Business Standard

Indices end flat, Sensex falls 37 pts; private banks, pharma stocks decline

All that happened in the markets today

Image SI Reporter New Delhi
(Photo: Kamlesh Pednekar)

(Photo: Kamlesh Pednekar)

The domestic stock market ended Wednesday's rangebound session on a flat note with a negative bias, amid selling in private banks, FMCG, pharma, and metal counters. Further, weak global cues, too, weighed on investor sentiment. 

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 37 points or 0.1 per cent lower at 38,370 levels. Reliance Industries (RIL), HDFC Bank, TCS, and HUL were among the major contributors to the index's loss. On the other hand, HCL Tech, SBI, and Infosys lent support to the market. 

NSE's Nifty ended at 11,308, down 14 points or 0.12 per cent. Volatility index, India VIX, dropped over 2 per cent to 20.89 levels. 

The trend in the broader market also remained subdued. For instance, the S&P BSE MidCap index ended 0.26 per cent lower at 14,355 levels while the S&P BSE SmallCap index fell 0.02 per cent to end at 13,834 points.

Among sectoral indices, Nifty Pharma declined the most - down 1.5 per cent to 11,590. The Nifty Metal index fell 0.67 per cent while Nifty FMCG ended at 31,636.70, down, 0.41 per cent. Nifty PSU Bank, on the other hand, rallied 2.7 per cent to 1,477.70 levels.

Global markets

Europe’s stock markets were steady Wednesday after doubts emerged about fresh US stimulus, while it was shaping up to be another wild day for gold and silver and Turkey’s troubled lira. 

In Asia, Chinese shares fell for a second straight session after global market sentiment soured on the prospect of a swift US stimulus boost and as domestic data showed softer growth in bank lending.

In commodities, oil prices edged up after a bigger-than-expected drop in US inventories. Gold swung from being down 2 per cent to being up 1.7 per cent at $1,935 per ounce, a day after it suffered its biggest daily fall in seven years.

(With inputs from Reuters)
4:08 PM

MARKET COMMENT:: Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services

"Indian benchmark indices closed out a volatile day, flat, with a negative bias. Global cues added to the uncertainty with doubts emerging about the expected US stimulus measures and continuing US-China tensions. Profit booking continued in the Pharma sector. Markets are reacting uncertainly to global cues and this uncertainty is expected to continue. The downside looks limited but investors are advised to remain cautious, considering the valuations of some of the stocks."
3:43 PM

SECTOR WATCH:: Nifty PSU Bank index jumps 2.7%

3:42 PM

MARKET AT CLOSE:: Losers and gainers on the S&P BSE Sensex

3:36 PM

CLOSING BELL

The S&P BSE Sensex slipped 37 points or 0.10 per cent to settle at 38,370 levels while NSE's Nifty ende at 11,308, down 14 points or 0.12 per cent.
3:28 PM

MARKET CHECK

3:16 PM

MARKET CHECK:: Top 5 gainers on the BSE at this hour

3:07 PM

NMDC hikes iron ore rates by Rs 300 to Rs 2,950 a tonne effective today

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The revised prices exclude royalty, District Mineral Fund (DMF), National Mineral Exploration Trust (DMET), cess, forest permit fee, and other taxes, the company said. READ MORE
 
3:03 PM

Heatmap: S&P BSE Sensex gainers and losers at this hour

2:57 PM

Sectoral trends on NSE at this hour

2:50 PM

First batch of Covid-19 vaccine out within 2 weeks: Russian Health Minister

"Within two weeks, the first batch of the vaccine will be released," Murashko said at a press conference.
 
"The vaccination will be voluntary anyway. Some of those doctors who already have immunity against the coronavirus, there are around 20 per cent, ... think they do not need vaccination, it will be up to them to decide," Murashko assured. READ MORE

2:41 PM

NEWS ALERT | IDBI Bank cuts lending rates by 5-15 bps; UCO Bank cuts marginal cost-based lending rates by 10 bps

2:35 PM

Stocks that hit 52-week high on BSE today

COMPANY PRICE(rs) 52 WK HIGH CHG(%)
ABB POWER PRODUC 907.50 964.75 -4.32
BALKRISHNA INDS 1380.00 1384.70 2.03
ESSEL PROPACK 278.50 286.80 1.49
GALAXY SURFACT. 1727.45 1790.00 -2.24
GMM PFAUDLER 6103.00 6913.85 -6.06
» More on 52 Week High
2:34 PM

BUZZING STOCK:: Bharat Forge soars nearly 5.5% post June quarter nos

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Planning to invest in the markets? These 406 stocks look bullish on charts

Even though the markets have been consolidating in a range since the past few sessions, there are still a number of stocks that look bullish on the charts. An analysis of the Nifty 500 index on the Relative Strength Index (RSI) parameter, a tool that helps identify the strength and momentum on a scale of 0 to 100 value, indicates only one stock - Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR) - to be on a weak footing. READ MORE
markets, stock market, sensex, nifty, shares, growth, profit, economy, gain

2:17 PM

ONGC seeks exemption from applicability of some governance norms

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First Published: Aug 12 2020 | 7:32 AM IST