Financial Market Overview

Indian Rupee

• Indian rupee traded higher at 72.92/72.93, compared to 72.9750/72.9850 in the previous session, amid portfolio flows and speculation that the RBI will cap Rupee appreciation.
• The benchmark 5.77% bond maturing in 2030 was trading little changed at 98.79 rupees, yielding 5.94%, compared to 98.77 rupees and 5.94% yield at previous close, amid prospects that the RBI will cap any major upside in yields.

Indian Equities

• The benchmark BSE Sensex and the NSE index fell 0.06% and 0.05% respectively, in a rough trading session, weighed down by losses in Reliance Industries after it reported lower-than-expected revenue.
• Reliance industries, Asian Paints and HCL Technologies were among the losers.

Global Markets

• Asian equities rose to near all-time highs as worries over increasing coronavirus cases and delays in vaccine supplies were overshadowed by US fiscal stimulus optimism. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.7% at 28,822.29, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 1.8% to 29,983.32, while the Shanghai Composite was little changed at 3,609.09.
• European markets finished lower on Friday with shares in France leading the region. The CAC 40 fell 0.56% while London's FTSE 100 was off 0.30% and Germany's DAX was down by 0.24%.
• On Wall Street, the S&P 500 dropped 0.3% to 3,841.47, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.6% to 30,996.98 while the Nasdaq rose 0.1% to 13,543.06
• Brent was flat at $55.41 a barrel while the U.S. crude rose 3 cents to $52.30.