Mixed Asian trading, indicating a flat opening for Indian indices

Indian benchmark on Monday got off to an optimistic start and thereafter the benchmark indices traded in an extremely choppy range but protected their gains throughout the trading session and ended the first day of week on a positive note. The NSE's 50-share broadly followed index Nifty, got strengthened by close to half a per cent to settle above the crucial 9,400 mark, while Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensitive Index-Sensex advanced over hundred points and closed above the psychological 30,300 mark.

The European markets ended the first trading session of the new trading week with gains. Commodity related stocks were among the best performers on Monday, mainly mining and energy stocks.  The U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index advanced by 0.26 per cent, the German DAX Index and the French CAC 40 Index climbed by 0.29 per cent and 0.22 per cent, respectively.

U.S Stocks edge higher on Monday, with the S&P index closing above 2,400 for the first time led by gains in energy, financial and materials shares. The Nasdaq Composite Index closed at record level at 6,150. The Dow Jones Industrial Average snapped its four-session losing streak to finish higher. The Dow Jones gained 85 points to close at 20,982.

Asian markets are trading mixed on Tuesday. Japan’s markets Nikkei 225 gained 50 points. While, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 65 points and China’s Shanghai Composite lost 26 points.

At 7:50 am, SGX Nifty Index trading with flat with minor gains of 7 points at 9,469, indicating flat start for Indian indices.