Markets may open flat

Indian equities are likely to open flat on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. SGX Nifty is trading at 5,774.5 (07.33 a.m.), 2.5 points lower than Wednesday"s closeof 5,777.

Asian stocks are trading mixed after reports on U.S. jobs and service industries beat economist estimates easing concern the world"s biggest economy is slowing.Japanese benchmark index Nikkei 225 rose 2.90 points, or 0.03%, to trade at 8,749.77.

Oil prices fell the most in five months on Wednesday as China"s slowing economy raised questions about the strength of global oil demand. Benchmark oil fell USD 3.75, or 4.1%, to USD 88.14 a barrel Wednesday in New York. That was the biggest decline since May 4 when oil fell USD 4.05 a barrel. Brent crude, which is used to price international varieties of oil, fell USD 3.40, or 3%, to USD 108.17 on Wednesday.

US stocks ended modestly higher on Wednesday on stronger-than-expected US labor and service-sector data, but the Dow industrials were hobbled by a slide in Hewlett-Packard. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 12.25 points, or 0.09%, to 13,494.61 at the close.

European stocks closed little changed on Wednesday as U.S. reports on private hiring and services-industry growth beat estimates, offsetting Spain"s stance that it won"t ask for a sovereign bailout soon. UK"s benchmark index FTSE 100 advanced 16.36 points, or 0.28%, to end at 5,825.81.

In the spot market, the Dollar Index decreased 0.09% to 79.89 (21:48 ET).