Northern firms shine at the stock market

Not just the scrips of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, or ACC, regional companies from the north are performing well too at the stock market.

The data of stock (of regional companies) prices on June 14 (when the Sensex closed at 8,929, lowest closing in 2006) and November 15 (the Sensex closed at 13,469.39) were compared.

There are almost a dozen such companies listed on the BSE or NSE which performed extremely well during the period between June 15 and November 15. However, there are some companies that have generated negative returns.

Stock market analyst V Kumar said, "There has been a mixed response from the industries in the region. Some sectors like pharma have performed extremely well but this has not been the case with all the sectors."

On the basis of returns or performance during the period (June 15 to November 15) the stocks were categorised into five categories: those that showed a rise of up to 25 per cent; between 25 and 50 per cent; between 50 and 100 per cent; more than 100 per cent; and those that generated negative returns.

In the first category came companies like Abhisek Industries, Ind Swift Laboratories, Punjab Tractors, Nahar Industrial Enterprices--ones that have not made big leaps but have generated positive appreciation in their scrips' value.

Kamla Dials, PACL, Rana Sugar and Agro Dutch have generated good returns. The third category is dominated by pharmaceutical companies like Nectar Lifesciences Ltd and Ind Swift Ltd.

Venus Remedies, Alchemist, Lakshmi Precision have performed extremely well. But on the other hand, JCT Electronics and S R Industries have shown negative returns.