Explore Business Standard
Stock markets are likely to trade in a range-bound manner in a holiday-shortened week where trading activity of foreign investors, currency movement and global macroeconomic data announcements are expected to drive sentiments, analysts said. Several global markets may see subdued activity on account of Christmas and New Year holidays, an expert said. The domestic stock market would be closed on Thursday for Christmas. "This week marks the onset of the year-end festive period and will be holiday-shortened due to the Christmas break, which may keep trading volumes subdued. On the domestic front, markets will track infrastructure output data, along with updates on bank loan growth, deposit growth, and foreign exchange reserves. Currency movement and crude oil prices will also remain important variables. "Globally, performance of major marketsparticularly the USwill be closely monitored for directional cues," Ajit Mishra SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said. "While strong domest
The World Bank has approved USD 700 million in financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country's macroeconomic stability and service delivery, media reports said on Saturday. According to the lender, funds will be released under the bank's Public Resources for Inclusive Development Multiphase Programmatic Approach (PRID-MPA), which could provide up to USD 1.35 billion in total financing, the Dawn newspaper reported. Of this amount, USD 600 million will go for federal programmes and USD 100 million will support a provincial programme in Sindh. The approval follows a USD 47.9 million World Bank grant in August to improve primary education in Punjab. A separate statement issued by the lender quoted Bolormaa Amgaabazar, the World Bank's country director for Pakistan, as saying, Pakistan's path to inclusive, sustainable growth requires mobilising more domestic resources and ensuring they are used efficiently and transparently to deliver results for
India has to generate 8 million jobs per year at least for the next 10-12 years and raise the share of manufacturing in GDP as it strives to achieve the vision of becoming a developed country by 2047, Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India V Anantha Nageswaran said. "We have a vision to achieve a developed India by 2047. The biggest challenge, apart from India's size, is that the external environment is not going to be so benign for the next 10-20 years as one might have had in the last 30 years, starting from 1990 or so, Nageswaran said here Saturday. But within this context - that's a given, you can't choose your external environment beyond a point - we have to generate 8 million jobs per year at least for the next 10 to 12 years...And raise the manufacturing share of GDP, in the context of China having achieved such a tremendous manufacturing dominance, especially post-COVID, he said. Nageswaran was addressing the Columbia India Summit 2025 hosted by the Deepak and Nee
Equity markets will take cues from the US tariff related developments, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors this week, analysts said. Markets may face volatile trends going ahead as investor sentiment continue to remain weak due to escalating trade tariff concerns and foreign fund outflows, experts noted. In February alone, the NSE Nifty tanked 1,383.7 points or 5.88 per cent. The BSE Sensex lost 4,302.47 points or 5.55 per cent last month. From its record peak of 85,978.25 hit on September 27 last year, the BSE benchmark index is down 12,780.15 points or 14.86 per cent. The Nifty dropped 4,152.65 points or 15.80 per cent from its lifetime high of 26,277.35 hit on September 27, 2024. "Investors will be closely watching key events, including the tariff policy, and jobless claims. In the near term, market conditions are expected to remain weak, with a gradual recovery anticipated as earnings improve from Q1 FY26 and global trade policy uncertainties subside," Vinod
Investors would track a host of macroeconomic data announcements scheduled this week, including inflation numbers, and also monitor global market trends, and trading activity of foreign institutional investors, analysts said. The ongoing quarterly earnings announcements and the rupee-dollar trend would also influence the markets. "This week is set to be dynamic for global and Indian markets, driven by key macroeconomic data releases and corporate earnings. Market sentiment will be shaped by inflation figures, industrial production data, and major earnings announcements," Master Trust Group Director Puneet Singhania said. On Wednesday, the US inflation data for January will be in focus. Later in the day, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's testimony will be closely watched for insights into interest rate expectations, Singhania said. "For India, inflation and industrial production data will be released on February 12," he said. On Thursday, the UK's GDP growth data will be released and on Fr
Macroeconomic data announcements, trading activity of foreign investors and global trends will guide equity market movement this week, which would also mark the beginning of the new calendar year and month, analysts said. Movement of rupee, which registered the steepest fall in almost two years to hit its lifetime intra-day low on Friday, will also be tracked by investors. "Persistent FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors) selling has been a source of pressure on Indian markets, and their stance in the new year could shape near-term trends. Meanwhile, monthly auto sales data will also be closely watched. As the Q3 earnings season approaches, corporate quarterly updates will begin trickling in, setting the stage for market expectations," Santosh Meena, Head of Research, Swastika Investmart Ltd, said. On the international front, key economic indicators like manufacturing PMI data from China and the US, along with US jobless claims, will play a crucial role, Meena said. However, the .