Global equity markets delivered a mixed performance, with US benchmarks showing resilience while European and Asian indices faced broad-based selling pressure. Volatility spiked sharply, reflecting heightened investor caution.
In the US, the S&P 500 edged up 0.04% to 6,881.63, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.36% to 22,748.86. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.15% to 48,904.79, indicating selective weakness in blue-chip stocks. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) surged 7.96% to 21.44, signaling rising risk aversion in the market.
European markets were under notable pressure. Germany’s DAX tumbled 2.56%, France’s CAC 40 declined 2.17%, and the STOXX 50 dropped 2.47%. The UK’s FTSE 100 fell 1.20%, while Italy’s FTSE MIB lost 1.97%, reflecting broad weakness across the region.
Asian markets also saw sharp declines. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slid 2.29%, South Korea’s KOSPI plunged 4.61%, and Australia’s ASX 200 dropped 1.22%. China’s Shanghai Composite was relatively stable, down 0.11%, while the Shenzhen Component Index fell 0.97%. India’s Nifty 50 declined 1.24%, mirroring global risk-off sentiment.
Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite was among the few bright spots, rising 0.59%, while Indonesia’s IDX Composite gained 0.35%.
