Markets to remain volatile ahead of F&O expiry

Markets are likely to open flat and volatility will be seen ahead of March F&O expiry today

Markets are likely to open on a cautious note mirroring mixed Asian cues. Further, volatility cannot be ruled out ahead of the expiry of March derivative contracts later today.

At 8:35am, the SGX Nifty was down 1.5 points at 7,743.

Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the equities to the tune of Rs 1,442 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional stock exchange data.

GLOBAL MARKET

Asian shares rose on Thursday, taking early cues from Wall Street gains overnight, as receding worries of near-term U.S. interest rate hikes continued to buoy risk sentiment.

The dollar hovered near seven-week lows versus the euro as cautious comments from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen earlier in the week on monetary tightening continued to resonate.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.4 percent. Australian stocks added 1.3 percent. Japan's Nikkei .N225 rose 0.7 percent.

Following such cautious views from top Fed officials, the Dow .DJI climbed 0.5 percent and the S&P 500 .SPX rose 0.4 percent overnight. The CBOE Market Volatility Index .VIX, Wall Street's "fear gauge", ended down 1.9 percent at its lowest level since August.

CORPORATE NEWS

 Three public sector lenders, including Oriental Bank of Commerce and Vijaya Bank have received approval from the government for capital infusion of up to Rs 1,000 crore.

Natco Pharma's  board has approved to sell its 'Save Mart Pharmacy Stores' in the US. 

Reliance Capital, part of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, on Wednesday announced the completion of an additional 23 per cent stake sale in Reliance Life Insurance (RLI) to Nippon Life Insurance (NLI) for Rs 2,265 crore.
 

Brigade Enterprises which holds licences to build World Trade Centers in five southern cities, will build its third WTC after Bengaluru and Kochi in Chennai. 

Hindustan Zinc's board of directors have declared a special golden jubilee dividend of 1200%-- the highest by any private company in India. 

Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd's (JISL) food processing arm has raised Rs 402 crore from Mandala Capital for growth of the company.

With Reuters inputs