SGX Nifty falls; budget, GDP data weigh - Mar 1

* Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange fell 0.6
percent. The MSCI-Asia Pacific index, excluding Japan  
 rose 0.12 percent.   
* Asian shares edged down on Friday, with manufacturing data
from China that broadly met expectations helping to somewhat
taper sentiment burdened by worries over the economic fallout
from Italy's political confusion and likely U.S. spending
cuts. 
* India's economy grew by a worse-than-expected 4.5 percent in
the quarter ending December, hurt by a slowdown in agriculture,
mining and manufacturing, government data showed.
 
* India's budget disappointed foreign investors on Thursday,
failing to deliver a much-anticipated cut in withholding taxes
for debt investments and creating confusion with a proposal that
appeared to target tax treaties. 
* Also on watch, manufacturing PMI for February to be released
at 0500 GMT.

Posted in: MARKET EYE