Pre-Market: Markets likely to open higher

Gains in US and Asian markets likely to support early upmove

Markets are expected to open on a positive note tracking gains in Asian shares.

Domestic investors are likely to focus on the fourth quarter earnings season, which begins with Infosys results on Friday, say analysts.

Global risk appetite was firm  after positive earnings in US raised hopes over growth recovery in the world's largest economy.

At 6AM IST, SGX Nifty traded up 39 points at 5534.00.

Asian shares traded mixed in opening deals as investors awaited cues from Chinese trade data later in the session and the minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's last monetary policy meeting, late Wednesday for any signal on whether the central bank could slow or halt its asset buying stimulus.

Overnight, US stocks surged on a rally in cyclical shares and as earnings season started to heat up.

The Dow Jones industrial average advanced 59.98 points, or 0.41 percent, to 14,673.46, a record closing high. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 5.54 points, or 0.35 percent, to 1,568.61. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 15.61 points, or 0.48 percent, to close at 3,237.86.

Following stocks are expected to move today

Anglo-Dutch major Unilever may further correct today after it released an annual report for 2012 which said there was a risk of a modest slowdown in India, China and Brazil.

Tata Steel, India's biggest producer, is considering selling some of its UK assets as a weakening economy erodes demand leaving factories underutilised, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services provider, said it would acquire France-based Alti SA for euro 75 million (around Rs 533 crore) in an all-cash deal.

Sistema Shyam on Tuesday announced a net loss of Rs 779 crore for the quarter ended December 2012, compared with a net loss of Rs 1,197 crore in the year-ago period