On Tuesday, share markets in India opened in flat and ended on a positive note.

The BSE Sensex closed higher by 90 points to end at 34,443, at all -time high levels. While the broader NSE Nifty ended the day higher by 13 points to close at 10,637.

Among BSE sectoral indices, realty index rose the most by 2.9%, followed by consumer durables stocks at 0.8%. Coal India and Yes Bank were among the top gainers.

Top Stocks in Action Today

Coal India share price is likely to be in focus today after reports that the company has raised prices of thermal coal by an average 9%. Reportedly, the decision was taken at a board meeting held on Monday while revised prices would be effective from today. It will make power generation costlier by a similar percentage. Cost of cement and fertiliser production is also expected to rise as a result.

Tata Motors share price is among the stocks to watch today as the company reported record Jaguar Land Rover global sales in 2017 Jaguar Land Rover's sales rose 7% to a record 621,109 vehicles in 2017 but Britain's biggest carmaker said it faced tough conditions in its home market due to weakening consumer confidence and a planned diesel tax rise on new cars.

The company has embarked on a major turnaround plan since being bought by the Tata group in 2008. This includes investment in new models and expansion of production with the aim of building around 1 million vehicles a year by the turn of the decade.

CRISIL Maintains GDP Projection

Rating agency CRISIL in its latest report has maintained its projection of India's economic growth in 2018-19 to 7.6% on the low base.

The rating agency attributed the continuing slowdown to the after-effects of the demonetisation exercise, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation and weakness in agriculture.

The CRISIL note comes days after the Central Statistics Office (CSO) came out with its First Advance Estimates of National Income, 2017-18, in which it stated that Indian economy is expected to grow at a four-year low of 6.5% in the current fiscal year 2017-18, as against 7.1% in the fiscal year 2016-17.

The rating agency has stated that given the low base and the expected waning of the GST impacts going ahead, they retain their forecast of 7.6% real GDP growth in fiscal 2019, with private consumption leading the recovery.

It noted that private consumption is expected to grow 6.3% in FY18, as against 8.7% a year before, and will remain the largest contributor to the country's GDP at 55.7%.

Further, it said that in FY19 as well, growth will continue to be consumption-led as inflation will be under control and interest rates are expected to be soft. It also said that increase in government employees' salaries with the implementation of the seventh pay panel recommendations will also help. It added that the government's focus on spending towards agriculture and rural themes will also be of help.

According to the report, the government's ambitious Rs 2.11 trillion recapitalisation plan over two years will ensure that the state-run banks are well positioned to support the growth. It also observed that support to growth will also come from the external sector where the global recovery should help exports, which had faced some headwinds after the GST implementation.

IPO Buzz

Apollo Micro Systems is going to launch its IPO today. The offer will be open from 10th January till 12th January and the company intends to raise Rs 1.5 billion from its public offering.

The price band of the IPO is finalised at Rs 270 to Rs 275 per share.

Apollo Micro Systems Ltd is Hyderabad based company engaged in the business of electronic, electro-mechanical, engineering designs, manufacturing and supply. The company designs, develops and sells high-performance, mission and time critical solutions to Defense, Space and Home Land Security for Ministry of Defense, government controlled public sector undertakings and private sectors.

The company offers custom built COTS (commercially off-the shelf) solutions based on specific requirements to defense and space customers.

We have analyzed this IPO and have released our analysis on the company. You can access it here. (Subscription required)

Global Markets Rally on Upbeat Economic Data

European markets were higher on Tuesday morning, as investors reacted to better-than-expected economic data.

Germany's industrial production and exports were both stronger-than-anticipated in November, showing continued rising growth in Europe's largest economy.

In commodities, oil prices rose to their highest level since May 2015 on Tuesday amid ongoing OPEC-led production cuts and weaker-than-anticipated U.S. crude inventories.