New Delhi, 09 January (H.S.): Global markets presented a bifurcated landscape Friday, with U.S. indices concluding mixed after cautious trading ahead of key data releases, European benchmarks settling flat following sustained pressure, while Asian counterparts predominantly surged higher, buoying regional sentiment.

Wall Street navigated volatility triggered by anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on President Donald Trump's escalated tariffs and impending non-farm payroll figures, prompting investor prudence; Dow Jones climbed 270 points to close higher, S&P 500 eked out a marginal 0.01 percent gain at 6,921.46, whereas Nasdaq dipped 100.71 points or 0.43 percent to 23,483.56. Dow futures traded 0.12 percent firmer at 49,323.22 early Friday, reflecting tempered optimism.

European Equities Flatten, Asia Powers Ahead

European sessions mirrored indecision, with FTSE settling 0.04 percent lower at 10,044.69, CAC advancing 0.12 percent to 8,243.47, and DAX nudging up 0.02 points to 25,127.46 after prolonged bearish undertones.

In contrast, Asian markets exhibited robust gains across eight of nine major indices: Nikkei rocketed 665.74 points or 1.30 percent to 51,783, Kospi rose 0.71 percent to 4,584.82, SET Composite gained 0.45 percent at 1,259.19, Jakarta Composite added 0.38 percent to 8,959.61, Shanghai Composite climbed 0.30 percent to 4,095.33, Hang Seng edged up 0.02 percent to 26,154, Straits Times firmed 0.08 percent at 4,742.94, and Taiwan Weighted rose 0.10 percent to 30,391.38; Gift Nifty alone slipped 0.06 percent to 25,955.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar