Sensex declines marginally ahead of Inflation data

Stocks to watch-Feb 14

(Reuters): Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange was 0.11 percent up. The MSCI-Asia Pacific index, excluding Japan was 0.62 percent higher.

Asian shares rose ahead of the G20 meeting of finance and central bank officials over the weekend.

U.S. stocks drifted in light volume on Wednesday, ending little changed, as investors remained cautious after the S&P 500 index briefly hit its highest intraday level since November 2007.

FACTORS TO WATCH

January WPI inflation (around 0600 GMT).

Earnings: State Bank of India, Tata Motors Ltd , Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, DLF Ltd.

FINANCIAL/REGULATORY

The Indian government is likely to target 400 billion rupees ($7.42 billion) in proceeds from stake sales in state-run companies in the next fiscal year, a finance ministry official with direct knowledge of budget talks told Reuters on Wednesday. The Indian government is likely to allocate 200 billion rupees ($3.71 billion) for capital infusion in state-run banks in the next financial year, a finance ministry official with direct knowledge of budget talks told Reuters on Wednesday.

India's capital markets regulator ordered a freeze on the assets and bank accounts of two Sahara Group companies, saying they failed to heed a Supreme Court order to repay billions of dollars collected from investors in outlawed bonds.

ENERGY/COMMODITIES

Tata Steel Ltd posted its second straight quarterly loss on Wednesday, as weak demand and prices in its main European market squeezed margins.

Coal India Ltd posted a 9 percent increase in quarterly

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