Market may open flat to slightly higher.

ICICI Bank unveils FY 2012 results today, 27 April 2012. Axis Bank, Jindal Steel & Power and Siemens also unveil quarterly results today, 27 April 2012.

Banking stocks will be in focus as in a push to financial sector reforms, the Cabinet reportedly on Thursday cleared the much awaited Banking Law (Amendment) Bill. It approved a proposal to cap shareholders' voting rights in private banks at 26% irrespective of their total holding. To find common ground with the Opposition, the Cabinet diluted the provisions of an earlier legislation to increase entities' voting rights in proportion to their shareholding.

Key benchmark indices registered small losses in a lacklustre trading session on Thursday, 26 April 2012 as traders rolled over positions in the derivatives segment from the near-month April 2012 series to May 2012 series. The BSE Sensex shed 20.62 points or 0.12% to 17,130.67, its lowest closing level since 23 April 2012.

The stock exchanges are holding a special 1-1/2-hour trading session on Saturday, 28 April 2012, as the National Stock Exchange (NSE) is upgrading the capacity of its futures and options (F&O) trading system hardware and software to improve processing capability and handle increased activities in the market. Trading will start at 11:15 IST and end at 12:45 IST.

Asian shares were mixed on Friday as concerns over the health of European banks weighed on investor risk appetite after Standard & Poor's downgraded Spain's rating. Key benchmark indices in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea rose by between 0.28% to 0.42%. Key benchmark indices in China, Singapore, Japan and Indonesia fell by between 0.11% to 0.26%.

U.S. stocks jumped on Thursday on strong U.S. housing data and earnings.