Markets may open flat

Indian equities are likely to open flat on Monday, Feb. 18, 2013. SGX Nifty is trading at 5,884.5 (08.17 am), 3.5 points higher than Friday's closeof 5,881.

Asian stocks rose as Japanese shares rallied after the Group of 20 nations refrained from censuring the nation's policies that have weakened the yen. Japanese benchmark index Nikkei 225 rose 197.70 points, or 1.77%, to trade at 11,371.53.

Oil prices fell below USD 96 a barrel Friday after disappointing U.S. industrial production data fed concerns about the nation's economic recovery. In New York, benchmark crude for March fell USD 1.45 to finish at USD 95.86 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price many varieties of foreign oil, fell 34 cents to end at USD 117.66 a barrel in London.

US stocks edged mostly lower on Friday as declines in Wal-Mart Stores and the energy sector offset firm readings on consumer confidence and New York manufacturing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 8.37 points, or 0.06%, to 13,981.76.

European stocks were little changed as companies from PPR SA to Aker Solutions ASA reported earnings and finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 nations met in Moscow. UK's benchmark index FTSE 100 advanced 0.90 points, or 0.01%, to end at 6,328.26.

In the spot market, the Dollar Index increased 0.09% to 80.65 (21:40 ET).

World commodity prices fell on Friday with the decrease in Reuters Jefferies CRB Index by 0.41%.