Markets at a glance

Return (%) 1 week1 month1 year BSE Sensex6499.500.743.1831.00 S&P CNX Nifty1992.400.212.2527.7 BSE-1003489.670.632.8632.28 BSE-200857.400.141.9031.89 BSE-5002737.540.252.6036.44 CNX Mid-cap 2002979.051.346.1989.09 CNX Nifty Junior4234.10-0.411.8736.66 S&P CNX 5001771.300.172.5636.05 FII Net inflows (Rs cr)*63.40-637.40-802.2037994.60 MF Net inflows (Rs cr)*123.631125.393253.153519.55 BSE turnover (Rs cr)@2042.722081.391948.322001.89 NSE turnover (Rs cr)@3758.373962.653972.474369.18 Sensex P/E@14.7814.9215.0516.34   BSE-Auto2786.082.315.8921.35 BSE-Bankex3764.961.121.3740.41 BSE-Cap. Goods3594.433.658.6786.94 BSE-Cons Durable1828.833.6515.6296.19 BSE-FMCG1125.930.414.4631.49 BSE-Healthcare2545.31-0.743.2310.10 BSE-IT Sector2593.244.18.5849.49 BSE-TECk1694.603.017.8949.22 CNX IT2724.553.066.7337.10 BSE-Metal5536.61-2.33-6.7052.37 BSE-Oil & Gas2996.06-1.90-1.3415.50 BSE-PSU4174.43-0.650.2528.44   Nasdaq2046.423.524.096.82 Dow Jones10471.913.272.695.28 MSCI World1137.931.541.7311.82 MSCI Emgerging Markets       544.371.452.12

28.63

MSCI Emerging Asia236.111.213.0220.08 Rs/$43.460.07-0.66-4.00 Brent Crude (spot)$/Bbl46.62-0.38-8.1020.71 * Figures for week, month and year are cumulative flows. @ Daily average turnover/Sensex P/E as on date, week-, month- and year-ago.  In a good week for technology stocks, Satyam Computers (up 4.58 per cent at Rs 442.90) and Wipro (up 4.50 per cent at Rs 664.65) were also among the gainers, along with SBI, L&T, Bajaj Auto and Hero Honda.  The major losers apart from Reliance were ONGC (down 3.52 per cent at Rs 847.75), Reliance Energy (4.62 per cent at Rs 475.80) and Zee Telefilms (down 5.59 per cent at Rs 148.69).  Compared to the previous week when all the sectoral indices posted gains, save the BSE Oil & Gas Index, last week proved to be more even. The BSE Capital Goods Index and the BSE Consumer Durables Index were the two big gainers.  While gains in L&T (up 5.77 per cent at Rs 1077.90) and Bhel accounted for the rise in that index, the Consumer Durables Index was powered by the gains made at leading counters like Titan Industries and Videocon International.  The BSE Metal Index and the BSE OIL & Gas Index were the biggest losers. While the former was undone by the losses in Tata Steel and Hindalco, declines in RIL and ONGC proved a dampener for the latter.  US indices recorded their best week of 2005, though profit booking at higher levels prompted a minor sell-off on Friday. For the week, the Dow gained 3.27 per cent to close at 10471.91, and the Nasdaq jumped 3.52 per cent to settle at 2046.42. The market gains were prompted by positive economic data and falling oil prices to a large part.  The sentiment was also buoyed by the belief that inflation is under control; so the US Federal Reserve won't feel the need to speed up the pace of its rate-hiking campaign. 
 

BULK DEALS
Date	Stock	Client	Deal type	Quantity	Price (Rs)
16-May-05	Aptech	HSBC Mutual Fund	Buy	178811	47.61
16-May-05	Aptech	Sundaram Mutual Fund	Buy	178000	49.56
16-May-05	Hindustan Oil Exploration	HDFC Mutual Fund	Buy	700000	164.79
16-May-05	Ruchi Soya Industries	Advantage Advisors Inc	Buy	180000	231.22
17-May-05	India Infoline	Goldman Sachs Investment	Sell	724000	81.88
17-May-05	Satnam Overseas	Merrilll Lynch Capital Markets	Sell	140000	86.74
18-May-05	Elder Pharmaceuticals	HSBC Financial Services	Sell	125000	170.34
18-May-05	Indian Hotels	T Rowe Price International	Sell	374000	625.00
18-May-05	Llyod Electric & Engineering	Citigroup Global Markets	Buy	326000	95.99
19-May-05	SB&T International	Reliance Capital Trustee Co	Sell	89058	112.45
Source: NSE, BSE

 These factors are likely to continue to support stocks in the days to come as well. Analysts have also interpreted the lack of any big sell-off on Friday as a sign of market's resilience.  What to expect this week  Though the indices ended last week with gains, there were signs of weakness as both Sensex and Nifty failed to sustain the higher levels achieved mid-week.  There are also worries about FII trends as they continue to be net sellers in May. Mid- and small-cap stocks are likely to witness continued buying support, in the absence of any specific sectoral trends.  Market direction may also be influenced by results of corporates, including SAIL, HPCL, L&T and ITC, scheduled to be announced this week.  

Stock of the week

Simplex Concrete Piles
Last week's close (Rs)	696.43
Prev. week's close (Rs)	618.35
Week's high (Rs)	706.33
Week's low (Rs)	621.95
Last week's ave. daily turnover (Rs cr)	1.20
Prev. week's ave. daily turnover (Rs cr)	0.71
Futures close	NT
Number of up/down move	4/1

Simplex Concrete Piles gained 12.63 per cent last week to close at Rs 696.43, after the company announced that it has bagged a civil construction contract for a thermal power plant.

The company secured the contract worth Rs 208.50 crore, from Jindal Power, Chattisgarh, for civil and structural work for its Raigarh thermal power project. The scrip crossed the Rs 700 mark earlier in the week, marking its lifetime closing high.

The stock has gained nearly 48 per cent in the past month alone and has seen strong buying in the past year as investor interest in construction stocks surged.

The construction and civil engineering company executes projects on a turnkey basis - from engineering to procurement to construction. The company has an order book position of more than Rs 2,800 crore.