CNBC-TV18 10 things you need to know before the opening bell on August 2

SUMMARY

The Indian market is set to start on a weak note on Friday tracking global markets, which traded lower as US President Donald Trump announced imposition of a 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of Chinese imports from September 1, escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. At 7.05 AM, the SGX Nifty futures traded lower by 59.50 points or 0.54 percent at 10,957, indicating a negative start for the Sensex and the Nifty 50.

By CNBC-TV18Aug 2, 2019 8:43:56 AM IST (Updated)

1. Asia: Asian stocks traded lower on Friday after a surprise tariff announcement from the United States escalated trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. The Nikkei in Japan plunged 2.01 percent in morning trade. The Topix fell 1.77 percent and Kospi declined 1.05 percent.

2. US: Wall Street fell again on Thursday, abruptly reversing early gains after US President Donald Trump put concerns about the US-China trade war back in the spotlight, tweeting that he would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on $300 billion in Chinese imports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 280.85 points, or 1.05 percent, to 26,583.42, the S&P 500 lost 26.82 points, or 0.90 percent, to 2,953.56 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 64.30 points, or 0.79 percent, to 8,111.12.

3. Markets At Close On Thursday: Indian shares began August on a somber note, tracking losses in broader Asia to end over 1 percent lower on Thursday. The sentiment was lowered after US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said the 25 basis point rate cut was not the start of a lengthy easing cycle that investors were hoping for. The Sensex ended 463 points lower at 37,018 while the broader Nifty50 index lost 138 points to end the day at 10,980.

4. Crude Oil: Oil prices bounced back a tad after suffering sharp falls the previous day. Brent crude rose 1.2 percent to $61.24 per barrel, after having fallen 7.0 percent on Thursday, its biggest daily percentage drop since February 2016. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 1.1 percent to $54.52, having shed 7.9 percent on Thursday.

5. US President On Chinese Tariffs: US President Donald Trump said he plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of Chinese imports from September 1 and could raise tariffs further if China's President Xi Jinping fails to move more quickly to strike a trade deal.

6. July GST Collections: Gross GST collections stood at Rs 1.02 lakh crore in July, marginally up from the previous month, official data showed on Thursday. The July 2019 mop-up was 5.8 percent higher than the Rs 96,483 crore collected in the same month last year. (Stock image)

7. Former RBI Deputy Governor On Economy: Former RBI deputy governor Rakesh Mohan said on Thursday that economic problem in India is not as bad as it was in 1991 when the country faced a severe economic crisis on the external front.

8. SEBI On Depositories: Markets regulator Sebi on Thursday directed depositories to freeze securities of promoters and directors of listed companies that failed to ensure updation of the database with a distinctive number of equity shares. Besides, the corporate benefits accrued to beneficiary accounts of promoters and directors of such companies shall also be freezed, Sebi said. The directions shall come into effect from August 1, it said in a circular.

9. FinMin Looking For RBI Deputy Governor: The finance ministry has sought applications for the post of RBI deputy governor, a position that fell vacant after Viral Acharya resigned six months before the scheduled end of his term.

10. India's Manufacturing Sector Improving: The country's manufacturing sector activity improved in July as new work orders and output strengthened slightly from the previous month, leading to moderate increase in employment, a monthly survey said Thursday. The IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index rose to 52.5 in July from 52.1 in June as companies scaled up production in response to a quicker upturn in factory orders.