Stocks to watch: Affle (India), ITC, Century Plyboards, insurance counters

At 08:43 am, Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) were trading 303 points or 2.53 per cent lower at 11,684 levels. 

Here's a look at the top stocks that may remain in focus today - 

Earnings today: As many as 76 companies are slated to release their December quarter results today. The list includes names such as Affle (India), Borosil, Century Plyboards, and Hawkins Cookers. 

ITC, other cigarette firms: Shares of ITC and other cigarette and tobacco firms are expected to trade actively as the government proposed to increase excise duty on tobacco in the Union Budget. 

Life insurance firms: The life insurance sector felt an unprecedented jolt when the Union Budget introduced the new optional regime for personal income tax, which while lowering rates takes away most deductions and exemptions which individuals could avail for subscribing to insurance products.

Oil-linked stocks such as OMCs, paint, tyre and aviation may remain in focus as crude oil prices extended decline on Monday, dragged down by worries about lower demand in the world’s largest oil importer China following the coronavirus breakout.

M&M: Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) on Saturday reported a 4 per cent increase in tractor sales at 23,116 units in January. The company had sold 22,212 tractors in the same month last year.

Tata Motors: India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer Tata Motors Ltd reported an 18% year-on-year (YoY) fall in total domestic sales to 45,242 units in January, as against 54,915 units in the same month a year ago.

Coal India: State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) on Saturday said it produced 451.52 million tonnes of coal in April-January period of the ongoing fiscal, a decline of 3.8 per cent. The company had produced 469.65 million tonnes (MT) of coal in the year-ago period, CIL said in a filing to the BSE.

PVR: CRISIL has upgraded its rating on the non-convertible debentures and long-term bank facilities of PVR Limited (PVR) to

'CRISIL AA/Stable' from 'CRISIL AA-/Stable'.

HCL Tech: IT major HCL Technologies is looking to increase the workforce at its Lucknow facility by 50 per cent by the end of next financial year 2020-21.

ONGC, Oil India: ONGC, IOC and other oil PSUs will invest over Rs  98,521 crore in the coming fiscal starting April 1 in exploring for oil and  gas, refineries, petrochemicals and laying pipelines to meet needs of the  world's fastest-growing energy consuming nation. 

Cochin Shipyard: The company has taken 100% stake in an SPV which it  formed along with Hooghly Dock and Port Engineers Limited for modernisation  and renovation of the two dry docks on western bank of the Hooghly river, an  official said.