Global markets closed September 30 with clear regional divergence. U.S. equities were mixed, European benchmarks moved lower, and most major Asian markets advanced. Tel Aviv also recorded mixed trading across its major indices, while the U.S. Dollar Index gained 0.13% and the VIX rose 1.87%.

America: U.S. benchmarks finish September with mixed performance

U.S. equities delivered a mixed performance on September 30. The Nasdaq gained 0.24% to 26,861.06, while the S&P 500 fell 0.25% to 7,651.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.86% to 50,906.10, and the Russell 2000 fell 0.39% to 2,796.86.

Outside the United States, Brazil’s IBOVESPA gained 1.37% to 186,340.45, while Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite index fell 0.63% to 35,235.87. The U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.13% to 101.58. The VIX stood at 16.34, up 1.87%.

Europe: Major benchmarks decline across the region

European equities ended September 30 lower across all of the major benchmarks included in the supplied data. The CAC 40 fell 0.89% to 7,964.51, while the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.81% to 6,269.02. The DAX fell 0.79% to 25,199.19, and the Euronext 100 declined 0.67% to 1,884.92.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.29% to 10,606.00, while the broader MSCI Europe index declined 0.39% to 2,744.00. In currency markets, the British Pound Index gained 0.31% to 132.70, while the Euro Index fell 0.08% to 113.31.

Asia: Nikkei leads mostly higher regional markets

Most major Asian markets advanced on September 30. The Nikkei 225 climbed 1.94% to 66,753.72, while the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.92% to 8,789.30. The Hang Seng rose 0.37% to 24,613.27, and the SSE Composite Index advanced 0.31% to 3,842.19.

The S&P BSE SENSEX gained 0.27% to 72,723.65. The KOSPI Composite was the main decliner among the listed major Asian equity benchmarks, falling 0.48% to 6,838.04. The Japanese Yen Index rose 0.04% to 63.56, while the Australian Dollar Index declined 0.49% to 69.86.

Tel Aviv: Mixed performance across major Israeli indices

Tel Aviv equities delivered mixed results on September 30. The TA-35 fell 0.43% to 4,203.98, while the TA-90 gained 0.57% to 3,691.18. The TA-125 declined 0.21% to 4,075.62.

The TA-SME60 gained 1.54% to 1,324.14, while the TA 90 and Banks index fell 0.18% to 3,921.92. The TA-200 gained 0.26% to 3,910.34, the TA Sector-Balance rose 0.01% to 4,636.33, and the TA-20 declined 0.43% to 4,051.72.

Outlook for October 1: New-quarter positioning and regional closures in focus

October 1 marks the beginning of the fourth quarter, with investors entering the new period focused on monetary-policy expectations, economic data, currency movements and broader market positioning. Inflation, employment and economic-activity indicators will remain important for expectations surrounding interest rates, while corporate earnings and geopolitical developments could affect market sentiment.

Several regional market closures will affect trading on October 1. In Asia, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange will be closed for National Day, while the Hong Kong Stock Exchange will also be closed for National Day. In Europe, the Cyprus Stock Exchange will be closed for Independence Day, and the Ukraine Stock Exchange will be closed for Defender Day.

With the fourth quarter beginning, investors will monitor movements in bond yields, currencies and central-bank expectations alongside new economic data. These developments will help shape market positioning as global investors assess the economic and monetary-policy outlook for the months ahead.