New Delhi, 02 March (H.S.): Global markets are flashing signs of frailty today, with US indices closing lower in the prior session amid escalating geopolitical risks, dragging Asian bourses into a bearish spiral.

The S&P 500 shed 0.43% to end at 6,878.88, while the Nasdaq tumbled 0.94% or 214.48 points to 22,663.90. Dow Jones futures extended the gloom, trading 0.80% or 391.58 points lower at 48,586.34, reflecting investor jitters over Middle East flare-ups.

European markets delivered a patchy performance yesterday: the FTSE rose 0.59% to 10,910.55, bucking the trend, while the CAC 40 dipped 0.47% to 8,580.75 and the DAX edged down 0.02% to 25,284.26.

Seven of nine Asian indices traded in the red, with Shanghai Composite the lone gainer up a symbolic 0.13 point at 4,163.01. South Korea's Kospi was flat on holiday, but others plunged: Gift Nifty fell 0.66% to 25,117.50; Taiwan Weighted lost 0.33%; Jakarta Composite cratered 1.82% to 8,085.77; Straits Times dropped 1.77% to 4,906.83; Hang Seng slid 1.62% to 26,205; SET Composite declined 1.34% to 1,507.72; and Nikkei tumbled 1.33% to 58,070.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar