Markets may open gap-up

Headlines for the day

Auto, home loans turn expensive - Business Standard

Aditya Birla Retail looking to raise PE funds - Business Line

Essar Oil plans Rs 4,000-cr investment for CBM blocks - Business Standard

IDBI Bank plans to raise Rs300 crore this month - DNA Money

Events for the day

Major corporate action

Ex-date for dividend of Eicher Motors Ltd.

Ex-date for Rights Issue of Tulive Developers Limited.

Ex-date for Reduction of Capital of Eicher Motors Ltd

Results today: Bosch Ltd.

Pre-market report

Global signals

On Thursday European stocks closed lower, after the European Central Bank and the Bank of England kept their interest rates at record lows and investors absorbed Greece's sale of euro5 billion ($6.8 billion) in bonds to finance its debt.

US stocks closed higher on Thursday, as better-than-expected retail sales and a fall in first-time jobless claims pointed to a stabilizing economy

In today's trade, all the Asian indices are trading in green. At the time of writing of this report SGX Nifty trades 23 points higher.

Indian markets

Domestic markets are expected to open higher owing to the positive signals that are coming from the Asia and US markets. Investors to be caution before taking any fresh positions. Market may remain volatile for the day.

Commodity cues

In the commodity space, Crude oil prices recorded marginal for the gain for the second consecutive day, with the Nymex light crude oil for April series rises by $0.47 per barrel, whereas in the metals space, Comex Gold for April series and Comex Silver for May series down by $9.60 and $0.10 to a troy ounce respectively.

Daily trend of FII/MF investment in equities

On March 04, 2010, FIIs were the net buyers of the Indian Stocks in the tune of Rs1013.40, whereas the Domestic mutual funds, on March 03, 2010, were also the net buyers of the stocks in the tune of Rs82.60 crore.