Markets at a glance

The Sensex clocked 645.7 points, up 3.6 per cent to close at 18,419 points on the week ended Friday, October 12. The Nifty on the other hand gained 4.6 per cent to 5428 points.

Strong foreign investment flows and stable markets across the globe were the main driving factors. Expectations of good second quarter results too contributed to the rally.

What to expect this week?
The government's announcement on freeze of the nuclear deal in order to avoid early polls is likely to rob the bourses of the upcoming festive mood.

Strong Q2 results may provide some support on the downside, but profit booking may kick in since the markets have advanced significantly over the past few weeks. Domestic as well as foreign institutional investors are likely to keep up liquidity in select sectors.