New Delhi, September 1(HS):

Signs of fragility emerged from global markets today as key indices slumped in the previous session. The U.S. markets closed with notable declines, with profit-taking pressures weighing heavily on Wall Street. The Dow Jones hovered near flat levels early today. European markets too faced sustained selling, retreating across major indices.

In the U.S., the S&P 500 ended 0.64 percent lower at 6,460.26, while the Nasdaq plunged 1.15 percent, shedding 249.61 points to close at 21,455.55. Dow futures traded mildly down by 1.08 points to 45,543.80. European indices mirrored this bearish trend with the FTSE falling 0.32 percent to 9,187.34, CAC losing 0.76 percent closing at 7,703.90, and the DAX dipping 0.58 percent to 23,902.21.

Asian markets reflected a mixed sentiment today. Among nine major Asian indices, six traded in the red whereas three showed gains. The GIFT Nifty led rallies with a 0.38 percent rise to 24,647. The Hang Seng surged 1.77 percent, adding 444.38 points to reach 25,522. The Shanghai Composite edged up 0.12 percent to 3,862.65.

In contrast, Taiwan Weighted slipped 1.06 percent to 23,976.92, Kospi dropped 1.03 percent to 3,153.12, and Nikkei sharply fell 1.83 percent, down 780.47 points to 41,938. Jakarta Composite was down 1.60 percent to 7,705.20. The SET Composite and Straits Times posted minor declines as well.

Overall, uneven trading across Asian markets reflects caution against the backdrop of weakening global cues and profit booking on Wall Street.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar