For Thursday, the penultimate day of the current settlement on the BSE,market players are generally bearish. Although they expect that the marketmight open with a gap on the upper side, it is likely to drift slowly andclose lower than Wednesday's levels.

The dipping volumes is a bigger concern for the market than the slowlydeclining prices. According to Arun Kejriwal at Woodstock Securities, thedrop in the Sensex without volumes is the most dangerous trend. ``Given thatthe sentiment among the small investors is generally bearish, there is everypossibility of them being hurt in case of a sudden reversal in markettrend,'' said Kejriwal. ``Some volume trade has to happen, it could beeither way, to make the market players feel comfortable.''

Also a few of the market players are bullish on the market. According toNikunj S Modi at Kisan Ratilal Choksey Shares & Securities, at the currentlevel small investors can expect a lot from the market. ``With theoutstandings at a very low level, and the FIs and the FIIs slowlyaccumulating, this is the right time for the investors to buy,'' said Modi.``Once the FIIs, FIs and the operators decide to step in in a big way,stocks would be too expensive for the small investors to enter.''

ABB was among the prominent losers on the NSE. Upon division of its powerbusiness into a different company, ABB Power, the stock is scheduled to besplit in the ratio of 1:1. On Wednesday, the stock became ex-division on theNSE. On the BSE, it would go ex-division next Monday. As the market believesthat the newly formed ABB Power is more prospective than the ABB which willremain, the stock was hammered on the bourses. However, brokers believesince the scrip would go ex-division on the BSE on Monday, there isconsiderable arbitrage opportunity available in the counter.