• Benchmark indices hold gains after flat start
• Nifty up 0.5% at 11,182
• Sensex up 0.4% at 38,095
• Nifty Bank down 0.2% at 21,806
• Nifty Midcap index up 0.4%
• Nifty Smallcap index up 1%
• India Volatility Index down 1.5% at 24.64
• Nifty Media is the top sectoral laggard; down 1.2%
• Nifty Auto is the top sectoral gainer; up 1.8%
• Nifty I.T. gains for the third straight day; up 1.4%
• Nifty Metal is the other sectoral gainer; up 1%
• Tech Mahindra is the top Nifty gainer; up 3.5%
• Bharti Infratel is the top Nifty laggard; down 2.3%
• 972 stocks on the NSE trade with gains while 686 decline

The currency opened with modest losses after ending unchanged on Monday.

The rupee opened at 74.87 against the U.S. Dollar as compared to Monday's close of 74.83.

The currency gave up all of its intra-day gains on Monday to end unchanged.

DCB Bank believes that the support for the USD-INR pair is seen at 74.50, adding that a dollar crash as a result of G-10 currency strength may lead to breaking of those levels.

Within the bond markets, 11 Indian states plan to sell bonds worth Rs 14,000 crore in today's session.

South Indian Bank believes that the short-end of the sovereign curve has run out of juice and that their rally is nearly over.

The company's Board of Directors have approved the issuance of rated, secured, redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) worth Rs 10 lakh each.

The NCDs worth Rs 150 crore will be allotted on a private placement basis.

The company will retain the oversubscription option up to Rs 350 crore, the exchange filing said.

Shares gained as much as 2.5% to Rs 187. The stock is now trading at the highest level in six months.

• India's new cases are lesser as compared to Monday
• 47,703 cases reported in the last 24 hours
• Total cases now at 14,83,156
• Active cases at 4,96,988
• Patients that are cured / discharged / migrated at 9,52,743
• Death toll rises to 33,425
• 654 deaths reported in the last 24 hours
• 35,175 patients recovered over the last 24 hours.

The defence PSU reported a net profit during the quarter, contrary to Bloomberg consensus expectations of a net loss. Profit however declined 74% compared to the previous year while Ebitda fell close to 60%.

Margins halved as compared to the same period last year. Order book for the company stood at Rs 53,752 crore.

The company in a press statement said that revenue and profitability was impacted due to Covid-19 related developments.

Shares are trading at the day's low - down as much as 3% to Rs 96.5. The stock is trading lower for the third straight day.