New Delhi, 19 March (H.S.): Global equity markets signaled frailty on Thursday, with U.S. indices tumbling in the prior session and European bourses succumbing to persistent selling pressure, as West Asian conflicts targeting energy infrastructure precipitated widespread investor disquiet.

Compounding the rout, elevated U.S. wholesale inflation and surging Brent crude above $110 per barrel—fueled by Iran's strikes on Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG hub—soured sentiment; the Dow Jones plunged over 750 points, S&P 500 shed 1.36% to 6,624.71, and Nasdaq slipped 1.46% to 22,152.42, though Dow futures rebounded modestly by 0.24% to 46,336.91.

Europe's FTSE 100 declined 0.95% to 10,305.29, DAX fell 0.97% to 23,502.25, and CAC 40 dipped 0.06% to 7,969.88.Asia mirrored the carnage, with eight of nine exchanges in the red: GIFT Nifty cratered 2.05% to 23,313, Hang Seng lost 1.75% to 25,569, Nikkei tumbled 2.87% to 53,655, Kospi dropped 1.55% to 5,833, Taiwan Weighted eased 1.19% to 33,939, Shanghai Composite fell 0.95% to 4,024, Straits Times shed 0.35% to 4,984, and SET Composite declined 0.22% to 1,437—Jakarta closed for holiday.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar