India : Markets may open flat to positive in the backdrop of mixed global sentiments

Indian benchmark indices got off to a calm start on Tuesday lacking any significant trigger on the domestic front. However, the indices drifted into the negative zone in mid-morning session and registered intraday lows around noon session. In the last hour of the trading session indices slowly but steadily started gathering steam, and surged higher to end the session near day’s high. At the end of the day, the NSE’s 50-share broadly followed index, Nifty, got strengthened by over quarter per cent to settle above important psychological mark of  8,900; while Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensitive index-Sensex accumulated around hundred points and closed above the psychological 28,700 mark. The majority of the European markets ended Tuesday’s session solidly in positive territory. However, the FTSE 100 of the UK was one notable exception. The UK market struggled due to mixed corporate earnings and concerns over the upcoming French Presidential election. The DAX of Germany climbed 1.18 per cent and the CAC 40 of France rose 0.49 per cent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. declined 0.34 per cent.U.S. stocks extended their record winning streak on Tuesday with all three equity benchmarks ending at all-time highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 112.82 points to 20,737.83. The S&P 500 rose 13.92 points to 2,365.12. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 27.37 points to 5,865.95.The majority of Asian shares are trading in positive territory, however, Japan’s Index, Nikkei 225, is trading with losses of 36 points. Hang Seng and Shanghai Composite gained 0.82 and 0.09 per cent respectively.At 8:06 am, SGX Nifty Index gained 8.50 points to 8,919, indicating a flat start for Indian equities. Stocks of Bharat Electronics Ltd., will be in focus today. The government will sell equity shares in Bharat Electronics via offer for sale at a floor price of Rs 1,498 per share.