Markets may open flat

Indian equities are likely to open flat on Thursday, Sept. 06, 2012. SGX Nifty is trading at 5,246 (07.22 a.m.), 1 points lower than Wednesday"s closeof 5,247.

Most Asian stocks rose as investors await the European Central Bank"s announcement on President Mario Draghi"s proposal for unlimited bond purchases to tame the region"s sovereign-debt crisis. Japanese benchmark index Nikkei 225 fell 15.50 points, or 0.18%, to trade at 8,664.32.

The price of oil drifted below USD 95 on Wednesday giving up early gains that came on the heels of a report showing U.S. vehicle sales rising sharply last month. By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for October delivery was down 38 cents at USD 94.92 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent crude was down 67 cents at USD 113.61 on the ICE Futures exchange.

US stocks closed out a second straight session of thin trading on Wednesday with investors reluctant to make big bets ahead of a crucial meeting of the European Central Bank, which could announce new policies to help contain the euro zone"s debt crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 11.54 points, or 0.09%, at 13,047.48.

European stocks closed little changed after swinging between gains and losses as investors await European Central Bank meeting. UK"s benchmark index FTSE 100 declined 14.15 points, or 0.25%, to end at 5,657.86.

In the spot market, the Dollar Index decreased 0.04% to 81.20 (21:39 ET).

World commodity prices fell on Wednesday with the decrease in Reuters Jefferies CRB Index by 0.17%.