The key domestic benchmarks are likely to open on a flattish note today
tracking subdued cues from Asian markets which were trading little changed after
minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meet in October showed some
policymakers were concerned about low inflation. China’s Shanghai Composite and
Hang Seng were trading with slim gains as a sharp slowdown in Chinese factory
growth weighed on sentiment. HSBC China manufacturing PMI hit a six-month low of
50 in November, signaling no change in manufacturing activity over the previous
month, when the reading stood at 50.4 Japan’s Nikkei 225 was trading flat even
as a weaker yen boosted the appeal of exporter stocks while investors awaited
the conclusion of the Bank of Japan’s two-day meet where it was set to stick to
record stimulus. Japan’s exports rose the most in eight months, up 9.6 per cent,
year on year in October 2014. Back home, after touching new heights in recent
sessions, the Sensex may take a slight breather with all eyes fixated on the
RBI’s next policy meet on December 2 as receding inflation ups pressure on the
central bank to cut interest rates.
