Global markets delivered a mixed performance on September 29, with modest declines across the major U.S. benchmarks and broader weakness in European and Asian equities. Tel Aviv provided a notable regional contrast, as the major Israeli indices advanced, while the U.S. Dollar Index was nearly unchanged and the Japanese Yen Index moved slightly lower.

America: Major U.S. benchmarks remain under pressure

U.S. equities closed September 29 with modest losses across the major benchmarks. The S&P 500 fell 0.17% to 7,670.84, while the Nasdaq declined 0.09% to 26,797.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.26% to 51,349.90, and the Russell 2000 declined 0.35% to 2,807.92, indicating that weakness extended beyond large-cap technology stocks.

Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite index fell 0.08% to 35,460.27, while Brazil’s IBOVESPA gained 0.46% to 183,827.59. The U.S. Dollar Index was nearly unchanged, rising 0.01% to 101.38. The VIX stood at 16.04, down 0.19%.

Europe: Mixed trading with pressure across key benchmarks

European markets were divided on September 29. The EURO STOXX 50 gained 0.30% to 6,320.26, while the DAX rose 0.10% to 25,399.21 and the Euronext 100 was almost unchanged, gaining 0.01% to 1,897.63.

Elsewhere, the FTSE 100 fell 0.45% to 10,636.71 and the CAC 40 declined 0.53% to 8,035.87. The broader MSCI Europe index fell 0.29% to 2,754.73. Currency markets also moved lower, with the Euro Index declining 0.25% to 113.40 and the British Pound Index falling 0.20% to 132.29.

Asia: Broad declines led by Japan and India

Asian markets mostly moved lower on September 29. The Nikkei 225 fell 0.60% to 65,481.27, while the Hang Seng declined 0.48% to 24,523.57. The S&P BSE SENSEX fell 0.54% to 72,378.29, and the KOSPI Composite declined 0.27% to 6,870.81.

China provided a modest counterpoint, with the SSE Composite Index gaining 0.18% to 3,830.45. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.34% to 8,709.30. The Japanese Yen Index fell 0.06% to 63.53, while the Australian Dollar Index declined 0.07% to 70.20.

Tel Aviv: Major Israeli indices advance

Tel Aviv equities moved higher on September 29, with gains across the major benchmarks. The TA-35 rose 0.02% to 4,221.94, while the TA-90 gained 0.72% to 3,670.37. The TA-125 advanced 0.17% to 4,084.27.

The broader TA-200 gained 0.39% to 3,900.25, while the TA 90 and Banks index rose 0.37% to 3,929.03. The TA-SME60 increased 0.19% to 1,304.07, the TA Sector-Balance gained 0.10% to 4,635.91, and the TA-20 rose 0.20% to 4,069.04.

Outlook for September 30: Quarter-end positioning and macro signals in focus

Markets enter September 30 with investors assessing economic resilience, monetary-policy expectations and portfolio positioning ahead of the end of the third quarter. With global equity benchmarks trading at elevated levels relative to recent history, incoming economic signals and changes in interest-rate expectations can influence equity valuations, bond yields and currency markets.

Quarter-end positioning may also contribute to uneven trading conditions across regions and asset classes. Investors will monitor developments in inflation, employment and economic activity for indications about the future path of central-bank policy, while geopolitical developments remain an additional source of uncertainty.

The final session of September also provides a transition point toward the fourth quarter. Market participants are likely to balance recent equity performance against the broader macroeconomic backdrop, with volatility potentially increasing around major data releases, policy signals and shifts in expectations for economic growth and interest rates.