![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="32" width="135" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="16" width="68" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="18" width="8" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="15" width="18" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="15" width="15" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed slightly higher on Wednesday after strong Microsoft Corp results boosted technology shares, but the S&P 500 and the Dow fell on lingering concerns about a weakening U.S. economy and the banking sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 228.96 points, or 0.68%, to 33,301.87; and the S&P 500 lost 15.64 points, or 0.38%, at 4,055.99. The Nasdaq Composite index closed up 0.47%, or 55.19 points, at 11,854.35.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.41 percent in early trade, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.14 percent. South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.1 percent on its open and the Kosdaq dropped 0.42 percent, as electronics giant Samsung Electronics posted a 94 percent year-on-year drop in operating profit for the first quarter.Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index also seems set for a lower open as futures tied to the index traded at 19,735, compared to the 19,757 close on Wednesday.
At 8:20 am, the SGX Nifty was trading 32 points or 0.18 percent lower at 17,797, indicating a weak opening for the Indian markets.
Indian shares reversed intraday losses on Wednesday, aided by broad-based gains across sectors amid a slew of earnings and as markets shrugged off rising recession fears in the United States. The Nifty 50 closed 0.25% higher to 17,813.60, while the S&P BSE Sensex gained 0.28%. Both benchmarks had fallen more than 0.3% during the session.
Oil prices dropped by almost 4 percent on Wednesday, extending the previous session’s sharp losses, even after a report showed US crude inventories fell more than expected, as recession fears grew for the world’s biggest economy. Brent crude settled at $77.69 a barrel, losing $3.08, or 3.8 percent. US West Texas Intermediate crude settled at $74.30 a barrel, shedding $2.77, or 3.6 percent.
HUL, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Wipro, LTIMindtree, Tech Mahindra and Laurus Labs, among others, will announce their quarterly results today.
Foreign institutional investors (FII) bought shares worth ₹1,257.48 crore, whereas domestic institutional investors (DII) sold shares worth ₹227.88 crore on April 26, according to provisional data from National Stock Exchange.
The rupee appreciated 21 paise to close at 81.74 against the US dollar on Wednesday, tracking the weakness of the American currency in the overseas market and gains in Asian peers.
Gold eased back on Wednesday as yields recovered with the focus returning to upcoming economic data, after briefly breaking above $2,000 spurred by fresh worries surrounding the U.S. banking turmoil. US gold futures slipped 0.42 percent to settle at $1,996.0, ending a two-day win streak.