Key benchmark indices hovered in positive terrain in mid-morning trade. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. The market sentiment was boosted by data showing that foreign funds remained buyers of Indian stocks on Friday, 20 December 2013. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 100.22 points or 0.48%, off close to 30 points from the day's high and up about 100 points from the day's low. Gains in Asian stocks also boosted sentiment on the domestic bourses.
Metal and mining stocks extended Friday's gains. Shares of PSU OMCs rose after the state run oil marketing firms hiked petrol and diesel prices.
Shares of a number of small-cap and mid-cap companies rose for the second day in a row, boosted by stock market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi) announcement on 19 December 2013 that it has decided to rationalize the rules on trading of thinly-traded stocks. BSE Small-Cap and Mid-Cap indices were up more than 1% each, with both these indices outperforming the Sensex.
Asian stocks edged higher on Monday, 23 December 2013, after data showed faster-than-estimated economic growth in the US and after the International Monetary Fund said it's raising its outlook for the world's largest economy.
The market edged higher in early trade on firm Asian stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex and the 50-unit CNX Nifty, both, hit their highest level in almost two weeks. A bout of volatility was witnessed as key benchmark indices recovered from lower level after trimming initial gains in morning trade. The Sensex hovered in positive terrain in mid-morning trade.
The market sentiment was boosted by data showing that foreign funds remained buyers of Indian stocks on Friday, 20 December 2013. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 990.19 crore on Friday, 20 December 2013, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges. FIIs bought shares worth a net Rs 2244.20 crore from the secondary equity markets on Thursday, 19 December 2013, as per data from Securities & Exchange Board of India. Continuation of FII buying after the US Federal Reserve's decision on 18 December 2013 to gradually reduce monetary stimulus for the US economy, has helped the market shrug off fears of slowdown in foreign inflows. Market men are worried that the reduced availability of cash in the global financial system could temper the flow of foreign money into India, which has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of foreign capital. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have purchased shares worth a net Rs 110792.50 crore in 2013 so far (till 19 December 2013). FIIs had bought shares worth a net Rs 128359.80 crore in calendar 2012.
The market may remain volatile this week, which is a truncated trading week, as traders roll over positions in the futures & options (F&O) segment from the near month December 2013 series to January 2014 series. The near month December 2013 derivatives contract expire on Thursday, 26 December 2013. The stock market remains closed on Wednesday, 25 December 2013, on account of Christmas.
More From This Section
At 11:20 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 100.22 points or 0.48% to 21,179.94. The index jumped 128.17 points at the day's high of 21,207.89 in early trade, its highest level since 11 December 2013. The index rose 0.82 points at the day's low of 21,080.54 in opening trade.
The CNX Nifty was up 31.65 points or 0.5% to 6,305.90. The index hit a high of 6,310.35 in intraday trade, its highest level since 11 December 2013. The index hit a low of 6,266.95 in intraday trade.
The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 81.99 points or 1.26% at 6,584.48. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 67.66 points or 1.08% at 6,359.62. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On BSE, 1,341 shares gained and 673 shares fell. A total of 123 shares were unchanged.
Among the 30-share Sensex pack, 23 stocks gained and rest of them declined. Bhel (up 2.02%), AXIS Bank (up 1.92%) and Hero MotoCorp (up 1.72%) edged higher from the Sensex pack.
Metal and mining stocks extended Friday's gains. Hindalco Industries (up 3.49%), Hindustan Zinc (up 0.67%), JSW Steel (up 0.74%), SAIL (up 1.89%), Hindustan Copper (up 1.47%), NMDC (up 0.26%), Tata Steel (up 1.97%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 1.67%), National Aluminum Company (up 4.01%) and Sesa Sterlite (up 1.45%) gained.
PSU OMCs rose after the state run oil marketing firms hiked petrol and diesel prices. BPCL (up 0.89%), HPCL (up 0.09%) and Indian Oil Corporation (up 0.1%)
PSU OMCs hiked the petrol price on Friday, 20 December 2013, by 41 paise a litre following the government's decision to raise commission paid to petrol pump dealers and firming global oil rates. Simultaneously, diesel rates were increased by 10 paise per litre due to a hike in dealers' commission. The two increases, which are excluding local sales tax or VAT, became effective from midnight Friday.
PSU OMCs suffer under recoveries on domestic sale of diesel, LPG and kerosene at controlled prices. In January 2013, the government allowed PSU OMCs to raise diesel prices in small measures at regular intervals while completely deregulating diesel prices sold to institutional or bulk buyers. The government has already freed pricing of petrol.
Andhra Bank rose 2.14% to Rs 62.10 after the bank said it has allotted 3 crore equity shares at Rs 66.59 per share for a consideration of about Rs 200 crore to the Government of India on preferential allotment basis. The announcement was made before market hours today, 23 December 2013.
Sebi after trading on Thursday, 19 December 2013, said it has rationalized the periodic call auction mechanism by modifying how it classifies illiquid stocks. A stock would now be classified as illiquid if its average daily turnover is less than Rs 2 lakh in the previous two quarters and if it is classified as illiquid at all the exchanges where it is traded. Earlier, a stock was classified to be illiquid if its average daily trading volume in a quarter was less than 10,000, the average daily number of trades was less than 50 in a quarter and if it was classified as illiquid by all the exchanges where it traded.
Henceforth, call auctions will not apply to shares where a company is profitable in at least two of the past three years and not more than 20% of promoters' shareholding is pledged in the latest quarter and the book value is three times or more than the face value. The new rules also exclude companies with a market capitalisation of at least Rs 10 crore or which have paid a dividend in at least two of the past three years.
From now, stock exchanges will determine the number of call auction sessions for illiquid stocks. Exchanges will, however, have at least two sessions in a trading day, with one uniform closing session across the exchanges. So far, periodic call auction sessions of one hour each were conducted throughout trading hours, with the first session starting at 9:30 IST.
In foreign exchange market, rupee strengthened past 62 against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 61.985 compared to its close of 62.04/05 on Friday, 20 December 2013. The rupee rose on global risk on sentiment.
Asian stocks edged higher on Monday, 23 December 2013, after data showed faster-than-estimated economic growth in the US and after the International Monetary Fund said it's raising its outlook for the world's largest economy. Key benchmark indices in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea rose 0.32% to 0.65%. In Indonesia, Jakarta Composite was off 0.85%. Japanese markets were shut today for a holiday.
Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could advance 42 points at the opening bell on Monday, 23 December 2013. US stocks rallied Friday, lifting the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 to record levels, after a government report showed the economy grew at its fastest pace in two years last quarter.
The rate of US growth in the third quarter was faster than previously estimated as consumers stepped up spending on services such as health care and companies invested more in software. Gross domestic product climbed at a 4.1% annualized rate, the strongest since the final three months of 2011 and up from a previous estimate of 3.6%, Commerce Department figures showed on Friday, 20 December 2013.
Powered by Capital Market - Live News