Markets may see a positive opening

Today’s start is expected to be on a positive note on the back of supportive global cues. There are two new listings today — Taksheel Solutions and Flexituff International

Headlines for the day

Sun Pharma to acquire Taro, to pay $367 million for 33.5% stake

GVK acquires 13.5% in MIAL for Rs 1,140 cr

Tata Motors focuses on spreading global footprint

SAT tells Sahara firms to pay Rs 24k cr in six weeks

Govt will ask Rs 14K cr more to recapitalise PSU banks: Bank Secy



Events for the day

New Listings: Taksheel Solutions, Flexituff International

Results: Bajaj Finserv, Biocon, Crompton Greaves, HDFC Bank, Hind Zinc

Indian Indices

A rise in the US stocks and a report that Europe will strengthen the region's rescue fund helped improve sentiment. Today’s start is expected to be on a positive note on the back of supportive global cues.

Earnings may also drive the sentiments today. Other companies scheduled to report quarterly earnings today include Dish TV India, Indraprastha Gas, Torrent Power and J.B.Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals.

New Listings: Information-technology firm Taksheel Solutions Ltd (TSL) is going to list its equity shares on the exchanges today. The company has fixed issue price at higher end of price band of Rs130-150 a share. Flexituff International, a leading integrated manufacturer of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC), will also list its equity shares on the exchanges today. The company has fixed issue price at Rs155 a share.

Daily trend of FII/MF investment in equities

The FIIs have purchased Indian stocks to the tune of Rs397.50 crore on October 18, 2011. The domestic investors have sold Indian shares worth a net of Rs229.60 crore on October 17, 2011. The data is as per the SEBI website.

Global indices

The European shares fell on Tuesday (October 18, 2011), led by French banking stocks after a Moody's warning about France's credit rating fuelled worries about possible contagion in the euro zone debt crisis, while miners fell after China's third-quarter growth slowed.

The US stocks surged late in trading on Tuesday as buyers latched onto another report of agreements to strengthen the euro zone's rescue fund to bid up stocks aggressively.

The Asian markets were trading mixed on Wednesday (October 19, 2011). A cut to Spain's sovereign credit rating from Moody's Investors Service kept investors' risk appetite in check. SGX Nifty was trading 15 points higher.

Commodity cues

Oil prices rose on Tuesday, as strong bank earnings lifted markets and outweighed pressure from weak Chinese economic data.