Markets expect a positive start

Headlines for the day:

Fortis to buy Quality Healthcare Asia arms for Rs882 crore

Shipping Corp files papers with market regulator Rs1300 crore FPO

Four top pharma firms bid for Paras



Events for the day:

Major corporate action

Gyscoal Alloys IPO opens today
Results: Honeywell Automation India
Ex-date for dividend of Gini Silk Mills
For more events and news, log on to Sharekhan.com

Pre-market report

Indian indices

The domestic markets have been struggling from the last week, as the global markets are still fragile. In today's session, the investor sentiment across the globe is buoyed after the Federal Reserve's move on easing measures. Taking the lead from its global peers, the Indian markets are set for a gap-up opening and may follow global markets for direction.

Technology shares will be in focus this week, ahead of bellwether Infosys Technologies announcing its second-quarter earnings numbers on October 15, 2010.

Daily trend of FII/MF investment in equities

The FIIs have bought Indian stocks worth a net of Rs1,111.10 crore on October 12, 2010 as against net buy of Rs807.50 crore on October 11, 2010. The domestic investors have sold Indian stocks worth a net of Rs260.10 crore on October 11, 2010.

Global signals

The European indices slipped on Tuesday (October 12, 2010) as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve minutes for clues on how the Fed will provide more support for the economy, with commodities lower as crude and metal prices fell.

The US markets hit fresh five-month highs on Tuesday as details from the Fed's latest meeting showed that the US central bank may once again flood markets with cheap cash before long to further boost growth.

The Asian markets were trading higher except Shanghai Composite, buoyed by expectations of easing from the US Federal Reserve. SGX Nifty was trading 17 points higher, indicating towards a positive start on the Indian markets.

Commodity cues

Crude-oil futures on Tuesday trimmed their losses as the dollar weakened after the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's last interest-rate meeting, as the crude oil futures for November delivery up by $0.66, to settle at $81.67 a barrel.