What changed for the market while you were sleeping? Top 10 things to know

The Indian stock market is expected to open flat with Asian markets trading mixed following second wave of coronavirus and hopes about an economic recovery. SGX Nifty indicate a flat to positive opening for the index in India with a 10 points gain.

Sensex ended with a gain of 700 points, or 2.09 percent, at 34,208.05 on June 18 while Nifty settled 211 points, or 2.13 percent, higher at 10,091.65. According to pivot charts, the key support level for the Nifty is placed at 9,920.77, followed by 9,749.83. If the index moves up, the key resistance levels to watch out for are 10,186.92 and 10,282.13.

Stay tuned to Moneycontrol to find out what happens in currency and equity markets today. We have collated a list of important headlines across news platforms which could impact Indian as well as international markets:

US Markets

The S&P 500 closed nominally higher on Thursday as investors weighed a resurgence in coronavirus infections and the possibility of a new round of shutdowns as well as data that suggested the US economy might not bounce back with quick, V-shaped recovery.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 39.51 points, or 0.15%, to 26,080.1, the S&P 500 gained 1.85 points, or 0.06%, to 3,115.34 and the Nasdaq Composite added 32.52 points, or 0.33%, to 9,943.05.

Asian Markets

Asian stocks were set for gains on Friday although trade was likely to be choppy after a mixed Wall Street session with investor focus swinging between concerns about a second pandemic wave and more upbeat hopes about an economic recovery.

Australian S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 was up 0.7%. South Korea's KOSPI rose 0.3%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures were mostly unchanged.

SGX Nifty

Trends on SGX Nifty indicate a flat to positive opening for the index in India with a 10 points gain. The Nifty futures were trading at 10,044 on the Singaporean Exchange around 07:30 hours IST.

Oil prices inch up on faith in supply cuts, demand recovery

Oil prices pushed higher in early trade on Friday, building on gains in the previous session, after OPEC producers and allies promised to meet their supply cut commitments and two major oil traders said demand was recovering well.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed 14 cents, or 0.4%, to $38.98 a barrel at 0101 GMT, while Brent crude futures crawled up 7 cents, or 0.2%, to $41.58 a barrel. Both contracts rose around 2% on Thursday.

Measures to contain high volatility in market to be in force till July 30: SEBI

Capital markets regulator SEBI on Thursday said that the measures announced by it in March to contain volatility in securities market would continue to be in force till July 30.

"On review of the COVID-19 pandemic related situation, it has been decided that the regulatory measures introduced vide SEBI press release dated March 20, 2020, shall continue to be in force till July 30, 2020," the markets watchdog said in a press release issued on Thursday.

For stocks in F&O segment meeting certain criteria, MWPL might be revised to 50 per cent of the existing levels, it had said.

Indian economy to recover very fast: HDFC Bank CEO Aditya Puri

HDFC Bank MD and CEO Aditya Puri has said Indian GDP will recover "very fast" and pointed out that it is essential to get the growth rate back to the pre-COVID levels. The largest lender in the private sector will emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic "way way stronger" than it ever was, Puri said in an e-mail to the bank's employees earlier this month.

"The COVID crisis is a health crisis which killed supply and over a period of time demand as well. However, I am confident in the future of India and even brighter future of HDFC Bank. The GDP and the country will recover very fast," Puri, the founder chief executive of the lender who has been at the helm for 25 years, said.

India mulling economic measures against China, could limit Beijing's access to Indian market: Report

India is mulling economic measures against China, including limiting the country's access to India's huge market, as a response to its aggression on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) even as the Indian armed forces have been put on highest level of alert, Hindustan Times has reported.

According to the report, at least 100 Chinese products are looking at an anti-dumping action. India could extend safeguards and anti-dumping duties on more than two dozen Chinese products ranging from calculators and USB drivers to steel and Vitamin E.

Moreover, according to the report, future investments from China could be barred, including the participation of its firms in important projects such as the 5G market, four government officials said.

Angel fund's each scheme an independent investment vehicle: SEBI

Markets regulator Sebi has said each scheme of an angel fund is an independent investment vehicle with its own set of investors. It further said investors in angel fund have the option to selectively participate in investment schemes as each investment being a separate one. In addition, investors will be considered investors of only those specific schemes for which they have given approval.

The clarifications have been given as a part of informal guidance sought by Ankur Fincon Management Pvt Ltd with regard to certain provisions of Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) norms.

Plenty of liquidity available in the system: SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar

State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Rajnish Kumar on Thursday said that there is enough liquidity available in the system and also interest rates have moderated to a large extent. Speaking at Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Kumar said that both the RBI and the government have taken measures to bring back the economy, derailed by the pandemic, back on track. "The government and the RBI have taken measures to bring back the economy to the path of revival", he said.

Indian Inc earnings fall 22% in March quarter: ICRA

Earnings of India Inc fell by nearly a fourth in January-March as compared to the year-ago period due to legacy problems, Icra said on Thursday, warning of deeper impact in the June quarter due to COVID-19-induced lockdown. “Absolute earnings of the corporate India contracted by 22 percent and 12 percent in Q4FY20 and FY20, respectively. Further, the impact is expected to be even more pronounced during Q1 FY2021, given the stringent two-month long nationwide lockdown,” the rating agency said.

The study showed a 2.9 percent revenue contraction during the March quarter when compared to the year-ago same period, and a 0.30 percent dip in the operating profit margins to 16.8 percent, it said.

SEBI allows declassification of REIT, InvIT sponsor status

Markets regulator Sebi has put in place a framework for REITs and InvITs allowing declassification of the status of sponsor of these emerging investment instruments. Besides, the regulator has introduced the concept of inducted sponsor that could be any company or LLP or body corporate.

Sebi said that declassification of the status of a sponsor of a REIT and InvIT, whose units have been listed on the stock exchanges for a period of three years, would be permitted after receiving application from such investment vehicles.

Results on June 19

Punjab National Bank, Bajaj Electricals, LIC Housing Finance, Oil India, Cadila Healthcare, Camlin Fine Sciences, Century Plyboards, Confidence Petroleum India, Anuh Pharma, Astron Paper, Dalmia Bharat Sugar, Entertainment Network India, Greenlam Industries, Kirloskar Oil Engines, Novartis India, PTC India, The Ramco Cements, Ramco Systems, Unichem Laboratories and Zuari Agro Chemicals.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 366.57 crore and Rs 1,131.27 crore in the Indian equity market on June 18, provisional data available on the NSE showed.