The domestic equity market slipped over a per cent on Tuesday amid across-the-board sell-off with the financials taking the biggest knock.

Sensex shed 414 points or 1.2 per cent to settle at 33,956.69 while NSE's Nifty ended at 10,047, down 121 points or 1.19 per cent. Nifty Bank lost 462 points or over 2 per cent to 20,724.90 levels. Volatility index, India VIX, climbed over 2 per cent to 30.26 levels.&nbsp;

India’s economy will shrink by 3.2 per cent in the current fiscal, the World Bank said on Monday as it joined a chorus of international agencies that are forecasting a contraction in growth rate due to the coronavirus lockdown halting economic activity. The Washington-based multilateral lender said that the COVID-19 pandemic and the multi-phased lockdown imposed to curb its spread has resulted in a devastating blow to the Indian economy.

Global markets

Asian stocks extended their winning streak for the ninth consecutive session on Tuesday and oil prices rose as the lifting of coronavirus lockdowns in many countries fed investor hopes of a relatively quick global economic recovery. Australia’s S&amp;P/ASX 200 surged 2.6 per cent, China’s blue-chip CSI300 index advanced 0.7 per cent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbed 1.6 per cent. Japan’s Nikkei bucked the trend to be down 0.6 per cent.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The domestic equity market slipped over a per cent on Tuesday amid across-the-board sell-off with the financials taking the biggest knock. Sensex shed 414 points or 1.

The domestic equity market slipped over a per cent on Tuesday amid across-the-board sell-off with the financials taking the biggest knock. Sensex shed 414 points or 1.2 per cent to settle at 33,956.69 while NSE's Nifty ended at 10,047, down 121 points or 1.19 per cent. Nifty Bank lost 462 points or over 2 per cent to 20,724.90 levels. Volatility index, India VIX, climbed over 2 per cent to 30.26 levels. India’s economy will shrink by 3.2 per cent in the current fiscal, the World Bank said on Monday as it joined a chorus of international agencies that are forecasting a contraction in growth rate due to the coronavirus lockdown halting economic activity. The Washington-based multilateral lender said that the COVID-19 pandemic and the multi-phased lockdown imposed to curb its spread has resulted in a devastating blow to the Indian economy. Global markets Asian stocks extended their winning streak for the ninth consecutive session on Tuesday and oil prices rose as the lifting of coronavirus lockdowns in many countries fed investor hopes of a relatively quick global economic recovery. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 surged 2.6 per cent, China’s blue-chip CSI300 index advanced 0.7 per cent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbed 1.6 per cent. Japan’s Nikkei bucked the trend to be down 0.6 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

Sensex plunges 850 points from day’s high, Nifty ends 535 points down

Indian markets declined over 1 per cent on Friday, pulled down by auto and bank stocks, amid mixed global cues.

The 30-share Sensex slipped below 31,000-mark, to trade at 30,947, down 175 points or 0.53 per cent. While broader Nifty 50 index breached the crucial 91,00-mark and was ruling at 9,088 with a loss of 54 points or 0.59 per cent.&nbsp;

Out of 30 Sensex stocks that constitute BSE Sensex, 20 scrips were trading in negative territory. M&amp;M was the top Sensex loser down 3.27 per cent, followed by Maruti, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Finance.

Indian markets declined over 1 per cent on Friday, pulled down by auto and bank stocks, amid mixed global cues. The 30-share Sensex slipped below 31,000-mark, to trade at 30,947, down 175 points or 0.

Indian markets declined over 1 per cent on Friday, pulled down by auto and bank stocks, amid mixed global cues. The 30-share Sensex slipped below 31,000-mark, to trade at 30,947, down 175 points or 0.53 per cent. While broader Nifty 50 index breached the crucial 91,00-mark and was ruling at 9,088 with a loss of 54 points or 0.59 per cent. Out of 30 Sensex stocks that constitute BSE Sensex, 20 scrips were trading in negative territory. M&M was the top Sensex loser down 3.27 per cent, followed by Maruti, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Finance.

Sensex slips below 31,000, down over 300 points, Nifty trades below 9,100

The domestic stock market indices plunged nearly 3% on Tuesday tracking weakness in global markets.

At 12:30 pm, BSE Sensex index was down 1,088.21 points, or 3.44%, at 30,559.79 levels. The Nifty50 index was down by 298.85 points at 8,963.00 levels.&nbsp;

In Mumbai trading, oil-to-retail conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd was the biggest drag on the indexes, falling as much as 4.3%.

Infosys Ltd slid 3.9% after the No. 2 software exporter suspended its revenue guidance for full-year 2021 as the pandemic froze client activity in the United States and Europe.

The Nifty Bank Index plunged 4.6%, its most since April 3, with private-sector lender ICICI Bank Ltd down for a second straight day, tumbling 6.7%.

Aluminium producer Hindalco Industries Ltd was the top loser on the Nifty 50, falling as much as 9.2%.

Drugmaker Morepen Laboratories Ltd surged 10% after the company got a license to manufacture malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, seen as a treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.

The Nifty Pharma Index was up 3.1%.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The domestic stock market indices plunged nearly 3% on Tuesday tracking weakness in global markets. At 12:30 pm, BSE Sensex index was down 1,088.21 points, or 3.

The domestic stock market indices plunged nearly 3% on Tuesday tracking weakness in global markets. At 12:30 pm, BSE Sensex index was down 1,088.21 points, or 3.44%, at 30,559.79 levels. The Nifty50 index was down by 298.85 points at 8,963.00 levels. In Mumbai trading, oil-to-retail conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd was the biggest drag on the indexes, falling as much as 4.3%. Infosys Ltd slid 3.9% after the No. 2 software exporter suspended its revenue guidance for full-year 2021 as the pandemic froze client activity in the United States and Europe. The Nifty Bank Index plunged 4.6%, its most since April 3, with private-sector lender ICICI Bank Ltd down for a second straight day, tumbling 6.7%. Aluminium producer Hindalco Industries Ltd was the top loser on the Nifty 50, falling as much as 9.2%. Drugmaker Morepen Laboratories Ltd surged 10% after the company got a license to manufacture malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, seen as a treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. The Nifty Pharma Index was up 3.1%. (With inputs from Reuters)

Stock markets tumble on oil market crash, Sensex down 1000 points

European and Asian stock markets climbed Wednesday following a positive overnight lead from Wall Street on easing investor concerns over the economic impact of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-bats-being-sold-in-indonesias-wildlife-market-despite-warning-280332">COVID-19</a>.

While the death toll from China's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-bats-being-sold-in-indonesias-wildlife-market-despite-warning-280332">coronavirus </a>epidemic climbed past 1,100 on Wednesday, the number of new cases fell for a second straight day, raising hope the outbreak could peak later this month.

US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday said its assessment of the economic fallout was not as gloomy as many had expected.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indias-january-inflation-rises-to-759-per-cent-280325">India's January inflation rises to 7.59 per cent</a>

There are meanwhile expectations that Beijing will introduce major stimulus policies to offset economic hits.

"It's now hoped that, as far as the economy is concerned, we're just facing a bad quarter that could wipe around 1.0 per cent of full-year Chinese growth," noted Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA Europe.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/stocks-struggle-as-china-virus-sparks-fear-for-world-economy-278037">COVID-19</a> that emerged in central China spooked equity and oil markets for weeks as it spread to more than two dozen countries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/stocks-struggle-as-china-virus-sparks-fear-for-world-economy-278037">Stocks struggle as China virus sparks fear for world economy</a>

But with economic concerns easing, Brent crude oil rallied by two percent on Wednesday while safehaven investment gold retreated.&nbsp;

"Gold is slowly losing its appeal as traders declare the end of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/stocks-struggle-as-china-virus-sparks-fear-for-world-economy-278037">COVID-19</a> in sight," said Erlam.&nbsp;

"This may be premature but stock markets are at record highs and central banks appear relatively relaxed about the whole situation."

US planemaker Boeing however issued a stark warning Wednesday about the impact of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, saying there was "no question" it would hammer the aviation industry and the broader economy.

Major airlines have halted flights in and out of China, where a lockdown has been imposed in the worst-affected areas, while several countries have banned arrivals from China.

"You have several global airlines that have limited their traffic in and out of China, that's revenue," said Ihssane Mounir, the US plane maker's senior vice president of commercial global sales and marketing.

European and Asian stock markets climbed Wednesday following a positive overnight lead from Wall Street on easing investor concerns over the economic impact of COVID-19.

European and Asian stock markets climbed Wednesday following a positive overnight lead from Wall Street on easing investor concerns over the economic impact of COVID-19. While the death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic climbed past 1,100 on Wednesday, the number of new cases fell for a second straight day, raising hope the outbreak could peak later this month. US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday said its assessment of the economic fallout was not as gloomy as many had expected. Also read: India's January inflation rises to 7.59 per cent There are meanwhile expectations that Beijing will introduce major stimulus policies to offset economic hits. "It's now hoped that, as far as the economy is concerned, we're just facing a bad quarter that could wipe around 1.0 per cent of full-year Chinese growth," noted Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA Europe. COVID-19 that emerged in central China spooked equity and oil markets for weeks as it spread to more than two dozen countries. Also read: Stocks struggle as China virus sparks fear for world economy But with economic concerns easing, Brent crude oil rallied by two percent on Wednesday while safehaven investment gold retreated. "Gold is slowly losing its appeal as traders declare the end of COVID-19 in sight," said Erlam. "This may be premature but stock markets are at record highs and central banks appear relatively relaxed about the whole situation." US planemaker Boeing however issued a stark warning Wednesday about the impact of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, saying there was "no question" it would hammer the aviation industry and the broader economy. Major airlines have halted flights in and out of China, where a lockdown has been imposed in the worst-affected areas, while several countries have banned arrivals from China. "You have several global airlines that have limited their traffic in and out of China, that's revenue," said Ihssane Mounir, the US plane maker's senior vice president of commercial global sales and marketing.

Stock markets climb on easing economic concerns over coronavirus

European equities were little changed in early trading. Britain's pound recovered from the 3 per cent&nbsp;loss it suffered as fear of a no-deal Brexit returned.

The pan-region STOXX 600&nbsp;bobbed in and out of the red. Britain's blue-chip index&nbsp;managed a 0.15 per cent&nbsp;rise before a Bank of England meeting.

Wall Street futures suggested the S&amp;P 500 would barely budge, after rising to a fifth consecutive record high on Wednesday. Earlier, Asian shares had pulled back from a one-and-a-half year peak as trading wound down before the end of the year.

Japan's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-markets-asia-shares-eke-out-another-peak-pound-fears-brexit-redux-268851">Nikkei</a> fell 0.3 per cent&nbsp;and China's stocks slipped&nbsp;for the second session despite trade optimism. Australian shares ended 0.3 per cent&nbsp;lower, led lower by mining stocks.

Investors were also watching proceedings in Washington, where the Democratic-led US&nbsp;House of Representatives voted to impeach US&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-votes-to-impeach-trump-for-obstruction-of-congress-269040">President Donald Trump</a> for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Market reaction was limited since the Republican-controlled Senate is widely expected not to convict Trump and removed him from office.

In Sweden, the central bank raised its key rate to zero after five years in negative territory. Economists wondered whether Sweden's hot-running economy would react badly and whether other sub-zero rate central banks in the eurozone, Japan, Denmark, Switzerland and Hungary would follow suit.

The crown rose 0.2 per cent, again that had been widely flagged.

"At the end of the day, this market doesn't look at macro and earnings, it just looks at monetary developments," said Stéphane Barbier de la Serre, macro strategist at Makor Capital Markets. "If the market thinks central banks (globally) are done with being dovish then we would see some volatility."

The British pound gained after suffering heavy losses on concern Britain could still crash out of the European Union without a trade deal in place when a transition period ends in December 2020.

Traders were also waiting for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hedge-funds-gained-early-access-to-boe-press-conference-feeds-269131">Bank of England</a>'s last policy meeting of the year. No change in policy is expected, but more policy-makers might signal they could vote for an interest rate cut next year.

Sterling&nbsp;rose 0.2 per cent&nbsp;to $1.3105 after falling more than 3 per cent. It had reached an 18-month high on December&nbsp;13 after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party won a majority in a general election.

Against the euro, it stood at 84.94 pence, close to its weakest since December&nbsp;4. British inflation remained at a three-year low in November, data had shown on Wednesday.

&nbsp;

Stay Easy

Germany's benchmark 10-year bond yield crept towards the six-month highs it touched last week, with bond traders focussed on the day's central bank meetings.

After Sweden's move, Norway kept its rates at 1.5 per cent&nbsp;and reiterated it was likely to stay there for some time.

The Australian dollar jumped by 0.36 per cent&nbsp;to $0.6879 after better-than-expected labour-market data made interest rate cuts less likely.

The yen barely moved from 109.58 per dollar after the Bank of Japan kept its quantitative easing in place and issued a gloomier assessment on factory output.

In commodities, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-falls-as-us-inventories-rise-but-demand-hopes-stem-bigger-drop-268973">Brent crude</a>&nbsp;dipped 0.1 per cent&nbsp;to $66.10 per barrel. US&nbsp;crude also dipped 0.01 per cent&nbsp;to $60.86 a barrel after US&nbsp;government data showed a decline in crude inventories.

Prices are likely to be supported by production cuts coming from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia.

European equities were little changed in early trading. Britain's pound recovered from the 3 per cent loss it suffered as fear of a no-deal Brexit returned. The pan-region STOXX 600 bobbed in and out of the red.

European equities were little changed in early trading. Britain's pound recovered from the 3 per cent loss it suffered as fear of a no-deal Brexit returned. The pan-region STOXX 600 bobbed in and out of the red. Britain's blue-chip index managed a 0.15 per cent rise before a Bank of England meeting. Wall Street futures suggested the S&P 500 would barely budge, after rising to a fifth consecutive record high on Wednesday. Earlier, Asian shares had pulled back from a one-and-a-half year peak as trading wound down before the end of the year. Japan's Nikkei fell 0.3 per cent and China's stocks slipped for the second session despite trade optimism. Australian shares ended 0.3 per cent lower, led lower by mining stocks. Investors were also watching proceedings in Washington, where the Democratic-led US House of Representatives voted to impeach US President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Market reaction was limited since the Republican-controlled Senate is widely expected not to convict Trump and removed him from office. In Sweden, the central bank raised its key rate to zero after five years in negative territory. Economists wondered whether Sweden's hot-running economy would react badly and whether other sub-zero rate central banks in the eurozone, Japan, Denmark, Switzerland and Hungary would follow suit. The crown rose 0.2 per cent, again that had been widely flagged. "At the end of the day, this market doesn't look at macro and earnings, it just looks at monetary developments," said Stéphane Barbier de la Serre, macro strategist at Makor Capital Markets. "If the market thinks central banks (globally) are done with being dovish then we would see some volatility." The British pound gained after suffering heavy losses on concern Britain could still crash out of the European Union without a trade deal in place when a transition period ends in December 2020. Traders were also waiting for the Bank of England's last policy meeting of the year. No change in policy is expected, but more policy-makers might signal they could vote for an interest rate cut next year. Sterling rose 0.2 per cent to $1.3105 after falling more than 3 per cent. It had reached an 18-month high on December 13 after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party won a majority in a general election. Against the euro, it stood at 84.94 pence, close to its weakest since December 4. British inflation remained at a three-year low in November, data had shown on Wednesday. Stay Easy Germany's benchmark 10-year bond yield crept towards the six-month highs it touched last week, with bond traders focussed on the day's central bank meetings. After Sweden's move, Norway kept its rates at 1.5 per cent and reiterated it was likely to stay there for some time. The Australian dollar jumped by 0.36 per cent to $0.6879 after better-than-expected labour-market data made interest rate cuts less likely. The yen barely moved from 109.58 per dollar after the Bank of Japan kept its quantitative easing in place and issued a gloomier assessment on factory output. In commodities, Brent crude dipped 0.1 per cent to $66.10 per barrel. US crude also dipped 0.01 per cent to $60.86 a barrel after US government data showed a decline in crude inventories. Prices are likely to be supported by production cuts coming from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia.

Stocks near record highs, Sweden ends negative rates

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/kuwait-to-tap-foreign-debt-markets-to-finance-deficit-1708">The Kuwait Investment Authority</a> (KIA) began increasing its exposure to bonds and cash two years ago to boost liquidity in its portfolio as the global economy showed signs of weakness, Kuwaiti newspaper Alqabas reported on Sunday, citing sources.

The report provided rare insight into the strategy of one of the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds, though it did not give a breakdown of KIA's investments in various asset classes.&nbsp;

KIA, in which the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute estimates manage $592 billion of assets, does not publicly disclose its investments or detailed strategy.

The newspaper report said KIA made "calculated exits" from investments it felt were vulnerable to a downturn in global financial markets as the world economy began to show signs of faltering two years ago.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July cut its forecast for global growth this year and next, warning that further tariffs in the US-China trade dispute or a disorderly British exit from the European Union could slow growth further, weaken investment and disrupt supply chains.

The IMF said that downside risks had intensified and it expected global economic growth of 3.2 per cent&nbsp;in 2019 and 3.5 per cent&nbsp;in 2020, both down by 0.1 percentage points from its April forecast and its fourth downgrade since October.

Despite recent volatility in equity markets, KIA has achieved a 10 per cent&nbsp;return on its investments in US stock markets since the beginning of this year, the report said.

KIA officials were not immediately available to comment.

Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported in late 2017 that KIA had more than $300 billion of investments in the United States, diversified among stocks, bonds, real estate, and technology.

The fund's investments are spread across more than 120 economies globally.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) began increasing its exposure to bonds and cash two years ago to boost liquidity in its portfolio as the global economy showed signs of weakness, Kuwaiti newspaper Alqabas reported on Sunday, citing sources.

The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) began increasing its exposure to bonds and cash two years ago to boost liquidity in its portfolio as the global economy showed signs of weakness, Kuwaiti newspaper Alqabas reported on Sunday, citing sources. The report provided rare insight into the strategy of one of the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds, though it did not give a breakdown of KIA's investments in various asset classes. KIA, in which the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute estimates manage $592 billion of assets, does not publicly disclose its investments or detailed strategy. The newspaper report said KIA made "calculated exits" from investments it felt were vulnerable to a downturn in global financial markets as the world economy began to show signs of faltering two years ago. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July cut its forecast for global growth this year and next, warning that further tariffs in the US-China trade dispute or a disorderly British exit from the European Union could slow growth further, weaken investment and disrupt supply chains. The IMF said that downside risks had intensified and it expected global economic growth of 3.2 per cent in 2019 and 3.5 per cent in 2020, both down by 0.1 percentage points from its April forecast and its fourth downgrade since October. Despite recent volatility in equity markets, KIA has achieved a 10 per cent return on its investments in US stock markets since the beginning of this year, the report said. KIA officials were not immediately available to comment. Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported in late 2017 that KIA had more than $300 billion of investments in the United States, diversified among stocks, bonds, real estate, and technology. The fund's investments are spread across more than 120 economies globally.

Kuwait sovereign fund in portfolio shift on signs of global economic weakness: Report

A technical glitch delayed the start of trading on Friday on the UK blue-chip FTSE 100 and midcap stock indexes for almost two hours in what was the longest outage at one of the world's top bourses in eight years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/london-stock-exchange-in-talks-to-buy-refinitiv-for-27-billion-238782">The London Stock Exchange</a> suffered a "technical software issue", which postponed the opening of trading until 0840 GMT, a spokeswoman said in an email. The markets normally open at 0700 GMT.

In a statement on its website, it said it was still investigating the issue.

The fault affected hundreds of shares in some of the UK's largest companies, including Shell, Unilever and HSBC, and BHP Group, worth a total of $2.8 trillion.

Traders were frustrated by the latest outage coming during a hectic week on global financial markets, hit by worries about a US recession and the US-China trade spat.

"Investors would have been yearning for a quiet Friday after a week of turmoil for the markets driven by recession fears," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

"It looked like just such a peaceful interlude was on the cards until (the LSE's) technical issues."

A large number of market participants were also away on holiday, which may have limited the impact of the failure.

Paul Mumford, a fund manager at Cavendish Asset Management said it would be a "major embarrassment" for the LSE amid stiffening competition, rising costs and greater regulation among exchange operators.

LSE shares listed on the FTSE 100 were up 0.9 per cent in early deals, in line with the broader FTSE 100.

This is the second outage at the LSE, which handles about 5 billion pounds ($6.1 billion) worth of volume each day, in just over a year.

In June 2018, the opening auction was delayed due to a technical fault, but trading resumed after an hour.

Before that, the market was shut until lunchtime one day in February 2011.

Reuters News' parent Thomson Reuters holds a 45 per cent stake in financial data and news provider Refinitiv.&nbsp;

Thomson Reuters will own 15 per cent in LSE after the proposed deal closes.

A technical glitch delayed the start of trading on Friday on the UK blue-chip FTSE 100 and midcap stock indexes for almost two hours in what was the longest outage at one of the world's top bourses in eight years.

A technical glitch delayed the start of trading on Friday on the UK blue-chip FTSE 100 and midcap stock indexes for almost two hours in what was the longest outage at one of the world's top bourses in eight years. The London Stock Exchange suffered a "technical software issue", which postponed the opening of trading until 0840 GMT, a spokeswoman said in an email. The markets normally open at 0700 GMT. In a statement on its website, it said it was still investigating the issue. The fault affected hundreds of shares in some of the UK's largest companies, including Shell, Unilever and HSBC, and BHP Group, worth a total of $2.8 trillion. Traders were frustrated by the latest outage coming during a hectic week on global financial markets, hit by worries about a US recession and the US-China trade spat. "Investors would have been yearning for a quiet Friday after a week of turmoil for the markets driven by recession fears," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. "It looked like just such a peaceful interlude was on the cards until (the LSE's) technical issues." A large number of market participants were also away on holiday, which may have limited the impact of the failure. Paul Mumford, a fund manager at Cavendish Asset Management said it would be a "major embarrassment" for the LSE amid stiffening competition, rising costs and greater regulation among exchange operators. LSE shares listed on the FTSE 100 were up 0.9 per cent in early deals, in line with the broader FTSE 100. This is the second outage at the LSE, which handles about 5 billion pounds ($6.1 billion) worth of volume each day, in just over a year. In June 2018, the opening auction was delayed due to a technical fault, but trading resumed after an hour. Before that, the market was shut until lunchtime one day in February 2011. Reuters News' parent Thomson Reuters holds a 45 per cent stake in financial data and news provider Refinitiv. Thomson Reuters will own 15 per cent in LSE after the proposed deal closes.

London Stock Exchange, FTSE 100 suffers the longest outage in years

Snapping its three-day rising streak, the BSE Sensex dropped 248 points Wednesday led by losses in banking, metal and auto stocks amid weak cues from global markets.

After slumping over 300 points, the 30-share index ended 247.68 points, or 0.62 per cent, lower at 39,502.05. The gauge hit an intra-day low of 39,420.50 and a high of 39,767.93.

Likewise, the broader NSE Nifty shed 67.65 points, or 0.57 per cent, to finish at 11,861.10. During the day, the bourse hit a low of 11,836.80 and a high of 11,931.90.

SBI was the biggest loser in the Sensex pack, tumbling 3.29 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, ICICI Bank and Maruti, which shed up to 2.76 per cent.

On the other hand, Sun Pharma, TCS, HCL Tech and HUL were the top gainers, rising up to 2.41 per cent.

According to traders, the market turned choppy tracking weak cues from global markets and fresh selling of equities by foreign institutional investors (FIIs).

FIIs net sold shares worth Rs 501.11 crore on Tuesday, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased equities to the tune of Rs 269.22 crore, provisional data available with stock exchanges showed.

Global markets plunged Wednesday after the European Central Bank said a growth slump that could be caused by rising trade tensions is the biggest risk to financial stability in the eurozone.

Bourses elsewhere in Asia ended in the red, and those in Europe were also trading significantly lower in their early deals.

Meanwhile, the Indian rupee depreciated 18 paise to 69.87 against the US dollar.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, dropped 2.16 per cent to 67.19 per barrel.

Snapping its three-day rising streak, the BSE Sensex dropped 248 points Wednesday led by losses in banking, metal and auto stocks amid weak cues from global markets.

Snapping its three-day rising streak, the BSE Sensex dropped 248 points Wednesday led by losses in banking, metal and auto stocks amid weak cues from global markets. After slumping over 300 points, the 30-share index ended 247.68 points, or 0.62 per cent, lower at 39,502.05. The gauge hit an intra-day low of 39,420.50 and a high of 39,767.93. Likewise, the broader NSE Nifty shed 67.65 points, or 0.57 per cent, to finish at 11,861.10. During the day, the bourse hit a low of 11,836.80 and a high of 11,931.90. SBI was the biggest loser in the Sensex pack, tumbling 3.29 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, ICICI Bank and Maruti, which shed up to 2.76 per cent. On the other hand, Sun Pharma, TCS, HCL Tech and HUL were the top gainers, rising up to 2.41 per cent. According to traders, the market turned choppy tracking weak cues from global markets and fresh selling of equities by foreign institutional investors (FIIs). FIIs net sold shares worth Rs 501.11 crore on Tuesday, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased equities to the tune of Rs 269.22 crore, provisional data available with stock exchanges showed. Global markets plunged Wednesday after the European Central Bank said a growth slump that could be caused by rising trade tensions is the biggest risk to financial stability in the eurozone. Bourses elsewhere in Asia ended in the red, and those in Europe were also trading significantly lower in their early deals. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee depreciated 18 paise to 69.87 against the US dollar. Brent crude, the global benchmark, dropped 2.16 per cent to 67.19 per barrel.

Sensex sheds 248 points; banking stocks drag

The stock markets on Wednesday ended in green with BSE Sensex jumping 140.41 points to close at 39,110.21. NSE Nifty rose 28.80 points to end at 11,737.90.

In early trade today morning, Sensex jumped over 150 points led by gains in oil and gas, banking and IT stocks, ahead of the general election results.

NSE Nifty rose 30.90 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 11,740.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/nifty-sensex-to-climb-a-bit-more-if-pm-modi-wins-decisively-poll-220553">Analysts suggest the stock markets soar further if PM Modi makes a comeback</a> for the second term. Exit polls have predicted a massive and comfortable win for Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in Lok Sabha polls 2019, the results of which are due on Thursday.&nbsp;

The BSE Sensex index rose by its biggest amount in one day since September 2013 on Monday after exit polls showed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain power for a second consecutive term.

The stock markets on Wednesday ended in green with BSE Sensex jumping 140.41 points to close at 39,110.21. NSE Nifty rose 28.80 points to end at 11,737.90. In early trade today morning, Sensex jumped over 150 points led by gains in oil and gas, banking and IT stocks, ahead of the general election results.

The stock markets on Wednesday ended in green with BSE Sensex jumping 140.41 points to close at 39,110.21. NSE Nifty rose 28.80 points to end at 11,737.90. In early trade today morning, Sensex jumped over 150 points led by gains in oil and gas, banking and IT stocks, ahead of the general election results. NSE Nifty rose 30.90 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 11,740. Analysts suggest the stock markets soar further if PM Modi makes a comeback for the second term. Exit polls have predicted a massive and comfortable win for Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in Lok Sabha polls 2019, the results of which are due on Thursday. The BSE Sensex index rose by its biggest amount in one day since September 2013 on Monday after exit polls showed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain power for a second consecutive term.

Markets close in green; Sensex jumps 140 points

Equity benchmark indices opened on a flat note on Thursday with most sectoral indices showing mixed results.

At 10:15 am, the BSE S&amp;P Sensex was up 46 points at 39,101 while the NSE Nifty gained 27 points to 11,753.

At the National Stock Exchange, some sectoral indices like FMCG, financial services, pharma and realty were in the green.

But auto, IT, metal and PSU banks were in the negative zone during early hours of trading. Among stocks, Yes Bank, Grasim, Ultra Cement, Bharat Petroleum and Power Grid gained some ground.

However, Maruti, Bajaj Auto, Infosys, ONGC and Bharti Infratel dropped.

Meanwhile, Asian shares slipped after a surprise slide in German and South Korean economic data rekindled fears of slowing global growth.

Investors were also cautious after the United States told countries buying Iranian oil to stop purchases by May 1 or face economic sanctions.

That has pushed Brent crude futures above 74.50 dollars per barrel.

Equity benchmark indices opened on a flat note on Thursday with most sectoral indices showing mixed results. At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was up 46 points at 39,101 while the NSE Nifty gained 27 points to 11,753.

Equity benchmark indices opened on a flat note on Thursday with most sectoral indices showing mixed results. At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was up 46 points at 39,101 while the NSE Nifty gained 27 points to 11,753. At the National Stock Exchange, some sectoral indices like FMCG, financial services, pharma and realty were in the green. But auto, IT, metal and PSU banks were in the negative zone during early hours of trading. Among stocks, Yes Bank, Grasim, Ultra Cement, Bharat Petroleum and Power Grid gained some ground. However, Maruti, Bajaj Auto, Infosys, ONGC and Bharti Infratel dropped. Meanwhile, Asian shares slipped after a surprise slide in German and South Korean economic data rekindled fears of slowing global growth. Investors were also cautious after the United States told countries buying Iranian oil to stop purchases by May 1 or face economic sanctions. That has pushed Brent crude futures above 74.50 dollars per barrel.

Stock markets drift on a flat note, Sensex above 39,000 mark

The BSE benchmark Sensex Tuesday jumped over 300 points led by gains in metal, oil and gas, banking and energy stocks amid unabated buying by foreign investors and strong global cues.

Key indices extended the pre-election rally on expectations that the incumbent NDA government will get a second term following the announcement of 2019 general election dates earlier this week, experts said.

BSE Sensex was trading 346.60 points or 0.94 per cent, higher at 37,400.70. Similarly, the 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 86.65 points, or 0.78 per cent, to 11,254.70.

The 30-share index ended at 37,054.10, up by 382.67 points, or 1.04 per cent, in its previous session Monday; and the Nifty closed at 11,168.05 points, up 132.65 points, or 1.20 per cent 
Top gainers in early trade include PowerGrid, NTPC, RIL, L&amp;T, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, HCL Tech and Vedanta, rising over 2.60 per cent.

While Bharti Airtel and IndusInd Bank were trading in the red.

Traders said sustained inflow of foreign funds and positive cues other Asian equities boosted investor sentiment here.

On a net basis, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 3,810.60 crore on Monday, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 1,955.55 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services, the market continued rallied after the declaration of election date with opinion poll suggesting an edge to the ruling party.

"Since many stocks are available at a cheap valuation, investors are rushing to high quality mid and small caps to participate in the pre-election rally," he said, adding that market is also awaiting CPI inflation data, scheduled for release later in the day.

Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.37 per cent, Shanghai Composite Index jumped 1.61 per cent higher, Kospi was up 0.84 per cent, and Japan's Nikkei gained 1.88 per cent in early trade.

On Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.79 per cent higher on Monday.

The rupee, meanwhile, was appreciated 22 paise against US dollar to 69.67.

The benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.38 per cent to USD 66.83 per barrel.

The BSE benchmark Sensex Tuesday jumped over 300 points led by gains in metal, oil and gas, banking and energy stocks amid unabated buying by foreign investors and strong global cues.

The BSE benchmark Sensex Tuesday jumped over 300 points led by gains in metal, oil and gas, banking and energy stocks amid unabated buying by foreign investors and strong global cues. Key indices extended the pre-election rally on expectations that the incumbent NDA government will get a second term following the announcement of 2019 general election dates earlier this week, experts said. BSE Sensex was trading 346.60 points or 0.94 per cent, higher at 37,400.70. Similarly, the 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 86.65 points, or 0.78 per cent, to 11,254.70. The 30-share index ended at 37,054.10, up by 382.67 points, or 1.04 per cent, in its previous session Monday; and the Nifty closed at 11,168.05 points, up 132.65 points, or 1.20 per cent Top gainers in early trade include PowerGrid, NTPC, RIL, L&T, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, HCL Tech and Vedanta, rising over 2.60 per cent. While Bharti Airtel and IndusInd Bank were trading in the red. Traders said sustained inflow of foreign funds and positive cues other Asian equities boosted investor sentiment here. On a net basis, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net of Rs 3,810.60 crore on Monday, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 1,955.55 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed. Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services, the market continued rallied after the declaration of election date with opinion poll suggesting an edge to the ruling party. "Since many stocks are available at a cheap valuation, investors are rushing to high quality mid and small caps to participate in the pre-election rally," he said, adding that market is also awaiting CPI inflation data, scheduled for release later in the day. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.37 per cent, Shanghai Composite Index jumped 1.61 per cent higher, Kospi was up 0.84 per cent, and Japan's Nikkei gained 1.88 per cent in early trade. On Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.79 per cent higher on Monday. The rupee, meanwhile, was appreciated 22 paise against US dollar to 69.67. The benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.38 per cent to USD 66.83 per barrel.

Sensex soars over 300 points, Nifty above 11,250

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/asian-stocks-lifted-by-us-china-trade-talk-hopes-197048">Stock markets jumped </a>Wednesday on hopes of a breakthrough in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-trade-talks-begin-amid-deep-differences-193945">US-China trade </a>war.

The dollar mostly rose, while oil prices rallied on news that OPEC crude output hit a four-year nadir.

The pound weakened after official data showed UK inflation hit a two-year low and as the Brexit impasse drags on without a breakthrough insight.

In the US, President Donald Trump said he may extend his trade deal deadline with Beijing, while a report claimed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would meet with top US officials, seeming to boost the prospects of an agreement.

High-level talks are due to begin in the Chinese capital Thursday aimed at an accord to stop sharp US tariff hikes that could damage the global economy.

Trump said he could let his March 1 deadline for the tariffs "slide for a little while" if the two sides were close to a meaningful deal, adding that he expects a summit with President Xi "at some point".

Later, a report in the South China Morning Post said Xi would personally meet the US delegation in Beijing, suggesting a redoubled effort to make progress on a deal.

Washington is demanding changes from Beijing on what it says are unfair commercial practices. A resolution would prevent US tariffs more than doubling on $200 billion in Chinese imports next month.&nbsp;

Tokyo stocks added a further 1.3 per cent after Tuesday's gains to finish at a two-month high.

Hong Kong rose 1.2 per cent, and Shanghai earned 1.8 per cent on the news, following Wall Street's lead.

European equities also climbed, with London up 0.6 per cent, Paris 0.3 per cent and Frankfurt 0.2 per cent nearing the half-way stage.

However, some analysts struck a cautious tone, noting that much work needs to be completed before a framework agreement is in reach.

"The rally in stocks has been based on hope rather than any concrete agreements overnight," warned Oanda senior analyst Jeffrey Halley, predicting short-term volatility to come as headlines emerge from Beijing.

Elsewhere Sydney shed 0.3 per cent, with calls for a snap election amid political tensions over refugees adding to underwhelming corporate earnings and subdued metal prices.

Shutdown unlikely&nbsp;

The New Zealand dollar soared 1.5 per cent as the central bank held interest rates unchanged and forecast no moves until 2021 — defying expectations it may follow dovish leads elsewhere by indicating a rate cut.&nbsp;

Renewed global investor confidence saw a movement away from the greenback — which has enjoyed a strong rally in the past week — to riskier currencies.

The pound moved upwards past $1.29, despite no-deal Brexit fears as Prime Minister Theresa May was accused by the opposition of "running down the clock" and "playing chicken" with Brussels over talks.

The yuan also earned back losses after it had dropped following the Lunar New Year break.

Trump's suggestion that another chaotic US government shutdown was now unlikely following a deal struck in Congress over border security further fuelled risk appetite.

The deal to offer nearly $1.4 billion for construction of a Mexico border wall, as well as other security measures, fell far short of Trump's demands but has been presented as a workable compromise.

"I don't think you're going to see a shutdown," said the president.

Stock markets jumped Wednesday on hopes of a breakthrough in the US-China trade war. The dollar mostly rose, while oil prices rallied on news that OPEC crude output hit a four-year nadir.

Stock markets jumped Wednesday on hopes of a breakthrough in the US-China trade war. The dollar mostly rose, while oil prices rallied on news that OPEC crude output hit a four-year nadir. The pound weakened after official data showed UK inflation hit a two-year low and as the Brexit impasse drags on without a breakthrough insight. In the US, President Donald Trump said he may extend his trade deal deadline with Beijing, while a report claimed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would meet with top US officials, seeming to boost the prospects of an agreement. High-level talks are due to begin in the Chinese capital Thursday aimed at an accord to stop sharp US tariff hikes that could damage the global economy. Trump said he could let his March 1 deadline for the tariffs "slide for a little while" if the two sides were close to a meaningful deal, adding that he expects a summit with President Xi "at some point". Later, a report in the South China Morning Post said Xi would personally meet the US delegation in Beijing, suggesting a redoubled effort to make progress on a deal. Washington is demanding changes from Beijing on what it says are unfair commercial practices. A resolution would prevent US tariffs more than doubling on $200 billion in Chinese imports next month. Tokyo stocks added a further 1.3 per cent after Tuesday's gains to finish at a two-month high. Hong Kong rose 1.2 per cent, and Shanghai earned 1.8 per cent on the news, following Wall Street's lead. European equities also climbed, with London up 0.6 per cent, Paris 0.3 per cent and Frankfurt 0.2 per cent nearing the half-way stage. However, some analysts struck a cautious tone, noting that much work needs to be completed before a framework agreement is in reach. "The rally in stocks has been based on hope rather than any concrete agreements overnight," warned Oanda senior analyst Jeffrey Halley, predicting short-term volatility to come as headlines emerge from Beijing. Elsewhere Sydney shed 0.3 per cent, with calls for a snap election amid political tensions over refugees adding to underwhelming corporate earnings and subdued metal prices. Shutdown unlikely The New Zealand dollar soared 1.5 per cent as the central bank held interest rates unchanged and forecast no moves until 2021 — defying expectations it may follow dovish leads elsewhere by indicating a rate cut. Renewed global investor confidence saw a movement away from the greenback — which has enjoyed a strong rally in the past week — to riskier currencies. The pound moved upwards past $1.29, despite no-deal Brexit fears as Prime Minister Theresa May was accused by the opposition of "running down the clock" and "playing chicken" with Brussels over talks. The yuan also earned back losses after it had dropped following the Lunar New Year break. Trump's suggestion that another chaotic US government shutdown was now unlikely following a deal struck in Congress over border security further fuelled risk appetite. The deal to offer nearly $1.4 billion for construction of a Mexico border wall, as well as other security measures, fell far short of Trump's demands but has been presented as a workable compromise. "I don't think you're going to see a shutdown," said the president.

Stock markets jump as Trump boosts trade deal hopes

Stock markets rebounded more than one per cent Friday, buoyed by hopes of a breakthrough in the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/opinions/why-there-will-be-no-winners-from-the-us-china-trade-war-191220&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjh79XyqfffAhUK448KHd3VBv8QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0J249ya864ZWnj0ZufEEXj">US-China trade war</a>.

European and Asian indices bounced back after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the US was considering lifting tariffs on China as officials look to hammer out a trade deal.

US stocks gained Thursday on the report, recovering from a wobble triggered by news that the US was carrying out a criminal probe into Chinese tech giant Huawei.&nbsp;

"Global markets are enjoying an overwhelmingly bullish end to the week, with hopes of a potential breakthrough in US-China trade talks helping drive optimism throughout both Asia and now Europe," said Joshua Mahony, senior market analyst at traders IG.

The WSJ reported that US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had raised the idea with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer of removing some or all levies on Beijing in return for structural reforms.

It said the move was part of a bid to reassure markets and bolster the odds of a bigger trade deal, ending a months-long saga that is beginning to impact economies around the world, particularly China.

However, the Treasury Department told AFP that no formal recommendation had been made by either Mnuchin or Lighthizer in the talks, which were "nowhere near completion".

"The US government has said that there have been no formal talks to scale back tariffs, but the market saw the half glass full as the reports signal that concessions are in the works," said Alfonso Esparza, senior market analyst at OANDA.

However, there was scepticism among some analysts, with the two sides still far apart on a number of issues, particularly regarding intellectual property.

On currency markets, the pound edged up and was sitting around two-month highs against the dollar as dealers bet that Britain would not leave the European Union without a deal.

After her grand <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/britains-may-to-miss-davos-to-focus-on-brexit-downing-street-191092&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwizlJClqvffAhVLpY8KHbAIC24QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2eX0qY6dSj_XORRz7exnwj">Brexit </a>plan was soundly rebuffed by MPs this week, British Prime Minister Theresa May has called cross-party talks to put together a "Plan B" by Monday.

If that does not work, there is a growing expectation that the March 29 exit deadline will be pushed back to give May more time to reach another deal or possibly call another referendum.

Oil prices meanwhile rose on the China-US tariffs report and after OPEC said it had cut output in December before a new agreement to limit supply took effect.

Both main contracts are up around a fifth since the end of December, thanks to an agreement to cut output by OPEC and other key producers including Russia.&nbsp;

That followed almost three months of losses that wiped around 40 per cent off prices amid concerns supply was running ahead of demand.

Stock markets rebounded more than one per cent Friday, buoyed by hopes of a breakthrough in the US-China trade war. European and Asian indices bounced back after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the US was considering lifting tariffs on China as officials look to hammer out a trade deal.

Stock markets rebounded more than one per cent Friday, buoyed by hopes of a breakthrough in the US-China trade war. European and Asian indices bounced back after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the US was considering lifting tariffs on China as officials look to hammer out a trade deal. US stocks gained Thursday on the report, recovering from a wobble triggered by news that the US was carrying out a criminal probe into Chinese tech giant Huawei. "Global markets are enjoying an overwhelmingly bullish end to the week, with hopes of a potential breakthrough in US-China trade talks helping drive optimism throughout both Asia and now Europe," said Joshua Mahony, senior market analyst at traders IG. The WSJ reported that US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had raised the idea with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer of removing some or all levies on Beijing in return for structural reforms. It said the move was part of a bid to reassure markets and bolster the odds of a bigger trade deal, ending a months-long saga that is beginning to impact economies around the world, particularly China. However, the Treasury Department told AFP that no formal recommendation had been made by either Mnuchin or Lighthizer in the talks, which were "nowhere near completion". "The US government has said that there have been no formal talks to scale back tariffs, but the market saw the half glass full as the reports signal that concessions are in the works," said Alfonso Esparza, senior market analyst at OANDA. However, there was scepticism among some analysts, with the two sides still far apart on a number of issues, particularly regarding intellectual property. On currency markets, the pound edged up and was sitting around two-month highs against the dollar as dealers bet that Britain would not leave the European Union without a deal. After her grand Brexit plan was soundly rebuffed by MPs this week, British Prime Minister Theresa May has called cross-party talks to put together a "Plan B" by Monday. If that does not work, there is a growing expectation that the March 29 exit deadline will be pushed back to give May more time to reach another deal or possibly call another referendum. Oil prices meanwhile rose on the China-US tariffs report and after OPEC said it had cut output in December before a new agreement to limit supply took effect. Both main contracts are up around a fifth since the end of December, thanks to an agreement to cut output by OPEC and other key producers including Russia. That followed almost three months of losses that wiped around 40 per cent off prices amid concerns supply was running ahead of demand.

Stock markets rebound on China-US trade breakthrough hopes Wrap Markets

U.S. stock markets slide after Trump warns China

Indian stock markets on Tuesday opened on a flat note with BSE Sensex registering a rise of nearly 40 points in morning trade at 35,394.77.

Nifty, on the other hand, dipped marginally on Tuesday at 10,621.45 over its previous close on Monday at 10,628.60.&nbsp;

On Monday, Indian shares rose about 1 per cent in volatile trading, led by gains in index heavyweights HDFC Bank Ltd and consumer goods giants Hindustan Unilever Ltd and ITC Ltd.

The benchmark BSE Sensex ended 1.07 per cent higher at 35,354.08, while Nifty climbed 0.97 per cent higher to 10,628.60.

Hindustan Unilever jumped nearly 4 per cent. ITC advanced 1.8 per cent.

The domestic markets yesterday opened in green with Sensex registering an increase of over 130 points, at 35,118.09 in morning trade. It crossed over 150 points shortly after opening on Monday.&nbsp;

Nifty, on the other hand, rose by around 41 points at 10,568.30 as compared to its last closing at 10526.75 on Thursday.&nbsp;

Indian stock markets on Tuesday opened on a flat note with BSE Sensex registering a rise of nearly 40 points in morning trade at 35,394.77. Nifty, on the other hand, dipped marginally on Tuesday at 10,621.

Indian stock markets on Tuesday opened on a flat note with BSE Sensex registering a rise of nearly 40 points in morning trade at 35,394.77. Nifty, on the other hand, dipped marginally on Tuesday at 10,621.45 over its previous close on Monday at 10,628.60. On Monday, Indian shares rose about 1 per cent in volatile trading, led by gains in index heavyweights HDFC Bank Ltd and consumer goods giants Hindustan Unilever Ltd and ITC Ltd. The benchmark BSE Sensex ended 1.07 per cent higher at 35,354.08, while Nifty climbed 0.97 per cent higher to 10,628.60. Hindustan Unilever jumped nearly 4 per cent. ITC advanced 1.8 per cent. The domestic markets yesterday opened in green with Sensex registering an increase of over 130 points, at 35,118.09 in morning trade. It crossed over 150 points shortly after opening on Monday. Nifty, on the other hand, rose by around 41 points at 10,568.30 as compared to its last closing at 10526.75 on Thursday.

Markets open on flat note, Sensex up by 40 points 

Indian stock markets on Monday opened in green with Sensex registering an increase of over 130 points, at 35,118.09 in morning trade. It crossed over 150 points shortly after opening on Monday.&nbsp;

Nifty, on the other hand, rose by around 41 points at 10,568.30 as compared to its last closing at 10526.75 on Thursday.&nbsp;

The BSE Sensex gave up all its early gains in choppy trade Thursday and ended lower for the third straight session by falling over 200 points due to selling in metal, PSU, auto and banking stocks amid fresh fund outflows and a weak trend in the global market, news agency PTI reported.

The 30-share Sensex opened higher at 35,282.33 points and advanced further to the day's high of 35,364.50 on the back of fresh buying by domestic investors amid further strength in the rupee.

It, however, slipped into the negative zone on selling pressure at improved levels, following a weak opening of European equities, and slipped below the 35,000-mark to hit a low of 34,937.98 before closing at 34,981.02, recording a fall of 218.78 points, or 0.62 per cent.

Similarly, NSE Nifty 73.30 points, or 0.69 per cent, to close at 10,526.75. The indices closed with losses for the week, with the Sensex declining 476.14 points, and the broader NSE Nifty falling 155.45 points during the period. 
&nbsp;

Indian stock markets on Monday opened in green with Sensex registering an increase of over 130 points, at 35,118.09 in morning trade. It crossed over 150 points shortly after opening on Monday.

Indian stock markets on Monday opened in green with Sensex registering an increase of over 130 points, at 35,118.09 in morning trade. It crossed over 150 points shortly after opening on Monday. Nifty, on the other hand, rose by around 41 points at 10,568.30 as compared to its last closing at 10526.75 on Thursday. The BSE Sensex gave up all its early gains in choppy trade Thursday and ended lower for the third straight session by falling over 200 points due to selling in metal, PSU, auto and banking stocks amid fresh fund outflows and a weak trend in the global market, news agency PTI reported. The 30-share Sensex opened higher at 35,282.33 points and advanced further to the day's high of 35,364.50 on the back of fresh buying by domestic investors amid further strength in the rupee. It, however, slipped into the negative zone on selling pressure at improved levels, following a weak opening of European equities, and slipped below the 35,000-mark to hit a low of 34,937.98 before closing at 34,981.02, recording a fall of 218.78 points, or 0.62 per cent. Similarly, NSE Nifty 73.30 points, or 0.69 per cent, to close at 10,526.75. The indices closed with losses for the week, with the Sensex declining 476.14 points, and the broader NSE Nifty falling 155.45 points during the period.

Markets open in green, Sensex surges over 150 points

Snapping a two-day falling streak, benchmark stock indices opened on a positive note today after BJP's BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka. 
 
Unabated buying by domestic institutional investors set the tone, brokers said. 
 
BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa was today sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka for the second time, after an overnight high-voltage legal battle in the Supreme Court. 
 
The 30-share Sensex bounced 122.13 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 35,510.01. It had lost 168.83 points in the previous two sessions. 
 
All the sectoral indices, led by consumer durables, realty, metal, power and banking, were in the green. 
 
The NSE Nifty also jumped 36.15 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 10,777.25. 
 
Major movers in the Sensex kitty included Coal India, Power Grid, Wipro, SBI, Kotak Bank, Sun Pharma, ICICI Bank, TCS, Infosys, M&M, L&T and Maruti Suzuki, rising up to 1.79 per cent. 
 
Tata Steel, however, fell 0.83 per cent despite the company yesterday reporting a consolidated net profit of Rs 14,688.02 crore for the fourth quarter ended March, 2018. 
 
Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 229.06 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 699.22 crore yesterday, as per provisional data. 
 
In the rest of Asia, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.44 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng inched up 0.01 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.35 per cent in early deals. 
 
The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.25 per cent higher yesterday as retailers results and solid economic data boosted confidence in the American economy.&nbsp

 
&nbsp

The 30-share Sensex bounced 122.13 points, or 0.34%, to 35,510.01. It had lost 168.83 points in the previous two sessions

Snapping a two-day falling streak, benchmark stock indices opened on a positive note today after BJP's BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka. Unabated buying by domestic institutional investors set the tone, brokers said. BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa was today sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka for the second time, after an overnight high-voltage legal battle in the Supreme Court. The 30-share Sensex bounced 122.13 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 35,510.01. It had lost 168.83 points in the previous two sessions. All the sectoral indices, led by consumer durables, realty, metal, power and banking, were in the green. The NSE Nifty also jumped 36.15 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 10,777.25. Major movers in the Sensex kitty included Coal India, Power Grid, Wipro, SBI, Kotak Bank, Sun Pharma, ICICI Bank, TCS, Infosys, M&M, L&T and Maruti Suzuki, rising up to 1.79 per cent. Tata Steel, however, fell 0.83 per cent despite the company yesterday reporting a consolidated net profit of Rs 14,688.02 crore for the fourth quarter ended March, 2018. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 229.06 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 699.22 crore yesterday, as per provisional data. In the rest of Asia, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.44 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng inched up 0.01 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.35 per cent in early deals. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.25 per cent higher yesterday as retailers results and solid economic data boosted confidence in the American economy.

Sensex climbs 122 points in early trade

The BSE Sensex opened 112 points lower and turned rangebound today amid losses in metal, healthcare, realty, consumer durables and banking counters, ahead of the US Fed&#39;s key policy meet that begins later in the day.

A weak trend in other Asian markets, following overnight losses Wall Street, dampened market sentiment here, brokers said.

The 30-share barometer fell 112.26 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 32,810.86 in opening session.

The gauge, however, turned positive to trade 42.34 points, or 0.13 per cent, higher at 32,965.46. It had lost 994.82 in the previous five sessions.

The NSE Nifty also opened 45.15 points, or 0.44 per cent, lower at 10,049.10.

Sectoral indices led by metal, healthcare, realty, consumer durable and banking stocks were trading in the negative terrain, falling by up to 1.38 per cent.

The laggards were Bharti Airtel, NTPC, Kotak Bank, M&amp;M, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Sun Pharma and ITC, falling up to 1.42 per cent.

Tata Steel, Adani Ports, Tata Motors and Infosys were among the top gainers, rising up to 3 per cent.

Meanwhile, on a net basis, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth Rs 191.52 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 292.23 crore on yesterday, provisional data released by the stock exchanges showed.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng fell 0.72 per cent, Japan&#39;s Nikkei shed 0.09 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index down 0.26 per cent in their early deals.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.35 per cent lower as technology firms are hit by worries about regulation in light of the Facebook data breach scandal yesterday.&nbsp; 
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The BSE Sensex opened 112 points lower and turned rangebound today amid losses in metal, healthcare, realty, consumer durables and banking counters

The BSE Sensex opened 112 points lower and turned rangebound today amid losses in metal, healthcare, realty, consumer durables and banking counters, ahead of the US Fed's key policy meet that begins later in the day. A weak trend in other Asian markets, following overnight losses Wall Street, dampened market sentiment here, brokers said. The 30-share barometer fell 112.26 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 32,810.86 in opening session. The gauge, however, turned positive to trade 42.34 points, or 0.13 per cent, higher at 32,965.46. It had lost 994.82 in the previous five sessions. The NSE Nifty also opened 45.15 points, or 0.44 per cent, lower at 10,049.10. Sectoral indices led by metal, healthcare, realty, consumer durable and banking stocks were trading in the negative terrain, falling by up to 1.38 per cent. The laggards were Bharti Airtel, NTPC, Kotak Bank, M&M, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Sun Pharma and ITC, falling up to 1.42 per cent. Tata Steel, Adani Ports, Tata Motors and Infosys were among the top gainers, rising up to 3 per cent. Meanwhile, on a net basis, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth Rs 191.52 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 292.23 crore on yesterday, provisional data released by the stock exchanges showed. In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.72 per cent, Japan's Nikkei shed 0.09 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index down 0.26 per cent in their early deals. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.35 per cent lower as technology firms are hit by worries about regulation in light of the Facebook data breach scandal yesterday.

Sensex, Nifty cautious ahead of US Fed meet

Key Indian equity indices closed higher on Monday, with the barometer Sensex rising nearly 300 points.

Shares rose rebounding from their biggest weekly drop since August, but State Bank of India dropped after posting a surprise quarterly loss on Friday.

Last week on Friday, the key equities plunged into the negative territory amid a global sell-off.

The stock markets rose due to broadly positive Asian indices, coupled with healthy buying in capital goods, auto, healthcare and metal stocks.

The benchmark BSE Sensex closed up 0.87 percent at 34,300.47.

The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.81 percent higher at 10,539.75.

The stock markets rose due to broadly positive Asian indices, coupled with healthy buying in capital goods, auto, healthcare and metal stocks

Key Indian equity indices closed higher on Monday, with the barometer Sensex rising nearly 300 points. Shares rose rebounding from their biggest weekly drop since August, but State Bank of India dropped after posting a surprise quarterly loss on Friday. Last week on Friday, the key equities plunged into the negative territory amid a global sell-off. The stock markets rose due to broadly positive Asian indices, coupled with healthy buying in capital goods, auto, healthcare and metal stocks. The benchmark BSE Sensex closed up 0.87 percent at 34,300.47. The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.81 percent higher at 10,539.75.

Sensex closes 294 points higher, Nifty above 10,500

India&#39;s three main stock exchanges said on Friday they would stop licensing their indexes and securities or providing data to foreign exchanges, saying such agreements had led trading to migrate outside of the country.

Foreign bourses currently offer dollar-based derivative contracts based on Indian indices, shares and other securities under licensing agreements with domestic exchanges, allowing overseas investors to gain exposure to Asia&#39;s third-largest economy without having to trade onshore.

These licensing agreements will now be terminated with immediate effect, subject to notice periods, the National Stock Exchange, BSE Ltd and Metropolitan Stock Exchange said in a joint statement late on Friday

The most popular of these contracts has long been the SGX Nifty 50 index futures offered by the Singapore Exchange under a licensing agreement with the National Stock Exchange, India&#39;s biggest bourse. It tracks the NSE&#39;s main index of its top 50 shares, the Nifty 50 index.

The actions would prevent SGX from offering the contract to overseas investors, who would be forced to buy into domestic derivatives to gain exposure to India, a country that has become an emerging market darling over recent years.

&quot;The volumes in derivative trading based on Indian securities including indices have reached large proportions in some of the foreign jurisdictions, resulting in migration of liquidity from India, which is not in the best interest of Indian markets,&quot; the statement said.

The latest move will not apply to exchange traded funds or similar products, the three stock exchanges said.

Although foreign investors have pumped into India more than $77 billion since 2012, exchanges have long felt they are missing out on more volumes as derivative contracts have tended to be more popular in Singapore, which is seen as offering lower tax and a more certain regulatory regime.

Whether these investors would now be willing to come to India is uncertain. The country earlier this month unveiled a new 10 per cent tax on capital gains in securities held for more than a year, dismaying foreign investors.

India already taxes equity investments held for less than a year at 15 per cent and has a securities transaction tax, which makes it more expensive than most other major Asian countries.

India's three main stock exchanges said on Friday they would stop licensing their indexes and securities or providing data to foreign exchanges, saying such agreements had led trading to migrate outside of the country

India's three main stock exchanges said on Friday they would stop licensing their indexes and securities or providing data to foreign exchanges, saying such agreements had led trading to migrate outside of the country. Foreign bourses currently offer dollar-based derivative contracts based on Indian indices, shares and other securities under licensing agreements with domestic exchanges, allowing overseas investors to gain exposure to Asia's third-largest economy without having to trade onshore. These licensing agreements will now be terminated with immediate effect, subject to notice periods, the National Stock Exchange, BSE Ltd and Metropolitan Stock Exchange said in a joint statement late on Friday The most popular of these contracts has long been the SGX Nifty 50 index futures offered by the Singapore Exchange under a licensing agreement with the National Stock Exchange, India's biggest bourse. It tracks the NSE's main index of its top 50 shares, the Nifty 50 index. The actions would prevent SGX from offering the contract to overseas investors, who would be forced to buy into domestic derivatives to gain exposure to India, a country that has become an emerging market darling over recent years. "The volumes in derivative trading based on Indian securities including indices have reached large proportions in some of the foreign jurisdictions, resulting in migration of liquidity from India, which is not in the best interest of Indian markets," the statement said. The latest move will not apply to exchange traded funds or similar products, the three stock exchanges said. Although foreign investors have pumped into India more than $77 billion since 2012, exchanges have long felt they are missing out on more volumes as derivative contracts have tended to be more popular in Singapore, which is seen as offering lower tax and a more certain regulatory regime. Whether these investors would now be willing to come to India is uncertain. The country earlier this month unveiled a new 10 per cent tax on capital gains in securities held for more than a year, dismaying foreign investors. India already taxes equity investments held for less than a year at 15 per cent and has a securities transaction tax, which makes it more expensive than most other major Asian countries.

Indian bourses to stop licensing index, stock prices to foreign exchanges

It was a trail-blazing show by stock markets on Wednesday after the Nifty bolted past 10,400 for the first time and the Sensex hit yet another record 33,451 on the back of India&#39;s jump on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/indias-rise-in-world-banks-ease-of-doing-business-rankings-521">Ease of Doing Business list</a>.

India went up by 30 notches to 100 on the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/what-is-ease-of-doing-business-23242">World Bank ranking</a>, released yesterday.

Also, eight core sectors growing to a six-month high of 5.2 per cent in September and positive leads from global market made investors bolder.

The 50-issue Nifty crossed the 10,400-level for the first time by gaining 67.85 points, or 0.65 per cent, to trade at a fresh life-time high of 10,403.15, surpassing its previous intra-day high of 10,384.50 touched on October 30.

The benchmark BSE Sensex too climbed 238.16 points, or 0.71 per cent, to trade at new record of 33,451.29, breaking its previous such reading of 33,340.17 reached on October 30.

Reflecting the market&#39;s bullish mood, all the sectoral indices led by banking and FMCG were trading in the positive zone, with gains of up to 1.36 per cent.

Big gainers included Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI and Reliance Industries, rising by up to 3.69 per cent

Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng was up 0.66 per cent while Japan&#39;s Nikkei rose 1.42 per cent in their early trading. Shanghai Composite edged up 0.28 per cent.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.12 per cent higher yesterday.

India went up by 30 notches to 100 on the World Bank ranking, released yesterday.

It was a trail-blazing show by stock markets on Wednesday after the Nifty bolted past 10,400 for the first time and the Sensex hit yet another record 33,451 on the back of India's jump on Ease of Doing Business list. India went up by 30 notches to 100 on the World Bank ranking, released yesterday. Also, eight core sectors growing to a six-month high of 5.2 per cent in September and positive leads from global market made investors bolder. The 50-issue Nifty crossed the 10,400-level for the first time by gaining 67.85 points, or 0.65 per cent, to trade at a fresh life-time high of 10,403.15, surpassing its previous intra-day high of 10,384.50 touched on October 30. The benchmark BSE Sensex too climbed 238.16 points, or 0.71 per cent, to trade at new record of 33,451.29, breaking its previous such reading of 33,340.17 reached on October 30. Reflecting the market's bullish mood, all the sectoral indices led by banking and FMCG were trading in the positive zone, with gains of up to 1.36 per cent. Big gainers included Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI and Reliance Industries, rising by up to 3.69 per cent Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.66 per cent while Japan's Nikkei rose 1.42 per cent in their early trading. Shanghai Composite edged up 0.28 per cent. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.12 per cent higher yesterday.

Nifty, Sensex ride on World Bank ranking, hit new high

Stocks around the world fell sharply on Thursday and investors moved into the yen, gold and other safe-haven assets amid more aggressive talk between the United States and North Korea.

MSCI&#39;s gauge of stocks across the globe shed 0.77 per cent, on track for its third straight day of declines as it pulled further back from all-time highs.

The Japanese yen hit an eight-week high against the US&nbsp;dollar, while spot gold also reached a two-month high.

North Korea said it was completing plans to fire four intermediate-range missiles over Japan to land near the US Pacific island territory of Guam in an unusually detailed threat that further heightened tensions with the United States.

The rise in geopolitical tensions this week, which heightened after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned North Korea that it would face &quot;fire and fury&quot; if it threatened the United States, has drawn investor attention away from second-quarter corporate earnings season, which is winding down.

&quot;The story today is North Korea and there was nothing in the earnings that was bullish enough to pull people away from focusing on North Korea,&quot; said Chuck Carlson, chief executive officer at Horizon Investment Services in Hammond, Indiana.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 94.55 points, or 0.43 per cent, to 21,954.15, the S&amp;P 500 lost 19.51 points, or 0.79 per cent, to 2,454.51 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 76.39 points, or 1.2 per cent, to 6,275.94.

Shares of US department stores Kohl&#39;s and Macy&#39;s were weak after their results.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index lost 1.19 per cent.

Shares of staffing firm Adecco slumped 6.4 per cent after its results.

In currencies, the yen strengthened 0.64 per cent versus the greenback at 109.37 per dollar.

&quot;The yen is the big story really. Risk aversion is still very much a concern for markets,&quot; said Shaun Osborne, chief currency strategist, at Scotiabank in Toronto.

The dollar index, which measures against a basket of currencies, fell 0.05 per cent.

The dollar weakened after news that US producer prices unexpectedly fell in July, recording their biggest drop in nearly a year and pointing to a further moderation in inflation that could delay a Federal Reserve interest rate increase.

US Treasury long-dated yields dropped to six-week lows, pressured by US-North Korea tensions and the weak data that further reduced expectations of an interest rate hike in December.

Benchmark 10-year notes last rose 5/32 in price to yield 2.2255 per cent, from 2.242 per cent late on Wednesday.

The 30-year bond last rose 5/32 in price to yield 2.8107 per cent, from 2.818 per cent late on Wednesday.

In commodities, US. crude fell 0.67 per cent to $49.23 per barrel and Brent was last at $52.58, down 0.23 per cent on the day.

Spot gold added 0.7 per cent to $1,285.70 an ounce.

&quot;For now, the uptrend is very much intact in gold, reacting to external geopolitical events,&quot; said Jonathan Butler, commodities analyst at Mitsubishi in London.

The Japanese yen hit an eight-week high against the US?dollar, while spot gold also reached a two-month high

Stocks around the world fell sharply on Thursday and investors moved into the yen, gold and other safe-haven assets amid more aggressive talk between the United States and North Korea. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe shed 0.77 per cent, on track for its third straight day of declines as it pulled further back from all-time highs. The Japanese yen hit an eight-week high against the US dollar, while spot gold also reached a two-month high. North Korea said it was completing plans to fire four intermediate-range missiles over Japan to land near the US Pacific island territory of Guam in an unusually detailed threat that further heightened tensions with the United States. The rise in geopolitical tensions this week, which heightened after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned North Korea that it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States, has drawn investor attention away from second-quarter corporate earnings season, which is winding down. "The story today is North Korea and there was nothing in the earnings that was bullish enough to pull people away from focusing on North Korea," said Chuck Carlson, chief executive officer at Horizon Investment Services in Hammond, Indiana. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 94.55 points, or 0.43 per cent, to 21,954.15, the S&P 500 lost 19.51 points, or 0.79 per cent, to 2,454.51 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 76.39 points, or 1.2 per cent, to 6,275.94. Shares of US department stores Kohl's and Macy's were weak after their results. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index lost 1.19 per cent. Shares of staffing firm Adecco slumped 6.4 per cent after its results. In currencies, the yen strengthened 0.64 per cent versus the greenback at 109.37 per dollar. "The yen is the big story really. Risk aversion is still very much a concern for markets," said Shaun Osborne, chief currency strategist, at Scotiabank in Toronto. The dollar index, which measures against a basket of currencies, fell 0.05 per cent. The dollar weakened after news that US producer prices unexpectedly fell in July, recording their biggest drop in nearly a year and pointing to a further moderation in inflation that could delay a Federal Reserve interest rate increase. US Treasury long-dated yields dropped to six-week lows, pressured by US-North Korea tensions and the weak data that further reduced expectations of an interest rate hike in December. Benchmark 10-year notes last rose 5/32 in price to yield 2.2255 per cent, from 2.242 per cent late on Wednesday. The 30-year bond last rose 5/32 in price to yield 2.8107 per cent, from 2.818 per cent late on Wednesday. In commodities, US. crude fell 0.67 per cent to $49.23 per barrel and Brent was last at $52.58, down 0.23 per cent on the day. Spot gold added 0.7 per cent to $1,285.70 an ounce. "For now, the uptrend is very much intact in gold, reacting to external geopolitical events," said Jonathan Butler, commodities analyst at Mitsubishi in London.

As North Korea rattle drags down stocks, value of gold and yen rise

Asian stocks settled near one-year highs today while the safe-haven yen slumped after Japan&#39;s government announced a larger-than-expected economic stimulus package, which led most of the region&#39;s bourses higher. 
 
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said today his government would compile a stimulus package of more than $265 billion to reflate the flagging economy, media reported, though it is unclear how much will be spent to directly boost growth. This would be more than expected earlier, but critics will be watching to see how much is actually new spending. 
 
MSCI&#39;s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.1 per cent, reversing earlier gains, having previously climbed to its highest level since August 11, 2015. It has risen 10 per cent so far this month. Japan&#39;s Nikkei rose nearly 2 per cent, leading the region higher. However, mainland China stock indexes bucked the regional rally, falling 2 to 4 per cent in midday trade on worries about regulatory restrictions. 
 
There is a near-consensus view among traders that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will ease on Friday, most likely by ramping up its already massive purchases of government bonds and riskier assets. 
 
Cutting interest rates into negative territory has proved unpopular with the public and the government, so deepening those cuts is a less likely option, sources familiar with central bank thinking say. 
 
But some market watchers say the BOJ decision is too close to call with many central bank policymakers preferring to hold off on action as they expect a fiscal stimulus package and a delay in next year&#39;s sales tax hike to boost growth. 
 
Major central banks attempting to reflate economy&nbsp; 
 
Pressured by the weakness in Chinese shares, Hong Kong stocks also declined 0.4 per cent though mainland Chinese investors continued to snap up shares through a stock market connection scheme. &quot;Pockets of the world where yield and growth are present will continue to be rewarded by investors,&quot; said Daniel Morris, a senior investment strategist at BNP Paribas Investment Partners, citing India, Indonesia and China consumer-focused plays among his top picks. 
 
&quot;Still, we are cautious on the second half and we don&#39;t think central banks will rush into tightening policy with the global growth outlook bleak and uncertain,&quot; he said. 
 
Since the global financial crisis, major central banks have inflated their balance sheets and injected trillions of dollars to reflate their economies. On a monthly basis, they are adding about $180 billion into the world&#39;s financial system led by the ECB and the BOJ, according to Deutsche Bank.&nbsp; 
 
On Tuesday, US equity markets closed mixed while stocks in Europe traded slightly higher with all eyes were on the Fed, which concludes its two-day policy meeting later today. 
&nbsp; 
The US central bank is widely expected to stand pat on monetary policy and the markets will sift through its statements - a post-meeting news conference will not be held - for any hints of the timing on future interest rate hikes. Expectations of a September increase are clouded ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November, but markets see a roughly 50-50 chance of a rise in December. 
 
Lowdown on currency markets&nbsp; 
 
Price action was messy in currency markets, triggered by Australian price data where core inflation stayed at a record trough, though major pairs clung to well worn trading ranges. 
 
The Australian dollar was a shade weaker at 0.7488 after rising to as high as 0.7568 after the data. Investors slightly reduced the odds of a cut next week to 50 per cent, from 60 per cent before the data. 
 
The dollar was up slightly against a basket of currencies on a trade weighted basis nearing five-month high it hit last week. 
&nbsp; 
Against the yen, it was up 1 per cent at 105.65 after tanking more than 1 per cent overnight. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;It&#39;s good for equities. It&#39;s good for risk,&quot; said Stephen Innes, senior trader for FX broker OANDA in Singapore. &quot;There&#39;s still room for disappointment from the Bank of Japan.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
The euro stood steady at $1.0995 after edging up 0.3 per cent overnight thanks to the greenback&#39;s broad retreat versus the yen. 
&nbsp; 
The pound edged up 0.1 per cent to $1.3114 after touching a two-week low of $1.3057 overnight following dovish statements from Bank of England policymaker Martin Weale. 
&nbsp; 
In commodity markets, crude oil extended losses after suffering big hits overnight on renewed concerns about oversupply. US crude was down 0.05 percent at $42.88 a barrel. The contracts had touched $42.36 on Tuesday, their lowest in three months. 
&nbsp; 
Trade group American Petroleum Institute (API) said Tuesday that US crude stockpiles fell by 827,000 barrels last week, much less than analysts&#39; expectations for a drawdown of 2.3 million barrels. 
&nbsp; 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

?Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said today his government would compile a stimulus package of more than $265 billion to reflate flagging economy

Asian stocks settled near one-year highs today while the safe-haven yen slumped after Japan's government announced a larger-than-expected economic stimulus package, which led most of the region's bourses higher. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said today his government would compile a stimulus package of more than $265 billion to reflate the flagging economy, media reported, though it is unclear how much will be spent to directly boost growth. This would be more than expected earlier, but critics will be watching to see how much is actually new spending. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.1 per cent, reversing earlier gains, having previously climbed to its highest level since August 11, 2015. It has risen 10 per cent so far this month. Japan's Nikkei rose nearly 2 per cent, leading the region higher. However, mainland China stock indexes bucked the regional rally, falling 2 to 4 per cent in midday trade on worries about regulatory restrictions. There is a near-consensus view among traders that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will ease on Friday, most likely by ramping up its already massive purchases of government bonds and riskier assets. Cutting interest rates into negative territory has proved unpopular with the public and the government, so deepening those cuts is a less likely option, sources familiar with central bank thinking say. But some market watchers say the BOJ decision is too close to call with many central bank policymakers preferring to hold off on action as they expect a fiscal stimulus package and a delay in next year's sales tax hike to boost growth. Major central banks attempting to reflate economy Pressured by the weakness in Chinese shares, Hong Kong stocks also declined 0.4 per cent though mainland Chinese investors continued to snap up shares through a stock market connection scheme. "Pockets of the world where yield and growth are present will continue to be rewarded by investors," said Daniel Morris, a senior investment strategist at BNP Paribas Investment Partners, citing India, Indonesia and China consumer-focused plays among his top picks. "Still, we are cautious on the second half and we don't think central banks will rush into tightening policy with the global growth outlook bleak and uncertain," he said. Since the global financial crisis, major central banks have inflated their balance sheets and injected trillions of dollars to reflate their economies. On a monthly basis, they are adding about $180 billion into the world's financial system led by the ECB and the BOJ, according to Deutsche Bank. On Tuesday, US equity markets closed mixed while stocks in Europe traded slightly higher with all eyes were on the Fed, which concludes its two-day policy meeting later today. The US central bank is widely expected to stand pat on monetary policy and the markets will sift through its statements - a post-meeting news conference will not be held - for any hints of the timing on future interest rate hikes. Expectations of a September increase are clouded ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November, but markets see a roughly 50-50 chance of a rise in December. Lowdown on currency markets Price action was messy in currency markets, triggered by Australian price data where core inflation stayed at a record trough, though major pairs clung to well worn trading ranges. The Australian dollar was a shade weaker at 0.7488 after rising to as high as 0.7568 after the data. Investors slightly reduced the odds of a cut next week to 50 per cent, from 60 per cent before the data. The dollar was up slightly against a basket of currencies on a trade weighted basis nearing five-month high it hit last week. Against the yen, it was up 1 per cent at 105.65 after tanking more than 1 per cent overnight. "It's good for equities. It's good for risk," said Stephen Innes, senior trader for FX broker OANDA in Singapore. "There's still room for disappointment from the Bank of Japan." The euro stood steady at $1.0995 after edging up 0.3 per cent overnight thanks to the greenback's broad retreat versus the yen. The pound edged up 0.1 per cent to $1.3114 after touching a two-week low of $1.3057 overnight following dovish statements from Bank of England policymaker Martin Weale. In commodity markets, crude oil extended losses after suffering big hits overnight on renewed concerns about oversupply. US crude was down 0.05 percent at $42.88 a barrel. The contracts had touched $42.36 on Tuesday, their lowest in three months. Trade group American Petroleum Institute (API) said Tuesday that US crude stockpiles fell by 827,000 barrels last week, much less than analysts' expectations for a drawdown of 2.3 million barrels. (Reuters)

Asian stocks respond to Japan stimulus, settle near one-year highs

China&#39;s policymakers and leading economists today voiced concerns about Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union, with the finance minister saying it has heightened market uncertainty, though some expect a limited impact on the Chinese economy. 
 
The &quot;Brexit&quot; decision &quot;will cast a shadow over the global economy ... The repercussions and fallout will emerge in the next five to 10 years,&quot; said Lou Jiwei, China&#39;s minister of finance, at the first annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Beijing. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s difficult to predict now,&quot; he said. &quot;The knee-jerk reaction from the market is probably a bit excessive and needs to calm down and take an objective view.&quot; 
 
Stock markets around the world plunged in the wake of the referendum. Sterling&#39;s value also plummeted. 
 
Lou&#39;s views were echoed by the head of China&#39;s top economic planning authority and other economists at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the northern city of Tianjin. 
 
&quot;For Chinese firms that are going to invest or carry out mergers, entrepreneurs are smarter than me, and they will definitely wait and see,&quot; Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at WEF today. 
 
&quot;The Brexit incident wil affect China&#39;s economy via investment, trade and capital,&quot; he said. &quot;But I believe the impact will not be big and relevant government departments have made contingency plans.&quot; 
 
Huang Yiping, a professor at Peking University and a member of the central bank&#39;s monetary policy committee, said it is hard to judge the direct impact of the British referendum on China&#39;s economy. 
 
&quot;If (Brexit) is an important landmark in terms of a reversal of globalisation, I think that&#39;s very bad for the world, it&#39;s very bad for China,&quot; Huang said. 
 
Li Daokui, a professor at Tsinghua University and a former adviser to China&#39;s central bank, was more optimistic on the referendum&#39;s effects on the world&#39;s second-largest economy. 
 
&quot;China is perhaps one of the least impacted economies in the world by the event of Brexit,&quot; he told an audience at WEF. 
 
&quot;The only short-term impact I can think about is the exchange rate of the Renminbi ... But I do think within a few trading sessions that situation will very quickly be subdued,&quot; Li said. 
 
Also speaking at WEF was economist Nouriel Roubini, famed for predicting the global financial crisis, who said the decision to leave the European Union &quot;creates a whole bunch of financial, economic, political and geopolitical uncertainties.&quot; 
 
It could be the &quot;beginning of the disintegration&quot; of the bloc of countries, the euro zone or the United Kingdom, said Roubini. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t expect a global recession or another global financial crisis,&quot; he added. &quot;I think the impact of Brexit is significant but not of the same size and magnitude of the one we had 2007 to 2009.&quot; 
 
Michael Falcon, CEO of Global Investment Management Asia Pacific at JP Morgan, said he expects more market volatility but doubts the vote will derail a global recovery. 
 
&quot;It is a shock, not a crisis, and so far markets seem to be handling this pretty well,&quot; Falcon said at the WEF conference. 
 
(Reuters)

The repercussions and fallout will emerge in the next five to 10 years, said Lou Jiwei, China's finance minister

China's policymakers and leading economists today voiced concerns about Britain's vote to leave the European Union, with the finance minister saying it has heightened market uncertainty, though some expect a limited impact on the Chinese economy. The "Brexit" decision "will cast a shadow over the global economy ... The repercussions and fallout will emerge in the next five to 10 years," said Lou Jiwei, China's minister of finance, at the first annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Beijing. "It's difficult to predict now," he said. "The knee-jerk reaction from the market is probably a bit excessive and needs to calm down and take an objective view." Stock markets around the world plunged in the wake of the referendum. Sterling's value also plummeted. Lou's views were echoed by the head of China's top economic planning authority and other economists at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the northern city of Tianjin. "For Chinese firms that are going to invest or carry out mergers, entrepreneurs are smarter than me, and they will definitely wait and see," Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at WEF today. "The Brexit incident wil affect China's economy via investment, trade and capital," he said. "But I believe the impact will not be big and relevant government departments have made contingency plans." Huang Yiping, a professor at Peking University and a member of the central bank's monetary policy committee, said it is hard to judge the direct impact of the British referendum on China's economy. "If (Brexit) is an important landmark in terms of a reversal of globalisation, I think that's very bad for the world, it's very bad for China," Huang said. Li Daokui, a professor at Tsinghua University and a former adviser to China's central bank, was more optimistic on the referendum's effects on the world's second-largest economy. "China is perhaps one of the least impacted economies in the world by the event of Brexit," he told an audience at WEF. "The only short-term impact I can think about is the exchange rate of the Renminbi ... But I do think within a few trading sessions that situation will very quickly be subdued," Li said. Also speaking at WEF was economist Nouriel Roubini, famed for predicting the global financial crisis, who said the decision to leave the European Union "creates a whole bunch of financial, economic, political and geopolitical uncertainties." It could be the "beginning of the disintegration" of the bloc of countries, the euro zone or the United Kingdom, said Roubini. "I don't expect a global recession or another global financial crisis," he added. "I think the impact of Brexit is significant but not of the same size and magnitude of the one we had 2007 to 2009." Michael Falcon, CEO of Global Investment Management Asia Pacific at JP Morgan, said he expects more market volatility but doubts the vote will derail a global recovery. "It is a shock, not a crisis, and so far markets seem to be handling this pretty well," Falcon said at the WEF conference. (Reuters)

China's finance minister sees 'Brexit' heightening uncertainty for markets

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