What changed for the market while you were sleeping? Top 12 things to know

Volatility in the market has again started coming down from the proximity of 14 percent. Today the India Volatility Index fell by 3.48 percent to 13.17.

According to Pivot charts, the key support level is placed at 11,439.57, followed by 11,408.33. If the index starts moving upwards, key resistance levels to watch out are 11,494.27 and 11,517.73.

The Nifty Bank index closed at 28,128.55, up 302 points on Friday. The important Pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 27,995.54, followed by 27,862.47. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 28,219.93, followed by 28,311.27.

Wall Street rises on upbeat trade news, Dow rises over 100 points

US stocks closed higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average extending gains and the Nasdaq turning positive on reports of progress in tariff disputes between the United States and its trading partners China and Mexico.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 110.59 points, or 0.43 percent, to 25,669.32, the S&P 500 gained 9.44 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,850.13 and the Nasdaq Composite added 9.81 points, or 0.13 percent, to 7,816.33.

Asia shares inch up, cautious on Sino-US trade talks

Asian share markets crept cautiously higher on Monday as investors awaited developments on proposed Sino-US trade talks, while keeping a wary eye on the Chinese yuan and Turkish lira for any new signs of strain. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.3 percent in early trade, with South Korea leading the way with a rise of 0.6 percent. Japan’s Nikkei wavered either side of flat, much as did the yen on the dollar.

SGX Nifty

Trends on SGX Nifty indicate a positive opening for the broader index in India, a gain of 42 points or 0.37 percent. Nifty futures were trading around 11,520- level on the Singaporean Exchange.

Parliamentary panel calls ex-RBI governor Rajan to brief on mounting NPAs

A parliamentary committee looking into the issue of mounting non-performing assets (NPAs) has asked former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to appear before it and brief on the matter. Rajan was invited after former CEA Arvind Subramanian praised him before the Parliament's Committee on Estimates, headed by veteran BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi, for identifying the NPA crisis and trying to resolve it.

Subramanian appeared before the panel last month as CEA and briefed it on the bad loans issue. During his submission, he expressed scepticism over the handling of the NPAs and indicated that big-ticket loans by public sector banks were influenced.

Sebi to expand scope of cybersecurity initiatives for MIIs

Regulator Sebi is planning to broaden the scope of cybersecurity initiatives for the market infrastructure institutions (MIIs) and look into the operational modalities of their implementation in order to deal with the cyber challenges. Enhancement of cybersecurity has been one of the priorities of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) during the financial year 2017-18.

"Taking cognizance of the threat posed by technological developments in the Indian capital markets and the rise of cyber threats in the financial domain across the globe, Sebi had laid down a detailed framework with regard to cyber security and cyber resilience that stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories are required to adopt," the regulator said in its annual report for 2017-18.

Rupee might stabilise at 68 to 69 a dollar: Subhash Chandra Garg

The rupee, which has taken a severe battering of late, is expected to stabilise at 68 to 69 per US dollar level riding on positive capital inflows this month, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said. The rupee is already Asia's worst performing currency and had touched an all time low of 70.09 per US dollar on Tuesday.

According to Garg, the current turmoil in Turkey, triggered by US sanctions, had not affected the perception of India. The flow of foreign portfolio investments (FPI) had not altered either and there had been no outflow in July, Garg said while speaking at an interactive session organised by the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce & Industry here.

Oil dips on concerns of slowing economic growth

Oil prices dipped on Monday as concerns over slowing economic growth weighed on markets. International Brent crude oil futures were at USD 71.78 per barrel at 0019 GMT, down 5 cents from their last close. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 4 cents, at USD 65.87 per barrel.

India's CAD to widen to 2.8% of GDP this fiscal: Nomura report

India's current account deficit (CAD) is expected to widen to 2.8 percent of the GDP in this financial year, says a Nomura report. With rising oil prices, depreciating rupee and outflow of portfolio investments, there are concerns that CAD might rise in the current fiscal. "Overall, we expect the current account deficit to widen to 2.8 percent of GDP in FY19 from 1.9 percent in FY18," the Japanese financial services major said.

According to official figures India's trade deficit, or the gap between exports and imports, in July widened to USD 18 billion, the most in more than five years. Trade shortfall puts pressure on the CAD, a key vulnerability for the economy.

Total state fiscal deficits to rise by 20 bps to 2.8% in FY19: India Ratings

The aggregate fiscal deficit of the states is likely to moderate to 2.8 percent of GDP, 20 bps higher than the budgeted target, on the back of the states likely achieving a zero revenue balance to GDP ratio in FY19, said a India Ratings report. Accordingly, the outlook on the finances of the states in FY19 is stable, it said in its report.

The agency has revised downward the aggregate debt/GDP estimate to 24.4 percent for FY19 from its earlier estimate of 25.8 percent. The states have budgeted debt/GDP at 24.3 per cent for FY19, marginally higher than 24 percent in FY18.

WestBridge Capital and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala acquires Star Health

India's largest health insurance company in terms of profits and premium, Star Health is being acquired for a billion dollars by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and a consortium led by WestBridge Capital. After 18 month long bidding, we finally have a buyer for Star Health Insurance. A consortium of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala along with WestBridge Capital have been selected as the final buyer for Start Health Insurance.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala will be a promoter of Start Health with 35 percent stake in the company. Safecrop Holdings will be the new owner of Start Health- Safecrop Holdings comprises of WestBridge AIF, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Madison Capital.

India will be back on 7.5% plus growth track this fiscal: Virmani

India's economic growth seems to be back on a recovery path and the country will be on a firm 7.5 percent plus growth track this fiscal, former chief economic advisor Arvind Virmani said. He further said the US-China tariff war provides an opportunity to increase India's exports to the US. "Economic growth, which has been subject to many ups and downs over the past seven years, seems to be back on a recovery path.

FPIs' bullish stance continues; inflow of over Rs 7,500 cr in Aug so far

Foreign investors have pumped in over Rs 7,500 crore into the Indian capital markets so far this month on better corporate earnings coupled with improvement in crude oil prices. The latest inflow comes following a net infusion of over Rs 2,300 crore in the capital markets, both equity and debt, last month. Prior to that, overseas investors had pulled out over Rs 61,000 crore during April-June.

According to the latest depository data, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pumped in Rs 2,409 crore into equities and Rs 5,168 crore into the debt market during August 1-17, taking the total to Rs 7,577 crore.

PE investments deal tally at $11.5 bn in January-July: Thornton

Private equity investments witnessed a positive trend in both value and volume terms, with 81 deals garnering USD 2.1 billion in July driven by big ticket deals. According to a Grant Thornton report, following the significant uptrend in July PE investments, the deal tally for the first seven months of this year totalled at USD 11.51 billion, up 20 percent over the year ago period, thanks to increased appetite for big ticket funding by companies to fuel their expansion plans.

"PE deals recorded a robust 37 percent and 72 percent increase in volumes and values respectively in July 2018 as compared to July 2017," Grant Thornton India LLP Director Pankaj Chopda said.

5 stocks under ban period on NSE

Securities in ban period for the next day's trade under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.

For August 20, Adani Enterprises, Adani Power, Jet Airways, Raymond and Jain Irrigation Systems are present in this list.

With inputs from Reuters & other agencies