Markets likely to open positive tracking mixed global cues

Indian equities are expected to open with a positive bias tracking mixed cues from the Asian equities. The early indicator, SGX Nifty is trading with 0.3% gains.

The markets closed higher on Monday with BSE Sensex reclaiming the crucial 26,000 mark while the Nifty50 closing above its psychological mark of 7,900.

Meanwhile, investors will remain cautious ahead of F&O expiry of the December series, scheduled for December 31, 2015.

On commodities, the renewed downfall in crude oil prices has put pressure on the global equities with Brent again going near an 11-year low to quote at $36.60/barrel pressured by weak Japanese consumption of oil and renewed worries about oversupply.

Gold struggled to recover from overnight losses as a continuous slide in oil prices dented demand for the yellow metal.

Meanwhile, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 302.62 crore on Monday as per provisional stock exchange data.

GLOBAL MARKETS

The Asian markets are trading mixed as crude oil prices resume their downward journey. Shanghai Composite is 0.2% lower while HangSeng is 0.1% higher. Nikkei is trading flat.

The slide in crude oil prices weighed on the energy shares on Wall Street thus dragging the US equities to close lower.

STOCKS TO WATCH

Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs): The three government oil marketing companies (OMCs) - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) - might jointly set up a mega refinery at Ratnagiri in coastal Maharashtra.

Bharti Airtel:  Bharti Airtel has launched a special website www.airtel.in/leap which will allow its customers to see the updates related to Project Leap - Rs 60,000 crore network transformation program on the site.

Infosys: Infosys will formally inaugurate its new campus at Pocharam here in February, according to chief executive officer and managing director Vishal Sikka.

SpiceJet: SpiceJet on Monday announced a four-day sale, offering one-way base fares as low as Rs 716 for the journey period between January 15 and April 12 next year for domestic fliers. Special fares under a “Happy New Year Sale” are available for flying on domestic routes, SpiceJet said

L&T Infotech: L&T Infotech is looking to raise over Rs 2,000 crore through IPO in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal to fund its expansion plans.

Lupin: Drug major Lupin has received US health regulator's approval to market Fyavolv tablets, used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis, in the American market.