Market Ahead, October 17: All you need to know before the Opening Bell

Top headlines of the day:

>> IMF says US-China trade war will have 'real spillover effects' for EMs

>> Jio accuses Airtel, Vodafone Idea of fraudulently claiming inter-connect charges;  asks telecom regulatory authority to slap penalties

>> VTB Group acquires rights to sell 10.71% stake in Zee Entertainment Enterprise to recover loan

>> CRISIL reaffirms long-term rating of Indiabulls Housing Finance at 'AA+'

>> Reports suggests, Bharti's Sunil Mittal and Hero Group's Sunil Munjal eye stake in Yes Bank

Market cues:

Markets are trading in the positive zone and are likely to maintain the up-move albeit in narrow range. The upside move on the Nifty could face resistance at 11,600 mark in the short-term. 

For today, market investors would eye corporate earnings to steer through the trade. About 19 companies, including DHFL, Zee Entertainment, Force Motors, and TVS Motors are scheduled to report their September quarter earnings later in the day.

That apart, global cues, oil price movement, the rupee's value against the dollar and foreign investment by FIIs and DIIs will guide the market trajectory.

Trends on SGX Nifty suggest a flat start to the domestic markets today. At around 7:00 am, the Singaporean Exchange for Nifty Futures was trading 5 points lower. 

Globally, Asian shares were trading flat on Thursday after soft U.S. retail sales data raised concerns about the health of the world’s largest economy and risk of global recession. 

Besides, investors would await concrete decision on Brexit. Hopes are high on the prospects that the United Kingdom and the European Union could strike a fresh deal to avoid a no-deal exit in the summit slated for Thursday and Friday.

Both MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan and Japan's Nikkei were little changed in early trade. 

On Wall Street, US shares declined during the overnight trade on Wednesday. The Dow Jones slipped 0.08 per cent, the S&P500 declined 0.2 per cent, and the Nasdaq Composite settled 0.3 per cent lower. 

On Wednesday, the S&P BSE Sensex added 93 points or 0.24 per cent to settle at 38,599 level, while the broader Nifty50 index ended at 11,471.55 levels, up 43 points or 0.38 per cent.