New Delhi, 18 March (H.S.):

Global equity markets are providing upbeat cues to Indian investors, with major indices in the U.S. and Europe closing higher and a broadly positive trend visible across Asian markets.In the United States, Wall Street ended the previous session in the green, while S&P 500 futures are trading higher, reflecting cautious optimism ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision on interest rates.

The S&P 500 index closed up 0.25% at 6,716.09, while the Nasdaq climbed 105.35 points, or 0.47%, to 22,479.53. Dow Jones futures are currently up 233.69 points, or 0.50%, at 47,226.95, signaling a positive opening tone for the day.

European markets also posted gains in the prior session. London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.83% to 10,403.60, France’s CAC 40 gained 0.48% to close at 7,974.49, and Germany’s DAX moved up 166.91 points, or 0.70%, to 23,730.92. This broad‑based strength underpins the upbeat global backdrop.

In Asia, most major indices are trading in the green. Out of nine key markets, seven are in positive territory, while two are lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 1,329.61 points, or 2.48%, to 55,030, while South Korea’s KOSPI jumped 224.13 points, or 3.97%, to 5,864.61. Taiwan’s Weighted Index advanced 479.54 points (1.42%) to 34,316.11, Jakarta Composite rose 84.55 points (1.19%) to 7,106.84, and Thailand’s SET Composite added 1.18% to 1,450.74.

On the softer side, the Shanghai Composite is down 0.40% at 4,033.62 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng has slipped 0.18% to 25,823, but these pullbacks have not offset the broader regional uptrend.

Domestically, the GIFT Nifty on the NSE’s international exchange is trading up 150.50 points, or 0.64%, at 23,732.50, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index has gained 1.04% to 4,987.07, further reinforcing the upbeat external environment for Indian equities.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar