After a knee jerk reaction to the RBI policy announcemet, wherein the markets rallied to higher levels led by rate sensitives, the markets have now pared most of their gains and the banks are weighing it down. The Sensex rallied to a high of 19,341, but is now up around 67 points at 19,218. The NSE Nifty too has pared gains and is now up 17 points at 5,757.
The Bankex scaled a high of 12,775, but is now back in red at 12,571 - down 75 points. Index heavyweights ICICI Bank leads the fall, with a loss of 2%. Axis Bank and Punjab National Bank are the other major losers.
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(Updated at 1134 hrs)
The markets continue to move in a narrow range with the RBI policy out. The Sensex is up 171 points at 19,322 and the Nifty added 52 points at 5,795. However, there is not much change in the broader markets where the smallcaps and the midcaps are up 0.5% each underperforming the Sensex, up 0.9%.
On the RBI policy front, the repo rate is hiked by 25 bps, reverse repo rate is also hiked by 25 bps to 5.5%. There is no chnages in the CRR which is at 6% and one per cent Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) leeway has been extended to April 8. The GDP forecast remains at 8.5% with an upward bias for the current year. However, FY12 GDP expected to decline.Inflation forecast is revised to 7% from 5.5%
On the sectoral charts, Bankex which was in the red before have advanced and is up 0.9% . Auto and Realty have also gained after the RBI policy. Oil & gas, capital goods, Consumer Durables, PSU are up 1% each which leads the sectoral chart.
NTPC, L&T, Sterlite up 2% each continue to lead the gainers list followed by HDFC, Hindalco, DLF, Hero Honda, SBI, RIL and Hindustan Unilever gaining 1% ecah.
ICICI Bank and Tata Motors down 0.7% and 0.1% respectively are the only losers on the Sensex.
The market breadth is positive. 1601 stockshave advanced while 986 have declined.