A rally for metal stocks and further gains for index heavyweight ITC helped key benchmark indices regain positive zone. At 13:15 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 96.80 points or 0.36% at 27,029.68. The gains for the Sensex were higher in percentage terms than those for the 50-unit CNX Nifty index. The Nifty was currently up 14.45 points or 0.18% at 8,167.35. The Sensex was currently hovering above the psychological 27,000 mark, having alternately moved above and below that level in intraday trade so far.
In overseas markets, European stocks opened higher, tracking their Asian counterparts as declining expectations for a US rate hike before the end of the year continued to support equities. Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could rise 102 points at the opening bell today, 7 October 2015. Asian stocks edged higher as oil prices showed some signs of life, supporting battered resource shares and emerging economy currencies and after the Bank of Japan stood pat on policy. Mainland China markets remained shut for the Golden Week public holiday, and will reopen tomorrow, 8 October 2015.
Closer home, the market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 1,575 shares rose and 941 shares declined. A total of 123 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.14%, underperforming the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.55%, outperforming the Sensex.
IT stocks declined after the rupee strengthened against dollar. Wipro (down 2.18%), HCL Technologies (down 3.45%), TCS (down 0.25%), and MphasiS (down 0.04%) declined. Tech Mahindra (up 0.59%) and Oracle Financial Services Software (up 0.26%) rose. A firm rupee adversely affects operating profit margin of IT firms as the sector derives a lion's share of revenue from exports.
Infosys slipped 0.87%. The company is scheduled to announce its Q2 September 2015 results on 12 October 2015.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was currently hovering at 65.125, compared with its close of 65.415 during the previous trading session.
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Shares of oil exploration firms gained along with rise in crude oil prices. ONGC (up 2.69%), Cairn India (up 3.78%), Oil India (up 2.63%) gained. Reliance Industries (RIL) shed 0.39%. Higher crude oil prices would result in higher realizations from crude sales for oil exploration firms.
Shares of public sector oil marketing companies fell on higher crude oil prices. Indian Oil Corporation (down 1.41%), BPCL (down 2%) and HPCL (down 2.5%) declined. Higher crude oil prices could increase under-recovery of PSU OMCs on domestic sale of LPG and kerosene at government controlled prices. The government has already freed pricing of petrol and diesel.
Global crude oil prices rose on hopes for falling supply in both the United States and global markets. In the global commodities markets, Brent for November settlement was currently up 74 cents at $52.66 a barrel. The contract had surged $2.67 a barrel or 5.42% to settle at $51.92 a barrel during the previous trading session.
Power finance companies dropped. REC (down 3.22%) and Power Finance Corporation (down 2.49%) fell.
KEC International rose 2.48% after the company said it has secured new orders worth Rs 668 crore in its transmission & distribution, cables and renewables (solar) businesses. The company announced the new orders during market hours today, 7 October 2015.
Punj Lloyd rose 6.76% after the company said it received Rs 488 crore worth of projects in the power sector including its first two wins in the transmission and distribution segment. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 7 October 2015. The group's order backlog stands at Rs 21466 crore. The order backlog is the value of unexecuted orders on 30 June 2015 plus new orders received after that date, the company said.
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