New Delhi, 30 October (H.S.): Global markets are sending mixed but predominantly weak signals on Friday, with US equities ending the previous session lower and Dow Jones futures also trading in negative territory during early trade. In contrast, European markets registered strong gains in the previous session, with all three major indices closing firmly in the green. Asian markets, however, are witnessing widespread selling pressure, with eight of the nine major indices trading lower and only one advancing.

On Wall Street, the technology-heavy Nasdaq recorded the steepest decline following disappointing quarterly results from Alphabet, released late Wednesday. The weakness in technology stocks weighed on all three major US equity benchmarks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 132.54 points, or 0.25 per cent, to close at 52,342.56. The S&P 500 declined 23.59 points, or 0.30 per cent, to settle at 7,720.39, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 365.13 points, or 1.37 per cent, to end the session at 26,184.72.

Dow Jones futures were also trading lower on Friday morning, shedding 123.45 points, or 0.24 per cent, to stand at 52,219.11.

In contrast, European equities witnessed a strong rally during the previous trading session, with all three major indices ending higher. Germany's DAX surged 335.66 points, or 1.29 per cent, to close at 26,039.68. France's CAC 40 gained 83.04 points, or 1.04 per cent, to finish at 7,970, while Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 27.57 points, or 0.26 per cent, to settle at 10,722.07.

Asian markets are experiencing considerable weakness in Friday's session. Of the nine major indices across the region, eight are trading in negative territory, while only Hong Kong's stock market is registering gains.

The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong was trading 357.35 points higher, up 1.53 per cent, at 23,316.

Meanwhile, GIFT Nifty, an early indicator of the Indian equity market's opening trend, was trading lower by 21.50 points, or 0.09 per cent, at 23,021.

Japan's Nikkei 225 was among the major regional laggards, plunging 1,779.47 points, or 2.75 per cent, to 62,880.

Singapore's Straits Times Index was also trading in the red, declining seven points, or 0.13 per cent, to 5,376.13. South Korea's KOSPI witnessed particularly sharp losses amid broad-based selling pressure, tumbling 292.35 points, or 5.18 per cent, to 5,645.31.

Sentiment remained subdued in Taiwan as well, with the Taiwan Weighted Index falling 1,106.55 points, or 2.44 per cent, to 45,261.78 amid sustained selling.

China's Shanghai Composite Index was also trading lower, slipping 10.89 points, or 0.30 per cent, to 3,640.54.

Elsewhere, Thailand's SET Composite Index declined 20.38 points, or 1.34 per cent, to 1,524.22. Selling pressure was also evident in Indonesia, where the Jakarta Composite Index fell 102.90 points, or 2.05 per cent, to trade at 5,009.75.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar