Sensex, Nifty50 likely to open a weak note amid mixed global cues: HAL, Reliance Industries, IT stocks in focus on Friday

• India’s equity markets are likely to open on a weak note on Friday amid mixed global cues.
  
• SGX Nifty, an early indicator of how the markets may perform, was down 0.1% or 16 points early in the morning today.
  
• HAL, Reliance Industries, IT stocks will be in focus on Friday.
  

India’s equity markets are likely to open on a weak note on Friday amid mixed global cues. SGX Nifty, an early indicator of how the markets may perform, was down 0.1% or 16 points early in the morning today.

Earlier on Thursday, the markets ended lower with the Sensex declining 0.5% to close at 57,925, while Nifty50 fell 0.44% to close at 17,077.

Crude oil prices continued to soften on sombre global economic outlook. Brent crude oil prices declined 0.13% on Friday morning to $75.74 per barrel. Gold prices climbed by over INR 800 to INR 59,591 per 10 grams.

Global markets mixed

Positive comments from US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen helped US markets climb, with Dow Jones rising 0.15% while S&P 500 gained 0.23%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 1.01%.

Markets in Asia, however, were largely in the red on Friday morning. KOSPI and Shanghai Composite were both down 0.64%, while the Hang Seng was 0.33% in the red. Nikkei 225 fell 0.26%, while Taiwan Weighted was marginally up by 0.05%.

Stocks to watch

Hindustan Aeronautics: The government is about to now sell 3.5% stake in the aerospace and defence company with 1.75% of base offer along with an additional 1.75% by exercising greenshoe option as the offer for sale was subscribed 4.5 times its base size. The issue will open for retail investors on Friday. Government owns a 75% stake in the company.

IT stocks: The IT sector is likely to get affected after its peer Accenture reported a revenue of $15.81 billion in Q2 beating its guidance of $15.2-$15.75 billion. It has also revised down FY23 revenue guidance to 8% to 10% from 8% to 11% earlier. It also announced to lay off 19,000 employees, which are 2.5% of its headcount due to wage inflation and cost streamlining.

Reliance Industries: Piramal Realty and Jio-bp have partnered to install EV charging stations across Piramal’s residential projects in Mumbai. Jio-bp is a joint venture between RIL and bp announced on March 23.

Vedanta: The company’s board will consider payment of fifth interim dividend for FY23 on March 28.

SpiceJet: The low fare airline is planning to sell more shares in the company to reduce its liabilities as its liabilities at the end of December quarter stood at ₹14,000 crore, as per reports.

Campus Activewear: American alternative asset management firm TPG Global has planned to sell 7.62% stake worth ₹800 crore in the company via block deal of ₹345 per share, say reports.

Canara Bank: The lender has sold its stake in Russian joint venture Commercial Indo Bank LLC to the other venture partner State Bank of India for about ₹121.29 crore.

SEE ALSO:

16 startups have laid off 100 percent employees in 2023 so far – 3 of them in India

Time to buy your new hot wheels? Automakers set to increase prices of vehicles to meet stricter emission norms

Shinier Zomato Gold, better commissions makes analysts bullish in the long term