GST meet, TCS, Infosys earnings and US-China trade war to drive market this week

Quarterly earnings from TCS and Infosys, movement of the rupee and developments surrounding the US-China trade talks will guide the domestic equity indices this week, say experts. Macroeconomic data related to inflation and industrial production will also be tracked by participants, they added. "Markets will look forward to the US-China trade talks and Q3 results season starting this week," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

IT majors TCS and Infosys will kick-start the earnings season later this week. "A key trigger for the market will be GST meet and another round of cuts in tax rates on many of the items. Not just that, we have TCS lined up with earnings along with Infosys, IndusInd Bank.

"So, all in all a lot of big names will be driving the cues for its sector and will be watched critically. Post that, manufacturing numbers, industrial production and inflation. It will be a volatile week but certainly where we may see some directional move," said Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research. The GST Council is slated to meet on January 10.

Besides, movement in the rupee, crude oil and investment trend by overseas investors would influence the trading sentiment, analysts said. According to VK Sharma, Head PCG and Capital Markets Group, HDFC Securities, "On economic front, this week data to watch out for is industrial production numbers." Global markets rose Friday after China announced new trade talks with the US.

A US government delegation will visit China early this week for the first face-to-face talks since President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed on a temporary truce in the trade war. Over the last week, the Sensex fell 381.62 points, or 1.05 per cent.