Good morning, welcome to ETMarkets Morning Podcast! IMF's upbeat growth forecast for India, a spike in stocks globally and Nifty formations on technical charts are giving investors a lot of comfort this morning.

But the rupee’s slide to a 7-month low remains an overhang. That’s where we start the day on Dalal Street, ladies and gentlemen.

This is Prachi Sharma, your market jockey, bringing you all the news, views and cues to get you ready for the day ahead. Early this morning, Nifty futures on Singapore Exchange traded with moderate gains, signalling a positive beginning for Dalal Street.

Asian equities advanced in early trade, helped by an encouraging start to the US earnings season.

Japan's Nikkei was up more than 1 per cent and so did Korea's Kospi.

Chinese shares climbed more than half a per cent.

US stocks rallied for the second day on Tuesday, driven by optimism over earnings.

This is adding to evidence that a strengthening US economy is lifting corporate bottom lines.

The Dow Jones rose 214 points to 24,787, the SP500 more than 1 per cent and the Nasdaq 1.74 per cent. The rupee lost about 1 per cent in the past three sessions to close at 65.65 a dollar Tuesday, a level not seen since September 27 last year.

Oil prices inched up on Wednesday, lifted by a reported fall in US crude inventories and the ongoing risk of supply disruptions.

Brent crude oil futures were up half a per cent at $71.90 a barrel while WTI crude futures also hardened by half a per cent to $66.85.

In Q4 earnings, companies such as ACC, HDFC Standard Life Insurance, Mastek and MindTree are due to report their numbers during the day. On Dalal Street, Electrosteel Steels is set to become the first of big defaulters to see bankruptcy resolution, with the NCLT approving Vedanta's resolution plan for the company. China’s Fosun International Group has become the fourth suitor for cash-strapped hospital chain Fortis Healthcare, signalling further extension of the bidding war. In one of the largest debt issuances this year, Tata Steel has raised about $1.9 billion through syndicated loans for its Singapore units Nat Steel Asia and TS Global to refinance existing high-cost debt. Bank of Baroda is in news as CBI has quizzed six bank officials in connection with the Rs 3,69 crore bank fraud involving Rotomac . If you are looking for more stock-specific triggers, there are plenty and over a dozen stock recommendations from top brokerages on www.etmarkets.com. If you need them daily, simply download our app on your phone and keep getting them on the move.

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That’s it from me for the day.

Thank you for listening in.

Do enjoy your trading day and make lots of money.