Markets expect cautious start

The Indian markets may start today's trading session on a flat to positive note as volatility still lingers. SGX Nifty is up by 17.50 points.

Headlines for the day:

HC sets aside contempt order against IFCI, its CEO.
FDI up 74% in Feb to $2.21 bn.
Wipro to be title sponsor of San Francisco Marathon.
RBI cuts bank rate to 9%.



Events for the day:

Results: IndusInd Bank, ACC, Ambuja Cements, Hindustan Zinc.

Indian Indices:

The Indian markets may start on a flat to positive note on account of SGX Nifty trading 17.50 points higher. However, the investors may remain jittery as volatility is likely to remain high.

Companies scheduled to report quarterly results today are IndusInd Bank, ACC, Ambuja Cements and Hindustan Zinc.

The Sensex settled at 17392, up by 34 points and the Nifty rose 10 points to close at 5300.

Global Indices:

Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Thursday (April 19, 2012), after the previous day's rally as investors grew cautious ahead of a key Spanish bond sale that would test the market's risk appetite as concerns mounted over the euro zone's debt crisis.

European shares went into a reversal trend on Wednesday (April 18, 2012), led by heavy fall in both Spanish and Italian indexes, with bank stocks hit by investor worries over a Spanish debt auction on Thursday.

US shares fell on Wednesday, a day after Wall Street's best gains in a month, as uninspiring earnings from tech bellwethers IBM and Intel gave investors a reason to take profits.

Daily trend of FII/MF investment in equities:

The FIIs have been the net buyers Indian stocks to the tune of Rs391.40 crore on April 17, 2012.The domestic investors bought Indian shares worth a net of Rs262 crore on April 12, 2012. The data is as per the SEBI website.

Commodity Cues:

Oil slipped on Wednesday as supply concerns eased after data showing a fourth straight week of inventory build in the United States.