Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : Global markets offered mixed signals on Thursday, with U.S. and European equities ending the previous session on a mixed note, while most Asian markets traded higher during the day's session. Dow Jones Futures also edged up modestly, indicating a cautious but positive sentiment among investors.On Wall Street, trading remained mixed in the previous session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 182.06 points, or 0.35 per cent, to close at 51,848.90. In contrast, the S&P 500 Index slipped 0.10 per cent to end the session at 7,358.22.The Nasdaq Composite also closed lower, declining 110.40 points, or 0.43 per cent, to settle at 25,476.64.Meanwhile, Dow Jones Futures were trading marginally higher on Thursday, gaining 0.03 per cent to reach 51,866.04, suggesting a cautiously positive start for U.S. markets.European markets mirrored the mixed performance seen in the United States. Britain's FTSE Index advanced 0.31 per cent to close at 10,461.63, while France's CAC 40 gained 0.53 per cent to finish at 8,385.49.Germany's DAX Index, however, ended lower, falling 153.22 points, or 0.62 per cent, to close at 24,740.36.Asian markets witnessed broad-based buying interest, with eight of the region's nine major indices trading in positive territory. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was the only major laggard, declining 302.18 points, or 1.29 per cent, to 23,110.India-focused Gift Nifty was trading 137 points, or 0.57 per cent, higher at 24,160, indicating a positive opening sentiment for domestic equities.Taiwan's Weighted Index gained 297.80 points, or 0.65 per cent, to reach 46,341.40.South Korea's Kospi emerged as one of the strongest performers in the region, surging 455.63 points, or 5.38 per cent, to 8,926.65.Japan's Nikkei 225 also posted substantial gains, rising 2,928.03 points, or 4.23 per cent, to trade at 72,103.Elsewhere in the region, Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index advanced 90.07 points, or 1.56 per cent, to 5,975.95. Thailand's SET Composite Index gained 0.87 per cent to 1,561.72, while China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.36 per cent to 4,125.76.Singapore's Straits Times Index was also marginally higher, trading with a symbolic gain of 0.01 per cent at 5,216.29.The overall trend across Asian markets reflected cautious optimism among investors despite mixed cues from major global markets, with strong gains in Japan and South Korea providing significant support to regional sentiment.
