A bout of volatility was witnessed as the key benchmark indices trimmed gains in afternoon trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was currently trading below the psychological 24,000 mark after hitting a record high above that level in early afternoon trade. The Sensex was up 340.23 points or 1.44%, off 177.71 points from the day's high and up 161.98 points from the day's low. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market was positive. The BSE Mid-Cap and BSE Small-Cap indices were up more than 1% each. Indian stocks edged higher today, 13 May 2014, after exit polls on Monday, 12 May 2014, signaled that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win a majority in the Lok Sabha elections which concluded on Monday, 12 May 2014. The market sentiment was also boosted by data showing that foreign funds made substantial purchases of Indian stocks on Monday, 12 May 2014. Gains in Asian and European stocks also underpinned sentiment on domestic bourses.
Various exit polls on Monday, 12 May 2014, predicated that the NDA will be able to form the next government at the Centre by winning 272 or more seats or will bag just few seats lower than the majority 272 seats needed to form the next government in a house of 543. The exit polls were out on Monday evening after the 9th and the final phase of Lok Sabha elections got over at 18:00 IST on that day. If exit polls prove correct, NDA's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will become India's next Prime Minister. The counting of votes will take place on Friday, 16 May 2014, and the results are expected on the same day. The term of the current Lok Sabha ends on 1 June and the new House has to be constituted by 31 May.
Modi, the prime ministerial candidate from the NDA, is perceived as being more business-friendly and decisive by the business community. As chief minister for the fast-growing state of Gujarat, Modi has built a reputation for getting things done. While campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections, Modi has pledged to reinvigorate the country's manufacturing sector, create more jobs and overhaul the country's inadequate infrastructure. Investors are hoping that the BJP-led government will be better at getting things done and more business-friendly than the current Congress-party-led coalition government.
Various post-poll surveys on Monday predicted an easy win for NDA with CNN-IBN forecasting about 280 seats, Headlines Today 272 seats, India TV 289 seats, ABP 281 and News 24 predicting up to 340 seats for NDA in a house of 543. The predictions of an NDA victory are primarily based on survey results showing BJP and its allies doing exceedingly well in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra, which account for 168 seats and also in BJP's strongholds of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Only Times NOW gave NDA cause for worry by not predicting a simple majority. It gave BJP and its allies 249-265 seats, still putting NDA in a comfortable zone, requiring just 20 or so seats from post-poll allies.
CNN-IBN said its post-poll survey is based on the data of the first 8 rounds of polling. In the ninth and the last round on 12 Monday 2014, 41 seats in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh went to polls.
Investors are hoping that when the results of the Lok Sabha elections are out on Friday, 16 May 2014, a stable government which will complete its full term of five years in office comes to power. A party or a pre-poll alliance will need 272 MPs to form government at the Centre, which is a simple majority in 543-member Lok Sabha. Investors are expecting measures for revival of the economy, business-friendly policies and good governance from the new government that comes to power after the elections. Investors expect policy measures from the new government to put India on a high-growth path on a sustainable basis.
The BJP in its Lok Sabha polls manifesto has promised more business-friendly policies if the party comes to power after elections. The BJP has said that measures for the revival of the economy are its priority if the party comes to power after elections. India's GDP growth has slowed to a decade low of below 5%. The GDP grew 4.7% in Q3 December 2013.
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Index heavyweights ITC and Reliance Industries (RIL) edged higher in volatile trade. Capital goods stocks gained on renewed buying, with L&T hitting a 52-week high. Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) surged on reports that the Cabinet is likely to ratify today, 13 May 2014, the decision to sell 4.66% stake in the company through a block deal. Punjab National Bank reversed direction in volatile trade after the bank announced poor Q4 result during market hours today, 13 May 2014. Shares of Adani group companies surged after exit polls on Monday, 12 May 2014, signaled victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha elections which concluded on Monday, 12 May 2014.
The market surged amid initial volatility after exit polls on Monday, 12 May 2014, signaled that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win a majority in the Lok Sabha elections which concluded on Monday, 12 May 2014. Firmness continued on the bourses in morning trade. Key benchmark indices extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in early afternoon trade. The Sensex hit record high above 24,000 level. A bout of volatility was witnessed as the key benchmark indices trimmed intraday gains in afternoon trade.
The market sentiment was boosted by data showing that foreign funds made substantial purchases of Indian stocks on Monday, 12 May 2014. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1217.95 crore on Monday, 12 May 2014, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.
At 13:20 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 340.23 points or 1.44% at 23,891.23. The index jumped 517.94 points at the day's high of 24,068.94 in early afternoon trade, a lifetime high for the index. The index rose 178.25 points at the day's low of 23,729.25 in early trade.
The CNX Nifty was up 95.50 points or 1.36% at 7,109.75. The index hit a high of 7,172.35 in intraday trade, a lifetime high for the index. The index hit a low of 7,067.15 in intraday trade.
The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 81.24 points or 1.08% at 7,591.97. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 85.19 points or 1.12% at 7,717.48. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On BSE, 1,427 shares gained and 1,290 shares fell. A total of 143 shares were unchanged.
The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 3148 crore by 13:20 IST.
Among the 30-share Sensex pack, 26 stocks gained and rest of them fell.
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (down 2.32%), HDFC Bank (down 0.9%) and Coal India (down 0.56%) edged lower from the Sensex pack.
Index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC rose 0.5% to Rs 360.65. The stock hit high of Rs 363.65 and low of Rs 357.40 so far during the day.
Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 0.79% at Rs 1,037.10. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,054 in intraday trade. The stock hit a low of Rs 1,032.85 in intraday trade.
Capital goods stocks gained on renewed buying. BEML (up 6.26%), Bharat Electronics (up 10.79%), ABB (India) (up 2.48%), Siemens (up 1.45%) gained. Crompton Greaves fell 1.1%.
Engineering and construction major L&T advanced 3.02% to Rs 1,429 after hitting a 52-week high of Rs 1,440.05 in intraday trade.
Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) surged 10.88% to Rs 220.50 on reports that the Cabinet is likely to ratify today, 13 May 2014, the decision to sell 4.66% stake in the company through a block deal. The stock hit 52-week high of Rs 229.85 in intraday trade.
The Finance Ministry in March 2014 had sold 4.66% stake in Bhel to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) for about Rs 1889 crore. LIC purchased 11.41 crore shares in Bhel at a price of Rs 165.55 per share through a block deal on the BSE.
Following the block deal, the government stake in Bhel came down to 63.06%, from 67.72%.
The Empowered Group of Ministers, headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, had in February 2014 decided on the timing and mode of disinvestment in Bhel. However, the CCEA approval was pending for the stake sale.
In August 2011, the Cabinet had cleared the sale of 5% stake in Bhel through a follow-on public offer (FPO). However, market conditions led to a delay in the issue and the company in April 2012 withdrew the draft prospectus filed with market regulator Sebi.
Punjab National Bank lost 3.8% to Rs 803 after the bank announced poor Q4 result during market hours today, 13 May 2014. The stock was volatile. The stock hit high of Rs 877.60 so far during the day, also its 52-week high. The stock hit low of 800.25 so far during the day.
Punjab National Bank (PNB)'s net profit declined 28.69% to Rs 806.35 crore on 8.18% growth in total income to Rs 12498.23 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013.
Shares of Adani group companies rose after exit polls on Monday, 12 May 2014, signaled victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha elections which concluded on Monday, 12 May 2014. The Adani group is known for its proximity to Gujarat Chief Minister and NDA's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Adani Enterprises and Adani Power were up 4.42% to 6.48%.
Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone jumped 6.76% to Rs 218.70 after hitting a 52-week high of Rs 226.60 in intraday trade.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar as equities rose after exit polls on Monday, 12 May 2014, signaled victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha elections which concluded on Monday, 12 May 2014. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 59.875, compared with its close of 60.05/06 on Monday, 12 May 2014.
On the macro front, inflation based on the combined consumer price index (CPI) for urban and rural India accelerated to 8.59% (provisional) in April 2014, from 8.31% (final) in March 2014, data released by the government after trading hours on Monday, 12 May 2014, showed. Core CPI which excludes food and energy prices eased to 7.8% in April 2014, from 7.81% in March 2014.
Another data released by the government after trading hours on Monday, 12 May 2014, showed that industrial production shrank for a second straight month in March 2014. Industrial production declined 0.5% in March 2014, compared with a contraction of 1.8% in February 2014. Mining production declined 0.4% and manufacturing sector registered a contraction of 1.2% in March 2014. Electricity generation rose 5.4% in March 2014. As per use-based classification, production of basic goods rose 4% and that of intermediate goods rose 0.6%. Production of capital goods registered a contraction of 12.5%. The consumer goods sector registered a contraction in production of 0.9% in March 2014. Within the consumer goods sector, production of consumer non-durables registered a growth of 7.2% whereas production of consumer durables registered a contraction of 11.8% in March 2014.
For the year ended 31 March 2014 (FY 2014), the industrial production registered a contraction of 0.1%. The fall in February's output was revised to 1.8% from 1.9% reported earlier.
The rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index is expected to remain at 5.7% in April 2014, at the same level it was in March 2014, as per the median estimate of a poll of economists carried out by Capital Market. The government will unveil data on inflation based on the wholesale price index (WPI) for April 2014 at about 12:00 noon on Thursday, 15 May 2014.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) next undertakes monetary policy review on 3 June 2014. The RBI left its main lending rate viz. the repo rate unchanged at 8% after a monetary policy review on 1 April 2014, as consumer-price inflation eased to a two-year low and as the rupee firmed up against the dollar.
European stocks nudged higher on Tuesday, 13 May 2014, as quarterly earnings from ThyssenKrupp AG to Airbus Group NV (AIR) exceeded analysts' estimates. Key benchmark indices in UK, Germany and France were up 0.17% to 0.37%.
Asian stocks rose on Tuesday, 13 May 2014, as investors weighed earnings and after US stocks climbed to record high overnight. Key benchmark indices in Indonesia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan were up 0.11% to 1.95%. Markets in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Bangladesh were closed for a holiday.
Stocks fell in mainland China after the latest data showed growth in industrial output, fixed-asset investment and retail sales all unexpectedly slowed last month. The Shanghai Composite was off 0.1%.
China's factory production expanded 8.7% last month, the National Bureau of Statistics said today, 13 May 2014. Retail sales rose 11.9% percent in April. Fixed-asset investment for the first four months of this calendar year climbed 17.3%, the latest data showed.
Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could advance 19 points at the opening bell on Tuesday, 13 May 2014. The US stock market ended Monday with best gains in nearly a month that sent both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average to record levels. Broad-based gains on the S&P 500 were led by technology and industrial sector stocks, while deal news in the food industry boosted investor sentiment.
The economic calendar was light on news Monday. The US government recorded a budget surplus of $107 billion in April, the Treasury Department reported Monday, a smaller windfall than in the same month last year. The April surplus contributes to a steady decline in the deficit for fiscal 2014. Shrinking US deficit could help keep interest rates low.
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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