New Delhi, 11 February (H.S.): Global markets presented a patchwork of signals on Wednesday, with U.S. benchmarks closing lower in the prior session while Dow futures hinted at a rebound and Asian counterparts broadly advanced amid widespread buying interest.
Wall Street indices wrapped up the previous trading day under sustained selling pressure, capping off a choppy session with notable declines. The benchmark S&P 500 index settled at 6,939.97, reflecting a loss of 0.36 percent as investors weighed economic data and corporate earnings.
Similarly, the tech‑heavy Nasdaq Composite ended 134.30 points lower, down 0.58 percent, underscoring weakness in growth stocks amid broader market caution.
Turning positive today, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were trading 160.84 points or 0.32 percent higher at 50,348.98, signaling potential early optimism ahead of fresh U.S. economic releases.
European bourses exhibited a divided performance in their last session on Tuesday, with losses dominating but selective pockets of resilience. The FTSE 100 index in London closed at 10,353.84, slipping by 0.31 percent amid profit‑taking in financials and commodities.
Germany’s DAX index edged down 0.11 percent to end at 24,987.85, while France’s CAC 40 bucked the trend marginally, gaining 0.06 percent to settle at 8,327.88.
Asian rally takes holdAsian markets, by contrast, showcased broad‑based strength across most regional indices on Wednesday, with buying dominating despite a holiday in Tokyo. Of nine major Asian bourses tracked, eight were trading in the green, underscoring robust regional sentiment.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 remained unchanged due to a market holiday on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Gift Nifty futures, a key directional cue for Indian markets, advanced 0.24 percent to 26,024.50. Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.33 percent to 4,980.69.
Taiwan’s Weighted Index surged notably, climbing 597.11 points or 1.81 percent to 33,670.08, fueled by strength in semiconductors and exports.
Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite gained 111.52 points or 1.37 percent, reaching 8,243.26. South Korea’s Kospi index was up 1.21 percent at 5,365.58.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 119.85 points or 0.44 percent to 27,303. Thailand’s SET Composite rose 0.31 percent to 1,414.75, while China’s Shanghai Composite edged 0.22 percent higher to 4,137.55.
These divergent overseas cues—particularly the upbeat Asian tone—set a cautiously optimistic backdrop for Indian equities, even as domestic benchmarks navigated early volatility on Wednesday.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
