Market regulator Security and Exchange Board of India plans to introduce new derivative products like lower-value contracts on individual stocks in the domestic derivative market in a bid to encourage retail investors in the option and future market.

The Bombay Stock Exchange 30-share sensitive index, Sensex, closed below the 9000-level even as the market recovered from its intra-day lows on hopes that the central bank will provide more relaxation in the monetary plan.

The BSE Sensex marked its closure at 8966.68 after losing 35.07 points as against its last close on Thursday.

The market also hit a low of 8867.13 on the back of mixed movements in worldwide markets.

Washington  - US stocks seesawed through most of Friday, with markets closing at their lowest in two weeks after analysts slashed earnings estimates for General Electric Co.

While GE dropped 5.8 per cent, financial shares tumbled Friday, with Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase among the losers.

Troubled insurer American International Group Inc dropped 22 per cent as several states began probing its bonuses.

With a bleak opening, the BSE Sensex is likely to halt a two-day rise in today’s session.

Overnight losses in the US and mixed signals from the Asian markets hit the Indian equities at the opening time.

Realty stocks were hammered badly followed by banking and consumer goods.

BSE Midcap was also down by 0.24%, while Smallcap index lost 0.05%.

The 30-share index, BSE Sensex, today (Friday Mar 20) opened at 8,951.34, down 50.41 points.

Manila  - Philippine shares rose 3.

Geneva  - Government bonds are generally attractive to the layman investor as they are relatively safe. The saver can profit while not fretting over the markets.

An initiative which has been getting off the ground in the past two years is trying to help those investors sleep even easier, knowing their money will go to the developing world to immunize children.