MARKET EYE WEEKAHEAD-Indian shares boosted by foreign investors

* Indian shares are expected to remain firm as Wall Street hitsrecord highs while foreign investors look set to end the year asstrong net buyers.* Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have bought around $2.5billion in shares as of Thursday in December, bringing their netpurchases for the year so far to around $19.9 billion.* The gains could allow indexes to post a second consecutiveyearly advance, with the NSE index up 6.9 percent so farthis year, compared with a 27.7 percent gain in 2012.* Investors will also be paying close attention to Apollo TyresLtd, whose $2.5 billion agreement to buy Cooper Tire &Rubber Co is due to expire on Dec. 31. * Traders are also awaiting the release of a RBI report due bythe end of the month that is expected to unveil a major changein the monetary policy to explicitly make managing consumerinflation, rather than wholesale prices, its main objective. * Investors will also start shifting their focus towardsOctober-December earnings results starting in January. KEY FACTORS/EVENTS TO WATCHMon: India foreign investment regulator to discuss Tesco Plc, Vodafone Group Plc FDI proposals Tues: April-Nov fiscal deficitThurs: Dec manufacturing PMI