U.S. stock futures fell on Sunday, indicating a lower open for blue chip stocks in the wake of the terrorist attacks that left more than 100 people dead in Paris.
As France initiated a new bombing campaign in Syria in retaliation against ISIS, the perpetrators of the assault, markets appeared to weaken as investors absorbed the geopolitical implications.
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Dow futures fell by as much as 150 points in early trading, but clawed back some of those losses. Meanwhile, gold and crude futures appeared to be bid modestly. Japan's benchmark tumbled by 1.6 percent, plunging by more than 300 as Tokyo's trading day got underway.
Australia's ASX 200 also suffered losses, falling by more than a percent in early dealings, suggesting that Asia's major markets might also tumble in the wake of the terror assaults.
Analysts said on Sunday that investors are likely to pull back from risk-sensitive assets, which is typical in an environment where geopolitical tensions are high. On Sunday, France bombed an ISIS stronghold in Syria, in retaliation for the attacks for which the terror group claimed responsibility.
"The bottom line is there's the generic flight to quality," said David Ader of CRT Capital, adding that safe-haven assets such as the dollar and Treasurys would likely receive a boost.
European bourses also showed early weakness. Germany's DAX futures plunged by two percent, while France's CAC Index futures tumbled by nearly 4 percent. The FTSE Index futures slid by nearly two percent in early dealings.
"My guess is obviously this is an incredible tragedy, and you have a heightened sense of insecurity by investors and people around the world, and when that happens you have a flight to safety," said Art Hogan of Wunderlich Securities.
--CNBC's Patti Domm contributed to this article.