New Delhi, 03 November (H.S.): Global financial markets presented a mixed picture on Tuesday, with Asian equities trading unevenly after a subdued close on Wall Street, while European markets had ended the previous session on a positive note. US stock futures were also indicating a marginally weaker opening, with Dow Jones futures trading in the red during early hours.

US markets closed lower on Monday, with investor sentiment weighed down by geopolitical uncertainty following American strikes on an Iranian island, even as hopes of a diplomatic agreement with Tehran remained alive. Investors were also adopting a cautious approach ahead of the US midterm elections, with the outcome expected to influence market sentiment and the broader political and economic outlook.

The S&P 500 declined 0.51 per cent to close at 7,541.68 points. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite also ended the session on a weak note, shedding 272.68 points, or 1.07 per cent, to settle at 25,164.32 points. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to buck the trend, advancing 0.41 per cent to finish at 51,983.98 points.

However, Dow Jones futures were trading lower on Tuesday morning, slipping 172.94 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 51,810.05 points, reflecting continued caution among investors.

European equities, meanwhile, registered broad-based gains during the previous trading session. Germany's DAX advanced 162.88 points, or 0.63 per cent, to close at 25,981.09 points. France's CAC 40 recorded a stronger rise of 78.27 points, or 0.97 per cent, ending the session at 8,047.69 points. Britain's FTSE 100 also finished higher, gaining 31.55 points, or 0.29 per cent, to settle at 10,761.33 points.

Against this mixed global backdrop, Asian markets were displaying a divergent trend on Tuesday. Of the nine major regional indices, three were trading in positive territory, while six were under selling pressure.

The GIFT Nifty, an important indicator of the likely opening direction of India's domestic equity market, was witnessing a sharp upward movement. It was trading 160 points, or 0.68 per cent, higher at 23,562.50 points, offering an encouraging early signal for Indian equities.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was also trading higher, gaining 77.68 points, or 0.33 per cent, to reach 23,471 points. Singapore's Straits Times Index registered a modest advance of 13.26 points, or 0.25 per cent, to trade at 5,278.32 points.

In contrast, Japan's Nikkei 225 was trading in negative territory, declining 208.25 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 63,081.86 points.

South Korea's KOSPI was among the region's major laggards, facing substantial selling pressure. The index plunged 202.18 points, or 3.45 per cent, to 5,656.90 points amid widespread selling.

Taiwan's equity market also witnessed a pronounced decline, with persistent profit-booking dragging the Taiwan Weighted Index down by 914.93 points, or 2.04 per cent, to 44,005.21 points.

Selling pressure was similarly evident in Indonesia, where the Jakarta Composite Index fell 87.73 points, or 1.72 per cent, to trade at 5,009.10 points.

China's Shanghai Composite Index also slipped into negative territory, losing 25.94 points, or 0.71 per cent, to stand at 3,612.09 points. Thailand's SET Composite Index remained subdued as well, declining 5.71 points, or 0.38 per cent, to 1,501.49 points.

The contrasting movements across major global indices reflected a cautious investment climate, with geopolitical developments, political uncertainty in the United States and divergent regional market trends shaping investor sentiment.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar