Sensex slides 336 points ahead of Q2 GDP nos, Nifty holds 12,050


Expectations of slower GDP numbers for September quarter (Q2FY20) due later in the day and weak global cues weighed on investor sentiment on Friday with the benchmark indices sliding nearly a per cent.

It is widely expected that the second quarter GDP print will slip below 5 per cent on subdued consumer demand, weakening private investment and falling exports courtesy global slowdown.

The S&P BSE Sensex lost 336 points or 0.82 per cent to settle at 40,794 with YES Bank (down 2.50 per cent) being the top loser and Bharti Airtel (up over a per cent) the biggest gainer. During the day, the index hit a low of 40,664.18 levels. Reliance Industries (RIL), ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), and State Bank of India (SBI) contributed the most to the index’s fall.

NSE’s Nifty50 index closed the session at 12,056, down 95 points or 0.78 per cent.

On a weekly basis, the Sensex gained 1.1% to reach a new life-time high. Markets were buoyed by progress on phase-1 of the US-China trade deal, resolution of stress in financial sectors and multiple government initiatives to arrest the ongoing economic slowdown.

In the broader market, Nifty Midcap 100 index ended flat at 17,222, up 0.06 per cent while Nifty SmallCap 100 index outperformed the benchmarks by settling nearly a per cent higher.

Sectorally, except realty stocks, all the counters ended in the red. Media stocks tumbled the most, followed by PSU banks, metals and auto stocks. The Nifty Realty index ended a per cent higher at 282 levels.

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Nifty ends firmly above 10800, Sensex up 257 points; Pharma gains


Markets edged up on Friday with Nifty50 closing above 10,800-levels, even as broader global markets remained weak.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended the day at 35,689, up 257 points while the broader Nifty50 index settled at 10,822, up 81 points.

The top gainers on the Sensex include Sun Pharma, HDFC, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), and Axis Bank whereas Reliance Industries (RIL), and Coal India were the major losers.

Among sectoral gainers, banking and finance sectoral indices gained with Nifty Bank, Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty Private Bank index up over 1% each. Meanwhile, Nifty Pharma index was up 1.8% with Sun Pharma gaining over 4%.

Bajaj Finance, which hit a new high of Rs 2,330, up 3% on the BSE in late noon deal on Friday, has surpasses private sector lender Axis Bank in market capitalisation (market-cap) ranking. Thus far in the calendar year 2018 (CY18), Bajaj Finance has outperformed the market by surging 33% as compared to 4% rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. Axis Bank has underperformed the market by falling 8% during the period.

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Markets pare some losses on Friday to end marginally lower; Nifty down 0.3% for week


Extending losses for second consecutive week, benchmark indices settled marginally lower in a volatile session as investors stayed cautious in the earnings season. Nifty50 slipped below 9,100, dragged by index heavyweights like Sun Pharma and ITC. However, RIL and HDFC Bank supported the market.

The S&P BSE Sensex settled the day at 29,365, down 57 points, while the broader Nifty50 ended at 9,119, down 17 points.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Midcap index and the S&P BSE Smallcap index added 0.02% and 0.2%

Small and midcap stocks hit record highs, with the Nifty Smallcap 100 index climbing as much as 1.1% and the Nifty Midcap 100 index up as much as 0.6%.

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