Markets may begin on a flat note

The Indian markets are set for a flat start tracking mixed cues from the Asian markets. Trading may remain cautious ahead of Bernanke speech.

Headlines for the day:

NSE to launch S&P, Dow Jones from Monday
CIL may lose 40K tonne a day on Jharkand ban
PowerGrid to launch India’s first 1,200-Kv station



Major corporate action

SRS and TD Power Systems IPO closes today
Bhoruka Aluminium board to consider bonus issue
Ex-date for final dividend of Engineers India, Frontline Securities

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Indian indices

A massive sell-off in the last two trading sessions has erased almost all the gains amassed by the frontline indices in the initial two days of this week, dragging the key indices below the psychological 4850 and 16150 levels.

Today, the markets are expected to start the session on a flat to positive note tracking mixed cues from Asian markets. Investors across the globe avoided large bets ahead of Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke's closely watched speech at Jackson Hole later in the day.

Daily trend of FII/MF investment in equities

The FIIs have sold Indian stocks worth a net of Rs757.80 crore on August 25, 2011 as compared to the net sell of Rs71.70 crore on August 24, 2011. The domestic investors have bought Indian shares worth a net of Rs94.4 crore on August 24, 2011. The data is as per the SEBI website.

Global signals

The European markets closed lower on Thursday (August 25, 2011), breaking a three-session winning streak after abruptly changing direction amid speculation that Germany would introduce a ban on short-selling financial shares.

The US markets dropped on Thursday as investors raised cash ahead of a critical speech from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, hoping he will give them a clearer picture of the Fed's plans for the struggling economy.

The Asian markets were trading mixed on Friday (August 26, 2011). SGX Nifty was trading 13 points up, pointing for a subdued start on the Indian bourses.

Commodity cues

Crude oil prices settled close to $85 per barrel on Thursday, with traders closely following news about the conflict in oil-rich Libya.