Rate cut fails to hold up markets; Sensex dips 1,310 points from day’s high


Equity market ended Friday’s highly volatile session on a subdued note even as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in an emergency move, slashed the repo rate by a huge 75 basis points (bps) to arrest the potential downturn in the economy due to coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. In addition, the RBI imposed a moratorium on principal and interest payments for three months and told banks and non-banking finance companies that that non-payment won’t be considered as non-performing assets (NPA).

The S&P BSE Sensex closed at 29,816, down 131 points or 0.44 per cent, with Axis Bank (up 5 per cent) being the top gainer and Bajaj Finance (down 9 per cent) the worst performer. Besides Bajaj Finance, stocks that contributed the most to the Sensex’s fall were Bharti Airtel (down 6 per cent), HUL (down 3 per cent), and HDFC Bank (down 1 per cent).

NSE’s frontline index Nifty50 ended at 8,660, up 19 points or 0.22 per cent.

On a weekly basis, Sensex slipped 0.33 per cent while Nifty fell 0.97 per cent.

On the sectoral front, auto stocks slipped the most, thus snapping their three-day gaining streak. The Nifty Auto index ended around 2.5 per cent lower at 4,939 levels. On the other hand, private banks gained the most with the Nifty Private Bank index ending 1.72 per cent higher at 10,738 levels.

Volatility index India VIX eased 0.77 per cent to 70.97 levels.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index ended at 10,538, up 0.29 per cent while the S&P BSE SmallCap index ended 0.28 per cent higher at 9,497 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 tanks 190 points, Nifty below 12K ahead of Budget


Investors were up for a volatile trading session on Friday as expectations from the Union Budget 2020-21, and December quarter earnings kept investors jittery. That apart, concerns over the outbreak of Coronavirus, too, weighed on investor sentiment.

Markets closed at their lowest level in 2020 ahead of the Budget presentation tomorrow. The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex ended the day near day’s low, at 40,723 level, down 190 points or 0.47 per cent, while the Nifty50 breached below the crucial 12,000-mark and settled at 11,962 level, down 74 points or 0.61 per cent.

During the day, the Sensex and Nifty fell 483 and 158 points, respectively from the day’s high.

In the broader markets, the S&P BSE mid-cap index closed at 15,463.46 level, down 0.6 per cent, while the S&P BSE small-cap index was at 14,671.53, down 0.22 per cent.

Most domestic and foreign brokerages are looking forward to credible steps to prop-up growth and provide some relief to the individual income-tax payers when the government tables the Union Budget on Feb 1.

In the Economy Survey tabled today in the Parliament, the government said it expects a pick-up in economic activity in the second half of the fiscal on the back of improved foreign direct investment flows, a build-up of demand pressure, positive outlook for rural consumption, and rebound of industrial activity.

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Sensex gains 255 points ahead of Govt-FPI meeting; Autos rally


Indices remained buoyed on Friday, ahead of the government’s meeting with foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and representatives from the financial sector, which was scheduled later in the day. Sentiment was further strengthened on reports that government could approach the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council to relieve the auto-industry from tax payment for three-six months along with measures to relieve real estate sector.

The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex soared 480 points intra-day to 37,807.5 level, while the Nifty50 zoomed 149 points to 11,181 mark.

At close, the Sensex settled 255 points, or 0.68 per cent, higher at 37,582 levels lifted by gains in auto and banking counters. Maruti Suzuki, Vedanta, Bajaj Finance, and HDFC Bank were the top gainers while YES Bank, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, and ITC were the top laggards. The broader Nifty50, too, ended at 11,110 mark, up 77 points, or 0.7 per cent.

Sectorally, metal, information technology (IT), pharma and public sector bank (PSBs) indices ended in the red while auto, private bank, realty, and FMCG scrips ended with gains. Nifty auto index was the top gainers, up 2 per cent, while Nifty metal index slipped 0.68 per cent.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE mid-cap index ended 104 points, or 0.77 per cent, higher at 13,670 level. The S&P BSE small-cap index, on the other hand, settled 125 points, or 1 per cent, higher at 12,699 level.

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Sensex ends 100 points up after a volatile day; Nifty below 11,000


Fresh trade war concerns between the United States and China weighed down investors’ sentiment on Friday leading to a sluggish trade through the day. The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex and the broader Nifty50 plummeted 411 points and 131 points respectively during the intra-day trade before staging a smart recovery during the last trading hour.

Indices inched higher on reports that the PMO took stock of the steep sell-off being witnessed in the market since the presentation of the Union Budget 2019-20. Reports suggested that PMO met officials from the Finance Ministry on Thursday to discuss concerns raised by the FPIs and even considered proposals submitted by them.

The Sensex closed at 37,118 level, up 100 points, or 0.27 per cent with Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Bajaj Auto, and Maruti being the top gainers. On the other hand, Tata Steel, SBI, Vedanta, and ONGC ended the day with steep losses. The broader Nifty50 failed to hold the psychological 11,000-mark to end at 10,997, up 17 points, or 0.16 per cent.

In the broader markets, S&P BSE Mid-cap closed at 13,547 level, up 20 points, or 0.15 per cent while the S&P BSE Small-cap settled 55 points, or 0.44 per cent, lower at 12,496 level.

Sectorally, metals slipped the most as risks to global economy increased after US President Donald Trump imposed fresh tariffs Chinese imports. The index dipped 2.16 per cent at close, followed by Nifty PSU Bank, down 1.12 per cent. Among the gainers, Nifty Auto index ended 1.26 per cent higher, followed by Nifty IT index, which gained 0.57 per cent on the back of weaker rupee.

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Sensex snaps 6-day losing streak, up 52 points; autos lead rally


Domestic indices ended Friday’s lackluster trade with marginal gains. The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex and broader Nifty50 traded range-bound for better part of the day tracking corporate earnings and weakness in global markets.

The Sensex ended 52 points, or 0.14 per cent, higher at 37,883 levels pulled up by automobile manufacturers, banking and financial stocks. YES Bank, Bajaj Finance, Hero Moto Corp, and M&M ended the day as top gainers while Vedanta, HDFC, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance were the top laggards at the close. On the other hand, Nifty50 settled at 11,284 mark, up 32 points, or 0.29 levels.

In the broader market, S&P BSE MidCap ended 73 points, or 0.53 per cent, higher at 13,856 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap closed 29 points, or 0.22 per cent, higher at 13,060 levels.

Sectorally, all the indices ended in the green barring Nifty IT index. Nifty Auto index was the top performing index, closing with gains of over 2 per cent. Nifty Bank, including private bank and public sector bank indices, and Nifty Pharma ended with gains of a per cent each. Nifty IT index closed with a cut of 0.82 per cent.

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Sensex plunges 560 points; sees third biggest fall in 2019


Markets saw the third-worst fall of 2019 on Friday as benchmark indices S&P BSE Sensex and Nifty50, both, fell to two-month low. The indices touched intra-day lows of 38,271 level at Sensex and 11,399 mark at Nifty. ‘Super-rich tax’ concerns on FPI, trade war tenions and weak corporate earnings contributed to the fall.

The Sensex tanked 560 points, or 1.44 per cent, to close at 38,337 levels with 26 of the 30 stocks listed at the index ending in the red. IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, M&M, and YES Bank were the top laggards while only NTPC, TCS, PowerGrid and ONGC ended in the green. The Nifty50, too, lost 178 points, or 1.53 per cent, to settle at 11,419 mark. Of the 50 stocks listed at the index, only 7 stocks advanced while the remaining 43 declined.

In the broader market, S&P BSE MidCap closed 285 points, or 2 per cent, lower at 14,078 level while the S&P BSE SmallCap slipped 248 points, or 1.83 per cent, at 13,310 levels.

Sectorally, all the indices ended in the red. Nifty Auto index, too, tanked to two-month low to end 3.31 per cent lower. This was followed by losses in Nifty Private Bank index and Nifty Pharma index, down 2.45 per cent and 2.23 per cent respectively.

The Nifty Auto index hitting a three-year low on Friday. Thus far in the calendar year 2019, auto index slipped 21 per cent, against 5 per cent rise in the benchmark index. M&M, Motherson Sumi Systems, TVS Motor Company, Exide Industries, Escorts, MSIL, Eicher Motors, Hero MotoCorp, Bosch and Ashok Leyland have seen market value erosion of more than 22 per cent during the period.

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Bulls take charge ahead of exit polls: Sensex up 537 pts; Nifty over 11,400


Sensex and Nifty surged on the final day of a volatile week on Friday with both the benchmark indices gaining over a per cent each ahead of exit polls outcome on Monday.

Kotak Mahindra, ICICI Bank, HDFC twins, and ITC were the biggest contributors in Sensex’s march to the north.

The benchmark Sensex zoomed almost 1.5 per cent, up 537 points, to close at 37,931, with Bajaj Finance, Hero MotoCorp, Maruti Suzuki India, Kotak Bank, and Bajaj Auto registering the biggest gains. Market breadth remained in favour of buyers with the advance-decline ratio at 3:2.

The broader Nifty50 also surged 1.33 per cent, or 150 points, to end the day at 11,407. About 1,029 stocks advanced and 723 shares declined on National Stock Exchange.

Among sectoral indices, only three indices remained in the red, with Nifty Media gaining the highest 3.53 per cent. Nifty Bank, Nifty Auto, Nifty Finance Service, Nifty FMCG and Nifty Private Bank all rose more than 2 per cent.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap gained 153 points, or 1.08 per cent, at 14,308.36, while the S&P BSE SmallCap also rose 70 points, or 0.51 per cent, at 13,887.

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Sensex slips 135 points, Nifty ends at 11,753; Jet crashes 32%


Selling in banks, realty and metal counters dragged the domestic equity market lower on Thursday. The headline index, S&P BSE Sensex lost 135 points or 0.34 per cent to settle at 39,140, with YES Bank being the biggest loser and Reliance Industries (RIL) the top gainer.

Out of 30 components, 22 scrips ended in the red and rest eight in the green.

Market breadth remained in favour of declines as out of 2,727 securities traded on BSE, 1,671 declined and 888 advanced while 168 scrips remained unchanged.

The broader Nifty50 index of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) lost 34 points or 0.29 per cent to end at 11,753.

On a weekly basis, both the indices gained around 1 per cent.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Midcap index slipped 138 points or nearly 1 0.89 per cent to close at 15,382.57 while the S&P BSE Smallcap index ended at 15,021, down around 150 points or 1 per cent.

All the sectoral indices ended in the negative territory with realty stocks taking the hardest knock, followed by media and PSU banks.

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