F&O expiry: L&T, HDFC twins drag Sensex 173 pts; Nifty settles at 11,671

All that happened in the markets today

The domestic stock market ended nearly 0.5 per cent lower on Thursday, the last day of the futures and options (F&O) contracts for the October series. 

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 173 points, or 0.43 per cent lower at 39,750 levels while NSE's Nifty ended at 11,671, down 59 points, or 0.5 per cent. India VIX gained over 3.5 per cent to 24 levels. 

HDFC Bank, HDFC, and L&T were the major contributors to the Sensex's fall today while Reliance Industries (RIL), and Asian Paints gave the much-needed support. 

In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index ended flat at 14,812 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap index dropped 0.5 per cent to 14,893 levels. 

On the NSE, barring Nifty IT, all the other sectoral indices ended in the red. 

Global markets

European stocks edged higher on Thursday after strong earnings reports from companies including oil major Royal Dutch Shell and chip equipment supplier ASM, but sentiment remained fragile a day after a broad selloff on lockdown fears.

In Asia, stock markets fell. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.6 per cent, with the heaviest drops in Australia, down 1.6 per cent, and South Korea, down 1 per cent.

Japan’s Nikkei fell just 0.3 per cent, Chinese blue chips rose 0.5 per cent and the yuan led a gentle bounce in Asian currencies against the greenback.

In commodities, oil prices declined. 

(With inputs from Reuters)

4:05 PM

MARKET COMMENT | Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services

As expected, the Indian stock market has turned its focus from Q2 result driven rally to international developments as the global market is worsening. Markets across the world are volatile because of rising corona cases impacting the recovery of the economy and ambiguities over the US election and stimulus package. Additionally, today Indian indices ended weak following October monthly F&O expiry. This weakness can stay for the short-term, a reversal can happen as strong fiscal and monetary stimulus is expected from governments and central banks in the world to overcome the crisis.

3:43 PM

SECTOR WATCH | Nifty IT bucks the trend, ends in the green

3:42 PM

MARKET AT CLOSE | Losers and gainers on the BSE Sensex

3:35 PM

CLOSING BELL

The S&P BSE Sensex dropped 173 points, or 0.43 per cent to settle at 39,750 levels while NSE's Nifty ended at 11,671, down 59 points, or 0.5 per cent. 

3:27 PM

MARKET CHECK

3:15 PM

NEWS ALERT | Cabinet approves 100% jute bag packaging for food grains: CNBC TV18

-- Cabinet approves 20% jute bag packaging for sugar

3:13 PM

Heatmap: S&P BSE Sensex gainers and losers at this hour

3:11 PM

UltraTech Cement gains over 3%

3:03 PM

MARKET CHECK | Sensex down 0.6%

2:50 PM

Bank of Baroda back in the black in Q2, reports net profit of Rs 1,679 cr

State-owned Bank of Baroda on Thursday reported a standalone net profit of Rs 1,678.6 crore for July-September quarter (Q2FY21) on the back of lower provisons. In the previous quarter of the current fiscal (Q1FY21), the lender had incurred a loss worth Rs 864.26 crore. On a yearly basis, PAT grew 128 per cent from Rs 736.6 crore. READ MORE

2:45 PM

MARKET CHECK

2:33 PM

Paint shares shine in a weak market; Asian, Berger Paints hit record highs

Shares of paint companies were in the limelight on Thursday with sector giants Asian Paints and Berger Paints surging 3 per cent each to hit their respective fresh highs of Rs 2,232 and Rs 625 at the bourses in an otherwise weak market on expectation of higher volume growth. READ MORE 

2:23 PM

Maruti Suzuki posts 19% YoY growth in Q2 profit at Rs 1,534 crore

Auto major Maruti Suzuki on Thursday reported 19.16 per cent year-on-year growth in consolidated profit at Rs 1,533.6 crore for the September quarter of FY21 (Q2FY21) while revenue rose 10.34 per cent per cent to Rs 18,755.6 crore. The company had posted revenue of Rs 16,997.9 crore and profit of Rs 1,287 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year. READ MORE

2:18 PM

L&T, Axis Bank, Bharti Airtel: Trading strategies for stocks post Q2 result

Larsen & Toubro Ltd (LT): The stock witnessed a gap-down start on October 29 after breifly breaching the 200-days moving average (DMA) on the upside. If the stock fails to show any immediate reversal, it may not be able to hold the positive stance. The support levels come in the range of Rs 925 to Rs 923, which are its 100-DMA and 50-DMA levels, respectively. READ MORE

2:10 PM

Rupee Closing

Rupee settles lower at 74.11 per US dollar vs Wednesday's close of 73.88/$