10 things you need to know before the opening bell

Global cues:

Asian stocks struggled on Thursday as investors waited for stimulus-sensitive U.S. payroll data, although the euro perked up ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy meeting.The Australian dollar slipped after a weak labour force report showed a big fall in full-time employment – undermining a popular view that the Reserve Bank of Australia has finished cutting interest rates.

The Dow industrials closed at a record high on Wednesday, led by gains in Microsoft Corpand encouraging European economic data, while the S&P 500 also rose but closed shy of its own record.Meanwhile the Nasdaq fell, hurt by losses in Tesla Motors and as investors readied for Twitter’s much-anticipated IPO.

[caption id=“attachment_1178367” align=“alignright” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters.[/caption]

Global economic growth accelerated in October to a 32-month high, bolstered by a solid improvement in new business, a survey showed on Wednesday.JPMorgan’s Global All-Industry Output index, produced with Markit, rose to 55.5 in October from September’s 53.6, comfortably above the 50 threshold for growth and its highest reading since February 2011.

More from Investing

MSMEs are breaking the traditional convention. Look who’s funding them Scale-up your startup without an investor! Here’s how

Twitter on Wednesday priced its initial public offering above its expected range to raise more than $1.8 billion, according to a source, in a sign of strong investor demand for the most highly anticipated US public float since Facebook Inc.

Business/Stock news:

Bharat Heavy Electricalsposted a worse-than-expected 64 percent fall in quarterly net profit on Wednesday, the fifth straight drop, as a slowdown in demand ate into the sales of the country’s largest power equipment maker.

Telecom stocks will be in focus today. The Telecom Commission has recommended raising the price of spectrum in large cities and the richer states. The move will likely make auctions for the radio waves less attractive to bidders.

Ashok Leyland Ltdreported a loss ofRs.26 crore for the second quarter, beating analysts’ estimates, as it gained from selling a long-term investment. Net sales in the quarter fell 23% toRs.2,495 crore from a year-ago

Economy news:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it will treat foreign banks operating in the country on nearly equal terms with local lenders if they move to a wholly owned subsidiary structure, as it seeks to bolster its regulatory powers in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Coming out in favour of free trade pacts, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today said that India “clearly and unambiguously” needs to ink more such agreements.