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Sensex, Nifty hit day's high

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Last Updated : Jun 18 2020 | 4:05 PM IST

Key benchmark indices further extended gains and hit the day's high in afternoon trade. At 13:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex jumped 294.02 points or 0.88% at 33,801.94. The Nifty 50 index advanced 97.55 points or 0.99% at 9,978.70.

Sentiment got a boost after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday kicked-off the auction process of coal blocks for commercial mining with an aim to achieve self-sufficiency in meeting energy needs and boost industrial development. The process is open for domestic as well as global firms under the 100% FDI (foreign direct investment) route.

The broader market was trading firm. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.60%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 1.30%.

Buyers outnumbered the sellers. On the BSE, shares 1,726 rose and 722 shares fell. A total of 128 shares were unchanged. In Nifty 50 index, 36 stocks advanced while 14 stocks declined.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 486.62 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 168.05 crore in the Indian equity market on 17 June, provisional data showed.

COVID-19 Update:

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Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 83,51,427 far with 4,49,027 deaths. India reported 1,60,384 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 12,237 deaths, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Economy:

Fitch Ratings has revised the Outlook on India's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Negative from Stable and affirmed the rating at 'BBB-'. The coronavirus pandemic has significantly weakened India's growth outlook for this year and exposed the challenges associated with a high public-debt burden. Fitch expects economic activity to contract by 5% in the fiscal year ending March 2021 (FY21) from the strict lockdown measures imposed since 25 March 2020, before rebounding by 9.5% in FY22.

Gainers & Losers:

Coal India (up 5.68%), Vedanta (up 4.65%), Bajaj Finserv (up 4.49%), Zee Entertainment Enterprises (up 3.97%) and Bajaj Finance (up 3.32%) advanced.

Bajaj Auto (down 1.09%), Maruti Suzuki India (down 1%), ONGC (down 0.89%), Nestle India (down 0.79%) and Shree Cement (down 0.61%) declined.

Q4 Results Today:

Bajaj Consumer Care (up 1.90%), IRB Infrastructure Developers (up 1.12%), City Union Bank (up 1.58%), Suven Pharmaceuticals (up 5.58%), Thermax (up 0.83%), Amrutanjan Healthcare (up 1.77%), Brigade Enterprises (up 0.18%), Caplin Point Laboratories (up 1.80%), CARE Ratings (down 1.15%), Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (up 1.55%), Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals (up 0.69%), Hikal (down 0.38%), MOIL (down 1.43%), Thomas Cook (India) (up 0.90%), VST Tillers Tractors (down 2.98%) and Whirlpool of India (up 1.70%) are some of the companies that will announce their quarterly earnings today.

Earnings Impact:

Pidilite Industries declined 3.14% after consolidated net profit fell 33% to Rs 157.53 crore on 5.8% decline in net sales to Rs 1,544.68 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. Commenting on the quarter performance, Bharat Puri, managing director, Pidilite Industries said, "The quarter performance was significantly impacted by the lockdown on account of the pandemic as well as related disruptions in the supply chain. While top line growth remains subdued, earnings have improved substantially, primarily as a result of softer input costs. Covid 19 is a significant challenge. As normalcy returns slowly across various markets we remain cautious and focused on restoring volumes enabled by investments in brand building, growth categories, capabilities and sales and distribution."

Muthoot Finance soared 12.89% after the NBFC major reported a 53% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 829.37 crore on a 26.1% rise in total income to Rs 2,633.58 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. Consolidated loan assets under management increased by 22% YoY at Rs 46,871 crore for FY20. Capital adequacy ratio stood at 25.47% in FY20 as against 26.05% in FY19.

REC fell 0.01% after the company reported 62.16% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 473.99 crore on 18.45% rise in total income to Rs 7,905.34 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. The company's board has approved incorporation of two project specific special purpose vehicles (SPVs), as wholly owned subsidiary companies of REC Transmission Projects Company for development of intra-state transmission work in Madhya Pradesh, through tariff based competitive bidding, allocated by Government of Madhya Pradesh.

HEG gained 0.53%. The graphite electrode manufacturer reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 366 crore in Q4 March 2020 compared with net profit of Rs 524.42 crore in Q4 March 2019. Consolidated net sales slumped 72.2% to Rs 374.44 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. Consolidated pre-tax loss stood at Rs 482.59 crore in Q4 March 2020 compared with pre-tax profit of Rs 806.22 crore in Q4 March 2019. As a result of COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy is projected to contract sharply by negative 3% in 2020, much worse than during the 2008-09 financial crisis. Since HEG is a 70% export company, its business is dependent on global economic condition as its product is used by steel companies and steel is closely linked to GDP. The more steel is made, the more is the demand for electrodes. With COVID-19, the overall steel demand has reduced.

Indraprastha Gas skid 4.68%. The gas supplier's consolidated net profit jumped 27.5% to Rs 290.76 crore on 0.6% increase in net sales to Rs 1,552.53 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. Consolidated profit before tax (PBT) soared 16.7% to Rs 388.41 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against Rs 332.81 crore in Q4 March 2019. Current tax expenses slipped 1.7% to Rs 86.51 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against Rs 88.01 crore in Q4 March 2019. The board recommended a dividend of Rs 2.80 per share for the financial year 2019-20.

Gulf Oil Lubricants India's rose 0.92%. The Hinduja-owned oil marketer & distributer's net profit dropped 24.4% to Rs 35.94 crore on 17.5% decrease in net sales to Rs 359.68 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. Standalone profit before tax (PBT) tanked 37.2% to Rs 46.84 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against Rs 74.56 crore in Q4 March 2019. Current tax expenses slumped 57% to Rs 11.23 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against Rs 26.11 crore in Q4 March 2019. EBITDA skid 25.34% to Rs 55.40 in Q4 FY20 as compared to Rs 74.20 in Q4 FY19. The company has recommended a final dividend of Rs 7 per share for the financial year 2019-20.

Global Markets:

European shares opened lower while most Asian stocks traded lower on Thursday as spiking coronavirus cases and prospects of new lockdowns erased earlier confidence about a global economic recovery.

Meanwhile, the EU is making it harder for Chinese and other foreign state-backed firms to buy stakes in European companies, as concerns grow over unfair competition amid COVID-19 pandemic. The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, proposed on Wednesday, 17 June 2020 to have a bigger say when foreign state-backed firms buy stakes in European companies to a point where it could prohibit a merger.

US stocks finished lower after fluctuating between gains and losses on Wednesday, 17 June 2020, as investors elected to book recent profit amid concerns over a second wave of coronavirus infection and escalating geopolitical tensions pertaining to the Korean Peninsula against signs that the economy is recovering.

Investors continued to monitor disturbing coronavirus trends in several US states, including Florida and Texas, as well as a new outbreak in China and rising deaths in Brazil and India. They were also rattled by escalating geopolitical tensions pertaining to the Korean Peninsula after North Korea demolished an inter-Korean liaison office and rejected an offer by South Korea to send special envoys, vowing to send troops back to the border.

However, market losses capped after official data showed that mortgage applications surged 4% last week and were up 21% from the year-ago period, indicating a strong bounce-back for the housing market and US consumers.

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First Published: Jun 18 2020 | 1:24 PM IST

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