Indian stock markets are expected to open flat today amid mixed global market cues. Asian markets traded mixed as China's central bank cut the benchmark loan rate while US stock futures remained steady. Investors will look for clues on interest rate cuts from minutes of US Federal Reserve meeting. Indian indices closed higher yesterday, with Nifty 50 hitting a record high intraday.

GIFT Nifty indicated that Indian equity indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty 50 may see a lacklustre opening on Tuesday. Here is all you need to know before the market opens. GIFT Nifty traded up by just 8.50 points or 0.04% at 22,180 indicating a lacklustre opening for domestic indices NSE Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex on Tuesday. Previously, on Monday, the NSE Nifty 50 ended up by 81.55 points.

JSW Steel is in talks to acquire a 20% stake in Australia's Blackwater coal mine, Whirlpool of India's promoter will sell a 24% stake worth $451 million, SpiceJet has been ordered by the Supreme Court to pay its dues and Hindalco plans to achieve 30% of its energy mix from renewable sources by 2030. IREDA and PNB have signed a MoU to finance renewable energy projects and Titagarh Rail Systems.

The Indian stock market saw its fifth straight day of gains, with the Nifty 50 index hitting a new high before closing at 22,122. The market was boosted by strong performances in majority segments, with the BSE Sensex gaining 281 points and the Bank Nifty adding 150 points. The small-cap index outperformed the Nifty 50 index, and the advance-decline ratio remained high at 1.55:1.

An advisory committee recommends Indian govt bonds to be included in Bloomberg Emerging Market Local Currency Index. The process is still ongoing, with consultations and modalities being worked out. Inclusion could bring in $5 bn from passive investors and $20-30 bn from active investors. This comes after JP Morgan's announcement of including Indian sovereign bonds in its emerging markets index.

JSW Group, led by billionaire Sajjan Jindal, is in talks with Volkswagen Group to form a joint venture for electric vehicle manufacturing in India. The two parties may enter into an exclusivity period soon to prevent negotiations with other potential partners. JSW has also signed an agreement with the Odisha government to invest ₹40,000 crore in an integrated EV and battery manufacturing project.

HFCL shares have seen a 30% increase since the beginning of the year and are considered to be one of the top performers in the small cap category. Technical indicators show a bullish trend, with a two-year breakout on monthly charts at Rs 100 per share. Analysts predict the stock will continue to outperform the market due to its stake in group company Exicom.

Shares of Godrej Consumer Products rose on February 20 due to the company's decision to divest in Godrej East Africa Holdings for $3.5 million. This move is in line with their restructuring strategy for the East Africa region, where profitability has been low. Emkay Global maintained a positive outlook on the FMCG major and expects a 1% increase in share price with a target of Rs 1,325 per share.

Federal Bank's shares took a hit of over 6% following the re-designation of Kotak Mahindra Bank's KVS Manian as joint MD. Federal Bank was reportedly considering Manian as a potential successor to Shyam Srinivasan. However, with the RBI rejecting an extension for Srinivasan, the bank turned to Manian. Last quarter, Federal Bank reported a 25% rise in net profit and a 61% jump in other income.

After facing struggles with regulatory issues, Paytm's stock has seen a 16% increase in the last three days and reached an upper circuit limit of Rs 376.45 on BSE. Positive news related to RBI, ED, and a partnership with Axis Bank have renewed investor interest. While Jefferies has put Paytm on their list of 'Non-Rated' stocks, Morgan Stanley maintains an equal-weight rating.

Citibank recently released a report on the latest earnings season of Indian markets, stating that the overall growth in earnings for BSE-100 and Nifty was at 18% and 13% year-on-year respectively. The key driver of this growth was seen in the Industrials and Energy sectors. Citi expects Nifty earnings to grow by 13%-14% between FY24E and FY26E.

Kotak Mahindra Bank's shares rose 2% after announcing a reshuffle in top management. KVS Manian and Shanti Ekambaram were elevated to joint managing director and deputy MD, respectively. This move quells concerns over Manian potentially leaving for Federal Bank. Devang Gheewalla will replace outgoing CFO Jaimin Bhatt, while Milind Nagnur will now hold the positions of CTO and COO.

Frontline pharma majors - Cipla, Sun Pharma, and Dr Reddy’s - have seen a surge in earnings due to the high-margin blockbuster cancer drug Revlimid. However, as the patent for Revlimid is set to expire in 2026, these companies will need to find other sources of revenue to maintain growth. Dr Reddy's focuses on acquisitions and faster product filings.

Sony and Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) are in last-ditch talks to revive their $10 billion merger, after the deal was officially called off on January 22. Major differences remain, however, including a $300 million write off on cricket rights and disagreements over certain conditions precedent. The success of the negotiations is still uncertain, with both sides sticking firmly.

Krishnan V R of Marcellus Investment Managers believes that given the current macroeconomic conditions in India, a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) followed by a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve are likely towards the second half of the next financial year. With inflation expected to remain on a downward trajectory and go below 4 percent, Krishnan believes the Indian economy.