The BSE Sensex snapped its five-session winning run to close 144 points lower on Thursday. The broader NSE Nifty also ended 0.38 per cent lower. However, the domestic benchmark indices are likely to return to their winning ways today as indicated by the SGX Nifty which was trading 30 points up at 13,550 levels.
This comes on the back of a mixed-to-positive trends in global markets. The main Wall Street indices ended mixed overnight amid Covid-19 relief package optimism and jobless benefits jumping to a near three-month high.
Overall, the Dow Jones fell 0.23 per cent, the S&P 500 lost 0.13 per cent and the Nasdaq added over half a per cent.
In Asia, too, stocks were mixed early Friday. Australian ASX 200 was down 0.3 per cent in early trading, while Japan’s Nikkei also down 0.7 per cent. Kospi, on the other hand, gained 0.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was a “strong possibility” the nation could split from the European Union without a trade agreement.
In commodities, oil prices climbed nearly 3 per cent, with Brent hitting levels not seen since early March, on hopes of a speedier recovery thanks to Covid-19 vaccines. Brent crude rose 2.8 per cent to settle at $50.25 a barrel.
Back home, investors will track global cues for the broader trend, but will also monitor macro data, Covid vaccine newsflow, and stock-specific developments.
In terms of macro data, industrial production and inflation data are set to be announced post market hours today. CPI in India increased to 7.61 per cent in October from 7.27 per cent in September.
On the Covid front, India's case tally now stands at 97.96 lakh while the country's death toll has mounted to 1.42 lakh.
And now, let's look at some developments that might trigger stock-specific reactions
Shares of UPL will continue to be in focus on Friday after the management clarified that the matter flagged by a whistleblower was an old matter and was reported to the audit committee in 2017. After an independent probe, the matter was closed, it said.
The offer-for-sale for the IRCTC got a good response from non-retail investors yesterday as the issue was subscribed nearly two times on day one. Retail investors will get chance to bid for the OFS today, which is the last day for the issue
The TVS group on Thursday decided to go for restructuring by giving each family group complete ownership of businesses they manage and scrapping the holding company. There won't be any cross holdings, the family has agreed, according to the new terms.
And, state-run Canara Bank yesterday said it has approved the issue price at Rs 103.50 per share for its qualified institutional placement to raise Rs 2,000 crore.
 "Market Ahead, December 11: Top factors that could guide markets today")
