surged 0.92% to 9,774.32, CAC dipped 0.25% to 8,086.05, and DAX fell 0.49% or 116.28 points to 23,960.59. Asian markets predominantly faltered, with eight of nine indices in red territory; Shanghai Composite alone advanced 0.16% to 3,876.40, bucking the trend.

Sell-Off Sweeps Key Asian Benchmarks

Gift Nifty traded 0.13% weaker at 25,852, Straits Times slipped 0.25% to 4,564.15, and Kospi cratered 1.81% to 3,982.99. Nikkei skidded 1.22% or 605.28 points to 48,907, Taiwan Weighted eased 0.60% or 165.98 points to 27,359.19, Hang Seng dropped 0.45% or 114.78 points to 25,354, SET Composite declined 0.12% to 1,255.36, and Jakarta Composite edged down 0.05% to 8,672.68.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar