Key benchmark indices fell for second day in a row as the market sentiment was affected adversely by provisional data showing that foreign funds remained net sellers of Indian stocks on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, settled at its lowest level in almost 19 weeks. The 50-unit CNX Nifty finished at its lowest level in more than 19 weeks. All the 13 other sectoral indices on BSE were in the red. The market breadth was weak. The Sensex shed 291.94 points or 1.55%, off 223.92 points from the day's high and up 35.85 points from the day's low.
Indian stocks edged lower for second day in a row today, 4 April 2013. The Sensex has lost 531.25 points or 2.79% in two trading sessions from a recent high of 19,040.95 on 2 April 2013. The Sensex has declined 917.01 points or 4.72% in calendar 2013 so far (till 4 April 2013). From a 52-week high of 20,203.66 on 29 January 2013, the Sensex has declined 1,693.96 points or 8.38%. From a 52-week low of 15,748.98 on 4 June 2012, the Sensex has surged 2,760.72 points or 17.53%.
Coming back to today's trade, index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC extended losses in late trade. Another index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) edged lower in choppy trade. IT stocks fell on negative economic data in US, the biggest outsourcing market for the Indian IT firms. Banking and realty stocks declined. Auto stocks were mixed.
Metal shares fell as LMEX, a gauge of six metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, fell on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. Capital goods stocks edged lower on worries the ongoing slowdown in the economy could restrict new orders. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories surged after the company announced the launch of Zoledronic Acid Injection (5mg/100ml), a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Reclast injection 5mg/100ml in the US market.
The market moved lower in early trade. The Sensex and the 50-unit CNX Nifty hit their lowest level in a week. Weakness continued on the bourses in morning trade. The Sensex continued to hover in the negative terrain in mid-morning trade. Weakness continued on the bourses in early afternoon trade. Key benchmark indices hit fresh intraday low in afternoon trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, hit lowest level in more than 18 weeks. The 50-unit CNX Nifty hit lowest level in over 19 weeks. The market hovered near intraday low in mid-afternoon trade. The market extended losses to hit fresh intraday low in late trade.
The market sentiment was affected adversely by data showing that foreign funds remained net sellers of Indian stocks on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 368.39 crore on Wednesday, 3 April 2013, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.
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The S&P BSE Sensex was down 291.94 points or 1.55% to 18,509.70, its lowest closing level since 23 November 2012. The index slumped 327.79 points at the day's low of 18,473.85 in late trade, its lowest level since 23 November 2012. The index declined 68.02 points at the day's high of 18,733.62 in early trade.
The CNX Nifty was down 98.15 points or 1.73% to 5,574.75, its lowest closing level since 20 November 2012. The index hit a low of 5,565.65 in intraday trade, its lowest level since 21 November 2012. The index hit a high of 5,644.45 in intraday trade.
The BSE Small-Cap index was down 2.08% and the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 1.84%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex.
All the 13 other sectoral indices on BSE finished lower. The key losers among sectoral indices were the BSE Realty index (down 3.39%), the BSE IT index (down 2.45%), the BSE Teck index (down 2.44%), the BSE Consumer Durables index (down 2.05%) and the BSE Bankex (down 1.89%).
The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 1534 crore, lower than Rs 1963.93 crore on Wednesday, 3 April 2013.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On BSE, 1,841 shares fell and 894 shares rose. A total of 123 shares were unchanged.
Among the 30-share Sensex pack, 24 stocks declined while rest of them rose.
Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) fell 1.27% at Rs 766.75. The scrip hit high of Rs 777.70 and a low of Rs 765. Shares of Reliance Communications fell 2.48% on profit booking after recent rally. Reliance Jio Infocomm and Reliance Communications (RCom) on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, announced the signing of a definitive agreement for approximately Rs 1200 crore as one time indefeasible right to use (IRU) fees for sharing RCom's nationwide inter-city fiber optic network infrastructure. Reliance Jio Infocomm will utilize multiple fiber pairs across RCom's 1.2 lakh kilometres inter-city fiber optic network to provide a robust and future proof backbone for rolling out its state-of-the-art 4G services. As per the agreement, RCom will in turn have reciprocal access to optic fiber infrastructure to be built by Reliance Jio Infocomm in the future.
The agreement provides for joint working arrangements to be put in place immediately for upgradation of the optic fiber network, to ensure seamless delivery of next generation services.
Index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC declined 2.6% to Rs 299.85 on profit booking. The scrip hit high of Rs 308.90 and a low of Rs 299. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 310.75 on 4 February 2013. The government raised the excise duty on cigarettes by about 18% on all cigarettes except cigarettes of length not exceeding 65 mm in Union Budget 2013-14, which was unveiled on 28 February 2013.
Metal shares fell as LMEX, a gauge of six metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, fell 0.91% on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. Tata Steel (down 3.86%), Sesa Goa (down 3.11%), Sterlite Industries (down 2.76%), Jindal Steel & Power (down 4.96%), Hindustan Zinc (down 1.64%) and Hindalco Industries (down 2.59%), edged lower.
Auto stocks were mixed. Tata Motors rose 0.47%. The company's total sales (including exports) of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles in March 2013 were 72,712 vehicles. The company's domestic sales of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for March 2013 were 69,160 units. Cumulative sales (including exports) for the company were 8.10 lakh units in FY 2013. Tata Motors announced the monthly sales data on Monday, 1 April 2013.
Maruti Suzuki India advanced 1.06%. The company announced during market hours on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, that its total sales declined 4.8% to 1,19,937 units in March 2013 over March 2012. The company's domestic sales fell 4.3% to 1,07,890 units in March 2013 over March 2012. The company's exports dropped 8.9% to 12,047 units in March 2013 over March 2012
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) was unchanged at Rs 844.55. M&M's total automobile sales rose 11% to 51,904 units in March 2013 over March 2012. The company's domestic sales rose 11% to 49,225 units in March 2013 over March 2012. Exports for the month of March 2013 stood at 2,679 units. Sales of passenger vehicles (which includes UVs and Verito) rose 13% to 25,847 units in March 2013 over March 2012. Sales of 4 wheeler commercial segment, which includes the passenger and load vehicles, jumped 17% to 17,212 units in March 2013 over March 2012. Sales of 3-wheelers declined 5% to 4,831 units in March 2013 over March 2012. M&M announced the monthly sales data during trading hours Monday, 1 April 2013.
The company's domestic tractor sales declined 2.31% to 15,551 units in March 2013 over March 2012. The company's total tractor sales declined 0.43% to 17,330 units in March 2013 over March 2012. Exports jumped 20% at 1,779 units in March 2013 over March 2012. M&M announced the monthly tractor sales data during trading hours Monday, 1 April 2013. M&M said that the company maintained its leadership position in the Indian tractor industry during the year ended 31 March 2013 (FY 2013).
Ashok Leyland fell 0.9%, with the stock falling for the second straight day after the company reported decline in sales in March 2013. The company reported a 2% decline in total sales at 14,020 units in March 2013 over March 2012. However, sales of small commercial vehicle 'DOST' spurted 96% to 4,325 units in March 2013 from 2,211 units sold in March 2012.
Bike makers declined. Bajaj Auto dropped 1%, with the stock declining for the third straight day after the company reported decline in sales in March 2013. The company announced during market hours on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, that total sales fell 10% to 3.01 lakh units in March 2013 over March 2012. Motorcycles sales declined 11% to 2.67 lakh units in March 2013 over March 2012. Commercial vehicles sales fell 1% to 34,194 units in March 2013 over March 2012. Exports declined 6% to 1,01,374 units in March 2013 over March 2012
Shares of Hero MotoCorp declined 2.59%.
Capital goods stocks edged lower on worries the ongoing slowdown in the economy could restrict new orders. ABB (down 0.74%), Thermax (down 1%), Bhel (down 2.54%) and Siemens (down 3.41%) declined.
L&T fell 1.49%. The company announced during trading hours Wednesday, 3 April 2013, that L&T Construction has secured an order worth AED 943.11 million for the development of the prestigious Midfield Terminal Complex -- an airside construction project for Abu Dhabi Airports Company, PJSC UAE. The project will commence in April 2013 with a construction period of 28 months. The Airport Terminal Complex is expected to be commissioned by 2017.
Adani Power fell 2.1% on profit booking after rising 8.79% on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. Adani Power (APL) announced after market hours on Wednesday, 3 April 2013, that it had filed a petition with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) to review the tariff in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with government utilities of Gujarat and Haryana. CERC has issued an order, by virtue of the power vested to the Commission and the statutory responsibility to balance the interest of the consumers and the project developers, while regulating the tariffs of the generating companies. The Commission has therefore seen a need to direct the parties to set down a consultative process to find out an acceptable solution in the form of compensatory tariff over and above the tariff decided under the PPAs to mitigate the hardship arising out of absence of full domestic coal linkage and the need to import coal at benchmark price on account of Indonesian Regulations.
As per the order of the Commission, the stakeholders viz. the Petitioners, Respondents and the respective state government, have been directed to constitute a Committee within one week. Further, the Committee has been directed to go into the impact of the price escalation and suggest a package for compensatory tariff which can be allowed to the Petitioner over and above the tariff in the PPAs. The Committee is required to provide its recommendations keeping certain parameters in consideration, by 30 April 2013, APL said in a statement.
The Order by Commission clearly affirms the need for adequate return on the investment made which would improve the quality and supply of electricity to the consumers. Thus the Commission has achieved the twin objective of contribution to consumer interest and recovery of cost of services provided by the generating Companies. The order passed by the Commission is in line with its responsibility to intervene in the matter in the interest of the consumers, investments and the power sector as a whole, APL said.
Reliance Power was down 2.42%. The company announced during trading hours today, 4 April 2013, that the first unit of 660 megawatts (MW) out of the 3,960 MW Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) being developed at Sasan, Madhya Pradesh by the company's wholly owned subsidiary, Sasan Power, has been successfully commissioned.
The company said coal production has already commenced from the Moher and Moher-Amlohri coal mines. The Chhatrasal coal block has also received forest clearance and is under development. The electricity generated from the project will be sold to 14 distribution companies across seven states benefiting an estimated 35 crore people.
The Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project, is the largest integrated power plant and coal mining project in the world with an estimated investment of over Rs 23000 crore.
J.P. Chalasani, the Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Power said, "The successful commissioning of the first unit in record time is a clear demonstration of the execution capabilities of Reliance - the ability to build large power and coal mine projects ahead of schedule."
Dr Reddy's Laboratories surged 3.55% after the company announced during market hours today, 4 April 2013 that it has launched Zoledronic Acid Injection (5mg/100ml), a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Reclast injection 5mg/100ml in the US market on 3 April 2013, following the approval by the USFDA of the company's ANDA for Zoledronic Acid Injection (5mg/100ml). The Reclast brand had total US sales of approximately $355 million for the twelve months ended February 2013, according to IMS Health data.
Bank stocks declined. HDFC Bank was down 1.64%. HDFC Bank announces Q4 results on 23 April 2013.
Axis Bank slipped 2.44%. Axis Bank will announce its Q4 March 2013 results on 24 April 2013.
ICICI Bank fell 2.18%. ICICI Bank announces Q4 results on 26 April 2013.
State-run State Bank of India (SBI) dropped 1.07%. SBI on 20 March 2013 said that the Executive Committee of the Central Board of the Bank, in its Meeting held on 20 March 2013, approved the issuance and allotment of 1.29 crore equity shares at Rs 2,312.78 per share to the Government of India (GoI) by way of preferential allotment.
Among other PSU bank stocks, Union Bank of India, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank shed by 0.36% to 2.07%. Canara Bank rose 0.6%.
IT stocks fell on negative economic data in US, the biggest outsourcing market for the Indian IT firms. Infosys dropped 2.97%. Infosys announces Q4 results on 12 April 2013. Infosys said during market hours Tuesday, 2 April 2013, that it has signed an agreement with RWE Supply & Trading (RWEST), a leading European energy trading house to provide technology services to transform RWEST's trading operations to create business efficiencies and drive growth from new markets and commodities.
Infosys on 15 March 2013 announced that it has been selected by India Post to implement and manage a platform that will transform its rural operations. With this new agreement, Infosys will facilitate India Post's Rural Systems Integration (RSI) program.
Software major TCS fell 2.26%. The company on 26 March 2013 said that it has bagged a contract from Southern Water to implement a customer services and revenue transformation programme for the latter. The programme will combine front and back-end technology deployments with internal process redevelopment. Southern Water will benefit from enhanced customer service capabilities, improved cash collection and debt management, and will see a reduction in operating expenditure, TCS said a statement.
HCL Technologies slumped 4.53%. The company said during market hours Wednesday, 3 April 2013, that the company is collaborating with North Carolina New Schools -- a statewide public-private catalyst for education innovation -- to create and promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs and get college students ready for the 21st century workforce. HCL will design an online technology hub which will serve as a central gathering place for featured content and discussion between teachers, principals, school staff, students, counselors, college liaisons, district office superintendents and NC New Schools administration staff. NC New Schools will leverage HCL's services for content creation and management of its collaborative, online community offering access to tools and resources required to accelerate systemic, sustainable innovation in schools. NC New Schools will move approximately 3,000 NC New Schools intranet users to the new technology hub.
Wipro fell 1.05%.
Realty stocks edged lower. D B Realty, Sobha Developers, DLF, D B Realty, HDIL, and Unitech dropped by 1.27% to 5.39%.
The Indian economy is facing a temporary downturn, and average rates of economic growth above 8% are possible in the medium term, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said at the CII National Conference and Annual General Meeting, in New Delhi Wednesday, 3 April 2013.
Growth in services sector eased last month to its slowest since October 2011 as order books filled at a slower pace, a business survey showed on Wednesday, 3 April 2013. The HSBC services Purchasing Managers' Index, based on a survey of around 400 companies, fell to a 17-month low of 51.4 in March from 54.2 in February. Services make up nearly 60% of India's output. While the headline PMI fell for the second straight month, it has held above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction since late 2011.
The Q4 March 2013 corporate earnings season will begin around mid-April 2013. Infosys announces Q4 results on 12 April 2013. IndusInd Bank announces Q2 results on 18 April 2013. Cairn India announces Q4 results on 22 April 2013. HDFC Bank announces Q4 results on 23 April 2013. Axis Bank will announce its Q4 March 2013 results on 24 April 2013. ICICI Bank announces Q4 results on 26 April 2013.
On the political front, the DMK on 19 March 2013 withdrew support to the Congress led UPA government at the Centre citing differences on the issue of atrocities on Tamils in Sri Lanka. After the withdrawal of support by the DMK to the UPA government on 19 March 2013, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath on 20 March 2013 said the government was not a lame duck government and was stable. He said that no party has challenged the government for a floor test.
The UPA has already been reduced to a minority government after Trinamool Congress withdrew support to the government in September last year. The Samajwadi Party (SP) along with its regional rival in Uttar Pradesh Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) provide outside support to the UPA government. SP has 22 MPs in Lok Sabha and BSP has 21 MPs.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will announce the Monetary Policy Statement 2013-14 on 3 May 2013. The RBI cut its key policy rate viz. the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.5% after a mid-quarter monetary policy review on 19 March 2013. The key macroeconomic priorities are to raise the growth rate, restrain inflation pressures and mitigate the vulnerability of the external sector, RBI said at that time. Even as the policy stance emphasises addressing the growth risks, the headroom for further monetary easing remains quite limited, the RBI said. The RBI said it will continue to actively manage liquidity through various instruments, including open market operations (OMO), so as to ensure adequate flow of credit to productive sectors of the economy.
The upside on the bourses may be capped as reduction of promoter stake to meet the Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) mandated minimum public shareholding of 25% for private companies and 10% for state-run firms will result in supply of equity in the market over the next few months. As per the Sebi mandated minimum public shareholding rule, private-sector companies must cut founders' stake to adhere to the rules by 30 June 2013, while the deadline for state-run firms is 31 August 2013. PSU divestment will also add to share sale glut in FY 2014. The government has set a target of Rs 40000 crore from divestment of government stake in state-run firms and Rs 14000 crore from divestment of stake in non-government companies for FY 2014.
The India Meteorological Department will issue its first forecast of 2013 southwest monsoon in this month.
The finance ministry in October 2012 announced a five-year plan to cut fiscal deficit. The government hopes to reduce the fiscal deficit to 3% by March 2017.
The second half of the Budget session of the Parliament begins on 22 April 2013. The Budget Session of the Parliament ends on 10 May 2013. The government has lined up a number of key bills for consideration and passing during the Budget session of the parliament, which include The Forward Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2010, The Pension Fund Regulator and Development Authority Bill, 2011, The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, The National Food Security Bill, 2011 and The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008.
Assembly elections will be held in Karnataka on 5 May 2013 and the counting of votes and results of the election will be declared on 8 May 2013.
European stocks rose following yesterday's biggest drop in five weeks, as investors awaited an update on monetary policy from European Central Bank and Bank of England. Key benchmark indices in France and Germany were up by 0.42% to 1%. UK's FTSE 100 fell 0.07%.
The European Central Bank is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate at a record low of 0.75% after a monetary policy today, 4 April 2013.
Asian markets traded lower on Thursday, tracking a negative lead from Wall Street overnight. Key benchmark indices in Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea fell by 0.42% to 1.2%. Stock markets in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were shut for holidays.
Japan's Nikkei Average jumped 2.2%. The Japanese market bounded back into positive territory after the Bank of Japan's announcement of additional easing measures at the first meeting under newly appointed Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda. The central bank pledged to achieve a 2% inflation target in about two years, while taking additional easing action, such as increasing Japanese government bond (JGB) holdings at an annual pace of 50 trillion ($530 billion), with JGB holdings to double in two years. The bank will terminate its asset-purchase program, with asset purchases to be absorbed with JGB purchases, under its new easing scheme called "Quantitative and Qualitative Monetary Easing."
Stronger manufacturing and services output in China helped lift emerging market business confidence in March, masking slower growth in Brazil, Russia and India, a monthly purchasing managers' survey showed. The HSBC Emerging Market Index (EMI) survey, which collects data from purchasing managers at about 7,500 firms in 16 emerging markets, showed on Thursday that strong manufacturing output from China helped boost growth in neighbouring south-east Asian economies including Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Vietnam.
HSBC's composite manufacturing and services PMI for the world's second-largest economy increased in March to 53.7 from 51.4 the previous month. That helped lift the HSBC EMI index to 52.6, from 52.4 the previous month.
North Korea barred entry to a joint industrial complex it shares with the South for a second day on Thursday, telling the association of companies that operate factories in the Kaesong industrial zone to complete pull out by April 10.
The United States said on Wednesday it would soon send a missile defense system to Guam to defend it from North Korea, as the US military adjusts to what Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has called a "real and clear" danger from Pyongyang.
Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could gain 54 points at the opening bell on Thursday, 4 April 2013. US stocks fell on Wednesday following lower-than-expected readings on the US non-manufacturing sector and private-sector jobs growth. Private-payrolls processor ADP reported private-sector job growth of 158,000 in March, below expectations of 215,000 and versus an upwardly revised gain of 237,000 in February. US services sector, with the Institute for Supply Management's non manufacturing index in March fell to 54.4 from 56 the month before.
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