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Tata Motors scales record high

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Last Updated : Feb 28 2014 | 11:55 PM IST

Key benchmark indices retained positive zone in mid-morning trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 103.99 points or 0.5%, up 101.32 points from the day's low and off 29.27 points from the day's high. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. BJP's prime ministerial candidate for this year's Lok Sabha elections Mr. Narendra Modi's reformist agenda and promised policy implementation in a speech on Thursday, 27 February 2014, and dovish remarks from Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, 27 February 2014, boosted sentiment on the domestic bourses today, 28 February 2014. The market sentiment was also boosted by data showing that foreign funds remained net buyers of Indian stocks on Wednesday, 26 February 2014.

L&T edged higher in volatile trade after the company during market hours today, 28 February 2014 said its construction division has won new orders worth Rs 5220 crore across various business segments in January and February 2014. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) edged lower in choppy trade after reporting weak Q3 consolidated results after trading hours on Wednesday, 26 February 2014. Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) extended initial slide after the company provided clarification on Gujarat project on Thursday, 27 February 2014. Shares of auto major Tata Motors scaled record high.

A bout of volatility was witnessed as key benchmark indices trimmed gains after an initial rally. The Sensex moved past the psychological 21,000 mark. The Sensex and the 50-unit CNX Nifty, both, scaled 5-week high. Key benchmark indices extended initial gains in morning trade. Key benchmark indices extended retained positive zone in early afternoon trade.

The market sentiment was boosted by data showing that foreign funds remained net buyers of Indian stocks on Wednesday, 26 February 2014. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 511.15 crore on Wednesday, 26 February 2014, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges. The stock market was closed on Thursday, 27 February 2014, on account of Mahashivratri.

At 11:20 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 103.99 points or 0.5% to 21,090.98. The index jumped 133.26 points at the day's high of 21,120.25 in early trade, its highest level since 24 January 2014. The index rose 2.67 points at the day's low of 20,989.66 in early trade.

The CNX Nifty was up 25.25 points or 0.4% to 6,264.05. The index hit a high of 6,274.25 in intraday trade, its highest level since 24 January 2014. The index hit a low of 6,228.10 in intraday trade.

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The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On BSE, 1,200 shares gained and 990 shares fell. A total of 146 shares were unchanged.

The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 29.80 points or 0.46% to 6,498.83 and the BSE Small-Cap index was up 26.84 points or 0.42% to 6,463.11. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex.

The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 823 crore by 11:30 IST, compared with Rs 523 crore at 10:25 IST.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) shed 0.56% to Rs 957, with the stock reversing initial gain. The stock hit high of Rs 970 and low of Rs 949.75 so far during the day. M&M's consolidated net profit fell 1.93% to Rs 1230 crore in Q3 December 2013 over Q3 December 2012. Consolidated gross revenue and other income rose 8.5% at Rs 20679.90 crore in Q3 December 2013 over Q3 December 2012. On a like to like basis, consolidated revenue rose 11.7% in Q3 December 2013 over Q3 December 2012. M&M announced the consolidated financials after trading hours on Wednesday, 26 February 2014.

The net profit after tax and minority interest for Q3 December 2013 includes a gain of Rs 256.5 crore that accrued on completion of the first part of the transaction in the auto components business with CIE Automotive S.A., Spain. The net profit after tax and minority interest for Q3 December 2012 included a deemed divestiture profit of Rs 275.6 crore as a result of dilution of (M&M)'s holding due to a QIP issue by its subsidiary Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services, M&M said. Translation of rupee to dollar is a convenience translation at the average exchange rate for the twelve month period ended 31 December 2013, the company said.

Mahindra CIE Automotive (formerly known as Mahindra Forgings) and Mahindra Hinoday Industries ceased to be subsidiaries effective 4 October 2013, on account of their divestment as part of the transaction in the Auto Components business with CIE Automotive S.A., Spain, hence their revenues and profits are consolidated only upto Q2 September 2013, M&M said.

The performance of Tech Mahindra with a 34% growth in consolidated revenues and a 214% increase in profits is particularly noteworthy. Ssangyong Motor Company, South Korea grew consolidated revenues by 19% (in Korean Won terms) in Q3 December 2013 and also significantly reduced the loss as compared to Q3 December 2012. Ssangyong Motor Company for the Q3 December 2013 would have posted a profit but for the Supreme Court decision on the ordinary wage issue in South Korea which has adversely affected their profit, M&M said.

The M&M group as on 31 December 2013 comprised of 119 subsidiaries, 7 joint ventures and 12 associates.

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) extended initial slide after the company provided clarification on Gujarat project on Thursday, 27 February 2014. The stock was off 5.02% at Rs 1,578.25. The stock hit high of Rs 1,665 and low of Rs 1,576 so far during the day. MSIL on Thursday, 27 February 2014, clarified that the Suzuki Motor Corporation's subsidiary in Gujarat (Sub) would operate on the basis that while it would not make any losses, it would also not accumulate any cash surpluses. The cost of production of vehicles, produced by the Sub, would be calculated in an identical manner to that followed by MSIL in Haryana, and as would have been done if the Gujarat project had been executed by a 100% subsidiary of MSIL. This cost may be called 'C', and would not include return on investment and profits, MSIL said in a statement.

In Haryana, MSIL marks up 'C', to generate profits, which includes the return on capital employed, to arrive at the ex-factory sale price to its dealers. The amount of the mark up is determined, at all times, by market conditions. The amount of this mark up may be called 'P'. The sale price to dealers is thus C+P, the company said.

The capital expenditure needs of the Gujarat Sub would be met by the depreciation amount available with the Sub, by an amount generated as net surplus from the car pricing and by SMC infusing fresh equity, to the extent necessary. The amount of surplus added to 'C' would be such as would ensure that the total ex-factory price of cars made available to MSIL remains less than C+P. MSIL would sell the cars to dealers at C+P, the company added.

The capital expenditure needs of the Sub would be determined jointly by MSIL and the Sub, consistent with the production needs of MSIL from the Gujarat project, MSIL said.

Further, if the contract manufacturing agreement expires, and in case is not extended by mutual consent, the assets of the Gujarat Sub would be transferred to MSIL at a fair value to be determined by independent valuation, the company said.

Ashok Leyland slipped 0.32%.

Tata Motors gained 3.3% to Rs 413.65 after hitting a record high of Rs 416.05 in intraday trade.

Shares of two-wheeler companies were mostly lower. Hero MotoCorp fell 0.96%. Bajaj Auto shed 0.28%. TVS Motor Company was up 0.99%.

L&T was up 0.65% to Rs 1,103.70. The stock hit high of Rs 1,105 and low of Rs 1,085 so far during the day. L&T during market hours today, 28 February 2014, said that L&T Construction has won new orders worth Rs 5220 crore across various business segments in January and February 2014.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged lower against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 62.08, compared with its close of 61.98/99 on Wednesday, 26 February 2014. The foreign exchange market was closed on Thursday, 27 February 2014, on account of Mahashivratri.

Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, said on Thursday, 27 February 2014, that India's traders and grocery store owners must learn to compete with large modern stores and online retailers. "We should not worry about the challenges from global trade," he told a gathering of the Confederation of All India Traders. Rather, he said, small traders should emphasise on quality of their products to compete better and could enter into contracts with big online retailers to create "virtual malls in small shops".

With the general elections fast approaching, Modi also laid out his economic views separately at a conference on the Indian economy on Thursday, 27 February 2014. "Speedy, yet sustainable economic growth that is inclusive of all is the need of the hour," he told a crowd of businessmen, bankers, economists and diplomats. As India is vast, he said there are no tailor-made solutions for the problems of the entire country. "The government must identify the strengths of each state and devise strategies accordingly," he said. Modi, chief minister of Gujarat, said he also favoured introducing a nationwide goods and services tax (GST), a long-pending reform expected to bring a uniform market, reduce costs of businesses and increase government revenue.

Modi answered only two questions from members of the audience, one of which was related to energy security. He said he preferred using the country's own natural resources such as solar energy and wind energy to energy imports.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday, 26 February 2014, defended his decision to repeatedly raise interest rates when he said that reducing inflation is the best way to foster stable growth. "We cannot wait until the public's expectations of inflation get more entrenched, and the inflationary spiral gains momentum," Mr. Rajan said in a speech, defending RBI's decision to raise key policy rate three times by a combined 0.75 percentage points since he took over as head of the central bank in September 2013.

Mr. Rajan indicated that he agreed with the recommendations of a central bank panel which had suggested the RBI start using a consumer price inflation target to determine monetary policy. The panel suggested that RBI should bring down the consumer price inflation rate to 8% by January 2015 and to 6% by January 2016. After that it should aim to keep it within two percentage points of 4%, the panel said.

Mr. Rajan said the gradual raising of interest rates now rather than later is the best way to slowly squeeze inflation out of the economy. "Rather than administer shock therapy to a weak economy, the RBI prefers to dis-inflate over time rather than abruptly, while being prepared to do what is necessary if the economy deviates from the projected inflation path," Mr. Rajan said. He said keeping inflation in check will also bolster the rupee and business confidence. "Greater public faith that inflation will be low will add stability to our currency, and prevent the kind of gyrations we saw last summer," he said.

Reserve Bank of India next undertakes monetary policy review on 1 April 2014. Citing price pressures, the Reserve Bank of India raised its key lending rates by 25 basis points after Third Quarter Review of Monetary Policy for 2013-14 on 28 January 2014.

The India government will unveil data on gross domestic product (GDP) for Q3 December 2013 after trading hours today, 28 February 2014. The GDP grew at improved pace of 4.8% in Q2 September 2013, from 4.4% growth recorded in Q1 June 2013.

Asian stocks edged lower on Friday, 28 February 2014, after the yuan posted its steepest one-day loss against the dollar. Key benchmark indices in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Japan and South Korea fell by 0.09% to 0.98%. In Indonesia, the Jakarta Composite was up 0.61%. The stock market in Taiwan were closed for Peace Memorial Day.

A meeting of China's lawmakers to set economic policy and growth targets begins next week in Beijing. The National People's Congress annual gathering begins on 5 March 2014.

Trading in US index futures indicated that the Dow could fall 16 points at the opening bell on Friday, 28 February 2014. US markets edged higher on Thursday, 27 February 2014, with the benchmark S&P 500 closing at a fresh record as investors welcomed dovish remarks from Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen before the Senate Banking Committee.

Yellen told senators it was difficult to tell how much of the recent decline in US economic growth was due to weather, adding the central bank might consider a pause in its reduction of bond buying if the weakness persists. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) next undertakes monetary policy review on 18-19 March 2014. After a monetary policy review, the FOMC on 29 January 2014 announced it will reduce monthly bond purchases by another $10 billion to $65 billion

In latest US economic news, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to match the highest level of 2014, suggesting that progress in a gradually recovering US labor market has slackened off. However, the average of new claims over the past month, usually a more reliable gauge than the up-and-down weekly number, was unchanged at 338,250.

Orders for US durable goods fell 1% in January as demand tapered off for most big-ticket items except military hardware, the government said Thursday.

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First Published: Feb 28 2014 | 11:39 AM IST

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