Indices end higher as PM Modi likely to win no-trust vote

Benchmark indices gained on Friday, as the Modi government is expected to win the no-confidence vote, to be held at 6 pm today. In the 545-member (including the Speaker) Lok Sabha, the BJP-led NDA can bank on around 311 members.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended the day at 36,496, up 145 points while the broader Nifty50 index settled at 11,010, up 53 points.

IT and pharma stocks gained as the rupee hit an all-time low. The Nifty IT index was trading up by 1.5 per cent with Infosys, Tech Mahindra and HCL Tech up between 1.6 per cent to 2.6 per cent. Meanwhile, in the pharma sector, Sun Pharma and Cipla gained over 2.5 per cent each.

Among individual stocks, Bajaj Finserv hit a record high, after the Bajaj Group-owned asset & wealth management firm posted a 41 per cent surge in its first-quarter profit on Thursday.

Bajaj Auto, on the other hand, dipped 9 per cent after the company reported a lower than expected 21% year on year (YoY) growth in standalone net profit Rs 11.15 billion in June quarter (Q1FY19). Analysts on an average had expected a profit of around Rs 13 billion for the quarter

Shares of Reliance Industries (RIL), Bandhan Bank, Jubilant FoodWorks, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, HEG and 3M India have hit their respective all-time highs on the BSE in intra-day trade on Friday.

Bandhan Bank has soared 10% to Rs 679, extending its past three days 11% rise on the BSE, after the bank reported a strong 47.5% year on year (yoy) growth in net profit at Rs 4.82 billion in June quarter (Q1FY19), on back of strong operational income. The private sector lender had a profit of Rs 3.27 billion in year-ago quarter.

Bajaj Auto dipped 8% to Rs 2,876 on the BSE in noon deal trade after the company reported a lower than expected 21% year on year (YoY) growth in standalone net profit Rs 11.15 billion in June quarter (Q1FY19). Analysts on an average had expected profit of around Rs 13 billion for the quarter. The stock dipped 9% from its early morning high of Rs 3,152 on the BSE. Turnover during the quarter under review grew 33% at Rs 78.24 billion against Rs 59 billion in the corresponding quarter of previous year.

Shares of Sterlite Technologies rallied 7% to Rs 324 per share on the BSE in early morning trade after the company reported nearly two-times increase in its net profit on year on year (YoY) basis in June quarter (Q1FY19) and an all-time high order book position of Rs 60.34 billion.