The benchmark indices have actually opened on a firm note, with the Clever striking all-time highs and BSE Sensex rallying more than 300 points as Covid information showed a dip in fresh cases to 1.75 lakh during the last 24 hours.
At 9:18 am, the BSE Sensex was at 51,351.55, higher by 250.55 points or 0.48 percent and the NSE Nifty was at 15,424.95, up 87.70 points or 0.56 per cent., tracking strength in metal stocks and heavyweights such as Reliance Industries.The broader markets were also trading company, with the BSE Midcap index and BSE Smallcap index adding 0.3 percent and 0.4 per cent each.Asian markets increased on Friday, with the wider Hang Seng index in Hong Kong gaining 0.59 per cent.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 leapt 1.94 per cent while the Topix index advanced 1.78 percent.
South Korea's Kospi edged 0.56 percent higher.United States stocks advanced somewhat on Thursday as information revealing enhancement in the labor market assisted boost expectations in the financial healing and spurred a small rotation towards stocks seen as more likely to gain from the rebound.The Dow Jones increased 0.41 per cent, the S-P 500 acquired 0.12 percent and Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.01 per cent.On the earnings front, Mahindra - Mahindra, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Indian Bank and Ipca Laboratories will declare their Q4 numbers during the day.On the stock-specific front, metal stocks led the Nifty greater, with Tata Steel, JSW Steel and Hindalco locking in gains of 2-3 per cent to become the leading gainers on the Nifty.
Amongst the other substantial gainers, HDFC, Tata Motors and Reliance Industries rallied around a percent each.
On the other hand, pharma stocks were seeing some selling pressure, with Cipla, Sun Pharma and Dr Reddy's shedding 1-3 percent each on the NSE.