RBI liquidity measures cheer markets; Sensex up 327 points, Nifty tops 11,900


Continuing their gaining streak for the seventh session in a row, the benchmark indices ended nearly a per cent higher on Friday after the monetary policy committee (MPC) of the RBI left the repo rate unchanged at 4 per cent but announced a slew of liquidity measures to support the economy.

Further, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the stance of the policy would remain “accommodative,” for “as long as necessary – at least during the current financial year and into the next year – to revive growth. READ MORE

The S&P BSE Sensex today ended 327 points, or 0.81 per cent higher at 40,509 levels while the Nifty50 index settled above the 11,900-mark at 11,914, up 80 points, or 0.67 per cent. On a weekly basis, Sensex rallied 4.6 per cent and Nifty gained 4.3 per cent.

ICICI Bank and Axis Bank (both up 3.64 per cent) were the top Sensex gainers, followed by SBI, and HDFC Bank (both up 3.5 per cent).

The Nifty sectoral indices were mixed. While Nifty Bank gained nearly 3 per cent to 23,847 levels, Nifty Pharma ended as the biggest loser – down over 1.3 per cent.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index slipped 0.42 per cent while the S&P BSE SmallCap ended 0.29 per cent lower at 14,966 levels.

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IT stocks, HDFC Bank, RIL help Sensex settle 329 points higher


Rally in information technology (IT) stocks, HDFC Bank, and Reliance Industries (RIL) helped the benchmark index, S&P BSE Sensex, settle with 329 points or 0.94 per cent gains at 35,171 levels on Friday.

NSE’s Nifty rallied 94 points or 0.91 per cent to end at 10,383. Volatility index, India VIX, dropped over 4 per cent to 28.50 levels.

IT stocks advanced in the trade after Accenture posted a better than expected quarterly numbers. The S&P BSE Information Technology index jumped over 5 per cent to end at 15,125 levels. Among individual stocks, Infosys gained 7 per cent, TCS rose 5 per cent while Wipro ended over 3 per cent higher. READ MORE

On a weekly basis, Sensex gained 1.26 per cent while Nifty added 1.35 per cent.

The broader indices underperformed the benchmarks. The S&P BSE MidCap index ended 0.27 per cent higher at 13,258.44 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap rose 0.19 per cent to 12,630 points.

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Sensex recovers 600 points from day’s low, ends 223 points up; FMCG, Pharma rally


Supported by buying in FMCG, pharma, and auto counters, the domestic equity market ended in the positive territory on Friday, ahead of the release of GDP data for January-March quarter of 2019-20 (Q4FY20).

The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex recovered a good 600 points from day’s low to settle at 32,424.10, up 223.15 points or 0.7 per cent. ONGC (up 5.5 per cent) was the top gainer on the index while IT major Infosys (down 2 per cent) ended as the biggest loser.

NSE’s Nifty settled at 9,580, up 90 points or 1 per cent, with 36 of 50 constituents advancing and 14 declining.

On a weekly basis, Sensex gained 5.7 per cent and the Nifty added 6 per cent.

The broader market, too, participated in the rally. The Nifty Midcap 100 index gained over 1 per cent to 13,273 and the Nifty SmallCap 100 index rose nearly a per cent to 4,002.80.

Among individual stocks, Vodafone Idea rallied 35 per cent to Rs 7.85 in the intra-day deals on the BSE, after reports said that the global technology giant Google is in talks to buy a 5 per cent stake in the company, owned by Vodafone Plc of the UK and Aditya Birla Group. The stock, however, pared gains and ended around 13 per cent higher at Rs 6.56 after the company clarified on the report, saying there is no proposal as reported by the media that is being considered at the Board.

IT services firm Wipro surged 6.65 per cent to Rs 212.55 after the company named Thierry Delaporte as the new chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of the company, replacing Abidali Neemuchwala. Delaporte was most recently the chief operating officer of French consulting and technology firm Capgemini Group.

Shares of pharmaceutical companies were in focus with Nifty Pharma index gaining over 3 per cent on the expectation of strong demand scenario from both the domestic and export market.

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F&O expiry: Sensex soars 997 points on Covid-19 drug hopes; auto, IT stocks gain


Indian equity market soared on Thursday, the last day of the futures & options (F&O) contracts of April series, as encouraging early results from a Covid-19 treatment trial boosted investor sentiment. Buying was witnessed across the board with stocks such as Tata Motors, Vedanta, and Hindalco leading the charge.

The S&P BSE Sensex rallied an impressive 997 points or 3 per cent to 33,718 levels. Of 30 constituents, 26 ended in the green and rest 4 in the red. ONGC (up over 13 per cent) emerged as the biggest gainer on the index, followed by HCL Tech (up 11 per cent), Hero MotoCorp (up 9 per cent), and NTPC (up 6 per cent).

On the contrary, Sun Pharma (down nearly 3 per cent) ended as the top loser. HUL, too, ended over 1.6 per cent lower at Rs 2,195.70 ahead of its March quarter results due later in the day.

Reliance Industries (RIL) stock ended nearly 3 per cent higher at Rs 1,467.05 apiece on the BSE. The company is slated to announce March quarter results and consider rights issue later in the day. Further, it has announced that it will reduce the salaries of some of its employees in the hydrocarbon division by 10 per cent in view of the “adverse impact” of the coronavirus pandemic on fuel demand.

NSE’s headline index Nifty surged 307 points or over 3 per cent to settle at 9,860.

On a weekly basis, Sensex zoomed 7.6 per cent and Nifty jumped 7.7 per cent.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index rallied 1.46 per cent to 12,013 levels and the S&P BSE SmallCap index gained over 1 per cent to 11,102-mark.

On the sectoral front, metal stocks advanced the most with the Nifty Metal index surging 8 per cent to 1,859.90 levels. The Nifty Auto index was second on the list – up 6.45 per cent to 5,901 levels.

Markets were closed on Friday on account of Maharashtra Day.

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Sensex slips 536 points, Nifty ends at 9,154; financials decline


The domestic equity market ended in the red on Friday amid weak global cues. The decision of Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund (MF) yesterday to wind up six of its debt schemes also eroded sentiment.

The Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) assured investors that majority of Fixed Income Mutual Funds AUM is invested in superior credit quality securities and schemes have appropriate liquidity to ensure normal operations and hence, investors should remain invested in Mutual Funds to create wealth over the long term.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 536 points or 1.7 per cent lower at 31,327.22 levels while the NSE’s Nifty ended at 9,154.40, down 159.5 points or 1.7 per cent.

Among individual stocks, Bajaj Finance (down 9 per cent) and IndusInd Bank (down over 6.5 per cent) were the top Sensex laggards. HDFC slipped 5 per cent and HDFC Bank ended nearly 2 per cent lower. On the other hand, Reliance Industries (up over 3 per cent) was the lead gainer.

Secorally, barring Nifty Pharma, all the other indices on the NSE ended in the red. Nifty Bank slipped 3.36 per cent to 19,587 levels while Nifty PSU Bank index declined around 4 per cent to 1,263. Nifty Financial Services index declined nearly 4 per cent to 9,432 levels.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index fell 1.77 per cent to 11,464 while the S&P BSE SmallCap index ended at 10,634, down 151.5 points or 1.4 per cent.

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Sensex ends 986 points higher on Friday; financials rally post RBI measures


The domestic stock market witnessed a sharp rally on Friday after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced a slew of measures to support the economy in the wake of Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. The central bank slashed reverse repo rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 per cent. It also announced special refinance facility of Rs 15,000 crore to SIDBI; Rs 25,000 crore to NABARD, and Rs 10,000 cr to HFCs to support liquidity.

Reacting to it, financials stocks made solid gains, thus aiding the benchmark indices to settle over 3 per cent higher. The S&P BSE Sensex surged 986 points or 3.22 per cent to end at 31,588.72, with Axis Bank (up nearly 13.5 per cent) being the top gainer. ICICI Bank (up 10 per cent), IndusInd Bank (up 9 per cent), and Maruti (up 7 per cent) were next on the list.

On the NSE, the Nifty gained 274 points or 3.05 per cent to end at 9,266.75. Volatility index, India VIX, continued to cool-off. It slipped 7.71 per cent to 42.54 levels.

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Sensex takes a breather, gains 1,628 points; Nifty ends at 8,745


After days of brutal sell-off, the domestic equity market witnessed a sharp rebound on Friday and ended with around 6 per cent gains as positive global cues and coordinated efforts by countries across the globe to fight coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic soothed investors’ nerves.

The S&P BSE Sensex rallied 1,628 points or 5.75 per cent to settle at 29,916. Of 30 constituents, 28 advanced and just 2 declined. Reliance Industries (RIL), HDFC and TCS contributed the most to the index’s gains. ONGC jumped over 18.5 per cent to Rs 72.45 apiece. It ended as the top gainer on the index. Other heavyweights such as RIL, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), and TCS gained in the range of 10-12 per cent.

On the downside, HDFC Bank slipped over 1 per cent to Rs 882 after global brokerage house Bernstein downgraded the stock to ‘underperform’ and sharply slashed the target price to Rs 750 from Rs 1,400 earlier.

On the NSE, headline index Nifty gained 482 points or 5.83 per cent to settle at 8,745 levels.

On a weekly basis, both Sensex and Nifty slipped over 12 per cent.

All the sectoral indices on the NSE ended in the green. Nifty FMCG advanced the most – up around 9 per cent to 26,073 levels while Nifty IT surged over 8.5 per cent to 12,306 points. Metal stocks, too, witnessed solid buying as the Nifty Metal index ended 7.7 per cent higher at 1,695 levels.

In the broader market, the Nifty Midcap 100 index jumped around 5 per cent to 12,642 levels while the Nifty SmallCap index gained over 2 per cent to 3,874 points.

Market breadth was in favour of buyers as out of 2,605 companies traded on the BSE, 1,447 advanced and 1,008 declined while 150 remained unchanged. Volatility index India VIX declined over 7 per cent to 66.92 levels.

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Sensex down 153 points, Nifty below 12,100; Asian Paints falls 2%


After a one-day blip, benchmark indices once again slipped into the negative territory on Thursday, pulled down by heavyweights such as Reliance Industries (RIL), HDFC Bank, TCS, HUL and Asian Paints. Further, investors awaited more clarity on US President Donald Trump’s statement ahead of his visit to India that the two countries were working on a major trade deal.

The S&P BSE Sensex lost 153 points or 0.37 per cent to settle at 41,170, with Asian Paints (down over 2 per cent) being the top loser and IndusInd Bank (up over 3.5 per cent) the biggest gainer.

NSE’s Nifty50 index ended the session at 12,081, down 45 points or 0.37 per cent.

Among individual stocks, IRCTC gained over 5 per cent to end at 1,928 . Adani Gas rallied 13 per cent to Rs 185.50 apiece on the BSE after media reports said Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) disposed November 29 showcause notice to the company and the regulator has approved TOTAL’s 37 per cent stake buy in the company.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Midcap index added 62.5 points or 0.4 per cent to 15,694 while the S&P BSE SmallCap index rallied 0.5 per cent to settle at 14,747.

On the sectoral front, IT stocks bled the most, followed by FMCG and media counters. On the other hand, PSU bank stocks advanced the most. The Nifty PSU Bank index climbed 1 per cent to 2,169 levels.

Markets remained shut on Friday on account of Mahashivratri.

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Sensex up 227 points, mid-cap rally continues; metal stocks gain


Bulls held their reigns for the second consecutive day on Friday, as markets decisively stayed in the positive territory after a mild blip in the early morning trade. Pre-budget rally and decent Q3FY20 results throughout the day were the biggest factors driving the markets today. Banking counters were leading the charge from the front with HDFC twins, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Axis Bank being the top contributors of the gains today.

The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex surged 421 points off day’s low to hit an intra-day high of 41,697.03. At close, the Sensex settled at 41,613.19 level, up 226.79 points or 0.55 per cent. UltraTech Cement, L&T, Tech Mahindra, and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the top gainers on the 30-share index, while Power Grid, IndusInd Bank, TCS, and Reliance Industries were the top laggards.

On the NSE, the Nifty50 reclaimed the 12,250-mark in the intra-day trade today and hit a high of 12,272.15. The 50-share index ended 67.90 points, or 0.56 per cent, higher at 12,248.25 mark. Sectorally, all the key indices settled in the positive territory barring Nifty IT and Pharma indices. Nifty Metal index settled 1.02 per cent higher, followed by Nifty Financial Services index (up 0.9 per cent) and Nifty Bank index (up 0.8 per cent).

Broader markets continued their outperformance on Friday as well, with the S&P BSE mid-cap index hitting its fresh 52-week high in the intra-day trade today. At close, the index was at 15,826.57 level, up 0.8 per cent. The S&P BSE small-cap index, meanwhile, settled 0.5 per cent higher at 14,848.49.

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Sensex up 428 on global cues; Nifty holds 12K ahead of FM presser


Indian equity markets edged higher for the third straight session as positive global cues fueled investors’ risk appetite. While metal stocks charged ahead during Friday’s trading session after US President Donald Trump said Washington and Beijing are very close to signing a “big” trade deal, auto stocks gained as Conservative leader Boris Johnson won election in the United Kingdom, paving way for Brexit-divorce deal by Janurary 31, 2020.

Besides, public sector banks (PSBs) rallied today after reports suggested that the government is considering increasing the government bond investment limit of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to at least 10 per cent of the outstanding, from 6 per cent now, with an aim to incorporate local bonds into global bond indices.

At close, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex settled 428 points, or 1.05 per cent higher, at 41,009.71 level. Vedanta, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, ans Maurti Suzuki ended as the top gainers among the Sensex pack. On the contrary, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Auto, and Asian Paints settled as top laggards.

On the NSE, the Nifty50 closed near 12,100-mark, up 114 points, or 0.95 per cent, at 12,085.70 level.

For the week, Sensex added 1.5 per cent, Nifty50 advanced 1.4 per cent, and Nifty Bank index gained 2.2 per cent.

Sectorally, all the indices ended the day with gains. Nifty PSU Bank index gained the most, up nearly 4 per cent, followed by Nifty Metal index (up 2 per cent).

In the broader market, both, the S&P BSE mid-cap and small-cap indices closed 0.89 per cent higher at 14,824.80 and 13,334.45, respectively.

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