Key benchmark indices extended gains in early afternoon trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 214.07 points or 0.86%, off 25.40 points from the day's high and up 103.82 points from the day's low. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. The BSE Mid-Cap was up almost 1.5%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up almost 1.4%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market sentiment was boosted by data showing that foreign funds made substantial purchases of Indian stocks on Thursday, 5 June 2014.
Bank stocks rose on renewed buying. Shares of companies engaged in natural gas production edged higher after a government official on Thursday, 5 June 2014, reportedly said that the oil ministry has to decide on gas pricing by 1 July 2014 and that more clarity on the issue is expected next week. Sugar shares surged after Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was quoted as saying on Thursday, 5 June 2014, that the government will examine raising import tax on sugar to support local prices and help mills clear dues to cane growers which is estimated at Rs 11000 crore.
The market edged higher in early trade after the European Central Bank on Thursday, 5 June 2014, cut its benchmark interest rates to unprecedented lows, spurring speculation the decision will accelerate capital inflows. A bout of volatility was witnessed as key benchmark indices pared gains after extending initial gains and hitting fresh intraday high in morning trade. The Sensex and the 50-unit CNX Nifty, both, hit three-week high. Volatility continued as key benchmark indices once again trimmed gains in mid-morning trade. Key benchmark indices extended gains in early afternoon trade.
The market sentiment was boosted by data showing that foreign funds made substantial purchases of Indian stocks on Thursday, 5 June 2014. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1368.97 crore on Thursday, 5 June 2014, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.
At 13:15 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 214.07 points or 0.86%, at 25,233.58. The index surged 239.47 points at the day's high of 25,258.98 in morning trade, its highest level since 16 May 2014. The index rose 110.25 points at the day's low of 25,129.76 in mid-morning trade.
The CNX Nifty was up 55.05 points or 0.74% at 7,529.15. The index hit a high of 7,535.10 in intraday trade, its highest level since 16 May 2014. The index hit a low of 7,497.65 in intraday trade.
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The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 132.27 points or 1.48% at 9,088.18. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 132.52 points or 1.38% at 9,756.44. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On BSE, 1,923 shares rose and 975 shares fell. A total of 109 shares were unchanged.
Bank stocks rose on renewed buying. Among PSU banks, Indian Bank (up 4.8% at Rs 186.60), Union Bank of India (up 4.3% at Rs 245.15), Corporation Bank (up 3.9% at Rs 403), Bank of Baroda (up 2.5% at Rs 907.20), Punjab National Bank (up 1.6% at Rs 1,010.35) and State Bank of India (up 1.7% Rs 2,735.30) edged higher.
Among private sector banks, Kotak Mahindra Bank (up 3.3% at Rs 895), Jammu & Kashmir Bank (up 2% at Rs 1,602), ICICI Bank (up 2% at Rs 1,490), IndusInd Bank (up 1.8% at Rs 542.75), Axis Bank (up 1.3% at Rs 1,973.50) and Yes Bank (up 0.98% at Rs 579.90) edged higher.
Sugar shares surged after Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was quoted as saying on Thursday, 5 June 2014, that the government will examine raising import tax on sugar to support local prices and help mills clear dues to cane growers which is estimated at Rs 11000 crore. India, the world's second-biggest producer after Brazil, imposes a 15% tax on sugar imports. Local mills have been demanding raising the duty to as much as 40% to help lift prices, which have been pressured by huge stocks. Shree Renuka Sugars (up 12.8% at Rs 30.65), Bajaj Hindusthan (up 7.8% at Rs 30.20), Triveni Engineering & Industries (up 10% at Rs 34.10), Dhampur Sugar Mills (up 13.8% at Rs 65.85) and Balrampur Chini Mills (up 7.9% at Rs 84.20) surged.
Shares of companies engaged in natural gas production edged higher after a government official on Thursday, 5 June 2014, reportedly said that the oil ministry has to decide on gas pricing by 1 July 2014 and that more clarity on the issue is expected next week. Reports also suggest that hike in prices of kerosene and LPG is also in the offing. Oil India was up 4.1% at Rs 598.45.
ONGC was up 6.9% at Rs 448.75. The stock hit record high of Rs 459.75 in intraday trade.
Reliance Industries was up 2.8% at Rs 1,118.45. The stock hit high of Rs 1,132.80 and low of Rs 1,105 so far during the day.
The government will take a decision on revising natural gas prices after the Prime Minister is briefed about various issues of the petroleum sector, reports suggest. The current gas price of $4.2 per unit would have doubled on 1 April this year as the earlier Congress-led government had approved a new formula but the Election Commission vetoed the decision. Reliance Industries has subsequently initiated arbitration over the delay in announcing new prices as the approval for its price of $4.2 from the KG-D6 block was valid up to 31 March 2014 and the new pricing formula had been notified. It argued that investments of billions of dollars are at risk because of the uncertainty about prices.
Shares of state-run gas transmission and distribution major GAIL (India) were up 4.6% at Rs 409.05.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar after the European Central Bank on Thursday, 5 June 2014, cut its benchmark interest rates to unprecedented lows, spurring speculation the decision will accelerate capital inflows. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 59.1925, compared with its close of 59.33/34 on Thursday, 5 June 2014.
The crucial South West monsoon rains arrived over India's southern Kerala state today, 6 June 2014, around five days later than usual. After arriving over Kerala, the monsoon usually spreads over the entire country by mid-July. L.S. Rathore, director general of India Meteorological Department was quoted as saying by a news agency today, 6 June 2014, that the monsoon has finally arrived but it is currently moving at a slow pace as the parameters that support its progress are either weaker than their normal positions or not properly placed.
India's rainy season usually starts in the first week of June. With the majority of the country's agricultural land dependent on rainfall, not manual irrigation, variations in the rains' arrival date can seriously affect plans for sowing summer crops such as rice, sugar cane, cotton and oilseeds.
The IMD will issue an update on the forecast of the South West monsoon rains in this month. IMD in April 2014 predicted below-normal rains this year, saying that there is a 60% possibility of the emergence of the El Ni weather phenomenona warm weather system that starts in the southern Pacific can affect weather around the world. El Ni last affected India's monsoon in 2009 when the monsoon rainfall was 23% below normal. Annual rains are important for India as most of its farmlands are dependent on rain for irrigation and more than half of its workforce is employed in agriculture.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to table Union Budget for 2014-15 in Lok Sabha by mid-July 2014. An interim budget was presented by P. Chidambaram in February this year. Essentially, in the nature of a vote on account, the interim budget was intended to get Parliament approval for expenditure to be incurred during the first few months of fiscal year 2014-15 due to Lok Sabha elections.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) next undertakes monetary policy review on 5 August 2014. The RBI kept its main lending rate -- repo rate -- unchanged at 8% after a monetary policy review on 3 June 2014. The central bank at that time signaled it would ease monetary policy if inflation slows faster than targeted.
European stock markets moved higher on Friday, 6 June 2014, as banks continued to benefit from easing measures announced by the European Central Bank in the prior session. Key benchmark indices in Germany and UK were up 0.15% to 0.2%. In France, the CAC 40 index was off 0.02%.
The European Central Bank cut interest rates to record lows on Thursday, launched a series of measures to pump money into the sluggish euro zone economy, and pledged to do more if needed to fight off the risk of Japan-like deflation. The ECB lowered the deposit rate to sub zero -- negative 0.1%. It cut its main refinancing rate to 0.15%, and the marginal lending rate - or emergency borrowing rate - to 0.40%.
For the first time, the ECB will charge banks for parking funds at the central bank overnight in an attempt to force them to lend to small- and medium-sized businesses. The measures were also aimed at easing pressure on the strong euro, which is threatening economic recovery and importing disinflation.
ECB President Mario Draghi outlined a four-year 400 billion euro ($544.86 billion) scheme giving banks that have been holding back credit due to looming stress tests an incentive to increase lending to businesses in the euro zone. "Now we are in a completely different world," Draghi said, citing "low inflation, a weak recovery and weak monetary and credit dynamics". The package, adopted unanimously, was aimed at increasing lending to the "real economy", he said.
Other steps included extending the duration of unlimited cheap liquidity for euro zone banks, injecting about 170 billion euros by stopping tenders that withdrew funds spent on past government bond purchases, and preparing for possible future purchases of asset-backed securities to support small business. "If required, we will act swiftly with further monetary policy easing," he said, adding that the policy-setting Governing Council was unanimous in its commitment to use unconventional instruments if needed "to further address risks of too prolonged a period of low inflation".
UK interest rates have been held at the record low of 0.5% for another month by the Bank of England on Thursday. The size of the Bank's bond-buying economic stimulus programme was also kept unchanged at 375 billion. The decision was widely expected, despite continued signs of strength in the UK economy.
Asian stocks edged lower in choppy trade on Friday, 6 June 2014, before US payrolls data due later in the global day. Key benchmark indices in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China were off 0.07% to 0.54%. Key benchmark indices in Indonesia and Singapore were up 0.17% to 0.64%.
Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could gain 21 points at the opening bell on Friday, 6 June 2014. US stocks rose to records on Thursday as European Central Bank stimulus boosted optimism in the global economy before US jobs report.
The Fed said in its Beige Book business survey that the economy expanded at a modest to moderate pace last month as auto sales led household spending and the labor market improved. The survey, released two weeks before policy makers meet in Washington, supports Chair Janet Yellen's view that the economy is rebounding from a 1% contraction in the first quarter caused largely by harsh winter weather. Claims for American unemployment benefits climbed by a more-than-estimated 312,000 in the week to May 31, data yesterday showed.
The influential US nonfarm payroll data for May 2014 is due for release today, 6 June 2014.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) next undertakes monetary policy review at a two-day meeting on 17-18 June 2014. The Fed on 30 April 2014 said after a monetary policy review that it will keep the benchmark interest-rate target at almost zero for a "considerable time" after its bond-buying program ends. The FOMC also reduced monthly debt purchases to $45 billion, its fourth straight $10 billion cut, and said further reductions are likely in "measured steps" if the economy continues to improve.
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