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Telecom stocks edge higher as Vodafone and MTS hike data tariffs in Delhi/NCR

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Last Updated : Jun 16 2015 | 12:01 AM IST

A range bound movement was witnessed as key benchmark hovered in positive zone in early affection trade. The 50-unit CNX Nifty was currently trading above the psychological 8,000 mark, having alternately moved above and below that mark in intraday trade so far. Earlier, the Nifty had fallen below the psychological 8,000 mark in morning trade after moving past that mark in early trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was currently up 160.57 points or 0.61% at 26,585.87. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. In overseas markets, Asian stocks edged lower as Greece's talks with lenders to avert a default ended with no agreement over the weekend.

Telecom stocks gained after reports Vodafone has increased pre-paid data tariff for 2G and 3G services in Delhi-NCR by up to 47% and MTS hiked rates of post-paid data pack by 8%. Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) extended previous session's gains triggered by the company's chairman Mukesh Ambani announcing at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) that Reliance Jio Infocomm will start commercial 4G telecommunication services around December 2015. Shares of public sector oil marketing companies rose as global crude oil prices fell.

On macro front, data released by the government today, 15 June 2015, showed that the annual rate of inflation based on the monthly wholesale price index (WPI) remained in negative zone in May 2015. The index of industrial production (IIP) rose at an accelerated pace of 4.1% in April 2015 over a year ago compared with the revised growth of 2.5% in March 2015. Inflation based on consumer price index (CPI) moved up slightly to 5.01% in May 2015 from 4.87% in April 2015. Both, IIP and CPI data was announced after market hours on Friday, 12 June 2015.

Meanwhile, the weekly data released by the Ministry of Agriculture after trading hours on Friday, 12 June 2015, showed that the total sown area for Kharif crops as on 12 June 2015 stands at 75.10 lakh hectares, which is lower than 82.87 lakh hectares at this time last year. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its daily monsoon update yesterday, 14 June 2015, that the southwest monsoon has further advanced into some parts of north Arabian Sea & Gujarat region, remaining parts of Maharashtra, some parts of Saurashtra and Madhya Pradesh and some more parts of Chhattisgarh, south Odisha and northwest Bay of Bengal.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 670.96 crore during the previous trading session on Friday, 12 June 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 705.58 crore on Friday, 12 June 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges

In overseas markets, Asian stocks edged lower as Greece's talks with lenders to avert a default ended with no agreement over the weekend. US stocks dropped during the previous trading session on Friday, 12 June 2015, on fears about possible Greek default.

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At 12:17 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 160.57 points or 0.61% at 26,585.87. The index jumped 189 points at the day's high of 26,614.30 in early trade, its highest level since 11 June 2015. The index fell 117.46 points at the day's low of 26,307.84 at the onset of the trading session.

The CNX Nifty was up 34.15 points or 0.43% at 8,015.80. The index hit a high of 8,034.60 in intraday trade, its highest level since 11 June 2015. The index hit a low of 7,944.85 in intraday trade.

The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,345 shares rose and 947 shares fell. A total of 109 shares were unchanged.

The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 32.77 points or 0.32% at 10,154.71, underperforming the Sensex. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 69.46 points or 0.66% at 10,643.24, outperforming the Sensex.

Telecom stocks gained after reports Vodafone has increased pre-paid data tariff for 2G and 3G services in Delhi-NCR by up to 47% and MTS hiked rates of post-paid data pack by 8%. MTNL (up 1.04%), Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (up 0.46%), Reliance Communications (up 1.45%), Bharti Airtel (up 0.11%) and Idea Cellular (up 0.88%) gained.

According to reports, Vodafone has also made changes in most of the pre-paid plans and has also reduced validity of various packs. The increase in tariffs comes in the aftermath of March spectrum auction wherein telcos had paid around Rs 1.1 lakh crore to acquire airwaves, as per reports. In a bid to improve profitability, telcom firms have been cutting back on discounts and freebies. Earlier, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular had increased the tariffs for mobile data.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) extended previous session's gains triggered by the company's chairman Mukesh Ambani announcing at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) that Reliance Jio Infocomm will start commercial 4G telecommunication services around December 2015. The stock was up 1.44% to Rs 901.95, with the stock extending Friday's 1.36% gains. The financial year 2016-17 will be the first full year of commercial operations for Reliance Jio Infocomm, Ambani said in a speech during RIL's AGM in Mumbai on Friday, 12 June 2015.

Ambani said that RIL has embarked on a journey of investing over Rs 2 lakh crore in building new facilities and creating new businesses that will come to fruition in the next 12 to 18 months. These investments will build new capacities, strengthen the company's global positions, improve the return on capital and make the company's existing refinery and petrochemical businesses among the most competitive in the world.

Meanwhile, RIL on Saturday, 13 June 2015 said that its CFO has received summons from Mumbai Police in the matter concerning the road accident involving Ms. Jhanvi Ghadkar. This is being disclosed to the stock exchanges as he is a key managerial personnel, RIL said.

Shares of public sector oil marketing companies rose as global crude oil prices fell. BPCL (up 0.25%), Indian Oil Corporation (up 1%) and HPCL (up 0.46%) edged higher. Lower crude oil prices could reduce under-recoveries of PSU OMCs on domestic sale of LPG and kerosene at controlled prices. However, a weakness in rupee against the dollar will restrict the benefit of falling global crude oil prices to that extent. A weak rupee raises the cost of imports. The government has already freed pricing of petrol and diesel.

Meanwhile, a fortnightly review of fuel prices from PSU OMCs is due in the near future. PSU OMCs review fuel prices during the middle of the month and on the last day of the month based on the average imported oil price in the preceding fortnight.

In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged lower against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 64.09 compared with its close of 64.065 during the previous trading session.

In the global commodities market, Brent crude futures extended previous session's losses as high production offset strong refinery runs. Brent for July settlement was down 14 cents at $63.73 a barrel. The contract had fallen $1.24 or 1.9% a barrel to settle at $63.87 a barrel during the previous trading session. Near month July contract expires today, 15 June 2015. Brent for August settlement was down 27 cents at $64.37 a barrel.

The decline in global crude oil prices and deregulation of diesel price announced by the Indian government in October 2014 will help reduce the government's fuel subsidy burden and help contain its fiscal deficit. The slide in global crude oil prices will also help India in containing its current account deficit and fuel price inflation. However, a weakness in rupee against the dollar will restrict the benefit of falling global crude oil prices to that extent. A weak rupee raises the cost of imports. India imports 80% of its crude oil requirement.

The index of industrial production (IIP) rose at an accelerated pace of 4.1% in April 2015 over a year ago compared with the revised growth of 2.5% in March 2015. The IIP growth for March 2015 has been scaled up to 2.5% in the first revision compared with 2.1% reported provisionally. Meanwhile, the growth in January 2015 has been revised slightly upwards to 2.83% in the second and final revision compared with 2.77% at the first revision and 2.55% released provisionally.

Inflation based on consumer price index (CPI) moved up slightly to 5.01% in May 2015 from 4.87% in April 2015. An increase in inflation for transportation and communication contributed to the rise in overall CPI inflation, while food items inflation declined restructuring the increase in overall CPI inflation in May 2015.

The corresponding provisional inflation rate for rural area was 5.5% and urban area 4.4% in May 2015 as against 5.3% and 4.4% in April 2015. The core CPI inflation rose to 4.4% in May 2015 from 4% in April 2015 and 3.9% in March 2015. The data on both IIP and CPI was announced after market hours on Friday, 12 June 2015.

Meanwhile, data released by the government today, 15 June 2015, showed that the annual rate of inflation based on the monthly wholesale price index (WPI) remained in negative zone in May 2015. WPI inflation was negative 2.36% (provisional) for the month of May 2015 as compared to a reading of negative 2.65% (provisional) for April 2015. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.91% compared to a build up rate of 0.94% in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Meanwhile, the weekly data released by the Ministry of Agriculture after trading hours on Friday, 12 June 2015, showed that the total sown area for Kharif crops as on 12 June 2015 stands at 75.10 lakh hectares, which is lower than 82.87 lakh hectares at this time last year.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its daily monsoon update yesterday, 14 June 2015, that the southwest monsoon has further advanced into some parts of north Arabian Sea & Gujarat region, remaining parts of Maharashtra, some parts of Saurashtra and Madhya Pradesh and some more parts of Chhattisgarh, south Odisha and northwest Bay of Bengal. The IMD said that conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of north Arabian Sea, Gujarat state, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha; remaining parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, northwest Bay of Bengal and West Bengal and some parts of Jharkhand and Bihar during next 3 days. The Southwest Monsoon has been vigorous over West Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana and active over Arunachal Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, East Madhya Pradesh, Konkan & Goa, Marathawada, Vidarbha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Kerala during past 24 hours, the weather office said.

For the country as a whole, the cumulative rainfall during this year's monsoon season was 5% above the Long Period Average (LPA) until 13 June 2015. Region wise, the southwest monsoon was 22% above the LPA in East & Northeast India, 10% below the LPA in Northwest India, 6% below the LPA in Central India and 4% below the LPA in South Peninsula.

The June-September southwest monsoon is critical for the country's agriculture because a considerable part of the country's farmland is dependent on the rains for irrigation.

Meanwhile, data on the first installment of advance tax payment by corporate taxpayers may provide cues on likely Q1 June 2015 corporate earnings. Companies have to pay 15% of the full year's estimated tax liability as the first installment of the advance tax on or before 15 June every year.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday, 12 June 2015, issued final guidelines for introduction of 6-year and 13-year cash settled interest rate futures (IRF) on Government of India Securities with residual maturity of 4-8 years and 11-15 years respectively. The RBI also expanded the residual maturity for the existing 10-year cash settled IRF from 9-11 years to 8-11 years. This would provide market participants greater choice and flexibility to hedge their interest rate risk across different tenors, the RBI said in a press release.

In overseas markets, Asian stocks edged lower today, 15 June 2015, after Greece's talks with lenders to avert a default ended with no agreement over the weekend. Key benchmark indices in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea shed by 0.09% to 1.34%.

US stocks dropped during the previous trading session on Friday, 12 June 2015, on fears about possible Greek default.

A two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) to review US monetary policy starts tomorrow, 16 June 2015. The FOMC meeting is being keenly watched for further indication of the timing of an expected rate hike by the US central bank later this calendar year.

In Europe, talks on ending a deadlock between Greece and its international creditors reportedly broke up in failure on Sunday, 14 June 2015, with European leaders venting their frustration as Athens stumbled closer towards a debt default that threatens its future in the euro. European Union officials blamed the collapse of the talks on Athens, which it said had failed to offer any new concessions to secure funding it needs to repay 1.6 billion euros ($1.79 billion) to the International Monetary Fund by the end of this month.

Meanwhile, Greece Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis reportedly told a German newspaper that he would rule out a 'Grexit', or the country's exit from the euro zone, because it's not a sensible solution. Varoufakis told the newspaper that his country could reach a deal with creditors quickly if there was a restructuring and if German Chancellor Angela Merkel was part of talks. Varoufakis said that Greece doesn't want any more money as it has been given far too much already, according to reports.

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First Published: Jun 15 2015 | 12:13 PM IST

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