Sensex sinks 389 points, Nifty below 18,500; IT, PSBs crack; HCL Tech down 7%


Bucking the global trend, domestic equity markets fell on Friday bogged down by profit booking in IT stocks, and heavyweights like Reliance Industries, L&T, and financials. The S&P BSE Sensex, which started about 100 points higher, erased gains and dropped over 700 points from the day’s high to hit a low of 61,889.

The index, eventually, closed at 62,182, down 389 points or 0.62 per cent. The Nifty50, meanwhile, breached below the 18,500-mark and ended at 18,497, down 113 points or 0.61 per cent. It hit a low of 18,410 during the day.

In the broader markets, the MidCap and SmallCap indices shed 0.45 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively.

Sectorally, defensive indices like the Nifty FMCG and Pharma held gains as they rose 0.8 per cent and 0.4 per cent. On the downside, the Nifty IT index crashed 3.16 per cent. Credit Suisse has warned of a 10 – 27 per cent valuation-led correction in tech-related stocks amid US macro headwinds.

The Nifty PSU Bank and Realty indices were other top laggards that tumbled 1.7 per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively.

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Sensex rises 203 points, Nifty ends near 17,800; Maruti zooms 5%, RIL 3%


After a promising start to the trading day, the key benchmark indices slipped into red for a brief moment, and then pulled back towards the close. Broader markets, however, succumbed to selling pressure on Friday.

The S&P BSE Sensex surged to a high of 60,133 in early deals, but then dipped into red to a low of 59,739. The 30-share index eventually ended 203 points higher at 59,960. In the process, the BSE benchmark ended the festive week with a gain of 1.1 per cent (650 points).

The NSE Nifty settled 50 points higher at 17,787. In the broader markets, BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices slipped around 0.5 per cent each.

Among individual stocks, Reliance up 3 per cent was primarily responsible for the day’s gain. The stock alone contributed 231 points to the BSE benchmark.

Maruti zoomed 5 per cent to Rs 9,495, after the company reported 4-fold jump in net profit, beating Street estimates.

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Sensex ends choppy day 105 points higher; IT stocks lead; Financials weigh


Benchmark indices climbed on Friday as investors cheered US Fed chair Jerome Powell’s comment that the US may be able to avoid a “deep recession” despite aggressive rate hikes. The S&P BSE Sensex, which had erased all the morning gains during the day, clawed back to end at 59,793, up 105 points or 0.18 per cent.

The Nifty50, on the other hand, settled at 17,833, higher by 35 points or 0.19 per cent. In the broader markets, the Nifty MidCap 100 added 0.35 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap100 edged 0.06 per cent up.

Among individual stocks, Tech M, IndusInd Bank, Infosys, HCL Tech, Maruti Suzuki, SBI, and TCS were the top large-cap winners, while Astral, Godrej Industries, Bajaj Holdings and Investments, All Cargo Logistics, Nazara Technologies, and Stove Kraft were the top broader market gainers.

Sectorally, the Nifty IT index jumped the most, up 2 per cent, while the Nifty Financial Services and Realty indices dipped 0.5 per cent each.

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Indices end flat on Friday, Nifty settles at 11,214; Asian Paints up 4%


The benchmark indices ended on a subdued note on Friday; however, the mid and small-cap indices logged decent gains during the session.

The S&P BSE Sensex settled at 38,041, up 15 points or 0.04 per cent with Asian Paints (up over 4 per cent) being the top gainers and Titan Company (down over 2.5 per cent) the biggest loser. NSE’s Nifty50 ended at 11,214, up 14 points, or 0.12 per cent. India VIX dropped over 3 per cent to 22.37 levels.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index gained over 200 points or 1.4 per cent to end at 14,219 while the S&P BSE SmallCap index closed the session at 13,669, up 106 points, or 0.78 per cent.

On a weekly basis, Sensex gained 1.15 per cent while Nifty added 1.26 per cent.

The sectoral trend on the NSE was mixed. While IT and pharma stocks fell, auto, metals and financial stocks gained. The Nifty IT index slipped 1 per cent to 18,004 levels while the Nifty Pharma index ended at 11,333, down 0.6 per cent. On the other hand, Nifty Metal gained 0.85 per cent and Nifty Auto rose 0.75 per cent. Nifty Bank ended 0.5 per cent higher at 21,754 levels.

Shares of Bayer CropScience hit an all-time high of Rs 6,449 apiece on the BSE during the day after the company reported encouraging numbers for the quarter ended June 2020 (Q1FY21). The stock ended at Rs 6,139, up 9 per cent.

Shares of Lupin ended over 6 per cent lower at Rs 879.40 on the BSE after the pharmaceutical company’s net profit for April-June quarter declined 60 per cent on a yearly basis to Rs 106.9 crore. Lupin had posted a profit of Rs 264.7 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Shares of Torrent Power rallied 9 per cent to hit a 52-week high of Rs 357.50 on the BSE during the day after the company posted a 35.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in its consolidated net profit at Rs 372.66 crore against Rs 275.27 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. The stock ended at Rs 337, up nearly 3 per cent.

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