Markets may open flat to negative as global peers reel under geopolitical tensions

Indian benchmark indices on Tuesday got off to a flat start, and thereafter, the indices slowly but steadily started gathering steam, surging over half a per cent. Finally, the NSE's 50-share broadly followed index - Nifty, gained 56 points to settle above the crucial 9,200 levels, while Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensitive Index - Sensex smashed a double century and closed just above the psychological 29,780 mark.

European markets ended the Tuesday session on a mixed note. The DAX of Germany dropped 0.50 per cent and the CAC 40 of France fell 0.11 per cent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. gained 0.23 per cent.

The U.S stocks pared early losses to close with modest losses on Tuesday as investors remained cautious amid rising geopolitical tensions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 7 points to close at 20,651. The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 14 points. The S&P 500 index fell 3 points to close at 2,354.  

Asian markets are trading in negative terrain on Wednesday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 moved lower by 231 points. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 39 points and the Shanghai Composite is  trading with losses of 9 points.

At 8:20 am, SGX Nifty Index was trading with losses of 25 points at 9243, indicating a negative start for Indian equities.