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Sensex drifts lower in volatile trade

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Last Updated : May 31 2014 | 12:00 AM IST

Key benchmark indices edged lower after alternately swinging between positive and negative zone in intraday trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was provisionally down 48.78 points or 0.2%, off close to 170 points from the day's high and up about 20 points from the day's low. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market was positive.

In early trade, the 50-unit NSE Nifty registered steeper fall when compared to the Sensex. This was mainly due to a sharper fall registered in share prices of HDFC Bank and HDFC on NSE as compared to their decline on BSE in early trade.

Tata Motors fell on weak Q4 result. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) gained in choppy trade after reporting Q4 result. Cipla gained after announcing Q4 result. ONGC rose on strong Q4 result. PowerGrid Corporation of India declined after announcing Q4 result.

The Sensex slipped into the red in early trade after opening higher. The Sensex hit its lowest level in more than a low. The 50-unit CNX Nifty hit its lowest level in more than two weeks. Key benchmark indices regained positive terrain in morning trade. Volatility continued as key benchmark indices trimmed intraday gains in mid-morning trade. The Sensex further trimmed intraday gains in early afternoon trade. Volatility ruled the roost in afternoon trade as the key benchmark indices regained positive zone after reversing intraday gain. The Sensex alterntely swung between gains and losses in mid-afternoon trade.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 522.90 crore on Thursday, 29 May 2014, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.

As per provisional figures, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 48.78 points or 0.2% to 24,185.37. The index jumped 119.44 points at the day's high of 24,353.59 in early trade. The index fell 70.53 points at the day's low of 24,163.63 in late trade, its lowest level since 21 May 2014.

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The CNX Nifty was down 12.30 points or 0.17% to 7,223.50, as per provisional figures. The index hit a high of 7,272.50 in intraday trade. The index hit a low of 7,118.45 in intraday trade, its lowest level since 15 May 2014.

The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 32.82 points or 0.39% to 8,467.22. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 30.36 points or 0.34% to 9,015.73. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 10486 crore, much higher than Rs 3688.15 crore on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,585 shares rose and 1,396 shares fell. A total of 123 shares were unchanged.

Among the 30-share Sensex pack, 16 stocks rose and rest of them fell. State Bank of India (SBI) (down 2.69%), HDFC Bank (down 2.28%) and ICICI Bank (down 2.04%) edged lower from the Sensex pack.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) rose 3.3%, with the stock extending Thursday's gains triggered by the company's strong Q4 results. The company's consolidated net profit jumped 57% to Rs 1587 crore on 32% increase in net sales/income from operations to Rs 4044 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced during market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

Sun Pharma has issued guidance of 13% to 15% growth in revenue for the year ending 31 March 2015 (FY 2015). The FY 2015 guidance takes into account the higher base of FY 2014 (year ended 31 March 2014) as well the risks associated with increase in competition for some products, Sun Pharma said on Thursday, 29 May 2014. The guidance is at constant exchange rate and excludes the impact of the proposed acquisition of Ranbaxy Laboratories pending the deal closure. The company expects R&D spending at 6-8% of revenue in FY 2015. The company said it is targeting 25 ANDA filings in the US in FY 2015. The company said it is expected to spend Rs 900 crore on capital expenditure in FY 2015.

Cipla rose 2.96% to Rs 384 after announcing Q4 result. The stock hit high of Rs 385 and low of Rs 368.70. The company's consolidated net profit declined 6% to Rs 261 crore on 27% growth in sales to Rs 2429 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

The company's EBITDA declined 4% to Rs 409 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013.

Cipla said that material cost increased at 41.3% of net sales in Q4 March 2014, from 37% of net sales in Q4 March 2013.

Domestic sales rose 19.3% to Rs 908 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The growth in domestic sales was largely on account of growth in respiratory, anti-infective and cardiac therapies, Cipla said in a statement.

Exports of formulations rose 30% to Rs 1282 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. Exports of APIs rose 36.7% to Rs 239 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The growth in export revenues was primarily due to growth in anti-retroviral, anti-asthma and anti-allergic segments, Cipla said in a statement.

Cipla said that the current year figures include the relevant results of Cipla's subsidiaries from the date they became subsidiary of the company and therefore the corresponding figures for the previous period are not comparable.

FMCG stocks were in demand on renewed buying. Hindustan Unilever (up 6.8%), Britannia Industries (up 0.94%), Colgate-Palmolive (India) (up 1.17%), Dabur India (up 4.11%), Marico (up 3.84%), and Nestle India (up 2.23%) gained.

Tata Motors fell 1.92% to Rs 415.65 on weak Q4 result. The stock hit high of Rs 421.90 and low of Rs 407.05. The company's consolidated net profit declined 0.68% to Rs 3918 crore on 16.6% growth in revenue (net of excise) to Rs 65317 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

The top line during the quarter grew despite a weak operating and economic environment in the standalone business which was more than offset by strong demand for new products, growth in volumes, richer product mix and richer geographic mix at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Tata Motors said in a statement.

Tata Motor's consolidated net profit surged 41.42% to Rs 13991 crore on 23.3% growth in revenue (net of excise) to Rs 232834 crore in the year ended 31 March 2014 (FY 2014) over the year ended 31 March 2013 (FY 2013).

JLR's wholesale and retail volumes grew by 15.5% and 15.9%, respectively in FY 2014 over FY 2013.

JLR's net profit rose 19.09% to GBP 449 million on 5.9% growth in revenue to GBP 5349 million in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. Operating profit (EBITDA) stood at GBP 920 million, up 12.2% as compared to GBP 820 million during the corresponding quarter last year. Operating margin stood at 17.2%, up 100 bps as compared to corresponding quarter last year reflecting richer product and geographic mix, with increased volumes in emerging markets, Tata Motors said. The Profit before tax (PBT) grew to GBP 576 million (GBP 507 million in the corresponding quarter last year) reflecting higher operating profit (EBITDA), favourable exchange revaluation on loans and unrealized hedges, partially offset by higher depreciation and amortisation as well as higher finance expense, Tata Motors said in a statement.

JLR's net profit surged 54.77% to GBP 1879 million on 22.82% growth in revenue to GBP 19386 million in FY 2014 over FY 2013. The operating profit and margin stood at GBP 3393 million and 17.5% respectively reflecting increase in volumes, richer product mix supported by launch of new Range Rover Sport, new Range Rover and Jaguar F-TYPE, richer geographic mix, with increased volumes in emerging markets partially offset by less favourable operational foreign exchange net of realized hedges in Q4 March 2014. PBT were GBP 2501 million (GBP 1674 million for the corresponding period last year).

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) rose 4.38% to Rs 1,230 after announcing Q4 result. The stock hit high of Rs 1,264.65 and low of Rs 1,162.55. The company's net profit rose 0.86% to Rs 896.88 crore on 4.92% rise in total income to Rs 11099.22 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The company announced Q4 result during market hours.

The combined net profit after exceptional items and tax of M&M and its 100% subsidiary Mahindra Vehical Manufacturers (MVML) rose 0.49% to Rs 967.70 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The combined gross revenue and other income of Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and its 100% subsidiary MVML declined 0.39% to Rs 11297.20 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. MVML, located at Chakan near Pune, was set up as a 100% subsidiary of the company with a view to sourcing contemporary products for expanding the market offerings of the company.

M&M and MVML's net profit excluding the trucks business of Mahindra Trucks and Buses (MTBL) stood at Rs 975.60 crore and operating margin was at 14% in Q4 March 2014.

During the current quarter, the Scheme of Arrangement for the merger of the trucks business of the M&M's subsidiary, MTBL with M&M, was approved by the High Court of Bombay vide its order dated 7 March 2014 and as required by the order, it has given effect with effect from 1 April 2013. In view of this the financials of the trucks business of MTBL became a part of the current year financials of the company. Also due to the merger, the past unabsorbed tax losses related to the trucks business of MTBL became available to the company and there was a one time tax saving during the current year, M&M said in a statement.

The deceleration in the gross revenue in the quarter is due to the challenging times the Indian auto industry is currently passing through with volumes shrinking by 11.6% in Q4 March 2014. Despite this, the entity could deliver a healthy operating margin and a growth in its profits in the quarter due to a strong sales performance by its Farm Equipment Sector and a tight control on material costs and all expenses.

The combined net profit after exceptional items and tax of M&M and MVML rose 7.44% to Rs 3905.10 crore on 0.91% decline in gross revenue and other income to Rs 43256.40 crore in the year ended 31 March 2014 (FY 2014) over the year ended 31 March 2013 (FY 2013). Excluding the impact of the merger, the net profit of M&M and MVML stood at Rs 3913 crore and the operating margin stood at 14.5% in FY 2014.

Separately, the company said after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014, that India Ratings & Research (lnd-Ra, a Fitch Group Company) has assigned a Long-Term Issuer Rating of 'IND AAA' to M&M, with a 'Stable' outlook. The rating indicates highest degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.

Bharat Heavy Electricals' (Bhel) fell 0.53% to Rs 242.15 after announcing weak Q4 result. The stock hit high of Rs 252.45 and low of Rs 241. The company's net profit fell 43.02% to Rs 1844.59 crore on 21.42% fall in total income to Rs 15320.38 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after trading hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014. Bhel's net profit fell 47.68% to Rs 3460.78 crore on 17.8% fall in total income to Rs 40724.86 crore in the year ended 31 March 2014 over the year ended 31 March 2013.

On a consolidated basis, Bhel's net profit fell 47.66% to Rs 3502.86 crore on 17.68% fall in total income to Rs 41192.43 crore in the year ended 31 March 2014 over the year ended 31 March 2013.

Bhel said that consequent to merger of Bharat Heavy Plates & Vessels (BHPV) with the company with effect from 30 August 2013, the financial results of HPVP unit (erstwhile BHPV) have been included in the above results. In view of this, figures for the current reporting period are not comparable with the figures in corresponding period of previous year.

Power Grid Corporation of India shed 2.52% to Rs 121.75 after reporting Q4 result. The stock hit high of Rs 126.50 and low of Rs 121. The company's net profit rose 5.98% to Rs 1175.84 crore on 15.71% rise in total income to Rs 4183.64 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014. Power Grid Corporation of India's (PGCIL) net profit rose 6.21% to Rs 4497.42 crore on 19.22% rise in net sales to Rs 15152.74 crore in the year ended March 2014 (FY 2014) over the year ended March 2013 (FY 2013). On a consolidated basis, PGCIL's net profit rose 5.45% to Rs 4547.58 crore on 17.62% rise in total income to Rs 16146.12 crore in FY 2014 over FY 2013.

Tata Power Company gained 2.62% to Rs 103.85. The stock hit high of Rs 104.90 and low of Rs 100.10. The company reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 145.33 crore in Q4 March 2014 compared with consolidated net profit of Rs 181.36 crore in Q4 March 2013. Total income fell 1.92% to Rs 8897.56 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

Tata Power Company posted a net loss of Rs 259.97 crore in the year ended 31 March 2014 (FY 2014), higher than net loss of Rs 85.43 crore in the year ended 31 March 2013 (FY 2013) mainly due to foreign exchange losses. Total income rose 5.66% to Rs 35086.84 crore in FY 2014 over FY 2013.

ONGC rose 0.96% to Rs 378.25 on strong Q4 result. The stock hit high of Rs 388.75 and low of Rs 371.45. The company's net profit surged 44.3% to Rs 4889 crore on 2.3% decline in gross revenue to Rs 21403 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

ONGC's net profit rose 5.6% to Rs 22095 crore on 1.1% growth in gross revenue to Rs 84201 crore in the year ended 31 March 2014 (FY 2014) over the year ended 31 March 2013 (FY 2013).

The impact on ONGC's net profit due to under-recovery discount to OMCs rose 10.94% to Rs 31524 crore in FY 2014 over FY 2013.

On consolidated basis, ONGC's net profit rose 9.4% to Rs 26507 crore on 7.5% growth in turnover to Rs 178205 crore in FY 2014 over FY 2013.

Commenting on the company's financial performance, ONGC CMD Mr. D K Sarraf said, "Our focus on our Long Term Strategy Perspective Plan 2030 has generated momentum. This fiscal's score card showcases our record performance in Reserve accretion, sustainability and sound financial management. We would renew our focus on the key performance indicators that will guide ONGC to reach greater heights in the coming years".

DLF rose 2.97% to Rs 209.80. The stock was volatile. The stock was volatile. The stock hit high of Rs 212 and low of Rs 195.55. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 219.68 crore in Q4 March 2014 as against net loss of Rs 4.19 crore in Q4 March 2013. Total income rose 8.74% to Rs 2521.60 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 29 May 2014.

DLF's earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 12% to Rs 915 crore in Q4 March 2014 over Q4 March 2013.

DLF said it expects a strong focus of the new government to kick start economic growth which will, within 24 months, deliver significant improvement in income generation for all segments of the society. Given this scenario, the company expects an uptick in consumer demand for housing in the second half of FY 2015. The company's diverse portfolio of land bank allows it to participate in the governments efforts to provide housing for all segments of the society in the shortest possible time, DLF said. With increased economic activity, the company's leasing business shall also benefit from greater demand in the office and retail businesses, DLF said.

In the year gone by, due to slowdown in the overall economy, demand for company's real estate products were severely impacted resulting in moderate sales vis-vis the target as articulated last year. DLF said that the company has met its target of non-core divestments and reduction in net debt. The company is now comfortable with its net debt levels. Going forward, it shall strive not only to maintain the current level of debt but also to improve the quality and cost of debt, DLF said. The recent successful launch of India's first Commercial Mortgage Backed Security, rated AA (SO) by CRISIL, is an effort in that direction, DLF said. The company hopes to do more such issuances in the medium term, DLF said. DLF said it realized about Rs 5930 crore in FY 2014 through divestments of non-core assets.

The government will announce data on gross domestic product (GDP) for Q4 March 2014 and the year ended 31 March 2014 (FY 2014) today, 30 May 2014. India's GDP grew 4.7% in Q3 December 2013.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan today, 30 May 2014, said he expected to join hands with the country's new government to bring down high inflation. Rajan, speaking at a seminar in Tokyo, said the new government's plan to curb food inflation seems sensible and that he expected the public's inflation expectations to fall in the future. "There is a sense of conviction about our plan to bring inflation down to 8% this year and 6% next year," Rajan said. "This information has gotten out to the public. The public's inflation expectations have fallen and I think expectations will fall further in the future," Rajan said.

Rajan said India's current account deficit could fall to 2% to 2.5% of gross domestic product in medium term. Rajan said he was worried about non-performing assets in India's banking sector but wanted to work with the new government to solve this problem quickly.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) undertakes a monetary policy review on Tuesday, 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.

At a meeting of his Cabinet on Thursday Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly asked his ministers to prepare a list of issues that they will take up in the first 100 days in office, with a focus on efficiency, delivery systems and implementation. The PM also has a list of top 10 priorities, which include among others to remove hurdles in economic growth which includes containing inflation as a priority, to prioritize education, energy and water, to bring in reforms in infrastructure, to revive growth and investor confidence, to provide a people-oriented government and governance, to ensure time-bound implementation of policy, to maintain consistency in policy, to promote e-auctioning in government tenders and other government work, to improve inter-ministerial co-ordination, to build confidence in the bureaucracy and to empower and provide freedom to the bureaucracy.

The inaugural session of the new Lok Sabha will commence on 4 June 2014 and end on 11 June 2014. The seven-day-long session has been convened to enable the newly-elected MPs to be sworn in. This will be followed by the election of the Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha. The special session will be followed by a full-fledged budget session after a gap.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to table Union Budget for 2014-15 in Lok Sabha by 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.

European stocks edge higher on Friday as investors awaited data on US business activity. Key benchmark indices in UK, and Germany were up 0.03% to 0.24%. France's CAC 40 fell 0.24%.

UK consumer confidence continued to improve in May, reaching its highest level in more than nine years as Britons became increasingly convinced that the economy is on the mend after a long period of stagnation that followed the sharp contraction in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis. Adding to indications that the economy's strong recovery since early last year is set to continue, the British Chambers of Commerce raised its growth forecast for this year to 3.1% from 2.8%, and its forecast for 2015 to 2.7% from 2.5%.

In a separate release, the Confederation of British Industry said its measure of economic growth, which is based on surveys of businesses in May, reached its highest level since the series began in 2003. Since April 2013, when the improvement began, GfK's measure of consumer confidence has risen by 27 points, the largest gain over a sustained period since the seven months to December 1977.

German retail sales declined more sharply than expected in April, according to data from the country's statistics office, Destatis. Retail sales in April fell 0.9% in the euro zone's largest economy from the previous month on an adjusted basis. German April sales were up a real 3.4% from the year-earlier month.

Spain's inflation rate eased slightly in May, largely due to drops in the prices of food and beverages, official data showed Friday. The country's European Union-harmonized consumer price index rose 0.2% in May, said the country's national statistics institute, or INE, down from a reading of 0.3% in April. Under Spain's own inflation calculations, prices also rose 0.2%, having increased by 0.4% in the previous month.

Asian stocks edged lower in choppy trade on Friday, 30 May 2014. Key benchmark indices in China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan were off 0.07% to 1.84%. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index rose 0.31%

Price growth in Japan excluding fresh food rose to 3.2% in April, up from 1.3% in March.

Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could fall 5 points at the opening bell on Friday, 30 May 2014. US stocks rose for the fifth time in six days on Thursday, driving the Standard & Poor's 500 Index to a record, after Tyson Foods Inc. offered to buy Hillshire Brands (HSH) Co. and investors speculated the economy is improving following a contraction in the first quarter.

US economy suffered its first contraction since 2011 last quarter. Gross domestic product fell at a 1% annualized rate revised Commerce Department figures showed in Washington. Stockpiles grew at less than half the pace than in the final three months of 2013, lopping 1.6 percentage points off GDP while businesses cut back on investment. Demand picked up entering the second quarter, giving weight to the Federal Reserve's view that the economy is recovering.

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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First Published: May 30 2014 | 3:48 PM IST

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