A range bound movement was witnessed as key benchmark indices languished in negative zone in mid-morning trade. The losses for the benchmark indices were small. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was currently off 40.03 points or 0.14% at 27,756.98. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya reportedly said yesterday, 9 December 2014, that lending rates will come down only after the bank is able to bring down its cost of funds and sees a pickup in credit growth, so that higher volumes can compensate for the income loss.
Realty stocks advanced. Insurance stocks were mixed. Reliance Capital advanced on reports the company plans to sell its entire stake in online travel company Yatra.com for Rs 500 crore.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives on a two-day visit to India today, 10 December 2014, for the 15th Annual India-Russia Summit.
Earlier, the Sensex had hit its lowest level in almost 6 weeks and the 50-unit CNX Nifty had touched its lowest level in more than 4 weeks in early trade.
Foreign portfolio investors sold shares worth a net Rs 221.52 crore yesterday, 9 December 2014, as per provisional data.
In overseas markets, Asian markets were mixed. The US stock market staged a rebound yesterday, 9 December 2014, but still ended the day lower, even after erasing steep opening losses sparked by China's tightening of lending rules and Greece's surprise elections announcement.
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In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged lower against the dollar.
Brent crude oil futures edged lower on worries over a deepening supply glut. Deregulation of diesel price announced by the Indian government in October 2014 and a sharp decline in global crude oil prices over the past few months will help reduce the government's fuel subsidy burden and help contain its fiscal deficit. The steep slide in global crude oil prices will also help India in containing its current account deficit and fuel price inflation. India imports 80% of its crude oil requirement. However, a weakness in rupee against the dollar will restrict the benefit of falling global crude oil prices to that extent. A weak rupee raises the cost of imports.
At 11:16 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 40.03 points or 0.14% at 27,756.98. The index lost 86.98 points at the day's low of 27,710.03 in early trade, its lowest level since 31 October 2014. The index gained 78.28 points at the day's high of 27,875.29 in early trade.
The CNX Nifty was down 12.15 points or 0.15% at 8,328.55. The index hit a low of 8,317 in intraday trade, its lowest level since 10 November 2014. The index hit a high of 8,361.80 in intraday trade.
The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 42.15 points or 0.41% at 10,248.68. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 51.55 points or 0.46% at 11,245.67. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,285 shares gained and 963 shares fell. A total of 98 shares were unchanged.
Realty shares advanced. Unitech (up 1.41%), Prestige Estates Projects (up 1.68%), D B Realty (up 0.08%), DLF (up 1.19%), Anant Raj (up 0.61%), Godrej Properties (up 0.42%), and Oberoi Realty (up 0.94%) edged higher. Housing Development & Infrastructure (down 0.67%) and Sobha Developers (down 2.13%) edged lower.
Insurance stocks were mixed. Max India (up 1.35%) and Aditya Birla Nuvo (up 0.23%) edged higher. ICICI Bank (down 0.11%), HDFC (down 1.22%), and Bajaj Finserv (down 0.88%) edged lower. As per reports, the government is likely to table the Insurance Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha today, 10 December 2014. The Insurance Amendment Bill seeks to raise foreign direct investment (FDI) cap to 49% in the insurance sector from current 26%.
State Bank of India (SBI) rose 0.55% at Rs 308.65. State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya reportedly said yesterday, 9 December 2014, that lending rates will come down only after the bank is able to bring down its cost of funds and sees a pickup in credit growth, so that higher volumes can compensate for the income loss. She was speaking at an event to launch an economic index developed by the bank.
Reliance Capital rose 0.82% at Rs 519.85. According to reports, the company plans to sell its entire stake in online travel company Yatra.com for Rs 500 crore. The company had invested Rs 40 crore in Yatra.com in 2006 for a 16% stake.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged lower against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 61.935, compared with its close of 61.89 during the previous trading session.
Brent crude oil futures edged lower on worries over a deepening supply glut. Brent for January settlement was off 78 cents a barrel at $66.06 a barrel. The contract had gained 65 cents a barrel to settle at $66.84 during the previous trading session.
The Indian government plans to introduce the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2014 to replace the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance, 2014 in Lok Sabha this week. The government is also likely to introduce the constitutional amendment bill for the goods & services tax during the ongoing winter session of parliament. The government also plans to bring the MMDR Amendment Bill, 2014 during the ongoing winter session of parliament.
The government also intends to get the Insurance Laws Amendment Bill that seeks to enhance FDI limit in capital starved insurance sector passed during the ongoing winter session of parliament.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives on a two-day visit to India today, 10 December 2014, for the 15th Annual India-Russia Summit. Ahead of his visit, India's Ministry of External Affairs on 5 December 2014 said that the Summit will have a strong focus on redefining the economic partnership between the two countries. Several documents are under preparation for signing at the Summit, in the fields of defence, nuclear energy, customs, banking and energy, the Ministry of External Affairs said had said at that time. India is keenly interested in participating in more hydrocarbon projects in Russia, the Ministry of External Affairs said on 5 December 2014. India has said clearly that it cannot be party to any sanctions against Russia, the Ministry of External Affairs said on 5 December 2014.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Urban Development yesterday, 9 December 2014, said that a ten member all Party Parliamentary delegation from Romania which is currently on a six day visit to India has expressed the desire to enhance Romania's engagement with India in Parliamentary and economic spheres. At a meeting between Parliamentary Affairs Minster M.Venkaiah Naidu and Valeriu Stefan Zgone, President of the Chambers of Deputies, Parliament of Romania, it was felt that the present level of bilateral trade of about $666 million between India and Romania is inadequate to the potential and need to be increased by identifying new areas of cooperation for mutual benefit, the Ministry of Urban Development said. Naidu is also the Minister of Urban Development.
The government will unveil industrial production data for October 2014 on Friday, 12 December 2014. Industrial production growth improved to 2.5% in September 2014, from a revised 0.5% growth in August 2014.
The government will release annual rate of inflation based on the combined consumer price indices (CPI) for urban and rural India for November 2014 on Friday, 12 December 2014. CPI for urban and rural India eased to 5.52% in October 2014, from 6.46% in September 2014.
The government will release the inflation data based on wholesale price index (WPI) for November 2014 on 15 December 2014. WPI eased to 1.77% in October from 2.38% in September 2014.
Asian markets were mixed today, 10 December 2014. Key indices in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia were up 0.17% to 0.44%. Key indices in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea were off 1.06% to 2.63%
China's annual consumer inflation eased to a five-year low of 1.4% in November, signalling persistent weakness in the world's second-largest economy and giving policymakers more room to ease policy to support growth. The consumer price index fell 0.2% in November from October, the National Bureau of Statistics said today, 10 December 2014.
Japanese consumer confidence in November worsened for a fourth straight month, a Cabinet Office survey showed today, 10 December 2014, showing the April sales tax hike is continuing to weigh on sentiment. The survey's sentiment index for general households, which includes views on incomes and jobs, was at 37.7 in November, the lowest since April.
Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could fall 15 points at the opening bell today, 10 December 2014. The US stock market staged a rebound yesterday, 9 December 2014, but still ended the day lower, even after erasing steep opening losses sparked by China's tightening of lending rules and Greece's surprise elections announcement. Overseas news overshadowed speculation that the Federal Reserve may be close to pulling back its pledge to keep rates low, with yields falling amid a flight to quality.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) next undertakes monetary policy review at a two-day meeting on 16-17 December 2014. The policy meeting will be keenly watched for any hints on the timing of interest rate increases in the world's biggest economy.
In Europe, Greece has brought forward to this month the date of its next presidential election, which is conducted by the country's parliament. The announcement yesterday, 9 December 2014, came after eurozone ministers approved a Greek request for a two-month extension to its bailout programme, due to end later this month. The presidential vote on 17 December will be a vital test for embattled Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
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