Benchmark indices traded within a narrow range on Friday seeking support from firm global cues. The S&P BSE Sensex closed 462 points, or 0.88 per cent, higher at 52,728. The Nifty50, meanwhile, ended at 15,699, up 143 points or 0.92 per cent.
Auto, banking, and FMCG stocks took the centre stage today as easing commodity prices eased input cost and credit off-take pressures. M&M, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, Hero MotoCorp, HUL, ICICI Bank, Britannia Industries, ONGC, Shree Cement, JSW Steel, Eicher Motors, Tata Consumer Products, Hindalco, and HDFC Bank rose between 1.5 per cent and 4.4 per cent to settle as top Nifty gainers.
On the downside, Tech M, Infosys, Apollo Hospitals, TCS, NTPC, HCL Tech, and Coal India ended as top laggards.
Meanwhile, in the broader market, the Nifty MidCap and SmallCap indices advanced 1.4 per cent and 1.76 per cent, respectively.
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Bear-hammering continued on Dalal Street for a third straight day on Wednesday as profit booking in banks and financial stocks weighed on the sentiment. The S&P BSE Sensex closed at 58,339 levels today, down 237 points or 0.4 per cent, while the NSE Nifty shut shop at 17,476, down 55 points or 0.31 per cent. In the intra-day deals, the benchmark indices had hit lows of 58,291 and 17,457 levels, respectively.
HDFC, HDFC Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Tata Motors, PowerGrid, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Bank, Titan, Cipla, and Eicher Motors were the top laggards on the Nifty index today, down between 1 and 2 per cent. On the upside, ONGC, Apollo Hospitals, Sun Pharma, ITC, UPL, JSW Steel, and Shree Cement added in the range of 1 to 3 per cent.
Meanwhile, in the broader market, the BSE MidCap index slipped 0.21 per cent but the BSE SmallCap index added 0.27 per cent.
Among sectors, the Nifty Private Bank index was the worst hit as it dipped 1 per cent. On the upside, the Nifty Metal index gained the most, rising 0.57 per cent.
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An across-the-board sell-off dragged the benchmark indices around a per cent lower on Friday as sombre global mood hit markets during the second-half of the trading session. US 10-year Treasury yields rose again on Friday, back above 1.6 per cent, and were on track to rise for the seventh straight week. Add to it, the dollar index rose 0.4 per cent denting sentiment further.
Against this backdrop, gains in Asian stock markets proved tough to match for most of European peers, after they hit a 1-year high in the prior session. Nasdaq Futures, which tumbled over 1.5 per cent, or 200 points, also suggested a lower start for Wall Street later in the day.
Japan’s Nikkei added 1.7 per cent – but this faded out as Europe opened for business. Britain’s FTSE 100 and the STOXX Europe 600 slipped around 0.5 per cent each, weighing on the MSCI World Index, which was down 0.1 per cent.
Back home, the equity indices snapped their three-day winning streak and settled 0.9 per cent lower. The frontline S&P BSE Sensex dropped 487 points, or 0.95 per cent, to end the day at 50,792 levels. From the intra-day high of 51,822, the index plunged 1,284 points to hit an intra-day low of 50,538.
On the NSE, the Nifty index held the 15,000-mark to close at 15,031 levels, down 144 points, or 0.95 per cent. In the intra-day trade, the index hit a low of 14,954.
26 of the 30 constituents on the Sensex and 42 of the 50 constituents on the Nifty ended the day in the red. Hindalco, Bajaj Auto, HDFC Life, SBI Life, Maruti Suzuki, Adani Ports, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, Hero MotoCorp, SBI, and Reliance Industries, all down between 2 per cent and 3 per cent, were the top laggards on the indices.
On the flipside, PowerGrid, Titan Company, Infosys, ONGC, Indian Oil Corp, BPCL, and JSW Steel remained the top gainers on the benchmark indices.
In the broader markets, the S&P BSE SmallCap index fended the fall and settled 0.14 per cent higher supported by gains in Apollo Pipes, Jindal Poly Firms, MTNL, BGR Energy Systems, Delta Corp, and Meghmani Organics.
The MidCap counterpart, however, fell 0.45 per cent.
Sectorally, all the NSE indices were painted red with the Nifty Auto and PSU Bank indices down around 2 per cent each. The Nifty Bank, Financial Services, FMCG, Metal, and Private Bank indices, on the other hand, slipped nearly 1 per cent.
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Stellar December quarter results by State Bank of India (SBI) and a status-quo in policy rates by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept markets afloat on Friday even as mild profit-booking amid heightened volatility trimmed gains at higher levels.
In the early deals, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex surpassed the 51,000-mark on the BSE for the first time and hit a fresh record high of 51,073. The index, however, erased gains partially and ended 117 points, or 0.23 per cent, higher at 50,732 levels.
SBI (up 11.3 per cent) was the top gainer on the index as analysts raised their targets on the stock post better-than-expected December quarter results. Global brokerage CLSA, for instance, has set a target price of Rs 560 on the lender’s stock. READ MORE
Kotak Mahindra Bank, UltraTech Cement, Dr Reddy’s Labs, ITC, HUL, and HDFC Bank, all up between 1 per cent and 4 per cent, were the other top gainers on the index. On the downside, Axis Bank (down 3 per cent), Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, TCS, and HCL Tech were the top laggards on the index.
On the other hand, Nifty50 index surpassed the psychological 15,000-mark and hit a record high of 15,015 levels. At close, the index was at 14,924 levels, up 29 points or 0.19 per cent.
The broader markets, however, came under selling pressure. The S&P BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices ended 0.93 per cent and 0.28 per cent lower, respectively.
On the sectoral front, the Nifty Auto an the IT indices ended 1 per cent lower each, while the Nifty PSU Bank index advanced 4 per cent on the NSE.
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Equity benchmarks rebounded in last hour of trade, but ended flat supported by index heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Infosys. The indices were up 1% for the week.
The S&P BSE Sensex settled at 32,272, up 30 points while the broader Nifty50 index ended at 10,085, down 1 point
Among broader markets, BSE Midcap index underperformed the benchmarks indices, down 0.3% while BSE Smallcap index was up 0.4%
Global stocks remained subdued after North Korea fired another missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, in a sign that Pyongyang remains defiant despite tightening international sanctions.
The Nifty Pharma Index was down 0.5%, breaking its three-day winning streak.
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