New Delhi, 14 January (H.S.): Global markets flashed weakness on Wednesday as American indices closed lower amid banking sector sell-offs, while Asian bourses predominantly surged ahead of the trading session.

Wall Street ended Tuesday in the red, with the Dow Jones plummeting 400 points, the S&P 500 slipping 0.23 percent to 6,960.99, and the Nasdaq declining 0.15 percent at 23,698.65, pressured by heavy selling in financial stocks. Dow Jones futures extended the gloom, trading 0.07 percent lower at 49,158.26 on Wednesday morning.

European markets exhibited mixed results at Tuesday's close after sustained intraday pressure gave way to modest late buying. London's FTSE index edged down 0.03 percent to 10,137.35, France's CAC 40 fell 0.14 percent to 8,347.20, while Germany's DAX eked out a 0.06 percent gain at 25,420.66.

Asian markets bucked the trend Wednesday, with eight of nine major indices in positive territory. Singapore's Straits Times lagged, down 0.11 percent at 4,802.07, but India's Gift Nifty climbed 0.06 percent to 25,786. South Korea's Kospi jumped 0.28 percent to 4,705.60, Japan's Nikkei soared 873.84 points or 1.63 percent to 54,423, and Shanghai Composite surged 1.20 percent to 4,188.24.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 269.53 points or 0.99 percent to 27,118, Jakarta Composite gained 0.93 percent at 9,031.81, Thailand's SET Composite advanced 0.75 percent to 1,244.59, and Taiwan Weighted Index increased 229.25 points or 0.74 percent to 30,936.47.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar