A flat opening on the cards

Trading of Nifty 50 futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates a flat opening on the domestic bourses today, 21 December 2015.

In overseas markets, Asian stocks were trading mixed. US stocks fell sharply during the previous trading session on Friday, 18 December 2015, on continued weakness in crude oil prices with the simultaneous expiration of individual stock and index futures and options known as a quadruple witching generating heavy trading volume.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 6.99 crore on Friday, 18 December 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 404.98 crore on Friday, 18 December 2015, as per provisional data.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and Asian Paints will replace Vedanta and Hindalco Industries from the 30-share S&P BSE Sensex with effect from today, 21 December 2015.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) announced on Saturday, 19 December 2015 that it has received a warning letter from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) as a result of the September 2014 inspection, for its facility located at Halol in Gujarat. Sun Pharma said it has responded to the USFDA inspection observations with a robust remediation process that is still on-going, with significant investments in automation and training to enhance its quality systems. Sun Pharma has been working with external consultants to ensure its remediation activities have been completed in an appropriate manner, the company said in a statement. Post September 2014 inspection, the USFDA has withheld future product approvals from the Halol facility. This situation may continue until all issues are resolved, Sun Pharma said. The company expects to request a re-inspection by USFDA upon completion of its remediation commitments. Sun Pharma and the Halol facility will continue to supply important drug products to meet its obligations to its customers and the patients who use its drugs in the United States and around the world, the company said. Sun Pharma will respond to this warning letter with a detailed plan within the stipulated time frame, the company said in a statement.

Eicher Motors announced after market hours on Friday, 18 December 2015, that the company is back to normalcy at its Royal Enfield production facilities in Thiruvottiyur and Oragadam, and are running at 100% of their installed capacity. It may be recalled that due to recent heavy rains and flooding in Chennai, both of the company's Royal Enfield production facilities in Thiruvottiyur and Oragadam were shut from 1 December to 6 December 2015. Later, the company had on 8 December 2015 announced resumption of the production of Royal Enfield motorcycles at these two manufacturing facilities on 7 December 2015, albeit with these facilities operating at 50% of their installed capacity.

Losses for IT, metal sector stocks and index heavyweights Reliance Industries and ITC led losses for Indian stocks on Friday, 18 December 2015. The Sensex fell 284.56 points or 1.10% to settle at 25,519.22, its lowest closing level since 16 December 2015.

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