MARKET LIVE: SGX Nifty signals weak start; RIL to announce Q3 results today

LIVE market updates: The SGX Nifty was trading 21 points down at 14,622, at 7:30 AM, signalling that the domestic benchmark indices could slip further at open on Friday after the S&P BSE Sensex failed to hold on to the 50,000 milestone in the previous session, on account of profit-booking.

Corporate results will remain the key area of focus for investors today. Besides, investors will also react to global cues and monitor other stock-specific developments, the Rupee's trajectory, and foreign fund flow.
Results today
 

A total of 41 companies, including Reliance Industries, Yes Bank, and HDFC Life Insurance Company, scheduled to announce their quarterly earnings.

Driven by a strong rebound in petrochemicals business, and supported by growth in the retail segment, Reliance Industries is expected to clock a 32 per cent sequential improvement in its net profit for the December quarter of the current financial year (Q3FY21) at Rs 12,600 crore. READ MORE

Global cues

On Wall Street, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs, up 0.03 per cent 0.55 per cent, respectively, on Thursday, pushed upward by continued optimism about economic stimulus to counteract the Covid-19 pandemic promised by newly inaugurated US President Joe Biden. The Dow Jones, meanwhile, fell 0.04 per cent.

Asian indices were largely lower in a mixed start on Friday. Japan's Nikkei slipped 0.3 per cent early Friday while Australia's ASX200 was down 0.2 per cent. On the other hand, Korea's Kospi was up 0.6 per cent.

(with input from Reuters)