Markets to witness a subdued start

The Indian markets may open on a flat to positive note on account of SGX Nifty trading 16 points higher and positive global cues. Headlines for the day Petrol pump operators threaten strike. Unitech defends it right to seek arbitration. Muthoot Estate can't accept public deposits: RBI. RBI to buy Rs10K cr worth govt securities. Events for the day Ex-date for final dividend of Castrol India. Ex-date for bonus issue of Shree Shaleen Textiles. Indian Indices: The mood in markets is expected to remain subdued amid persistent global growth worries. After yesterday’s volatile market, today the Indian markets may start trading on a flat to positive note on account of SGX Nifty trading 16 points higher and positive global cues. On Friday (March 29, 2012), The Sensex settled at 17058, down by 63 points and the nifty stood at 5178, down by 16 points. Daily trend of FII/MF investment in equities The FIIs have been net buyers of the Indian stocks to the tune of Rs249 crore on March 28, 2012. The domestic investors sold Indian shares worth a net of Rs55.30 crore on March 28, 2012. The data is as per the SEBI website. Global Indices: The Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Friday (March 30, 2012), amid concerns of growth prospects in the world's two largest economies, the United States and China and also because of weak industrial data in Japan which depressed the Tokyo market. The European shares fell to a three-week low on Thursday (March 29, 2012), with lower-than-expected US data which added to worries about global growth and led to selling pressure in the markets. The US Stocks closed mixed on Thursday, as investors were reminded that Europe has not solved its debt crisis and the US economy is far from healed. Commodity cues Crude Oil fell to their lowest level in six weeks on Thursday as a combination of factors put a pin in the market, from weakening supply-and-demand fundamentals to end-of-quarter profit-taking by asset managers.