Sensex opens 150 pts down

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty opens below 5,200 points to trade lower by 49.20 points,or 0.93 per cent,at 5,194.40.

All sectoral indices,led by metal and capital goods,were trading in the negative zone,with losses up to 1.62 per cent,which led to the fall in the Sensex open today.

Brokers said fresh selling by funds amid a weak trend on other Asian markets,following overnight heavy losses in the European and US markets due to fresh euro-zone debt worries and concerns over the global recovery,mainly dampened the trading sentiment here.

In the Asian region,the Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell by 1.27 per cent,while Japan’s Nikkei was down by 1.17 per cent in the early trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 1.65 per cent lower in yesterday’s trade.

PRE-OPEN:Indian stocks to watch-April 11

GLOBAL STOCK MARKETS ROUNDUP

* Asian shares fell for a third straight day on Wednesday as uncertainty over global growth prospects,and resurfacing worries about debt restructuring in the euro zone,prompted investors to continue trimming their risk exposures.

* The selloff in US stocks accelerated on Tuesday,as the Dow and S&P 500 dropped for a fifth day,with the pullback coming on the cusp of earnings season.

KEY EVENTS TO WATCH

* India’s Supreme Court hearing on whether to include the home minister in telecoms corruption trial. (0230 GMT)

INDIAN STOCKS TO WATCH

India is likely to decide on a proposal to allow foreign carriers to invest in local airlines as early as Thursday,a senior government official said,which could provide a lifeline to cash-starved and debt-laden carriers like Kingfisher Airlines

OTHER FACTORS TO WATCH

* Indian rupee hits near 3-month low

* Indian bond ylds ease on higher FIIs quotas talk

* Yen benefits as risk aversion climbs

* Oil falls as Chinese data fuels demand worry

* Foreign institutional investor flows

* For closing rates of Indian ADRs