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Aviation stocks gain on FDI liberalization hopes

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Last Updated : Jun 19 2013 | 12:05 PM IST

Key benchmark indices hovered in negative terrain in mid-morning trade as lower Asian stocks dampened sentiment. The S&P BSE Sensex was down 86.24 points or 0.45%, off close to 100 points from the day's high and up about 40 points from the day's low. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive.

Coal India and Tata Motors extended intraday losses. Aviation stocks rose on reports that a government panel, in major liberalisation of the foreign direct investment (FDI) regime in India, has recommended allowing complete foreign ownership of aviation companies. Interest rate sensitive banking stocks edged lower for the second day in a row after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept repo rate and cash reserve ratio unchanged after mid-quarter review of the monetary policy on Monday, 17 June 2013. Cinemax India was locked at 5% upper circuit at Rs 166.10 on BSE, with the scrip extending recent strong rally as the swap ratio for the company's merger with PVR remains favourable for the shareholders of Cinemax India. Havells India hit record high. Jindal Steel & Power extended intraday gains.

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday, 19 June 2013, with investors cautious ahead of the conclusion of a Federal Reserve policy meeting for clues on Fed's bond purchases.

The rupee was volatile against the dollar. The Indian currency trimmed losses and was currently at 58.75 per dollar after hitting a low of 58.91, within striking distance of a record low of 58.98 struck last week. The rupee fell 1.5% to a record closing low of 58.77/78 on Tuesday, 18 June 2013, as traders worried that the country's current account deficit made the currency especially vulnerable to any scaling back of the US Federal Reserve's monetary stimulus.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday, 17 June 2013, refrained from cutting its key policy rate further despite sluggish economic growth due to the recent steep slide in rupee against the dollar. The central bank after a monetary policy review said that the weakness in rupee could adversely impact inflation which has been slowing in the past few months. A weak rupee makes the cost of oil and other imported goods higher in rupee terms, adding to inflationary pressure.

The market edged lower in early trade on weak Asian stocks. The market extended initial losses to hit fresh intraday low in morning trade. The Sensex hovered in negative terrain in mid-morning trade.

The market sentiment was adversely hit by data showing that foreign funds were net sellers of Indian stocks on Tuesday, 18 June 2013. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 597.37 crore on Tuesday, 18 June 2013, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.

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At 11:20 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 86.24 points or 0.45% to 19,137.04. The index fell 123.15 points at the day's low of 19,100.13 in morning trade, its lowest level since 17 June 2013. The index rose 11.20 points at the day's high of 19,234.48 in early trade.

The CNX Nifty was down 23.70 points or 0.41% to 5,789.90. The index hit a low of 5,777.90 in intraday trade, its lowest level since 17 June 2013. The index hit a high of 5,809.25 in intraday trade.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On BSE, 974 shares rose and 707 shares fell. A total of 120 shares were unchanged.

Among the 30-share Sensex pack, 18 stocks fell and the rest of them rose. NTPC (down 1.7%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (down 1.48%) and ONGC (down 1.2%), edged lower.

Jindal Steel & Power rose 4.59%, with the stock extending intraday gain.

Coal India fell 1.86%, with the stock extending intraday losses.

Tata Motors declined 1.72%, with the stock extending intraday losses.

Interest rate sensitive banking stocks edged lower for the second day in a row after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept repo rate and cash reserve ratio unchanged after mid-quarter review of the monetary policy on Monday, 17 June 2013. HDFC Bank (down 0.11%), State Bank of India (down 0.34%) and ICICI Bank (down 0.69%), edged lower.

Axis Bank declined 0.99%, with the stock extending intraday losses. The bank after market hours on Tuesday, 18 June 2013, said that its board of directors on 18 June 2013 passed a resolution approving the allotment of Senior Notes aggregating to $20 million under the MTN Programme through its Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) branch.

Aviation stocks rose on reports that a government panel, in major liberalisation of the foreign direct investment (FDI) regime in India, has recommended allowing complete foreign ownership of aviation companies. SpiceJet (up 1.9%), and Jet Airways (India) edged higher. Kingfisher Airlines was locked at 5% upper circuit at Rs 4.72 on BSE.

A key panel led by economic affairs secretary Arvind Mayaram has reportedly called for hiking the foreign investment caps in nearly all sectors, including defence and telecom, and permitting automatic approval to proposals entailing 49% foreign equity infusion.

According to reports, the committee, which was set up by Finance Minister P Chidambaram to review the sectoral caps, has suggested that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) ceiling in aviation sector be raised to 100%. Foreign investors are currently allowed to hold 49% in aviation firms.

Last year, the government also approved foreign airlines to make foreign investment of up to 49% in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services in India.

Havells India was up 2.45% to Rs 761.55. The stock hit record high of Rs 763.70 in intraday trade today, 19 June 2013. Havells India is one of the largest electrical and power distribution equipment manufacturers in India.

Cinemax India was locked at 5% upper circuit at Rs 166.10 on BSE, with the scrip extending recent strong rally as the swap ratio for the company's merger with PVR remains favourable for the shareholders of Cinemax India. Shares of PVR were up 1.04% at Rs 340. The board of directors of PVR on 15 June 2013 approved the Scheme of Amalgamation for the merger of Cine Hospitality and Cinemax India with PVR. As per the swap ratio, shareholders of Cinemax India will get 4 shares of PVR for every 7 shares held in Cinemax India. PVR holds 93.19% stake in Cinemax India through its wholly owned subsidiary Cine Hospitality (as per the shareholding patter as on 31 March 2013).

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday, 19 June 2013, with investors cautious ahead of the conclusion of a Federal Reserve policy meeting for clues on Fed's bond purchases. Key benchmark indices in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea fell by 0.28% to 1.45%. Key benchmark indices in Taiwan and Japan rose by 0.1% to 1.38%.

Japan's exports surged by the most since 2010 as the yen weakened and shipments to the US jumped, boosting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's campaign to revive the world's third-largest economy. Exports increased 10.1% in May from a year earlier, the Finance Ministry said in Tokyo today.

Trading in US index futures indicated a flat opening of US stocks on Wednesday, 19 June 2013. US stocks rose for the second day in a row on Tuesday as investors bet that the Federal Reserve will stay the course on its economic stimulus policy.

A two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed's interest-rating setting body, ends today, 19 June 2013. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said last month that the bank could start scaling back its aggressive easing program in coming months if data continue to improve. The Fed's monthly bond purchases of $85 billion a month is aimed at encouraging US economic growth.

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First Published: Jun 19 2013 | 11:21 AM IST

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