Indian equity indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty are expected to have a positive opening on Thursday. The previous day, NSE Nifty 50 gained 96.80 points while BSE Sensex closed higher. Wall Street also closed in the green with Dow Jones, Nasdaq Composite, and S&P 500 all gaining. US Dollar Index traded lower. WTI and Brent crude prices are down in morning trading.

Japan has fallen from being the world's 2nd-largest economy to 4th, behind Germany. This is due to a decline in competitiveness and productivity, as well as a shrinking population. The country's real GDP shrank by 0.4% in the latest quarter, revealing its weakening state. Options for improvement include immigration and robotics, but Japan's traditional economic success may now be a th...

Gold prices remained near a two-month low as traders assessed contrasting views from U.S. Federal Reserve officials on January's higher-than-expected inflation, which has dampened expectations for early and significant interest rate cuts. Fed officials have expressed confidence in reaching their 2% inflation target but also acknowledge potential bumps on the way.

Mutual funds capitalized on a drop in HDFC Bank shares in January by buying shares worth Rs 13,850 crore. This brought their total holdings to 136.26 crore shares, but the value decreased due to poor earnings. HDFC Bank's stock price fell by 14.4% in January due to disappointing financials, but Jefferies maintains a 'buy' rating and anticipates improved growth in Q1FY25.

HCLTech has directed its Digital Foundation Services employees to report to office at least three days a week starting February 19, following similar mandates from other major IT companies. Failure to comply can result in disciplinary action and warnings of unpaid leave. Senior managers and leaders have already transitioned to a hybrid work model, and this will now apply to all DFS employees.

Mining company Vedanta Resources, facing high debt of $6.4 billion, may sell $1 billion worth shares to investment firm GQG Partners to improve finances. This comes after previous attempts by chairman Anil Agarwal to reduce debt, including trying to take the company private and splitting it into six companies. GQG Partners recently raised its stake in Adani Ports.

Indian stock markets continued to rise for the second day, closing higher with support from end-of-day buying in energy, metal, and utility stocks. However, valuations remain high and there are downside risks as the fear gauge has not yet settled down. The yield gap between Sensex and US treasuries has turned negative, potentially making Indian equities less attractive to overseas investors.

Indian insurance regulator may increase the free-look period from 15 days to 30 days, allowing policyholders more time to return policies they find unsuitable. The draft regulations also propose mandatory electronic issuance for policies with sums insured over Rs 100 or premiums over Rs 10, and obtaining nomination at time of issue or renewal.

GIFT Nifty traded higher, up 65.50 points or 0.30% at 21,978.50, indicating a positive start for domestic indices NSE Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex on Thursday. The equity indices in the Asia-Pacific region recovered after falling on Wednesday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 0.74% at 37,984.18. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 0.84% at 15,879.38.

📌Hindustan Unilever is in talks with the Andhra Pradesh government to collaborate on palm oil production in the state. 📌Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail has posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 77.9 crore for the quarter ended December FY24. 📌lndiabulls Housing Finance has reported standalone profit of Rs 225.74 crore for the quarter ended December FY24.

SpaceX, led by CEO Elon Musk, has officially moved its state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas. This follows Tesla's decision to do the same after a Delaware judge invalidated Musk's $56-billion pay package. Musk recently held a poll on X where 87% voted "yes" for Tesla's change of incorporation, solidifying Texas as the preferred location.

Pfizer has agreed to pay $93 million to settle antitrust claims that it conspired with India's Ranbaxy Laboratories to delay sales of generic versions of the cholesterol drug Lipitor. The settlement, which requires court approval, comes after a decade of litigation and provides relief to purchasers of Lipitor while avoiding the risk of continued litigation.

Oil prices fell due to U.S. crude inventories rising more than expected, raising concerns about the demand. Both Brent and WTI futures declined, with refining at its lowest since 2022. The Energy Information Administration reported a large increase in crude stocks, but also noted decreases in gasoline and distillate stocks. Kazakhstan and Iraq are taking steps to comply with OPEC+ commitments.

Reported Consolidated quarterly numbers for Silly Monks Entertainment are: Net Sales at Rs 5.99 crore in December 2023 up 7.69% from Rs. 5.56 crore in December 2022. Quarterly Net Profit at Rs. 0.00 crore in December 2023 up 101.51% from Rs. 0.15 crore in December 2022. EBITDA stands at Rs. 0.26 crore in December 2023 up 196.3% from Rs. 0.27 crore in December 2022.

Reported Standalone quarterly numbers for COSYN are: Net Sales at Rs 3.39 crore in December 2023 up 3.01% from Rs. 3.29 crore in December 2022. Quarterly Net Profit at Rs. 0.00 crore in December 2023 down 89.07% from Rs. 0.04 crore in December 2022. EBITDA stands at Rs. 0.27 crore in December 2023 down 18.18% from Rs. 0.33 crore in December 2022. COSYN EPS has decreased to Rs. 0.01 in December.