European Markets Mixed After Asia Slump

European markets were mixed Thursday amid continued volatility in the technology sector and caution over corporate earnings reports.    
 
Britain’s benchmark FTSE index was down 0.3% at midday. The CAC 40 index in France was 0.1% higher, while Germany’s DAX index was up 0.2%.
 
Markets in Asia and Australia closed mostly lower earlier in the trading day. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index lost just over 1%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 0.6%, while Shanghai’s Composite index was 0.4% lower. The KOSPI index in South Korea plunged 1.3%, and Taiwan’s TSEC lost 0.4%    
 
Mumbai’s Sensex finished the trading day 0.7% higher.  
 
Australia’s S&P/ASX index fell 0.8%.
 
In commodities trading, gold was selling at $1,814.70, down 1.1%. U.S. crude oil was selling at $56.11 per barrel, up 0.7%, while Brent crude oil was 0.6% higher, selling at $58.82 per barrel.  
 
All three major U.S. indices were trending higher in futures trading ahead of Wall Street’s opening bell.  
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