Global benchmarks are mixed in cautious trading after US stocks edge back from record

TOKYO (AP) — Global markets were mixed in cautious trading Wednesday, although interest in computer chips and artificial intelligence continued to support some global shares.France's CAC 40 gained 0.5% in early trading to 7,868.62, while the German DAX edged up 0.4% to 25,368.18. Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.2% to 10,672.28. U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up 0.3% to 52,081.00. S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% to 7,872.75.In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 declined less than 0.1% to finish at 67,744.29. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.6% to 8,727.90. South Korea's Kospi, which has undergone some volatile trading lately, fell 0.4% to 6,008.81. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.1% to 24,314.17, while the Shanghai Composite dipped nearly 0.9% to 3,767.23.Global markets have been struck with various worries about high inflation, increased pressure from the bond market and conflicts in the Middle East. Worries have been high for a while about whether chip stock prices have sho