Closing Bell: Sensex ends 174 points higher, Nifty ends above 9920; midcaps underperform
3:30 pm Market Check: Benchmark indices ended the session on a positive note, but trimmed some of its post-policy gains, while the Nifty managed to end above 9920-mark.
The Sensex closed up 174.33 points at 31671.71, while the Nifty gained 65.95 points at 9925.45. The market breadth was narrow as 1,474 shares advanced against a decline of 1,157 shares, while 126 shares were unchanged.
Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma and Tata Motors DVR were the top gainers on both indices, while Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank lost the most.
3:15 pm Market Check: Benchmark indices erased some of their gains after witnessing a sharp rally post RBI policy, with the Sensex gaining about 150 points, while the Nifty continued to hold 9900.
The market breadth was narrow as 1407 shares advanced against a decline of 1120 shares, while 119 shares were unchanged.
3:05 pm How do interest rates work? For the uninitiated, wonder how the interest rates work and how that affects you? Take a look at the video in this tweet
2:48 pm Market Check: Strong buying in PSU banks led to a rally in the benchmark indices, with the Sensex gaining over 200 points, while the Nifty was higher around three-fourth of a percent.
The Sensex was up 229.98 points at 31727.36, while the Nifty was up 72.20 points at 9931.70, on the BSE. The market breadth was narrow as 1,428 shares advanced against a decline of 1,063 shares, while 118 shares were unchanged.
The central bank, in its policy, made a pitch for recapitalisation of PSU banks, which made the stocks rally.
2:39 pm Policy update: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday kept its key lending rate—the repo rate—unchanged at 6 percent, dashing hopes of lower borrowing costs for households and the companies ahead of the festival season.
The six member monetary policy committee (MPC), headed by RBI governor Urjit Patel, kept one eye firmly on the rising inflation that is perilously inching towards the RBI’s 4 percent threshold level.
In August, the MPC had recommended a 25 basis point (0.25 percentage point) cut in the repo rate to 6 percent. Business leaders have been arguing for a repeat action to revive investment, spur spending and aid a turnaround in the broader economy’s growth that has slumped to a 13-quarter low of 5.7 percent in April-June.
The central bank and the MPC also made it clear that it stood firmly on the side of inflation control in the growth-inflation trade off.
2:30 pm RBI Policy: The Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy committee (MPC) decided to keep the repo rate unchanged on Wednesday.
2:29 pm Market Check: The Sensex is up 172.03 points at 31669.41, and the Nifty up 50.75 points or 0.51% at 9910.25.
The market breadth was narrow as 1367 shares advanced against a decline of 1107 shares, while 121 shares were unchanged.
2:10 pm Buzzing Stock: Ratnamani Metals and Tubes gained over 5 percent intraday as investors cheered a ratings coverage on the stock.
ICICI Direct initiated coverage on the stock with a buy rating and a target price of Rs 1,050.
The brokerage house said that Ratnamani is perfectly positioned to cater upcoming demand. In fact, it added that a revival in capex in key industries could provide requisite demand push.
1:55 pm Europe mixed: European equities hovered around the flatline on Wednesday morning as investors kept a close eye on events in Catalonia, where the leader of the region’s separatist government has said he will declare independence “in a matter of days.”
The pan-European Stoxx 600 was 0.05 percent higher with most sectors moving in positive territory. Auto stocks led the gains in early deals, up by more than 1 percent. The sector was pushed higher by positive car sales data out of the U.S. on Tuesday.
1:45 pm Market View: Indian market which rose to a fresh record high last month saw some profit booking at higher levels. Meanwhile, the Nifty50 which rose a little over 7 percent in the first half of 2018 starting from April 1 to September 29, 2017.
According to CLSA a cut in auto fuel taxes will impact government revenues by 16 bps of GDP on a yearly basis.
The firm believes that revenue reduction and uncertainties with respect to GST collections could raise fiscal concerns. Meanwhile, the FPI sentiment on the equity could be weak until corporate earnings recovery sets in.
1:25 pm Market Check: Investors continued buying ahead of the RBI MPC’s outcome announcement, with the Nifty trading above 9900-mark.
The Sensex was up 211.24 points at 31708.62, while the Nifty was up 63.95 points at 9923.45. The market breadth was positive as 1,470 shares advanced against a decline of 946 shares, while 111 shares were unchanged.
Sun Pharma, ITC, and Aurobindo Pharma gained the most, while Bharti Airtel and Axis Bank were the top losers.
12:40 pm Gold update: Gold prices were higher by Rs 61 to Rs 29,416 per 10 gram in futures trade as speculators widened their bets taking positive cues from the global market.
At Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in October was up by Rs 61 or 0.21 percent to Rs 29,416 per 10 gram in business turnover of 28 lots.
The metal for delivery in far-month December also moved up by Rs 44 or 0.15 percent to Rs 29,553 per 10 gram in a turnover of 516 lots.
12:20 pm Market Check: Investors continued buying activity hours before the RBI’s monetary policy committee (MPC) announces its decision on key interest rates.
The Sensex was up 185.09 points at 31682.47, while the Nifty was up 59.50 points at 9919.00. The market breadth was positive as 1,449 shares advanced against a delcine of 887 shares, while 97 shares were unchanged.
Sun Pharmaceuticals, ITC and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories gained the most on both indices, while Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank and Coal India lost the most.
11:59 am Rate expectations: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) monetary policy committee is set to announce its decision later today. A CNBC-TV18 poll shows that the RBI may hold the repo rate at 6 percent.
In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Deepali Bhargava, Economist at Credit Suisse spoke at length about the same. Not expecting any rate cut today, said Bhargava.
She further said that it will be important to see what RBI says about the growth of the economy.
11:35 am Market Outlook: The Centre has cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre and now CNBC-TV18 learns that states have also been asked to review the value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.
In an interview, Harshvardhan Dole, Vice President-Institutional Equities, IIFL shared his readings and outlook on the same.
The government has taken a very proactive step and in a way they have supported their own reforms agenda in a big way, he said.
We like all the three oil marketing companies (OMCs), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and among the three HPCL is our top pick, he added.
11:20 am Full fledged internet telephony soon? Shortly after cutting local mobile-to-mobile termination charges to 6 paise per minute from 14 paise, the telecom regulator is set to shake up the market further.
This time, the impact could be wider and deeper as the regulator gets ready to issue recommendations on allowing full-fledged Internet telephony in the country. Internet telephony exists in India but in a very limited manner.
“TRAI should be issuing the recommendations in two to three weeks. The framework for Internet telephony (interconnect charges) will be same as that of regular mobile and landline calls,” an official familiar with the development said.
11:00 am Market Check: Benchmark indices are trading higher ahead of outcome from Reserve Bank of India’s policy meet later in the day.
The Sensex was up 139.33 points at 31636.71, and the Nifty was up 46.05 points at 9905.55. About 1428 shares have advanced, 747 shares declined, and 95 shares are unchanged.
Sun Pharma, Reliance Industries, Asian Paints, Dr Reddy’s Labs, ITC, Aurobindo Pharma, Indiabulls Housing and Power Grid Corp are the top gainers on the indices, while top losers include Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Coal India, Tata Steel and TCS.
10:55 am Buzzing Stock: Shares of Greaves Cotton rose 4.6 percent intraday Wednesday as it has entered into strategic partnership with Altigreen Propulsion Labs.
The partnership aims to provide a range of clean energy powertrain solutions for 3-wheeler and micro 4-wheeler commercial vehicles.
10:48 am Market Outlook: The excise duty cut by the government might come as a good news for consumers, but it is seen as more of a political alignment, HDFC Securities Research Head Dipen Sheth said in an interview with CNBC-TV18.
The government on Tuesday reduced the basic excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre. The finance ministry said that the decision was taken in a bid to cushion the impact of the rise in global crude oil prices and to protect the interests of the common man.
“The excise duty cut should be taken by the government positively by the markets but if you ask me personally – I am not in favour of the cut. The government should have been more hawkish in its diffidence in passing on price cuts,” said Sheth.
10:35 am RBI MPC meet outcome: Here’s what bankers have to say about the likely announcements from the central bank.
RBI’s #MonetaryPolicy Committee announces policy decision @2:30 PM.Will MPC give in to noise or maintain status quo? Here’s what bankers say pic.twitter.com/A5Q87duANP
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) October 4, 2017
10:21 am Buzzing Stock: Share price of Cyient gained 2.4 percent intraday Wednesday as the company has signed global software licensing agreement with Elpis Squared, a startup software company from Portland.
Cyient and Elpis will jointly pursue utility business opportunities, by leveraging their complementing solutions and technology respectively,” company said in press release.
The partnership will combine Cyient’s data governance management solution – Intelligent Data Management Solution (iDMS) with Elpis’ innovative RE|Grid platform to enhance the role of data in supporting electric utilities’ Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) and Asset Management programs, it added.
10:03 am Market Check: Benchmark indices extended gains from the opening tick, with the Nifty inching towards 9900-mark.
The Sensex was up 113.46 points at 31610.84, while the Nifty was up 32.20 points at 9891.70. The market breadth was positive as 1,281 shares advanced against a decline of 608 shares, while 69 shares were unchanged.
Midcaps were trading at high points of the day and outperformed the frontline indices. Energy, FMCG and pharmaceutical stocks gained during the hour.
Sun Pharmaceuticals, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, HPCL and Indiabulls Housing Finance gained the most, while Bharti Airtel, Tata Motors DVR and Coal India were the top losers.
9:45 am Godrej Agrovet IPO opens: The initial public offering of Godrej Agrovet opened on Wednesday. The company raised a little over Rs 341 crore from anchor investors ahead of its initial public offer on Tuesday.
Over 74.17 lakh shares would be alloted to 25 anchor investors at Rs 460 apiece, which is the upper end of the price band, the company informed stock exchanges.
At this price, the total amount works out to be Rs 341.19 crore.
Reliance Capital Trustee Company, SBI Life Insurance Company, Nomura, Goldman Sachs, Government of Singapore and Birla Sunlife Trustee Company are among the anchor investors.
9:30 am Buzzing Stocks: Shares of major oil marketing companies (OMCs) opened positively in the opening tick on Wednesday after the government reduced the basic excise duty on petrol and diesel (both branded and unbranded) by Rs 2 a litre with effect from October 4, 2017.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) jumped 3.42 percent at opening on Wednesday, while Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) jumped 1.76 percent. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) also gained 2.26 percent.
Late on Tuesday, the finance ministry said that the decision was taken in a bid to cushion the impact of the rise in global crude oil prices and to protect the interests of the common man.
“(The) government has reduced the basic excise duty on petrol and diesel (both branded and unbranded) by Rs 2 a litre with effect from October 4, 2017. The revenue loss on account of these reductions will be about Rs 26,000 crore in a full year and Rs 13,000 crore in the remaining part of the current financial year,” the finance ministry announced on Twitter.
9:15 am Market Check: Equity benchmark indices opened on a mildly positive note as the Street is seen waiting for the Reserve Bank of India’s MPC meet outcome later in the day.
The Sensex was up 23.25 points at 31520.63, while the Nifty was up 12.45 points at 9871.95. The market breadth was positive as 555 shares advanced against a decline of 186 shares, while 37 shares were unchanged.
Midcaps outperformed the frontline indices, while on the sectoral front, metals took a hit. Positive moves were seen in auto, FMCG and energy stocks.
ITC, Hero MotoCorp, HPCL and IOC were the top gainers, while Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors DVR and Coal India lost the most.
The Indian rupee opened higher by 14 paise at 65.36 per dollar on Wednesday versus previous close 65.50.
Pramit Brahmbhatt of Veracity said, “After consolidation, the rupee will trade with a neutral to negative bias. I expect the USD-INR pair to trade in a range of 65.20-65.80.”
Dollar eased in trade as the rally triggered by strong US data fizzled on speculation that US president Donald Trump’s choice for the next Fed chair may be a less hawkish candidate than previously thought.
In global markets, Asia is set for a mixed trading day on Wednesday, even after US equities closed higher overnight.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.23 percent at 20,662.48 in early trade and the Topix index advanced 0.1 percent.
US stocks closed higher on Tuesday, building on strong gains from their previous session.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 84.07 points to 22,641.67, setting intraday and closing records, with 3M contributing the most to the gains. The 30-stock index also posted a five-day winning streak.
The S&P 500 finished 0.2 percent higher at 2,534.58 and notched a record close; it also rose for the sixth straight session. Airline stocks Delta and United Continental were the best performers in the S&P, advancing 6.6 percent and 6.1 percent, respectively.
The Nasdaq composite advanced 0.2 percent to close at 6,531.71, and also hit a record high.
