The benchmark BSE Sensex gained over 132 points to 34,578.39 in early trade today, rising for the third straight session today on buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) amid strong global cues. 
 
Investors are also eyeing Q3 GDP data, to be released tomorrow. Market sentiment was bolstered after a Morgan Stanley report said India&#39;s economic recovery is expected to have gathered momentum and GDP growth for the December quarter is likely to have accelerated to 7 per cent, broker said.

Benchmark BSE Sensex advanced by 132.64 points, or 0.38 per cent, to 34,578.39 in early session today.

The gauge has gained 626.25 points in the previous two sessions.

All sectoral indices were trading in the green, led by gains in oil and gas, consumer durables, auto, banking, power, PSU, metals, FMCG and healthcare counters.

The NSE Nifty50 reclaimed the 10,600-mark, by rising 32.65, or 0.30 per cent, to 10,615.25.

On a net basis, DIIs bought shares worth Rs 1,409.45 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,119.51 crore yesterday, provisional data released by stock exchanges showed.

Top gainers included Yes Bank, RIL, ONGC, TCS, Dr Reddy&#39;s, Asian Paints, M&amp;M, Wipro, HDFC Bank and Coal India, rising up to 1.75 per cent.

Meanwhile, shares of Punjab National Bank today slumped as much as 9 per cent to touch its 52 week low level in morning trade after the lender said the amount of fraudulent transactions could be as much as Rs 12,700 crore.

Gitanjali gems, too, cracked nearly 5 per cent.

Overseas, Asian shares were trading higher following gains on Wall Street overnight ahead of Fed chair Jerome Powell&#39;s first congressional testimony later in the day.

Japan&#39;s Nikkei gained 1.39 per cent, Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng was up 0.06 per cent, while Shanghai Composite was down 0.97 per cent in early trading today.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.58 per cent higher yesterday on fall in US bond yields.&nbsp;

The Sensex rose 132 points in early trade today

The benchmark BSE Sensex gained over 132 points to 34,578.39 in early trade today, rising for the third straight session today on buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) amid strong global cues. Investors are also eyeing Q3 GDP data, to be released tomorrow. Market sentiment was bolstered after a Morgan Stanley report said India's economic recovery is expected to have gathered momentum and GDP growth for the December quarter is likely to have accelerated to 7 per cent, broker said. Benchmark BSE Sensex advanced by 132.64 points, or 0.38 per cent, to 34,578.39 in early session today. The gauge has gained 626.25 points in the previous two sessions. All sectoral indices were trading in the green, led by gains in oil and gas, consumer durables, auto, banking, power, PSU, metals, FMCG and healthcare counters. The NSE Nifty50 reclaimed the 10,600-mark, by rising 32.65, or 0.30 per cent, to 10,615.25. On a net basis, DIIs bought shares worth Rs 1,409.45 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,119.51 crore yesterday, provisional data released by stock exchanges showed. Top gainers included Yes Bank, RIL, ONGC, TCS, Dr Reddy's, Asian Paints, M&M, Wipro, HDFC Bank and Coal India, rising up to 1.75 per cent. Meanwhile, shares of Punjab National Bank today slumped as much as 9 per cent to touch its 52 week low level in morning trade after the lender said the amount of fraudulent transactions could be as much as Rs 12,700 crore. Gitanjali gems, too, cracked nearly 5 per cent. Overseas, Asian shares were trading higher following gains on Wall Street overnight ahead of Fed chair Jerome Powell's first congressional testimony later in the day. Japan's Nikkei gained 1.39 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.06 per cent, while Shanghai Composite was down 0.97 per cent in early trading today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.58 per cent higher yesterday on fall in US bond yields.

Sensex extends rally, Nifty climbs over 10,600

Shares of Punjab National Bank today slumped as much as 9 per cent to hit their 52-week low level in morning trade on bourses after the lender said the amount of fraudulent transactions could be as much as Rs 12,700 crore.

The&nbsp;company&#39;s shares opened weak at Rs 107.80, then cracked 8.75 per cent to a 52-week low of Rs 102.10 on the BSE.

Similar movement was seen on the NSE too, where the stock opened at Rs 106.80, then fell to its 52-week low of Rs 102, down 8.92 per cent over its previous close.

Amid the multi-agency probe into the PNB scam, the state-run bank yesterday said the amount of fraudulent transactions could be Rs 1,300 crore more than the current estimate of about Rs 11,400 crore.

On February 14, the bank had detected the fraud wherein billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and associates had allegedly acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs) from one of the branches of the PNB for overseas credit from other Indian lenders.

&quot;We have to inform that quantum of reported unauthorised transactions can increase by&nbsp;$204.25 million (approximately),&quot; the filing said.

At the current exchange rate, the amount comes to around Rs 1,323 crore.&nbsp;

The company's shares opened weak at Rs 107.80, then cracked 8.75 per cent to a 52-week low of Rs 102.10 on the BSE

Shares of Punjab National Bank today slumped as much as 9 per cent to hit their 52-week low level in morning trade on bourses after the lender said the amount of fraudulent transactions could be as much as Rs 12,700 crore. The company's shares opened weak at Rs 107.80, then cracked 8.75 per cent to a 52-week low of Rs 102.10 on the BSE. Similar movement was seen on the NSE too, where the stock opened at Rs 106.80, then fell to its 52-week low of Rs 102, down 8.92 per cent over its previous close. Amid the multi-agency probe into the PNB scam, the state-run bank yesterday said the amount of fraudulent transactions could be Rs 1,300 crore more than the current estimate of about Rs 11,400 crore. On February 14, the bank had detected the fraud wherein billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and associates had allegedly acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs) from one of the branches of the PNB for overseas credit from other Indian lenders. "We have to inform that quantum of reported unauthorised transactions can increase by $204.25 million (approximately)," the filing said. At the current exchange rate, the amount comes to around Rs 1,323 crore.

PNB scam: Punjab National Bank stock slumps 9% to hit 52-week low

The benchmark Sensex drew back from its initial record highs to turn range bound in late morning deals, up by 112.27 points or 0.32 per cent on buying in energy, capital goods, realty IT and auto sectors.

Caution crept in ahead of the quarterly result to be released later which include key names like Axis Bank and Asian Paints.

Profit-booking was witnessed in telecom, metal, utilities and power segments which restricted the index gains.

However, sustained foreign funds inflows, better than expected quarterly result in index heavyweight Reliance Industries sustaining the stock momentum.

The benchmark BSE Sensex trading higher 112.27 points or 0.32 per cent to trade at 35,623.85 at 1140 hrs. Earlier it marked fresh all-time peak at 35,700.72.

The broader Nifty trading above the key 10,900 level at 10,905.40, up by 10.70 points or 0.10 per cent. It marked all time fresh peak at 10,929.85 earlier in the session.

Major gainers were ONGC 4.03 per cent, Reliance 2.44 per cent, TCS 1.58 per cent, Yes Bank 1.41 per cent and HDFC Bank 1.29 per cent.

Losers include Asian Paint 2.29 per cent, Bharti Airtel 1.66 per cent and ICICI 1.40 per cent.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 988.25 crore on net basis while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) also bought equities to the tune of Rs 209.86 crore last Friday, provisional data showed.

Most Asian markets were trading higher as investors kept an eye on political developments in the US after a government shutdown began last week.

US stocks finished higher on last Friday, with both the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq ending at records as optimism over corporate earnings outweighed the US government shutdown. 
-- Rupee trades down 4 paise vs US dollar --

The rupee was trading lower by 4 paise at 63.88 against the US dollar on some dollar demand by importers and banks amid recovering greenback overseas.

The rupee opened lower at 63.88 per dollar as against last Friday&#39;s closing level of 63.84 at the inter-bank foreign exchange here.

Later it fell further to 64.00 on persistent dollar demand in morning trade, it was quoting at 63.88 per dollar at 1145 hrs.

The US dollar regained some footing against a basket of currencies in early Asian trade, after slipping earlier on a US government shutdown.&nbsp;

The benchmark Sensex drew back from its initial record highs to turn range bound in late morning deals, up by 112.27 points or 0.32 per cent on buying in energy, capital goods, realty IT and auto sectors. Caution crept in ahead of the quarterly result to be released later which include key names like Axis Bank and Asian Paints. Profit-booking was witnessed in telecom, metal, utilities and power segments which restricted the index gains. However, sustained foreign funds inflows, better than expected quarterly result in index heavyweight Reliance Industries sustaining the stock momentum. The benchmark BSE Sensex trading higher 112.27 points or 0.32 per cent to trade at 35,623.85 at 1140 hrs. Earlier it marked fresh all-time peak at 35,700.72. The broader Nifty trading above the key 10,900 level at 10,905.40, up by 10.70 points or 0.10 per cent. It marked all time fresh peak at 10,929.85 earlier in the session. Major gainers were ONGC 4.03 per cent, Reliance 2.44 per cent, TCS 1.58 per cent, Yes Bank 1.41 per cent and HDFC Bank 1.29 per cent. Losers include Asian Paint 2.29 per cent, Bharti Airtel 1.66 per cent and ICICI 1.40 per cent. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 988.25 crore on net basis while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) also bought equities to the tune of Rs 209.86 crore last Friday, provisional data showed. Most Asian markets were trading higher as investors kept an eye on political developments in the US after a government shutdown began last week. US stocks finished higher on last Friday, with both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq ending at records as optimism over corporate earnings outweighed the US government shutdown. -- Rupee trades down 4 paise vs US dollar -- The rupee was trading lower by 4 paise at 63.88 against the US dollar on some dollar demand by importers and banks amid recovering greenback overseas. The rupee opened lower at 63.88 per dollar as against last Friday's closing level of 63.84 at the inter-bank foreign exchange here. Later it fell further to 64.00 on persistent dollar demand in morning trade, it was quoting at 63.88 per dollar at 1145 hrs. The US dollar regained some footing against a basket of currencies in early Asian trade, after slipping earlier on a US government shutdown.

Sensex marks new high, Nifty above 10,900

The benchmark BSE Sensex opened lower today after a five-session record-setting spree as investors cashed profits in metal, capital goods, consumer durables, power and banking shares ahead of January month expiry in the derivatives segment tomorrow.

The BSE 30-share barometer dropped by 54.30 points or 0.15 per cent to 36,085.68 in opening trade as index major Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel declined.

The gauge had rallied 1,368.93 points in the previous five back-to-back record-setting sessions on sustained foreign fund inflows. It had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sensex-closes-at-36140-nifty-ends-above-11000-mark-30507" target="_blank">closed at a record high</a> of 36,139.98 yesterday after touching an intra-day high of 36,170.83.

The NSE Nifty index too retreated, falling by 26.45 points, or 0.23 per cent, at 11,057.25. Yesterday, it had closed at record high of 11,083.70 points after scaling an all-time high (intra- nay) of 11,092.90.

Brokers said investors turned cautious and preferred to log gains at record levels ahead of tomorrow&#39;s January expiry in the derivatives segment, pulling down the key indices from record highs.

Besides, a weak trend at most of other Asian markets too weighed on the sentiments here, they added.

The laggards were Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, Coal India, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, Asian Paint, Reliance Industries, Infosys, L&amp;T and M&amp;M, falling up to 3.18 per cent.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) continued their buying activity on the domestic bourses here. They bought shares worth a net Rs 1,229.35 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) made purchases to the tune of Rs 169.03 crore yesterday, provisional data showed.

Globally, in the Asian region, Japan&#39;s Nikkei fell 0.56 per cent, while Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng shed 0.35 per cent in their early deals. Shanghai Composite Index, however, was up 0.09 per cent.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average also ended a shade lower in yesterday&#39;s trade.

The Sensex had closed at a record high of 36,139.98 Tuesday after touching an intra-day high of 36,170.83

The benchmark BSE Sensex opened lower today after a five-session record-setting spree as investors cashed profits in metal, capital goods, consumer durables, power and banking shares ahead of January month expiry in the derivatives segment tomorrow. The BSE 30-share barometer dropped by 54.30 points or 0.15 per cent to 36,085.68 in opening trade as index major Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel declined. The gauge had rallied 1,368.93 points in the previous five back-to-back record-setting sessions on sustained foreign fund inflows. It had closed at a record high of 36,139.98 yesterday after touching an intra-day high of 36,170.83. The NSE Nifty index too retreated, falling by 26.45 points, or 0.23 per cent, at 11,057.25. Yesterday, it had closed at record high of 11,083.70 points after scaling an all-time high (intra- nay) of 11,092.90. Brokers said investors turned cautious and preferred to log gains at record levels ahead of tomorrow's January expiry in the derivatives segment, pulling down the key indices from record highs. Besides, a weak trend at most of other Asian markets too weighed on the sentiments here, they added. The laggards were Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors, Coal India, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, Asian Paint, Reliance Industries, Infosys, L&T and M&M, falling up to 3.18 per cent. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) continued their buying activity on the domestic bourses here. They bought shares worth a net Rs 1,229.35 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) made purchases to the tune of Rs 169.03 crore yesterday, provisional data showed. Globally, in the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei fell 0.56 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.35 per cent in their early deals. Shanghai Composite Index, however, was up 0.09 per cent. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average also ended a shade lower in yesterday's trade.

Sensex opens 54 points lower on profit booking

Stocks staged a strong comeback in early trade with the BSE Sensex gaining over 260 points and the Nifty recapturing the 10,500-level on continued buying by domestic funds ahead of inflation data to be released after market hours today.

Asian markets were also trading in the green after a late-day rally on Wall Street on Friday.

The 30-share Sensex recovered by 260.12 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 34,265.88 in opening trade. The index had lost 407.40 points or 1.18 per cent to settle at one month low of 34,005.76 on Friday.

All the sectoral indices led by metal, realty and infrastructure were trading in the green with gains up to 1.44 per cent.

The broad-based NSE Nifty went up by 81.65 points or 0.78 per cent to 10,536.60.

Major gainers were ONGC, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports, L&amp;T, HeromotoCorp and Axis Bank.

Larsen and Toubro rose by 1 per cent after it announced a Rs 2,200 crore order win by its wholly-owned arm L&amp;T Hydrocarbon Engineering from Abu Dhabi-based Al Dhafra Petroleum Operations Company Limited.

SBI, however, dropped 2.85 per cent following poor quarterly results. The PSU lender on Friday posted a net loss of Rs 1,886.57 crore after a massive under-reporting of dud assets in the past fiscal and reverses in treasury operations.

Brokers said sustained buying by domestic institutional investors amid a firm trend at other Asian bourses improved the market sentiment.

Domestic institutional investors bought shares worth a net Rs 588.42 crore while foreign portfolio investors sold shares worth a net Rs 1351.70 crore on Friday, provisional data showed.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng was up 0.64 per cent and Shanghai Composite Index by 0.39 per cent in early trade. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.38 per cent higher on Friday.

Asian markets were also trading in the green after a late-day rally on Wall Street on Friday

Stocks staged a strong comeback in early trade with the BSE Sensex gaining over 260 points and the Nifty recapturing the 10,500-level on continued buying by domestic funds ahead of inflation data to be released after market hours today. Asian markets were also trading in the green after a late-day rally on Wall Street on Friday. The 30-share Sensex recovered by 260.12 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 34,265.88 in opening trade. The index had lost 407.40 points or 1.18 per cent to settle at one month low of 34,005.76 on Friday. All the sectoral indices led by metal, realty and infrastructure were trading in the green with gains up to 1.44 per cent. The broad-based NSE Nifty went up by 81.65 points or 0.78 per cent to 10,536.60. Major gainers were ONGC, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports, L&T, HeromotoCorp and Axis Bank. Larsen and Toubro rose by 1 per cent after it announced a Rs 2,200 crore order win by its wholly-owned arm L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering from Abu Dhabi-based Al Dhafra Petroleum Operations Company Limited. SBI, however, dropped 2.85 per cent following poor quarterly results. The PSU lender on Friday posted a net loss of Rs 1,886.57 crore after a massive under-reporting of dud assets in the past fiscal and reverses in treasury operations. Brokers said sustained buying by domestic institutional investors amid a firm trend at other Asian bourses improved the market sentiment. Domestic institutional investors bought shares worth a net Rs 588.42 crore while foreign portfolio investors sold shares worth a net Rs 1351.70 crore on Friday, provisional data showed. In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.64 per cent and Shanghai Composite Index by 0.39 per cent in early trade. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.38 per cent higher on Friday.

Sensex recovers 260 points, Nifty above 10,500-mark

US&nbsp;stocks ended a wild week with a burst of buying, pushing the S&amp;P 500 up 1.5 per cent on Friday, but still recorded their worst week in two years, and investors braced for more volatile trading days ahead.

The sharp falls of the week confirmed the market was in a correction, down more than 10 per cent from a January 26 record high, and throwing the nearly nine-year bull market off course. The newly volatile market was shaken in part by rising bond yields, which led stock investors to rethink their positions after months of steady gains.

The S&amp;P 500 ended the week nearly 9 per cent below the all-time high set just two weeks ago.

&ldquo;I don&#39;t see any reason to think that we&#39;re setting a pattern for next week or the rest of the year,&quot; said Rob Stein, the chief executive officer of Astor Investment Management in Chicago. &quot;The only pattern we&#39;re setting is more volatility.&quot;

On Friday alone, the S&amp;P 500 swung from gains of up to 2.2 per cent to declines of 1.9 per cent, echoing the big swings of the past week. The Dow moved in a range of more than 1,000 points, a more modest change than on Monday when the Dow fell as much as nearly 1,600 points.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 330.44 points, or 1.38 per cent, to 24,190.9, the S&amp;P 500 gained 38.55 points, or 1.49 per cent, to 2,619.55, and the Nasdaq Composite added 97.33 points, or 1.44 per cent, to 6,874.49.

&nbsp;

Technology was the best-performing group on Friday, with Microsoft Corp, Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc giving the biggest individual boosts to the S&amp;P 500. The energy was the lone major S&amp;P sector to end negative as oil prices tumbled.

The benchmark S&amp;P 500 fell 5.2 per cent for the week, its biggest weekly percentage drop since January 2016. For the week, the sector that got hammered the most was energy.

Ninety-six S&amp;P 500 stocks are down 20 per cent or more from their own one-year highs, according to Thomson Reuters data.

The sharp selloff in recent days was kicked off by concerns over rising inflation and bond yields, sparked by last week&#39;s January US&nbsp;jobs report.

&quot;You have a fundamental difference between the economy and earnings doing well, versus interest rates going up and inflation picking up, and it&rsquo;s still a question of which will dominate,&quot; said Giri Cherukuri, head trader at OakBrook Investments LLC in Lisle, Illinois.

Equities for years have looked relatively attractive compared to the low yields offered by bonds, but the rise in Treasury yields has diminished the allure of stocks, especially with stock valuations at historically expensive levels.

The yield on benchmark 10-year US&nbsp;Treasuries hovered around 2.85 per cent after touching a four-year peak of 2.885 per cent on Monday.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s part of this recalculation that has gone on in the market: How do we factor in higher bond yields?&quot; said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird in Milwaukee. &quot;And that is a process that is playing out.&quot;

US&nbsp;fund investors sucked $23.9 billion out of the stock market in the latest week, marking the largest withdrawals from those funds on record, but bulls were still encouraged by strength in the global economy and solid U.S. corporate earnings.

Also, the percentage of Main Street investors expecting stocks to fall reached a three-month high in the American Association of Individual Investors&#39; weekly survey.

During Friday&#39;s session, the S&amp;P 500 briefly broke below its 200-day moving average, a closely watched technical level, before rising.

&quot;You will often see bounces off those levels,&quot; said Anwiti Bahuguna, senior portfolio manager at Columbia Threadneedle Investments in Boston.

The S&amp;P 500 lost $2.49 trillion in market value from Jan. 26 through Thursday, according to S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices.

Volatility remained high compared to recent months. The market&#39;s main gauge of volatility, the CBOE Volatility Index, fell 4.4 to 29.06 on Friday but was still nearly three times the average level of the past year.

In the latest day of strong trading volume, about 12 billion shares changed hands in US&nbsp;exchanges on Friday, well above the 8.5 billion daily average over the last 20 sessions. It was the first time weekly volume eclipsed 50 billion since August 2015.

Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 1.43-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.36-to-1 ratio favoured advancers.

The S&amp;P 500 posted no new 52-week highs and 47 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 17 new highs and 208 new lows.

&nbsp;

Investors have braced for more volatile trading days ahead

US stocks ended a wild week with a burst of buying, pushing the S&P 500 up 1.5 per cent on Friday, but still recorded their worst week in two years, and investors braced for more volatile trading days ahead. The sharp falls of the week confirmed the market was in a correction, down more than 10 per cent from a January 26 record high, and throwing the nearly nine-year bull market off course. The newly volatile market was shaken in part by rising bond yields, which led stock investors to rethink their positions after months of steady gains. The S&P 500 ended the week nearly 9 per cent below the all-time high set just two weeks ago. “I don't see any reason to think that we're setting a pattern for next week or the rest of the year," said Rob Stein, the chief executive officer of Astor Investment Management in Chicago. "The only pattern we're setting is more volatility." On Friday alone, the S&P 500 swung from gains of up to 2.2 per cent to declines of 1.9 per cent, echoing the big swings of the past week. The Dow moved in a range of more than 1,000 points, a more modest change than on Monday when the Dow fell as much as nearly 1,600 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 330.44 points, or 1.38 per cent, to 24,190.9, the S&P 500 gained 38.55 points, or 1.49 per cent, to 2,619.55, and the Nasdaq Composite added 97.33 points, or 1.44 per cent, to 6,874.49. Technology was the best-performing group on Friday, with Microsoft Corp, Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc giving the biggest individual boosts to the S&P 500. The energy was the lone major S&P sector to end negative as oil prices tumbled. The benchmark S&P 500 fell 5.2 per cent for the week, its biggest weekly percentage drop since January 2016. For the week, the sector that got hammered the most was energy. Ninety-six S&P 500 stocks are down 20 per cent or more from their own one-year highs, according to Thomson Reuters data. The sharp selloff in recent days was kicked off by concerns over rising inflation and bond yields, sparked by last week's January US jobs report. "You have a fundamental difference between the economy and earnings doing well, versus interest rates going up and inflation picking up, and it’s still a question of which will dominate," said Giri Cherukuri, head trader at OakBrook Investments LLC in Lisle, Illinois. Equities for years have looked relatively attractive compared to the low yields offered by bonds, but the rise in Treasury yields has diminished the allure of stocks, especially with stock valuations at historically expensive levels. The yield on benchmark 10-year US Treasuries hovered around 2.85 per cent after touching a four-year peak of 2.885 per cent on Monday. “That’s part of this recalculation that has gone on in the market: How do we factor in higher bond yields?" said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird in Milwaukee. "And that is a process that is playing out." US fund investors sucked $23.9 billion out of the stock market in the latest week, marking the largest withdrawals from those funds on record, but bulls were still encouraged by strength in the global economy and solid U.S. corporate earnings. Also, the percentage of Main Street investors expecting stocks to fall reached a three-month high in the American Association of Individual Investors' weekly survey. During Friday's session, the S&P 500 briefly broke below its 200-day moving average, a closely watched technical level, before rising. "You will often see bounces off those levels," said Anwiti Bahuguna, senior portfolio manager at Columbia Threadneedle Investments in Boston. The S&P 500 lost $2.49 trillion in market value from Jan. 26 through Thursday, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. Volatility remained high compared to recent months. The market's main gauge of volatility, the CBOE Volatility Index, fell 4.4 to 29.06 on Friday but was still nearly three times the average level of the past year. In the latest day of strong trading volume, about 12 billion shares changed hands in US exchanges on Friday, well above the 8.5 billion daily average over the last 20 sessions. It was the first time weekly volume eclipsed 50 billion since August 2015. Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 1.43-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.36-to-1 ratio favoured advancers. The S&P 500 posted no new 52-week highs and 47 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 17 new highs and 208 new lows.

Wall Street rebounds but posts worst week in two years

Indian shares ended lower on Wednesday in their seventh consecutive sessions of losses, after the central bank said it would closely monitor accelerating inflation and kept its main repo rate on hold while retaining its &quot;neutral&quot; stance.

The benchmark BSE Sensex closed down 0.33 percent at 34,082.71, its lowest close since January 4.&nbsp;

The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.21 percent lower at 10,476.7, its lowest close since January 3.

The benchmark BSE Sensex closed down 0.33 percent at 34,082.71, its lowest close since January 4

Indian shares ended lower on Wednesday in their seventh consecutive sessions of losses, after the central bank said it would closely monitor accelerating inflation and kept its main repo rate on hold while retaining its "neutral" stance. The benchmark BSE Sensex closed down 0.33 percent at 34,082.71, its lowest close since January 4. The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.21 percent lower at 10,476.7, its lowest close since January 3.

Sensex ends lower after RBI policy meet

Indian shares fell for a sixth consecutive session on Tuesday, the longest losing streak since September, as the global market rout whacked sentiment, with lingering concerns of a tighter monetary policy ahead of a central bank meeting on Wednesday.

The broader NSE Nifty ended 1.58 percent lower at 10,498.25, while the BSE index fell 1.61 percent to 34,195.94. Both indexes had earlier fallen as much as 3.6 percent. 
 
Tata Motors Ltd shares lost 5.1 percent after the automaker posted a much-weaker-than-expected net profit on Monday.&nbsp;

Indian shares fell for a sixth consecutive session on Tuesday, the longest losing streak since September, as the global market rout whacked sentiment, with lingering concerns of a tighter monetary policy ahead of a central bank meeting on Wednesday. The broader NSE Nifty ended 1.58 percent lower at 10,498.25, while the BSE index fell 1.61 percent to 34,195.94. Both indexes had earlier fallen as much as 3.6 percent. Tata Motors Ltd shares lost 5.1 percent after the automaker posted a much-weaker-than-expected net profit on Monday.

Sensex drops for sixth straight session, closes at 34,195

Indian shares fell for a fifth straight session on Monday, with the broader NSE index hitting its lowest in a month, as Asian shares slumped, while worries remained that the Reserve Bank of India would turn more hawkish at its policy meeting later this week.

Investors remained concerned that the government widened its fiscal deficit target for the year starting in April to help finance higher spending in rural sectors and healthcare.

The government also imposed a 10 percent long-term capital gains tax for equity investments of more than one year, raising concerns about investors` risk appetite after Indian shares went on a record-setting spree last month.

Government officials have tried to downplay the impact of the tax. Finance and Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia told a post-budget conference organised by an industry lobby group that the rate was &quot;nominal&quot; and India remained a favourable market. He instead attributed the recent selloff in the markets to global cues.

&quot;It is very unfortunate that our move came at a very wrong time because of global markets also going down,&quot; he said.

Asian shares fell the most in more than a year on Monday as fears of resurgent inflation battered bonds globally, and toppled Wall Street from record highs. The MSCI`s index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan shed as much as 2 percent in its largest intraday drop since late 2016.&nbsp;

But bonds in India turned relatively more stable, with the benchmark 10-year bond yield rising 2 basis points to 7.58 percent after posting its biggest weekly rise since February 2017 last week.&nbsp;

The rupee was trading at 64.0325/0375 per dollar, compared with Friday`s close of 64.07.

&quot;Disappointments include budget provisions and lack of buying on small- and mid-caps, even at lower levels. Expect RBI to maintain the rates and its cautious tone during the policy meet this week,&quot; said Deepak Jasani, head of retail research at HDFC Securities.&nbsp;

The NSE Nifty was down 0.84 percent at 10,670.20 as of 0746 GMT, after declining as much as 1.62 percent to its lowest level since Jan 5.

The benchmark BSE index was 0.86 percent lower at 34,766.63, after dropping as much as 1.56 percent.

Both indexes were down for a fifth straight session, in what could be their longest losing streak since September 2017.

The losses were led by index heavyweight Housing Development Finance Corp, which was trading 3 percent lower.

Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel Ltd climbed as much as 5 percent after Singapore Telecommunications Ltd said it would raise stake in Bharti Telecom, the holding company for India`s biggest mobile carrier.

The Sensex has been in free fall ever since Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced an increased fiscal deficit target of 3.3% and a 10% LTCG tax on the sale of shares

Indian shares fell for a fifth straight session on Monday, with the broader NSE index hitting its lowest in a month, as Asian shares slumped, while worries remained that the Reserve Bank of India would turn more hawkish at its policy meeting later this week. Investors remained concerned that the government widened its fiscal deficit target for the year starting in April to help finance higher spending in rural sectors and healthcare. The government also imposed a 10 percent long-term capital gains tax for equity investments of more than one year, raising concerns about investors` risk appetite after Indian shares went on a record-setting spree last month. Government officials have tried to downplay the impact of the tax. Finance and Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia told a post-budget conference organised by an industry lobby group that the rate was "nominal" and India remained a favourable market. He instead attributed the recent selloff in the markets to global cues. "It is very unfortunate that our move came at a very wrong time because of global markets also going down," he said. Asian shares fell the most in more than a year on Monday as fears of resurgent inflation battered bonds globally, and toppled Wall Street from record highs. The MSCI`s index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan shed as much as 2 percent in its largest intraday drop since late 2016. But bonds in India turned relatively more stable, with the benchmark 10-year bond yield rising 2 basis points to 7.58 percent after posting its biggest weekly rise since February 2017 last week. The rupee was trading at 64.0325/0375 per dollar, compared with Friday`s close of 64.07. "Disappointments include budget provisions and lack of buying on small- and mid-caps, even at lower levels. Expect RBI to maintain the rates and its cautious tone during the policy meet this week," said Deepak Jasani, head of retail research at HDFC Securities. The NSE Nifty was down 0.84 percent at 10,670.20 as of 0746 GMT, after declining as much as 1.62 percent to its lowest level since Jan 5. The benchmark BSE index was 0.86 percent lower at 34,766.63, after dropping as much as 1.56 percent. Both indexes were down for a fifth straight session, in what could be their longest losing streak since September 2017. The losses were led by index heavyweight Housing Development Finance Corp, which was trading 3 percent lower. Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel Ltd climbed as much as 5 percent after Singapore Telecommunications Ltd said it would raise stake in Bharti Telecom, the holding company for India`s biggest mobile carrier.

Sensex falls for fifth day in a row, closes at 34,757

Benchmarks buckled under heavy selling pressure today as wary investors pocketed gains in recent winners ahead of the Union Budget amid lacklustre global leads.

The BSE Sensex sank about 250 points to end at 36,033.73, while the broader NSE Nifty dropped 80 points to 11,049.65.

Brokers said investors took money off the table and held back fresh bets ahead of the Union Budget on February 1.

Market sentiment was also impacted as other Asian markets retreated from record highs, tracking overnight meltdown at the Wall Street after a sell-off in Apple shares.

Investors were also cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve&#39;s two-day monetary policy meeting beginning today.

The 30-share Sensex, after opening a shade lower at 36,277.12, continued its slide to crack the 36,000-mark and hit a low of 35,993.41 during the day. It finally settled at 36,033.73, down 249.52 points, or 0.69 per cent.

The index had gained 232.81 points yesterday and closed at a record high of 36,283.25.

The Nifty too closed lower by 80.75 points, or 0.73 per cent, at 11,049.65 after hitting a low of 11,033.90.

It had ended at a lifetime high of 11,130.40 yesterday.

&quot;Market slid followed by weaknesses in global markets while investors are likely to utilise the correction as improving domestic macros coupled with earnings growth will benefit in the long run.

&quot;The upcoming US Fed policy and India budget will remain the near term catalyst,&quot; said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 291.86 crore on net basis while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) also picked up equities to the tune of Rs 90.08 crore yesterday, provisional data showed.

Asian Paints was the worst performer among the Sensex components by falling 2.22 per cent, followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank at 2.20 per cent.

Other laggards were Axis Bank, Dr Reddy&#39;s, Adani Ports, Reliance Industries, Wipro, ICICI Bank, TCS, Yes Bank, HDFC Ltd, Infosys, Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, NTPC, ONGC, Bajaj Auto, Bharti Airtel, ITC and HDFC Bank.

Bucking the trend, Coal India, Hero MotoCorp, Sun Pharma, SBI, IndusInd Bank, HUL and Power Grid finished with gains of up to 1.71 per cent.

Reliance Communications soared 10.46 per cent after the company reported narrowing of consolidated loss to Rs 130 crore for the quarter ended December 2017.

Sector-wise, the BSE consumer durables index was the weakest of the lost, dropping 1.74 per cent, followed by IT 1.07 per cent, teck 1.02 per cent, bankex 0.85 per cent, realty 0.80 per cent, metal 0.63 per cent, healthcare 0.61 per cent, infrastructure 0.56 per cent, auto 0.48 per cent, capital goods 0.36 per cent and FMCG 0.33 per cent.

Oil &amp; gas and PSU indices managed to close in the green.

The broader markets continued to face selling pressure, which pulled down the small-cap index by 1.34 per cent and mid-cap by 0.67 per cent.

Overseas, European stocks were trading lower following sharp losses in Asian bourses and on Wall Street. Key indices like Frankfurt&#39;s DAX was down by 0.35 per cent, while Paris CAC 40 shed 0.19 per cent in their late morning deals. London&#39;s FTSE fell 0.42 per cent.

In Asia, Japan&#39;s Nikkei fell 1.43 per cent and Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng slipped 1.09 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.99 per cent.

The BSE Sensex sank about 250 points to end at 36,033.73, while the broader NSE Nifty dropped 80 points to 11,049.65

Benchmarks buckled under heavy selling pressure today as wary investors pocketed gains in recent winners ahead of the Union Budget amid lacklustre global leads. The BSE Sensex sank about 250 points to end at 36,033.73, while the broader NSE Nifty dropped 80 points to 11,049.65. Brokers said investors took money off the table and held back fresh bets ahead of the Union Budget on February 1. Market sentiment was also impacted as other Asian markets retreated from record highs, tracking overnight meltdown at the Wall Street after a sell-off in Apple shares. Investors were also cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve's two-day monetary policy meeting beginning today. The 30-share Sensex, after opening a shade lower at 36,277.12, continued its slide to crack the 36,000-mark and hit a low of 35,993.41 during the day. It finally settled at 36,033.73, down 249.52 points, or 0.69 per cent. The index had gained 232.81 points yesterday and closed at a record high of 36,283.25. The Nifty too closed lower by 80.75 points, or 0.73 per cent, at 11,049.65 after hitting a low of 11,033.90. It had ended at a lifetime high of 11,130.40 yesterday. "Market slid followed by weaknesses in global markets while investors are likely to utilise the correction as improving domestic macros coupled with earnings growth will benefit in the long run. "The upcoming US Fed policy and India budget will remain the near term catalyst," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 291.86 crore on net basis while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) also picked up equities to the tune of Rs 90.08 crore yesterday, provisional data showed. Asian Paints was the worst performer among the Sensex components by falling 2.22 per cent, followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank at 2.20 per cent. Other laggards were Axis Bank, Dr Reddy's, Adani Ports, Reliance Industries, Wipro, ICICI Bank, TCS, Yes Bank, HDFC Ltd, Infosys, Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, NTPC, ONGC, Bajaj Auto, Bharti Airtel, ITC and HDFC Bank. Bucking the trend, Coal India, Hero MotoCorp, Sun Pharma, SBI, IndusInd Bank, HUL and Power Grid finished with gains of up to 1.71 per cent. Reliance Communications soared 10.46 per cent after the company reported narrowing of consolidated loss to Rs 130 crore for the quarter ended December 2017. Sector-wise, the BSE consumer durables index was the weakest of the lost, dropping 1.74 per cent, followed by IT 1.07 per cent, teck 1.02 per cent, bankex 0.85 per cent, realty 0.80 per cent, metal 0.63 per cent, healthcare 0.61 per cent, infrastructure 0.56 per cent, auto 0.48 per cent, capital goods 0.36 per cent and FMCG 0.33 per cent. Oil & gas and PSU indices managed to close in the green. The broader markets continued to face selling pressure, which pulled down the small-cap index by 1.34 per cent and mid-cap by 0.67 per cent. Overseas, European stocks were trading lower following sharp losses in Asian bourses and on Wall Street. Key indices like Frankfurt's DAX was down by 0.35 per cent, while Paris CAC 40 shed 0.19 per cent in their late morning deals. London's FTSE fell 0.42 per cent. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei fell 1.43 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 1.09 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.99 per cent.

Sensex, Nifty tumble from record highs ahead of Budget

Benchmark Sensex zoomed 233 points to end at yet another record high today after the Economic Survey said India will re-establish itself as the world&#39;s fastest growing major economy with GDP expanding by 7-7.5 per cent in 2018-19.

The beginning of February derivatives contracts and unabated foreign fund inflows amid a higher opening of European markets added to the optimism, brokers said.

The 30-share barometer, after opening on a strong footing on optimistic buying by participants, gathered momentum to touch an all-time high of 36,443.98.

However, it shed some ground on profit-booking, before finally finishing at 36,283.25, up by 232.81 points, or 0.65 per cent -- surpassing its previous record closing of 36,161.64 hit on January 24.

The 50-share NSE Nifty too closed at a fresh life high of 11,130.40 points, up 60.75 points, or 0.55 per cent. 
It broke its previous closing record of 11,086 reached on January 24.

The Economic Survey for 2017-18 said the GDP will grow on the back of major reforms which would be strengthened further in the next financial year.

The pre-budget survey pointed out that India can be rated as among the best performing economies in the world as the average growth during last three years is around 4 percentage points higher than global growth and nearly 3 percentage points higher than that of emerging markets and developing economies.

Benchmark Sensex zoomed 233 points on Monday

Benchmark Sensex zoomed 233 points to end at yet another record high today after the Economic Survey said India will re-establish itself as the world's fastest growing major economy with GDP expanding by 7-7.5 per cent in 2018-19. The beginning of February derivatives contracts and unabated foreign fund inflows amid a higher opening of European markets added to the optimism, brokers said. The 30-share barometer, after opening on a strong footing on optimistic buying by participants, gathered momentum to touch an all-time high of 36,443.98. However, it shed some ground on profit-booking, before finally finishing at 36,283.25, up by 232.81 points, or 0.65 per cent -- surpassing its previous record closing of 36,161.64 hit on January 24. The 50-share NSE Nifty too closed at a fresh life high of 11,130.40 points, up 60.75 points, or 0.55 per cent. It broke its previous closing record of 11,086 reached on January 24. The Economic Survey for 2017-18 said the GDP will grow on the back of major reforms which would be strengthened further in the next financial year. The pre-budget survey pointed out that India can be rated as among the best performing economies in the world as the average growth during last three years is around 4 percentage points higher than global growth and nearly 3 percentage points higher than that of emerging markets and developing economies.

Sensex closes at new high over Economic Survey

Indian shares posted a record closing high on Thursday as a rally in global markets boosted sentiment, while banking stocks led gains on hopes that the government would raise the foreign investment ceiling in lenders.

The broader NSE Nifty closed up 0.26 per cent at 10,817.00, while the benchmark BSE Sensex ended 0.51 per cent higher at 35,260.29.

Banking stocks led gains on hopes that the government would raise the foreign investment ceiling in lenders

Indian shares posted a record closing high on Thursday as a rally in global markets boosted sentiment, while banking stocks led gains on hopes that the government would raise the foreign investment ceiling in lenders. The broader NSE Nifty closed up 0.26 per cent at 10,817.00, while the benchmark BSE Sensex ended 0.51 per cent higher at 35,260.29.

Sensex hits record closing high; lenders gain

Benchmark Sensex shed 72 points today after three straight record-setting sessions on emergence of profit-booking and weak macroeconomic data.

Sentiment turned weak after data released after market hours yesterday showed that the country&#39;s trade deficit, or difference between imports and exports, reached USD 14.88 billion in December, up about 41 per cent year-on-year, as crude oil and gold import bill inflated.

The BSE 30-share barometer, after a higher start at 34,877.71, advanced to 34,936.03 in morning trade on continued buying by investors driven by encouraging quarterly earnings.

However, across-the-board profit booking at record levels pulled it down to a low of 34,735.55. It finally settled 72.46 points, or 0.21 per cent lower at 34,771.05.

The gauge had gained 410.44 points in the previous three sessions and closed at an all-time high of 34,843.51 yesterday.

The wider NSE Nifty too slipped from record but managed to close above the crucial 10,700 mark at 10,700.45 points, down 41.10 points or 0.38 per cent.

It shuttled between 10,762.35 and 10,687.85 during the session.

Yesterday, it had closed at a new life-time high of 10,741.55.

Sentiment turned weak after data released after market hours yesterday showed the country's trade deficit reached USD 14.88 billion in December

Benchmark Sensex shed 72 points today after three straight record-setting sessions on emergence of profit-booking and weak macroeconomic data. Sentiment turned weak after data released after market hours yesterday showed that the country's trade deficit, or difference between imports and exports, reached USD 14.88 billion in December, up about 41 per cent year-on-year, as crude oil and gold import bill inflated. The BSE 30-share barometer, after a higher start at 34,877.71, advanced to 34,936.03 in morning trade on continued buying by investors driven by encouraging quarterly earnings. However, across-the-board profit booking at record levels pulled it down to a low of 34,735.55. It finally settled 72.46 points, or 0.21 per cent lower at 34,771.05. The gauge had gained 410.44 points in the previous three sessions and closed at an all-time high of 34,843.51 yesterday. The wider NSE Nifty too slipped from record but managed to close above the crucial 10,700 mark at 10,700.45 points, down 41.10 points or 0.38 per cent. It shuttled between 10,762.35 and 10,687.85 during the session. Yesterday, it had closed at a new life-time high of 10,741.55.

Sensex drops 72 points after three record-setting sessions

The benchmark BSE Sensex rose by 251 points to close at fresh all-time high in its record-setting spree for a third session today as investor turned optimistic after better-than-expected macro-economic data and corporate earnings.

The BSE Sensex advanced 251.12 points to end at a new peak of 34,843.51. The broader Nifty gained 60.30 points to also finish at a fresh record high of 10,741.55.

Domestic sentiments were upbeat on positive macro data which were announced after trading hours on Friday and encouraging earnings posted by some bluechip companies coupled with a firming trend at other Asian bourses.

The BSE 30-share Sensex resumed higher at 34,687.21 and advanced to touch a new all-time intra-day high of 34,963.69, surpassing its previous record of 34,638.42, clocked in Friday&#39;s trade.

The BSE Sensex rose 251.12 points to end at 34,843.51, the Nifty gained 60.30 points to finish at 10,741.55

The benchmark BSE Sensex rose by 251 points to close at fresh all-time high in its record-setting spree for a third session today as investor turned optimistic after better-than-expected macro-economic data and corporate earnings. The BSE Sensex advanced 251.12 points to end at a new peak of 34,843.51. The broader Nifty gained 60.30 points to also finish at a fresh record high of 10,741.55. Domestic sentiments were upbeat on positive macro data which were announced after trading hours on Friday and encouraging earnings posted by some bluechip companies coupled with a firming trend at other Asian bourses. The BSE 30-share Sensex resumed higher at 34,687.21 and advanced to touch a new all-time intra-day high of 34,963.69, surpassing its previous record of 34,638.42, clocked in Friday's trade.

Sensex, Nifty close at record highs

Gold edged up in early trade on Friday as investors resorted to bargain hunting after the yellow metal dropped below its recent trading range to hit the lowest in more than four months overnight.&nbsp;

Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,248.86 an ounce, by 0328 GMT, after hitting its lowest since July 26 at $1,243.71 in the previous session.&nbsp;The metal was down for a third straight week, headed for its biggest weekly decline since early May.&nbsp;U.S. gold futures were 0.2 percent lower at $1,250.70.

&quot;Even as the dollar is firmer, there seems to be a bit of bargain hunting around. I do, however, think that the pressure is on the downside and rallies will still be sold&quot;, a Hong Kong-based trader said.&nbsp;The dollar inched higher on Friday, as the passage of a bill to temporarily extend U.S. government funding raised investors&#39; optimism that a tax reform bill would also pass.&nbsp;

The greenback took a brief knock earlier this week on concerns over a government shutdown, and as U.S. President Donald Trump raised tensions in the Middle East after he recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.&nbsp;The Islamist group Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as its capital.&nbsp;

&quot;Gold might have found some support in that but it seems to be just the dollar strength across the board now heading into the end of the year&quot;, the trader said.&nbsp;The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting a rapid tightening of the labor market that bolsters expectations the Federal Reserve will raise benchmark interest rates next week.

Higher U.S. interest rates tend to boost the dollar, making greenback-denominated gold more expensive for holders in other currencies.&nbsp;Markets will be eyeing the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due later in the day, which will be last employment report before the Fed meeting next week.&nbsp;

&quot;Market-watchers are likely positioning for an FOMC rate hike next week. Overnight, the improvement in risk appetite considering the postponing of the U.S. partial government shutdown and further progress in Brexit talks should buoy market sentiment into the next week&quot;, said OCBC analyst Barnabas Gan.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Asian shares on Friday rallied for a second session as investors awaited major economic data, and cryptocurrency bitcoin shot above $16,600 to its highest ever.&nbsp;Spot gold may drop more to $1,239 per ounce, according to Reuters technicals analyst Wang Tao.&nbsp;Silver rose 0.3 percent to $15.77 an ounce, after slipping to its lowest since mid-July on Thursday.&nbsp;Platinum climbed 0.3 percent to $894 an ounce, while palladium was 0.1 percent lower at $1,012.25.&nbsp;

Gold, the precious yellow metal dropped to its lowest in last four months. Even the U.S. gold futures were lower than expected

Gold edged up in early trade on Friday as investors resorted to bargain hunting after the yellow metal dropped below its recent trading range to hit the lowest in more than four months overnight. Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,248.86 an ounce, by 0328 GMT, after hitting its lowest since July 26 at $1,243.71 in the previous session. The metal was down for a third straight week, headed for its biggest weekly decline since early May. U.S. gold futures were 0.2 percent lower at $1,250.70. "Even as the dollar is firmer, there seems to be a bit of bargain hunting around. I do, however, think that the pressure is on the downside and rallies will still be sold", a Hong Kong-based trader said. The dollar inched higher on Friday, as the passage of a bill to temporarily extend U.S. government funding raised investors' optimism that a tax reform bill would also pass. The greenback took a brief knock earlier this week on concerns over a government shutdown, and as U.S. President Donald Trump raised tensions in the Middle East after he recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Islamist group Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as its capital. "Gold might have found some support in that but it seems to be just the dollar strength across the board now heading into the end of the year", the trader said. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting a rapid tightening of the labor market that bolsters expectations the Federal Reserve will raise benchmark interest rates next week. Higher U.S. interest rates tend to boost the dollar, making greenback-denominated gold more expensive for holders in other currencies. Markets will be eyeing the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due later in the day, which will be last employment report before the Fed meeting next week. "Market-watchers are likely positioning for an FOMC rate hike next week. Overnight, the improvement in risk appetite considering the postponing of the U.S. partial government shutdown and further progress in Brexit talks should buoy market sentiment into the next week", said OCBC analyst Barnabas Gan. Meanwhile, Asian shares on Friday rallied for a second session as investors awaited major economic data, and cryptocurrency bitcoin shot above $16,600 to its highest ever. Spot gold may drop more to $1,239 per ounce, according to Reuters technicals analyst Wang Tao. Silver rose 0.3 percent to $15.77 an ounce, after slipping to its lowest since mid-July on Thursday. Platinum climbed 0.3 percent to $894 an ounce, while palladium was 0.1 percent lower at $1,012.25.

Gold rises on bargain hunting after slumping to over four-month low

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, weighed down by concerns about rising production from Libya feeding into an oversupplied market and a surprise increase in U.S. gasoline inventories.

Benchmark Brent crude futures were down 27 cents at $51.60 a barrel at 0950 GMT.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were trading at $47.67, down 16 cents.

Production from Libya&#39;s Sharara oilfield, the conflict-riven country&#39;s largest, has been seesawing. The field remained shut on Wednesday, two Libyan oil sources told Reuters. The field had restarted at least once on Tuesday amid conflicting reports about whether it had reopened.

&quot;(The) flood of news reports makes it clear that the situation in Libya is still chaotic and that conditions in the country are still far from normal,&quot; Commerzbank analysts wrote.

Sharara recently reached output of 280,000 barrels per day (bpd), but closed this week due to a pipeline blockade. Its production is key to Libya&#39;s oil output, which surged above 1 million bpd in late June, about four times its level last summer.

Libya&#39;s rising output is a headache for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which together with non-OPEC producers including Russia has pledged to cut around 1.8 million bpd of supplies between January this year and March 2018 in an attempt to remove a global glut.

Additionally, industry data released by the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday that U.S. gasoline stocks rose by 1.4 million barrels in the week to Aug. 18, compared with analysts&#39; expectations of a 3.5-million-barrel drop. [API/S]

Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at futures brokerage OANDA, said rising U.S. gasoline inventories were &quot;not a good sign during the U.S. summer driving season&quot;.

Official inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration is due later on Wednesday.

Production from Libya's Sharara oilfield, the conflict-riven country's largest, has been seesawing. The field remained shut on Wednesday

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, weighed down by concerns about rising production from Libya feeding into an oversupplied market and a surprise increase in U.S. gasoline inventories. Benchmark Brent crude futures were down 27 cents at $51.60 a barrel at 0950 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were trading at $47.67, down 16 cents. Production from Libya's Sharara oilfield, the conflict-riven country's largest, has been seesawing. The field remained shut on Wednesday, two Libyan oil sources told Reuters. The field had restarted at least once on Tuesday amid conflicting reports about whether it had reopened. "(The) flood of news reports makes it clear that the situation in Libya is still chaotic and that conditions in the country are still far from normal," Commerzbank analysts wrote. Sharara recently reached output of 280,000 barrels per day (bpd), but closed this week due to a pipeline blockade. Its production is key to Libya's oil output, which surged above 1 million bpd in late June, about four times its level last summer. Libya's rising output is a headache for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which together with non-OPEC producers including Russia has pledged to cut around 1.8 million bpd of supplies between January this year and March 2018 in an attempt to remove a global glut. Additionally, industry data released by the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday that U.S. gasoline stocks rose by 1.4 million barrels in the week to Aug. 18, compared with analysts' expectations of a 3.5-million-barrel drop. [API/S] Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at futures brokerage OANDA, said rising U.S. gasoline inventories were "not a good sign during the U.S. summer driving season". Official inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration is due later on Wednesday.

Increase in production from Libya, Oil prices fell on Wednesday

Nearly 120,000 units of digital currency bitcoin worth about US$72 million was stolen from the exchange platform Bitfinex in Hong Kong, making it the second-biggest security breach ever of such an exchange. 
 
Bitfinex is one of the largest bitcoin exchanges, and is known in the digital currency community for having a platform that has deep liquidity in the US Dollar-bitcoin currency pair. 
 
Zane Tackett, Director of Community &amp; Product Development for Bitfinex, told Reuters on Wednesday that 119,756 bitcoin had been stolen from users&#39; accounts, and that the exchange had not yet decided how to address customer losses. 
 
&quot;The bitcoin was stolen from users&#39; segregated wallets,&quot; he said. 
 
Bitcoin plunged just over 23 per cent on Tuesday after the news broke. On Wednesday it was up 1 per cent at $545.20 on the BitStamp platform. 
 
Tackett added that the breach did not &quot;expose any weaknesses in the security of a blockchain&quot;, the technology that generates and processes bitcoin, a web-based &quot;cryptocurrency&quot; that can move across the globe anonymously without the need for a central authority. 
 
The volume stolen amounts to about 0.75 per cent of all bitcoin in circulation. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the biggest USD exchange, so outside China it&#39;s the one that everyone has an account with,&quot; said Antony Lewis, a bitcoin expert in Singapore. &quot;It&#39;s very liquid, folk can trade on margin, lots of daily volume.&quot; 
 
It is not yet clear whether the theft was an inside job or whether hackers were able to gain access to the system externally.&nbsp;Bitfinex suspended trading on Tuesday after it discovered the breach. It said on its website that it was investigating and cooperating with the authorities. 
 
The attack on Bitfinex was reminiscent of a similar but larger breach at MtGox, a Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange that was forced to file for bankruptcy in early 2014 after hackers stole an estimated $650 million worth of customers&#39; bitcoins. 
 
(Reuters)

?The volume stolen amounts to about 0.75 per cent of all bitcoin in circulation. Bitcoin plunged by just over 23% after the news broke

Nearly 120,000 units of digital currency bitcoin worth about US$72 million was stolen from the exchange platform Bitfinex in Hong Kong, making it the second-biggest security breach ever of such an exchange. Bitfinex is one of the largest bitcoin exchanges, and is known in the digital currency community for having a platform that has deep liquidity in the US Dollar-bitcoin currency pair. Zane Tackett, Director of Community & Product Development for Bitfinex, told Reuters on Wednesday that 119,756 bitcoin had been stolen from users' accounts, and that the exchange had not yet decided how to address customer losses. "The bitcoin was stolen from users' segregated wallets," he said. Bitcoin plunged just over 23 per cent on Tuesday after the news broke. On Wednesday it was up 1 per cent at $545.20 on the BitStamp platform. Tackett added that the breach did not "expose any weaknesses in the security of a blockchain", the technology that generates and processes bitcoin, a web-based "cryptocurrency" that can move across the globe anonymously without the need for a central authority. The volume stolen amounts to about 0.75 per cent of all bitcoin in circulation. "It's the biggest USD exchange, so outside China it's the one that everyone has an account with," said Antony Lewis, a bitcoin expert in Singapore. "It's very liquid, folk can trade on margin, lots of daily volume." It is not yet clear whether the theft was an inside job or whether hackers were able to gain access to the system externally. Bitfinex suspended trading on Tuesday after it discovered the breach. It said on its website that it was investigating and cooperating with the authorities. The attack on Bitfinex was reminiscent of a similar but larger breach at MtGox, a Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange that was forced to file for bankruptcy in early 2014 after hackers stole an estimated $650 million worth of customers' bitcoins. (Reuters)

Bitcoin worth $72 million stolen from Hong Kong's Bitfinex exchange

A 44-year old Indian-origin hedge fund portfolio manager, who was charged last week with insider trading, has committed suicide in his apartment here. 
 
Sanjay Valvani, had faced securities fraud and wire fraud charges after he had used confidential information obtained from a former official at the Food and Drug Administration to trade in the securities of two pharmaceutical companies and earned about USD 25 million in trading profits. 
 
A New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed to PTI that Valvani had committed suicide. 
 
The spokesperson said Valvani left &quot;a note&quot; and had a &quot;slash wound&quot; to his neck and wrist. A knife was found by the body. 
 
The police had got a 911 call from Valvani&#39;s wife at about 6 pm on Monday and he was pronounced dead by medical personal at 6:30 pm. 
 
The police spokesperson said Valvani&#39;s body was on the floor of the bedroom in his Brooklyn home and by the time the medical team reached the scene he was dead. 
 
Valvani&#39;s attorneys Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell termed his death as a &quot;horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend&quot;. 
 
They said he was a &quot;loving father, husband, son and brother and committed friend, colleague and mentor&quot;. 
 
&quot;We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence,&quot; they said in a statement. 
 
US Attorney Preet Bharara&#39;s office, which had brought the charges on June 15, declined to comment on the development. 
 
Former portfolio manager Stefan Lumiere was also charged along with Valvani in Manhattan federal court. 
 
A political intelligence consultant and former senior official at the Food and Drug Administration Gordon Johnston and former hedge fund portfolio manager Christopher Plaford had pled guilty and were cooperating with the government. 
 
The charges had alleged that between 2005 through January 2011, Valvani unlawfully obtained from Johnston highly confidential and material nonpublic information with the FDA about the agency&#39;s approval of pending generic drug applications. 
 
Valvani was also charged with passing certain highly confidential and material nonpublic information to Plaford, who also executed trades based on the information. 
 
Valvani was the latest Indian-origin hedge fund manager to be charged with insider trading. 
 
(PTI)

'...Charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence' says attorneys

A 44-year old Indian-origin hedge fund portfolio manager, who was charged last week with insider trading, has committed suicide in his apartment here. Sanjay Valvani, had faced securities fraud and wire fraud charges after he had used confidential information obtained from a former official at the Food and Drug Administration to trade in the securities of two pharmaceutical companies and earned about USD 25 million in trading profits. A New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed to PTI that Valvani had committed suicide. The spokesperson said Valvani left "a note" and had a "slash wound" to his neck and wrist. A knife was found by the body. The police had got a 911 call from Valvani's wife at about 6 pm on Monday and he was pronounced dead by medical personal at 6:30 pm. The police spokesperson said Valvani's body was on the floor of the bedroom in his Brooklyn home and by the time the medical team reached the scene he was dead. Valvani's attorneys Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell termed his death as a "horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend". They said he was a "loving father, husband, son and brother and committed friend, colleague and mentor". "We hope for the sake of his family and his memory that it will not be forgotten that the charges against him were only unproven accusations and he had always maintained his innocence," they said in a statement. US Attorney Preet Bharara's office, which had brought the charges on June 15, declined to comment on the development. Former portfolio manager Stefan Lumiere was also charged along with Valvani in Manhattan federal court. A political intelligence consultant and former senior official at the Food and Drug Administration Gordon Johnston and former hedge fund portfolio manager Christopher Plaford had pled guilty and were cooperating with the government. The charges had alleged that between 2005 through January 2011, Valvani unlawfully obtained from Johnston highly confidential and material nonpublic information with the FDA about the agency's approval of pending generic drug applications. Valvani was also charged with passing certain highly confidential and material nonpublic information to Plaford, who also executed trades based on the information. Valvani was the latest Indian-origin hedge fund manager to be charged with insider trading. (PTI)

Indian-origin hedge fund manager commits suicide after being charged with insider trading

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