Indian equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 are likely to start Friday's session flat, shrugging off weakness across global markets amid concerns about steep hikes in COVID-era interest rates and their impact on economic growth.

Singapore Exchange (SGX) Nifty futures — an early indicator of the Nifty index — were nearly unchanged ahead of the opening on Dalal Street.

About MarketBuzz: The CNBCTV18.com podcast on the big themes, vital news and key events that you should know before the opening bell, powered by CNBC-TV18 anchors. MarketBuzz is your daily morning briefing by CNBC-TV18 research analysts and anchors Sonia Shenoy, Ekta Batra, Reema Tendulkar, Nigel D’Souza and Mangalam Maloo to kickstart your stock market investing. Subscribe to our free podcasts on Audioboom or listen on the featured podcast page on CNBCTV18.com.

Check out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!