NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The BSE Sensex is expected to be choppy on Friday, with Tata Steel seen falling after the company reported an unexpected quarterly loss, its first in more than two years.
Tata Steel, the world's No.7 steelmaker which operates two-thirds of its global capacity of about 28 million tonnes in Europe, warned it did not expect a significant revival in demand in its core markets in 2012.
Arun Kejriwal, strategist at research firm KRIS, said investors would watch December industrial output data for direction.
Analysts expects the data, due around 11 a.m. (0530 GMT), to show output grew at a weaker annual rate of 3.4 percent from November's 5.9 percent.
"The market has been rallying for almost six weeks. The question is how long can it sustain," Kejriwal said
Global markets were lower as investors keep a cautious view over Greece's debt restructuring prospect after Athens struck a deal on fiscal reforms to avoid a default.
The MSCI's measure of Asian markets other than Japan was down 0.63 percent by 0248 GMT, while the Nifty India stock futures in Singapore dropped 0.28 percent, indicating a lower start.
On Thursday, the BSE index closed up 0.7 percent 17,707.32 points, taking gains to move than 15 percent in 2012.
