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Metal stocks decline after weak Chinese economic data

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Last Updated : Nov 05 2014 | 12:45 PM IST

A range bound movement was witnessed as key benchmark indices hovered near record high in morning trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was currently trading below the psychological 28,000 level, after piercing that level for the first time in its history earlier during the trading session. The Sensex was currently up 112.36 points or 0.4% at 27,972.74. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 1.01%, outperforming the Sensex. Global crude oil prices extended previous day's slide. Fall in crude oil prices augur well for India as the country imports 80% of its oil requirement. Meanwhile, a survey showed that business activity at service providers stagnated last month.

Foreign portfolio investors bought shares worth a net Rs 1413.34 crore during the previous trading session on Monday, 3 November 2014, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. The stock market was closed yesterday, 4 November 2014, on account of Moharram.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) edged lower after Pioneer Natural Resources Company yesterday, 4 November 2014, announced that the company is pursuing the divestment of its 50.1% share of the Eagle Ford Shale Midstream business (EFS Midstream) and Reliance Holding USA, Inc. which owns the remaining 49.9% of the EFS Midstream business also plans to pursue the divestment of its share in a joint process with Pioneer. Metal and mining stocks edged lower after weak Chinese economic data. Private sector bank stocks gained, with Axis Bank scaling a record high. Most PSU bank stocks rose.

Earlier, the Sensex and the 50-unit CNX Nifty had extended initial gains and struck record high.

In overseas markets, US index futures were in green after the results showed that the Republican Party recaptured control of the US Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, notching victories in races around the country. Asian stocks declined after weak economic data from China.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar as key equity benchmark indices in India struck record high.

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Brent crude dropped as weak economic data from top energy consumer China stoked worries about demand in a market that is already battling a deepening global supply glut.

At 11:15 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 112.36 points or 0.4% at 27,972.74. The index jumped 146.22 points at the day's high of 28,006.60 in morning trade, a record high for the index. The index rose 27.89 points at the day's low of 27,888.27 in early trade.

The 50-unit CNX Nifty was up 31.40 points or 0.38% at 8,355.55. The index hit a high of 8,363.95 in intraday trade, a record high for the index. The index hit a low of 8,326.10 in intraday trade.

The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 1,535 shares gained and 908 shares fell. A total of 108 shares were unchanged.

The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 72.43 points or 0.73% at 10,013.83. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 111.51 points or 1.01% at 11,188.63. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 1645 crore by 11:15 IST, compared with turnover of Rs 998 crore by 10:15 IST.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries shed 0.11% to Rs 1,000.20. The stock high a high of Rs 1,008 and low of Rs 1,000 so far during the day. Pioneer Natural Resources Company yesterday, 4 November 2014, announced that the company is pursuing the divestment of its 50.1% share of the Eagle Ford Shale Midstream business (EFS Midstream). Reliance Holding USA, Inc. owns the remaining 49.9% of the EFS Midstream business and also plans to pursue the divestment of its share in a joint process with Pioneer. Pioneer is the operator of the business.

Pioneer said that the EFS Midstream business was formed in 2010 to construct facilities to provide gathering and handling services for condensate and natural gas produced from wells on dedicated acreage in the Eagle Ford Shale. These services are provided for the Eagle Ford Shale upstream joint venture operated by Pioneer (Pioneer 46%, Reliance 45% and Newpek LLC 9%) and for various third parties. The EFS Midstream system consists of 10 central gathering plants (CGPs) and approximately 460 miles of pipelines. The system gathers and separates produced condensate from produced gas. It also stabilizes the condensate, where necessary, and treats the gas.

Metal and mining stocks edged lower after weak Chinese economic data. China is the world's largest consumer of steel, copper and aluminum. JSW Steel (down 1.13%), Sesa Sterlite (down 1.86%), Hindustan Zinc (down 0.77%), Tata Steel (down 0.9%), Hindalco Industries (down 1.19%) and Steel Authority of India (Sail) (down 1.61%) declined. Hindustan Copper gained 2.95%.

NMDC lost 2.68%. The state-run miner has slashed price of iron ore lumps by Rs 200 per tonne for November 2014, the first time it has opted for a rate cut in four months. However, the company has decided to roll over the last month's price for iron ore fines. After the latest rate cut, the price of lump ore, used mainly by domestic steel makers, now stands at Rs 4400 a tonne from Rs 4600 earlier. The price of fines, however, remains unchanged at Rs 3160 a tonne.

NMDC, which reviews prices every month going by domestic demand, had not changed rates in the last four months, since July 2014.

Meanwhile, NMDC said that its total iron ore production rose 13.06% to 16.71 million tonne in the 7-months period ended October 2014 over the 7-months period ended October 2013. Total iron ore sales rose 10.11% to 17.65 million tonne in the 7-months period ended October 2014 over the 7-months period ended October 2013.

Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) fell 2.09% after consolidated net profit fell 2.26% to Rs 441.83 crore on 7.15% rise in total income to Rs 5183.18 crore in Q2 September 2014 over Q2 September 2013. The result was announced on Tuesday, 4 November 2014.

JSPL, notwithstanding several unfavourable developments during Q2 September 2014, including de-allocation of its coal mines, reduced demand for steel due to monsoon season and major difficulties encountered in importing raw material due to heavy congestion in ports and non - availability of rail transport out of ports. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in percentage terms increased to 32% in Q2 September 2014 from 30% in Q2 September 2013. However, due to 53% increase in burden of interest and depreciation, the profit after tax (PAT) for Q2 September 2014 was lower by 12%. The company's cash profit rose 44% to Rs 1308 crore in Q2 September 2014 over Q2 September 2013.

Private sector bank stocks gained. ICICI Bank (up 1.14%), IndusInd Bank (up 2.16%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (up 0.59%), Yes Bank (up 0.66%) and HDFC Bank (up 0.9%) gained.

Axis Bank rose 2.16% to Rs 454 after scaling a record high of Rs 455.45 in intraday trade.

Most PSU bank stocks rose. State Bank of India (SBI) (up 2.48%), Canara Bank (up 0.76%), Bank of Baroda (up 0.81%), Bank of India (up 0.91%) gained. Union Bank of India (down 1.11%), Indian Overseas Bank (down 2.33%) and Andhra Bank (down 1.77%) declined.

Punjab National Bank rose 0.55%. The bank during market hours today, 5 November 2014, said it has decided to realign the interest rates in case of single domestic and NRE term deposits with effect from 4 November 2014. The interest rate on domestic term deposits of below Rs 1 crore with a maturity period above 3 year to 10 years has been cut to 8.75% from 9%. Interest rate on domestic term deposit of Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore with maturity of 1 year and upto 3 years has been cut to 8.75% from earlier 9%. The interest rate on domestic term deposit of Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore with maturity above 3 years to 5 years has been cut to 8.5% from earlier 8.75%.

The stock market remains closed tomorrow, 6 November 2014, on account of Gurunanak Jayanti.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar as key equity benchmark indices in India struck record high. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 61.3625, compared with its close of 61.405 on Monday, 3 November 2014. The currency market was shut yesterday, 4 November 2014, on account of Moharram.

Brent crude dropped as weak economic data from top energy consumer China stoked worries about demand in a market that is already battling a deepening global supply glut. Brent crude for December delivery was off 33 cents at $82.49 a barrel. The contract had fallen $1.96 a barrel to settle at $82.82 a barrel yesterday, 4 November 2014, its lowest close since 21 October 2010, after Saudi Arabia cut oil prices for the US, in a move meant to remain competitive amid booming oil production in the US. A bleak outlook for Europe after the European Commission downgraded its forecast for euro zone economic growth over the next few years also weighed on oil prices yesterday, 4 November 2014.

Meanwhile, a survey showed that business activity at service providers stagnated last month. Adjusted for seasonal factors, the headline HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index -- a single question tracking changes in activity at Indian services companies on a month-by-month basis -- fell to 50 in October, from 51.6 in September. Despite rising for the sixth consecutive month, new work intakes in the Indian service sector increased at the weakest pace since May during October. Growth of employment in the Indian service sector also slowed in October.

On the positive side, the latest data indicated that service sector firms in India remained highly optimistic regarding prospects for activity growth in the coming year. Business sentiment was the strongest in three months, with panellists commenting on anticipated improvements in demand and new marketing initiatives as key sources of optimism.

Asian stocks declined today, 5 November 2014, after weak economic data from China. Key benchmark indices in China, Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong were off 0.06% to 0.54%. Key benchmark indices in Japan, Singapore and Indonesia were up 0.06% to 0.12%.

The HSBC China services purchasing managers index edged down to 52.9 in October from 53.5 in September, but most major components of the index remain solid, HSBC Holdings PLC said today, 5 November 2014. A reading above 50 indicates month-on-month expansion while a level below that points to contraction.

Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could rise 41 points at the opening bell today, 5 November 2014. The latest results showed that the Republican Party recaptured control of the US Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, notching victories in races around the country. Republicans also kept control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, as was widely expected. By taking the Senate and keeping the House, the Republican Party takes control of Congress for the first time in eight years.

The US stock market finished Tuesday's choppy session mostly lower, as steep losses in energy companies' stocks weighed on the main benchmark. In economic news, US trade deficit jumped in September to the highest level since the late spring. The surprising spike in the trade deficit is likely to reduce third-quarter growth when the US government revises the report later this month.

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard yesterday, 4 November 2014, said that the US economy is on track to grow at a 3% annual rate over the next 14 months, which should allow the Federal Reserve to move ahead with plans to hike short-term interest rates.

In Europe, the European Commission yesterday, 4 November 2014, cut its forecast for growth domestic product for the 18-country eurozone region to 0.8% this year, from a previous forecast of 1.2%, in the spring. In 2015, the eurozone economy will likely grow 1.1%, also less than the 1.7% growth seen in the spring. In 2016, growth in the currency union will rise to 1.7%, the commission said.

The European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) will make interest-rate decisions tomorrow, 6 November 2014.

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First Published: Nov 05 2014 | 11:17 AM IST

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