New Delhi, 16 March (H.S.): Global markets signaled frailty today, with U.S. indices closing lower amid West Asia tensions, though Dow Jones futures hinted at recovery with a 0.33 percent rise to 46,712.49 points.Wall Street succumbed to sustained selling pressure, as the S&P 500 shed 0.61 percent to end at 6,632.19 and Nasdaq tumbled 0.93 percent or 206.62 points to 22,105.36.

European bourses echoed the gloom, with FTSE dipping 0.43 percent to 10,261.15, CAC plunging 0.92 percent to 7,911.53, and DAX declining 0.61 percent or 142.36 points to 23,447.29.

Asian trading painted a patchy canvas, as four of nine major indices traded green while five languished in red. Gift Nifty firmed 0.26 percent to 23,264, Hang Seng ascended 0.61 percent or 155.40 points to 25,621, SET Composite climbed 0.28 percent to 1,413.26, and Taiwan Weighted edged up 0.01 percent to 33,403.69.

Conversely, Nikkei sagged 1.03 percent or 546.61 points to 53,273, Shanghai Composite slipped 0.72 percent to 4,066.32, Jakarta Composite cratered 1.67 percent or 117.27 points to 7,019.94, Kospi eased 0.19 percent to 5,476.81, and Straits Times nudged down 0.04 percent to 4,840.27.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar