The Indian benchmark indices are set to open marginally higher on Tuesday amid strong cues from other Asian peers.
The Asian markets have opened on a higher note tracking Wall Street gains as the focus shifted to corporate earnings and looming economic data from China, while Wall Street closed higher in the previous trading session as investors were optimistic about earnings season and appeared less worried about US-led missile attacks in Syria.
On the economy front, the markets may react to a report that the World Bank has forecasted a growth rate of 7.3 percent for India this year and 7.5 percent for 2019 and 2020. Also, according to the Indian Meteorological Department forecast the country will receive normal monsoon rainfall this year raising hopes for higher farm output and a boost to the rains-dependent rural economy.
Around nine companies are likely to report their March quarter numbers today including 5paisa Capital, CRISIL, Gujarat Hotels, International Travel House, Muthoot Capital Services, Onelife Capital Advisors, Orchid Pharma, Schaeffler India and Tata Sponge Iron.
Muted trends in the SGX Nifty Index Futures for April delivery, which were trading at 10,548, up by 1 point or 0.01 per cent, at 10:26 AM Singapore time, signalled a flat to higher opening for the domestic bourses.
Indian benchmarks ended higher for eighth straight session, their longest gaining run so far this year following a slew of positive economic data that revived overall investors' sentiment despite mixed global cues. The 30-share benchmark index closed trading at 34305.43 up by 112.78 points or by 0.33 per cent, while the NSE Nifty was at 10528.35 up by 47.75 points or by 0.46 per cent.
Top traded Volumes on NSE Nifty – Tata Motors Ltd. 19157051.00, ICICI Bank Ltd. 16874313.00, State Bank of India 16408377.00, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. 12701567.00, Infosys Ltd. 12372542.00, On NSE, total number of shares traded was 129.07 Crore and total turnover stood at Rs. 29219.70 Crore. On NSE Future and Options, total number of contracts traded in index futures was 227425 with a total turnover of Rs. 20200.63 Crore. Along with this total number of contracts traded in stock futures were 709769 with a total turnover of Rs. 53120.27 Crore. Total numbers of contracts for index options were 5066592 with a total turnover of Rs. 459318.08 Crore. and total numbers of contracts for stock options were 598559 with a total turnover of Rs. 45813.36 Crore. The FIIs on 16/04/2018 stood as net buyer in equity and debt. Gross equity purchased stood at Rs. 4629.83 Crore and gross debt purchased stood at Rs. 2106.10 Crore, while the gross equity sold stood at Rs. 4713.75 Crore and gross debt sold stood at Rs. 1141.09 Crore. Therefore, the net investment of equity and debt reported were Rs. -83.92 Crore and Rs. 965.01