Indices end on Christmas eve near records; Sensex gains 529 points; RIL up 2.5%, Infy dips 1%


Frontline indices ended the session near record highs on Thursday as investors went on Christmas holiday in a festive mood. Reports that Britain and the European Union have closed in on a free-trade deal, while short covering in banking counters back home lifted the indices.

That apart, hopes for more fiscal spending and expectations that coronavirus vaccines will become more available next year also supported global sentiment.

The S&P BSE Sensex gained 529 points, or 1.14 per cent, to settle the day at 46,973.5 levels. Sun Pharmaceuticals, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries, HDFC, and Bajaj Finance, up between 2 per cent and 3 per cent, closed the day as top gainers on the Sensex. On the downside, profit-booking in IT and FMCG stocks resulted in Infosys, Nestle, and HCL Tech ending the day as top drags.

The broader Nifty50 closed at 13,749-mark, up 148 points or 1 per cent.

Among other sectoral indices on the NSE, Nifty Bank and Nifty Financial indices ended Thursday’s session nearly 2 per cent higher each, while Nifty Pharma was up 1 per cent at close. Nifty IT index closed 0.65 per cent down.

Markets will remain shut on Friday on account of Christmas.

Continue Reading


Sensex ends choppy trade 70 points higher, Nifty tops 13,750; IT stocks shine


Subdued global sentiment weighed on domestic equity markets on Friday as investors booked profits across the board, barring information technology (IT) sector. However, last hour buying in select pharma and bank stocks helped indices to settle the day in the green.

The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex settled the day at 46,961 levels, up 70 points or 0.15 per cent. The index hit a record high of 47,026 in the opening deals but erased gains on sell-off in large private banks, metals and realty stocks.

At close, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, State Bank of India (SBI), and Titan (up between 1.4 per cent and 2.4 per cent) were the top gainers while IndusInd Bank, HDFC Bank, ONGC, and Maruti Suzuki ended the day as top laggards.

The Nifty50 index, on the other hand, ended at 13,760.5 levels, up 20 points or 0.14 per cent.

The broader markets ended in the red for the second straight day. The S&P BSE MidCap index closed at 63 points, or 0.35 per cent, lower at 17,801 level. The S&P BSE SmallCap index, too, dipped 42 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 17,769 levels.

Continue Reading


Sensex gains 447 points, ends at 45,080 as RBI revises FY21 GDP growth outlook


The bulls continued to be in the driver’s seat on Friday as the benchmark indices scaled fresh all-time highs after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised upwards the economic growth projections for the fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21) and assured ample liquidity for the stressed sectors.

The S&P BSE Sensex hit a new milestone today as the index breached the crucial 45,000 level for the first time ever to end at 45,080 levels, up 447 points, or 1 per cent. On similar lines, NSE’s Nifty ended at 13,259, up 125 points, or 0.95 per cent. Volatility index, India VIX, dropped over 5 per cent to 18 levels.

On a weekly basis, Nifty gained 2.2 per cent while Sensex added 2 per cent.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index ended 0.44 per cent higher at 17,389 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap index settled at 17,317, up 72 points, or 0.42 per cent.

On the NSE, all sectoral indices ended in the green with Nifty Bank surging the most – up 2 per cent or 604 points to 30,052 levels.

Continue Reading


Financials lift indices; Sensex up 282 points, Nifty ends at 12,859


Buying in financial counters such as HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, and Bajaj Finserv helped benchmark indices settle over 0.6 per cent higher on Friday.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 282 points, or 0.65 per cent higher at 43,882 levels while NSE’s Nifty ended at 12,859, down 87 points, or 0.68 per cent.

Bajaj Finserv ended as the biggest gainer on Sensex – up over 9 per cent to Rs 8,536.50 while Reliance Industries (down nearly 4 per cent) was the top loser. Of 30 constituents, 23 advanced and 7 declined.

Wockhdart was locked in upper circuit of 20 per cent at Rs 393 on the BSE. The stock of pharmaceutical company was trading close to its 52-week high of Rs 412 touched in February 2020. The trading volume jumped over three-fold with a combined 6.3 million shares changing hands. There were pending buy orders for 250,000 shares on the BSE and NSE, exchange data show.

Continue Reading


Sensex settles 86 points higher at 43,443 levels, gains 11% in Samvat 2076


The domestic equity market ended Friday’s session, the last trading day of Samvat 2076 on a positive note after oscillating between gains and losses during the day. The S&P BSE Sensex today gained 86 points, or 0.2 per cent to settle at 43,443 levels. With today’s gain, the index rallied 10.68 per cent during Samvat 2076.

NSE’s Nifty ended Friday’s session at 12,720, up 29 points, or 0.23 per cent. India VIX fell around 4.5 per cent to 19.7 levels.

On a weekly basis, both Sensex and Nifty gained 3.7 per cent each.

Meanwhile, market will open for one hour on Saturday, November 14 for the auspicious “Muhurat Trading session, which will start at 06:15 pm. However, it will remain closed on Monday, November 16 on account of Diwali-Balipratipada.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index rose 0.86 per cent to 15,876 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap index advanced over 1 per cent to 15,639 points.

Sectorally, all the indices but Nifty FMCG, and Nifty Media settled in the green.

Continue Reading


Sensex ends choppy session 136 points lower; Nifty ends at 11,642


The domestic benchmark indices ended Friday’s volatile session in the negative territory amid weak global cues.

Among headline indices, the S&P BSE Sensex ended 136 points or 0.34 percent lower at 39,614 levels and the broader Nifty50 index ended at 11,642, down 28 points, or 0.24 percent. Bharti Airtel (down 4 percent), Maruti (down over 2 percent), and HUL (down 2 percent) were the top Sensex drags. On the other hand, Tata Steel (up over 2 percent), and NTPC (up 2 percent) were the biggest gainers on the index.

Volatility index, India VIX, rose 3 percent to 24.7 levels.

Shares of Cholamandalam Investment rallied 15% in two days on strong Q2 results. The company’s profit after tax (PAT) increased 41 percent at Rs 432 crore on improvement in net income margin and lower operational expenses. It had posted a profit of Rs 307 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

Continue Reading


Sensex surges 835 points, Nifty reclaims 11K; Nifty IT up over 3% on Friday


The Indian stock market ended over 2 per cent higher on Friday due to across-the-board buying.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 835 points, or 2.28 per cent higher at 37,389 levels with all the 30 constituents ending in the green. Bajaj Finserv (up 6.6 per cent) was the top gainer on the index, followed by HCL Tech (up over 5 per cent), and Bharti Airtel (up 5 per cent).

NSE’s Nifty, meanwhile, reclaimed the crucial 11,000 level to settle at 11,050, up 245 points, or 2.26 per cent. India VIX dropped nearly 12 per cent to 20.76 levels.

On a weekly basis, both Sensex and Nifty declined nearly 4 per cent.

All the Nifty sectoral indices ended in the green, led by Nifty IT and FMCG indexes, both up nearly 3.5 per cent, each.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index gained around 3 per cent to 14,337 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap index added 2.31 per cent to 14,496 levels.

Continue Reading


Sensex tanks 634 points on Friday on broad-based sell-off; Nifty Bank slips 2%


The Indian markets ended over 1.5 per cent lower on Friday amid across-the-board sell-off. The volatility index, India VIX, rose over 7 per cent to 21.95 levels.

The S&P BSE Sensex tanked 634 points, or 1.63 per cent, to settle at 38,357 levels. Of 30 constituents, 29 declined and just one advanced. Axis Bank (down 4 per cent) ended as the biggest loser on the index. On the other hand, Maruti ended as the only gainer (up nearly 2 cent).

Reliance Industries (RIL), HDFC, ICICI Bank, and Infosys were the major contributors to the Sensex’s loss.

NSE’s Nifty ended at 11,334, down 194 points or 1.68 per cent.

On a weekly basis, Sensex declined 2.8 per cent while NSE slipped 2.69 per cent.

All the Nifty sectoral indices were painted red, led by Nifty Metal, which slipped 3 per cent to 2,451 levels. Nifty Bank dipped over 2 per cent to 23,011.50 levels, with all the 12 constituents declining.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index fell 1.74 per cent to 14,817 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap index fell over 1 per cent to 14,603 points.

Continue Reading


Sensex slips 433 points ahead of AGR hearing; Nifty Bank down over 2%


The domestic stock market ended over 1 per cent lower on Friday amid selling in financial counters ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) issue. Further, weak global cues such as lacklustre Chinese economic data and confusion over US fiscal stimulus, too, weighed on investor sentiment.

The S&P BSE Sensex today shed 433 points or 1.13 per cent to settle at 37,877 levels. HDFC Bank, ITC, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Reliance Industries (RIL) were the major contributors to the index’s loss. NSE’s Nifty ended at 11,178, down 122 points or 1.08 per cent.

Continue Reading


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.

Continue Reading