Indices end flat on F&O expiry; Sensex down 25 pts, Nifty below 10,400

All that happened in the markets today.

9:41 AM

BSE midcap: Vakrangee top loser

9:28 AM

Nifty PSU Bank index slip over 0.5%

9:22 AM

Sectoral Trend

9:20 AM

BSE Sensex top gainers and losers

9:17 AM

Market at open

 

At 9:17 am, the S&P BSE Sensex was trading at 33,726, down 119 points while the broader Nifty50 was ruling at 10,355, down 43 points.

9:10 AM

Sebi permits clearing corps at IFSC to accept cash as trade collateral

Markets regulator Sebi on Wednesday allowed clearing corporations at international financial services centres (IFSCs) to accept cash and cash equivalents as collateral for trades in all product categories. Cash and cash equivalents will include major foreign currencies as may be decided by the clearing corporation from time to time, term deposit receipts and bank guarantees issued by bank branches located in IFSC. READ MORE

9:06 AM

Bajaj Finserv, Grasim and Titan to be part of Nifty 50 index from April 2

IISL, the index provider for National Stock Exchange(NSE), has included Bajaj Finserv, Grasim Industries and Titan in the Nifty 50 index. In a press release on Wednesday, the index provider said the three companies were being added as a substitute for Ambuja Cements, Aurobindo Pharma and Bosch who will cease to be a part of the index. READ MORE

9:04 AM

PNB 114 billion scam: Govt weighs bank's recapitalisation hike

The recapitalisation amount earmarked for Punjab National Bank by the Centre is set to increase with the unravelling of the Rs 114 billion letters of undertaking (LoUs) scam. PNB’s performance metrics are also being reviewed to see if it requires to be put on the Reserve Bank of India’s list for prompt corrective action (PCA), sources familiar with the developments said. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

9:02 AM

News Watch PNB scam: DGFT to examine violations by Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi firms

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has initiated an internal probe to examine whether companies belonging to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, the prime accused in the Rs 114 billion Punjab National Bank fraud case, followed foreign trade guidelines while taking loans from banks. READ MORE

 

9:02 AM

Markets at pre-open

Index	Current	Pt. Change	% Change
S&P BSE SENSEX	33,897.50	+52.64	+0.16
S&P BSE SENSEX 50	10,872.34	+15.69	+0.14
S&P BSE SENSEX Next 50	33,675.12	-22.16	-0.07
S&P BSE 100	10,781.20	+12.02	+0.11
S&P BSE Bharat 22 Index	3,585.93	+6.01	+0.17

9:00 AM

Prospects of southern cement firms healthy as SC lifts sand mining ban

Southern India-based cement firms, which had been affected by weak demand because of lower realisations and profitability, have reason to celebrate. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court lifted the ban on sand mining, which should prop up construction, demand and profitability.
 

In the December quarter, average price of a 50 kg bag stood at Rs 301, lower than Rs 344 a year ago. Analysts said Tamil Nadu was the weakest link with sand mining bans taking a toll on demand and margins. READ MORE

9:00 AM

PNB fraud: ED asks Sebi to freeze Mehul Choksi's Gitanjali shares

Central investigation agencies have asked national depositories to freeze the promoters’ holdings in Gitanjali Gems, to ensure perpetrators of the alleged Rs 114 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud do not get away without paying back. At the end of December 2017, Gitanjali Chairman Mehul Choksi held a 22.81% stake in Gitanjali Gems. He held another 4.95% through his holding companies. READ MORE

8:57 AM

INTERVIEW OF THE DAY Corrections against strong macro backdrop are short-lived: Luis Valdes

As monetary policies become normalised, markets will see more volatility says Principal International President and CEO Luis Valdés. In an interview with Ashley Coutinho, he says strong global growth will help emerging markets. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW

8:51 AM

TCS, Infosys, HDFC help Sensex, Nifty end higher after three losing sessions

The performance of three index heavyweights, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and HDFC, has averted a double-digit drop in benchmark indices this year, contributing 530 points to the Sensex. On the other hand, 21 declining stocks pulled the index down by 982 points. The 30-share index was largely unchanged on a year-to-date basis. However, the index came off by nearly 7% from its peak 36,283 in January. Technology majors TCS and Infosys were up about 11% each this year, while mortgage lender HDFC gained about 7%. CLICK HERE FOR  FULL STORY
 

8:47 AM

Today's picks: From HCL Tech to Hindalco, hot stocks to watch on Thursday

HCL Technologies Current price: Rs 943 Target price: Rs 957 Keep a stop at Rs 935 and go long. Add to the positions between Rs 953 and Rs 955. Book profits at Rs 957.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE