New Delhi, 02 April (H.S.):

U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks on Wednesday have once again dimmed the prospects of a ceasefire in West Asia, casting a cloud of uncertainty over global markets. His comments have triggered fresh jitters, with equities across Asia trading under heavy selling pressure today.

U.S. markets: mixed but futures weigh

Before Trump’s speech, Wall Street had closed on a relatively strong note, buoyed by hopes that the West Asia conflict could ease soon. The S&P 500 ended the previous session up 0.72 per cent at 6,575.32, while the Nasdaq advanced 250.32 points, or 1.16 per cent, to close at 21,840.95.

However, the tone quickly shifted in the aftermath of his address. While the U.S. cash market is already closed, Dow Jones futures are now trading lower, down 430.95 points, or 0.93 per cent, at 46,134.79, reflecting cautious sentimen into the next session.

European markets: last‑session gains on ceasefire hopes

In Europe, the prior session closed with a positive bias as investors clung to the expectation that the West Asia war could wind down quickly. The FTSE 100 rose 188.34 points, or 1.82 per cent, to 10,364.79, the CAC 40 gained 164.33 points, or 2.06 per cent, to 7,981.27, and the DAX added 618.85 points, or 2.66 per cent, to 23,298.89.

These gains were directly linked to the initial optimism around an early de‑escalation in the region, but the tone has turned more fragile since Trump’s latest comments reshaped the outlook.

Asia‑wide selling and key indices

Asian markets are now under broad‑based pressure, with all nine major indices in the region trading in the red. The GIFT Nifty is down 512 points, or 2.24 per cent, at 22,339, underscoring weak sentiment in the Indian derivatives segment.

Elsewhere in Asia:

The Straits Times Index has slipped 0.78 per cent to 4,937.04.

South Korea’s KOSPI has plunged 241.87 points, or 4.41 per cent, to 5,236.83, marking one of the steepest falls in the region.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 has fallen 1,194.68 points, or 2.22 per cent, to 52,545.

The Taiwan Weighted Index is down 474.52 points, or 1.43 per cent, at 32,700.30.

Jakarta Composite Index is off 82.67 points, or 1.15 per cent, at 7,101.77.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index has slipped 267.03 points, or 1.06 per cent, to 25,027.

China’s Shanghai Composite is down 0.53 per cent at 3,927.60, while Shenzhen’s SET Composite has edged lower by 0.18 per cent to 1,468.28.

This across‑the‑board weakness underscores how heightened geopolitical risk around the U.S.–Iran–Israel axis is weighing on investor confidence from Asia to Europe and the Americas.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar