Before Market Opens: 9 things to know at 9 am on December 30, 2022

Wall Street's main indices closed higher on Thursday, led by growth stocks in light trading, as US unemployment data signaled the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes might be starting to dent labor market strength in its bid to fight inflation. The Dow rose 345.09 points, or 1.05 percent, to 33,220.8; the S&P 500 gained 66.06 points, or 1.75 percent, at 3,849.28; and the Nasdaq Composite added 264.80 points, or 2.59 percent, at 10,478.09

Asian markets are trading mostly higher in the early trade on Friday with Taiwan Weighted up 1 percent, while Nikkei and Straits Times up marginally.

At 8:20 am, the SGX Nifty was trading 60 points or 0.33 percent higher at 18,340, indicating a positive opening for the Indian markets. 

Key equity indices the Sensex and the Nifty ended in the green on December 29, thanks to buying in the last hour of trade even as global cues remained weak amid a sharp rise in Covid cases in China. The Covid situation in China is alarming and the country's health system is overwhelmed after it eased Covid curbs earlier this month. Sensex rose 224 points, or 0.37 percent, to 61,133.88 while the Nifty ended the day at 18,191, up 69 points, or 0.38 percent.

Oil prices fell for a second straight session on Thursday on an uncertain demand outlook as more countries considered restrictions on Chinese travelers with Covid-19 infections spreading in the top oil-importing nation. China's government is dismantling pandemic restrictions, yet a surge in infections there is prompting tougher travel rules on Chinese visitors in some countries. Brent crude futures for February delivery fell by a dollar to settle at $82.26, down 1.2 percent. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at $78.40 per barrel, down by $1.13, or 0.7 percent.

India's current account deficit (CAD) surged to an all-time high of $36.4 billion in July-September, data released on December 29 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed. The latest CAD figure is double the $18.2 billion posted in April-June and nearly four times of what it was in the second quarter of FY22. The previous record for the highest CAD was $31.77 billion, posted in the third quarter of 2012-13. For 2021-22 as a whole, the CAD was $38.77 billion.

Gold held steady on Friday, but was headed for a second straight yearly loss as aggressive rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve dented the non-yielding bullion's appeal, reported Reuters.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have net offloaded shares worth ₹572.78 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) net purchased shares worth ₹515.83 crore on December 29, as per provisional data available on the NSE.

The rupee rose 6 paise to end at 82.81 per dollar in the previous session amid gains in the equity market. Meanwhile the dollar saw an uptick after US weekly jobless claims indicated the job market remains tight.