The markets briefly slipped into the red and touched the day's lows of 18,026 owing to a fall in the realty and teck space. However, the markets promptly recovered from those levels; the Sensex is now up 18 points at 18,069 and the Nifty is at 5,423 up five points.
However, the smallcap index and midcap index, up 0.3% and 0.2% respectively, are in a better position compared to the benchmark index (down 0.07%). Of the total 534 scrips in the smallcap space, 283 scrips have advanced and 228 have declined. The major movers in this space are NDTV, which has added 12%, Hindustan Motors has gained nearly 10% and JVL Agro Industries is up 9%.
In the midcap index, 165 scrips have advanced compared to 105 declines. The movers in this space are United Breweries, has added 12%, Trent is up 9%, and Monsanto India has gained nearly 5%.
Among the BSE sectoral indices, Bankex up 0.8%, leads the charts, followed by Consumer Durables and FMCG. On the other hand, Power and Oil & Gas have joined Metal, Realty and Teck in the red. Power, up 0.08%, has inched forward to break into the green. The major movers in the banking space are Bank of Baroda which has added 6%; Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, IDBI Bank and Union Bank are up nearly 2% each.
The market breadth is marginally positive with 1450 stock advances and 1326 declines.
