What changed for the market while you were sleeping? Top 10 things to know

Sensex closed 310 points, or 1.01 percent, down at 30,379.81, while Nifty finished 69 points, or 0.76 percent, lower at 8,925.30. The broader markets outperformed as BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices ended higher by 1.3 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.

The sectoral indices witnessed a mixed trend wherein FMCG, Realty, Capital Goods and Metals ended with gains whereas other indices like Auto, Banking, Finance and Consumer Durables ended with losses.

According to the pivot charts, the key support level for Nifty is placed at 8,779.2, followed by 8,633.1. If the index starts moving up, key resistance levels to watch out for are 9,166.3 and 9,407.3.

Nifty Bank closed 2.21 percent down at 19,057.05. The important pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 18,494.57, followed by 17,932.04. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 19,901.87 and 20,746.63.

World stock markets edged higher on Thursday on surging shares of Netflix and Amazon.com as investors anticipated big earnings from the coronavirus-induced slowdowns keeping people at home, while bond yields fell as data reflected record U.S. joblessness.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 33.33 points, or 0.14%, to 23,537.68. The S&P 500 gained 16.19 points, or 0.58%, to 2,799.55 and the Nasdaq Composite added 139.19 points, or 1.66%, to 8,532.36.

Stocks in Asia rose as investors await the release of major Chinese economic data. Nikkei 225 jumped 2.85% in morning trade. South Korea’s Kospi also saw robust gains as it surged 3.33%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index jumped 2.14% in early trade.

Trends on SGX Nifty indicate a positive opening for the index in India with a 274 points gain. The Nifty futures were trading at 9,261 on the Singaporean Exchange around 07:30 hours IST.

President Donald Trump laid out new guidelines on Thursday for U.S. states to emerge from a coronavirus shutdown in a staggered, three-stage approach meant to revive the U.S. economy even as the country continues to fight the pandemic.

“We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time,” Trump told reporters at the White House. The president had said earlier this month he wanted to reopen the economy with a “big bang.”

Oil prices rose on Friday with Brent gaining nearly 3% after President Donald Trump laid out guidelines on reviving a U.S. economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic that has punched a huge hole in global demand for crude and refined products.

Brent was up by 75 cents, or 2.7%, at $28.57 a barrel by 0058 GMT, while U.S. crude for May delivery, which expires on April 21, was up 1 cent, or 0.1%, at $19.88 a barrel.

Mutual fund industry has added more than 72 lakh folios in 2019-20 taking the total tally to near 9 crore mark. However, the pace of growth in folio numbers dropped in the just concluded financial year 2019-20 as compared to preceding two fiscal, which suggests investors' understanding about market risks associated with such schemes.

Industry experts attributed the trend to decline in investors account in debt oriented schemes as they were spooked by credit events in fixed income market.

Another 5.2 million more Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, lifting total filings for claims over the past month above an astounding 20 million, which would underscore the deepening economic slump caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Labor Department on Thursday said 5.245 million new unemployment claims were filed last week, down from a slightly revised 6.615 million the week before. According to a Reuters survey of economists, initial claims were expected to have fallen to 5.105 million in the week ended April 11. Estimates in the survey went as high as 8 million.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian economy and a possible second stimulus to boost sectors hit hard by the pandemic. Modi held discussions with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as the pandemic hit sectors from small industries to the aviation sector hard with millions of jobs at stake.

The meeting comes amid drastic reduction in GDP growth forecast by various multi-lateral funding agencies for the current fiscal due to the impact of COVID-19 and consequent lockdown. State of the economy was discussed in details during the meeting, sources said, adding resource mobilisation for taking on the future challenges was also highlighted.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on April 16 reported a consolidated profit at Rs 8,049 crore, registering a 0.85 percent decline compared to the previous quarter. The profit for the quarter ended December 2019 stood at Rs 8,118 crore. Profitability was hit by lower other income and higher finance cost, but supported by operating growth.

The company said its consolidated revenue for the quarter increased to Rs 39,946 crore, from Rs 39,854 crore in the October-December period 2019 and from Rs 38,010 crore in the March quarter of FY19. The management of the company highlighted that the COVID-19 had caused disruption to its operations and the pandemic had presented an operational challenge of scale, speed and complexity.

The limited trading hours of debt as well as currency market will remain in force till April 30 amid extension of the countrywide lockdown, the RBI said on Thursday. In order to minimise risks arising due to the unprecedented situation created by the COVID-19 outbreak, the trading hours for various RBI regulated markets were amended as 10.00 am to 2.00 pm effective from April 7 till the close of business hours on April 17, 2020.

"In view of the government of India's order that the lockdown will continue to be in force till May 3, 2020 (Sunday), it has been decided that the amended trading hours for various RBI regulated markets will continue to be effective till the close of business on Thursday April 30, 2020," the RBI said in a statement.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will address the media at 10 am on April 17. This would be the RBI Governor's second press briefing since the COVID-19 outbreak began in India. In his previous address on March 27, Das had announced a rate cut of 75 basis points.

Most exporters will be able to gradually recommence operations from April 20 after the government eased some lockdown guidelines, The Hindu BusinessLine has reported. The home ministry on April 15 released a set of guidelines, permitting manufacturing in special economic zones, export-oriented units and rural areas from April 20.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 2,920.36 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares of worth Rs 1,321.44 crore in the Indian equity market on April 16, provisional data available on the NSE showed.