New Delhi, 13 March (H.S.): Global markets signaled weakness today, dragging Asian bourses lower as U.S. indices closed sharply down in the prior session, with selling pressure persisting across Europe and Asia.

U.S. markets posted steep declines yesterday: the Dow Jones plummeted nearly 800 points, the S&P 500 shed 103.18 points or 1.52% to end at 6,672.62, and Nasdaq tumbled 404.16 points or 1.78% to 22,311.98. Dow futures, however, traded up 217.30 points or 0.47% at 46,895.15 today.

Europe Under Pressure

European markets faced sustained selling yesterday too. London's FTSE index closed at 10,305.15, down 0.47%; France's CAC ended at 7,984.44 after a 0.72% drop; Germany's DAX settled at 23,589.65, off 0.21%.

Asia's Broad Decline

Eight of nine Asian indices traded red today, with only Singapore's Straits Times up 0.10% at 4,860.20. Gift Nifty fell 243.50 points or 1.03% to 23,473.50; Hang Seng slipped 150.76 points or 0.59% to 25,566.

Jakarta Composite plunged 129.13 points or 1.75% to 7,232.99; Kospi dropped 83.29 points or 1.49% to 5,499.96. SET Composite eased 1.13% to 1,413.67; Nikkei fell 588.96 points or 1.08% to 53,864; Taiwan Weighted declined 140.46 points or 0.42% to 33,441.40; Shanghai Composite dipped 0.22% to 4,120.14.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar