The benchmark Sensex and Nifty indices are likely to open gap-up on March 1 as trends in the GIFT Nifty indicate a strong start for the broader index with a gain of 203 points. In a highly volatile session on February F&O expiry day, the Indian benchmarks ended with marginal gains with the Nifty finishing around 22,000 level. At close on February 29, the Sensex was up 195.42 points.

Rajkot-based savory snacks maker Gopal Snacks Ltd has set the price band at Rs 381-401 a share for its Rs 650-crore initial public offering that will open on March 6. The anchor book will be open on March 5 and the issue will close on 11th. The allotment of the issue will be on March 12 and credit of shares to demat account will be on 12th. The stock will list on exchanges on March 14.

Bengaluru: Edtech unicorn upGrad has appointed former DealShare executive Venkatesh Tarakkad as its chief financial officer, the company said in a statement on Friday.In his new role, Tarakkad will be responsible for overseeing upGrad’s domestic and global financial strategies, encompassing a broader spectrum of areas such as investor relations, business finance, corporate finance.

The Indian stock market indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open higher on Friday led by positive global market cues.The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a positive start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 22,195 level, a premium of more than 30 points from Nifty futures’ previous close.On Thursday, the benchmark equity indices ended the choppy session.

Day trading guide for the Indian stock market today: Aided by monthly F&O expiry and MSCI rebalancing volumes, the Indian stock market witnessed sharp upside movement in the last 30 minutes of the Thursday session. The Nifty 50 index ended 31 points higher at 21,982 level, the BSE Sensex went up 195 points and closed at the 72,500 mark whereas the Bank Nifty index scaled 157 points north.

Japan's Nikkei hit a fresh record high on Friday, buoyed by the bounce on Wall Street as a key U.S. inflation reading was in line with expectations, while markets elsewhere in Asia were more subdued on China's still-uncertain economic outlook. The Nikkei index gained 1.8% to hit a fresh all-time high, extending a surge of 7.9% the previous month when it breached levels last seen in 1989.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs on Thursday, buoyed by tech stocks linked to AI, while inflation data and comments from Federal Reserve officials helped shape expectations for the timing of the central bank's interest rate cuts. Heavyweight chipmaker Nvidia advanced 2.08% as one of the biggest boosts to the benchmark S&P index and Nasdaq while smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices.

Suven Pharmaceuticals: Global private equity firm Advent International has merged two of its pharmaceutical portfolio firms, Cohance Lifesciences and Suven Pharmaceuticals, according to a joint announcement. The merged entity will have three distinct business units – Pharma CDMO, Spec Chem CDMO, and API+ (inclusive of formulations), the release said.

The market is on a rally with the indices scaling newer highs a number of times since last April, but a popular breadth analyser indicates a period of consolidation ahead. The forecast is based on a dip in the average advance-to-decline ratio, which compares the number of rising stocks to falling stocks, in February below 1 for the first time in 11 months.

Gold prices firmed near month-high levels on Friday and were set for a second weekly rise after data showed that U.S. inflation was gradually easing, while traders turned their focus to remarks from a slew of Federal Reserve officials. FUNDAMENTALS * Spot gold was steady at $2,043.98 per ounce, as of 0150 GMT, after hitting $2050.59 on Thursday - its highest level since Feb.

Oil prices rose on Friday and were set to end the week modestly higher as talks over a potential ceasefire in Gaza were further complicated by the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians waiting for an aid delivery. Brent futures for April delivery rose 29 cents, or 0.4%, to $82.20 a barrel by 0118 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 22 cents, or 0.3%, to $78.48.

India's blockbuster GDP growth of 8.4 percent in the third quarter of the current fiscal defied expectations, pegged at a three-quarter low of 6.5 percent, by a mile. Economists were left positively surprised by the pace of growth seen in the December quarter which was buoyed by a sharp rise in manufacturing and construction activities at 11.6 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively.

Leading adhesive and construction chemicals manufacturer Pidilite Industries on Thursday announced the appointment of Sudhanshu Vats as Managing Director designate. Incumbent Bharat Puri will step down in April next year after the completion of his tenure as Managing Director, according to a statement from Pidilite Industries.

Bharat Highways InvIT IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of Bharat Highways InvIT was fully subscribed on the second day of bidding, driven by stable demand from investors. Bharat Highways InvIT IPO hit the Indian primary market and opened for subscription on Wednesday, February 28, and will remain open till Friday, March 1, 2024.

A strong GDP growth at 8.4 percent (y-o-y) in Q3, FY24 and at 7.6 percent (y-o-y) for the full year FY24 shows the remarkable resilience of the Indian economy despite increased global headwinds and climate-related risks. Interestingly the primary drivers of GDP growth during FY24 so far have been the manufacturing and construction sectors.