Pre-Session: Weak global cues may trigger selling

28-Feb-18: Market may slide on opening bell, mirroring weak cues from Asian markets and overnight slump in the US stocks. Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could fall 58.50 points at the opening bell.

The government will announce data on third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) after market hours today, 28 February 2018. GDP growth had recovered to 6.3% in Q2 September 2017 from 5.7% recorded in Q1 June 2017.

Markit Economics will unveil the results of a monthly survey on the performance of India's manufacturing sector for February 2018 at 10:30 IST today, 28 February 2018. The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, or PMI, had fallen to 52.4 in January 2018, reflecting a slower growth after the index reached a 5-year high at 54.7 in December 2017.

Overseas, Asian stocks fell across the board following a sharp pullback in US stocks after US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's hawkish comments to Congress. Weaker than expected economic data from China and Japan also dampened sentiment.

China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 50.3 in February from 51.3 in January, government data showed Wednesday. The fall left the gauge the closest to the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction since August 2016.

Japanese industrial production fell 6.6% in January from a month earlier, following December's 2.9% increase, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

US stocks ended sharply lower on Tuesday, 27 February 2018, following the first public appearance of Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman, replacing Janet Yellen. Powell conveyed an upbeat picture of the US economy but the market focused on his emphasis on coming rate hikes in 2018 and an end to easy-money policies as the central bank tries to stave off once-dormant inflation.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 906.86 crore yesterday, 27 February 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1046.67 crore yesterday, 27 February 2018, as per provisional data.

Among corporate news, Cipla and Roche Pharma India announced that the two companies have entered in to an agreement under which Cipla will promote and distribute tocilizumab (Actemra) and Syndyma, the 2nd brand of Roche's cancer therapy, bevacizumab (Avastin) in India. This partnership is in line with Cipla and Roche's efforts to improve healthcare and increase access to innovative, life-changing medicines in India, particularly to patients who currently do not have access to them. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 February 2018.

Umang Vohra, MD & Global CEO Cipla said that the prevalence of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis is widely spread across India, and Cipla can contribute to provide broader access to innovative medicines like tocilizumab and bevacizumab.

Tata Consultancy Services announced that Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate of Oman, has gone live with TCS BaNCS Universal Banking for its fund and investment banking operations. This deployment is a strategic upgrade to its earlier platform solution and will provide extensive capabilities for multiple asset classes such as funds, equities, fixed income and money markets. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 February 2018.

TCS Financial Solutions has been a strategic partner of Bank Muscat for the past 15 years and TCS BaNCS' advanced breadth and depth of this additional functionality will position the bank for higher growth and operational efficiency. This TCS BaNCS' upgrade will optimize the Bank's operational efficiency and processes. The new solution will both enhance workflows and reduce time taken on fund and investment banking operations.

Domestic stocks suffered modest losses, snapping two-day gains, in a volatile session yesterday, 27 February 2018. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 99.36 points or 0.29% to settle at 34,346.39. The Nifty 50 index fell 28.30 points or 0.27% to settle at 10,554.30.

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