Key benchmark indices surged in early trade to hit their highest level in nearly four weeks after stronger US economic data released on Friday, 3 August 2012 and as euro-zone debt worries eased. The barometer index, BSE Sensex, was up 191.98 points or 1.12%. The market breadth was strong. Index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC edged higher in early trade. Another index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) also edged higher. Metal stocks edged higher as metal prices rose on London Metal Exchange on Friday, 3 August 2012.
Provisional data showing that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) remained net buyers of Indian stocks on Friday, 3 August 2012, boosted sentiment. FIIs bought shares worth Rs 208.69 crore on Friday, 3 August 2012, as per provisional figures on the stock exchanges. FIIs made substantial purchases of Indian stocks last month. FIIs bought shares worth net Rs 9691 crore from the secondary equity markets in July 2012.
At 09:35 IST, the BSE Sensex was up 191.98 points or 1.12% to 17,389.91 also, its highest level since 11 July 2012. The index rose 115.12 points at the day's low of 17,313.05 in early trade.
The S&P CNX Nifty was up 56.60 points or 1.09% to 5,272.30. The Nifty hit high of 5,272.50 in intraday trade, its highest level since 11 July 2012. The Nifty hit a low of 5,260.85 in intraday trade.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On BSE, 466 shares rose and 196 shares fell. A total of 10 shares were unchanged.
From the 30-share Sensex pack, 26 stocks rose and only four of them fell. Tata Motors, ICICI Bank and L&T gained by between 1.31% to 2.49%.
Metal stocks gained as LMEX, a gauge of six metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, rose 1.64% on Friday, 3 August 2012. Sterlite Industries, JSW Steel, Tata Steel, Hindalco Industries, Jindal Steel & Power, and Hindustan Zinc rose by between 0.01% to 2.42%.
Sail gained 2.06% ahead of its Q1 results today, 6 August 2012.
Index heavyweight and cigarette maker ITC gained 0.5% to Rs 260.65. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 262.05 in intraday trade on 2 August 2012. The company reported 20.21% growth in net profit to Rs 1602.14 crore on 15.34% growth in net sales to Rs 6652.21 crore in Q1 June 2012 over Q1 June 2011. Despite series of tax hikes, ITC's performance in cigarettes business remains robust and displays pricing power for the company.
Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 1.11%. RIL has bought back 3.66 crore shares for about of Rs 2617.57 crore till 24 July 2012 under its ongoing share buyback program. RIL has set maximum buyback price of Rs 870 per share. The company has set aside Rs 10440 crore for share buyback. The buyback program opened on 1 February 2012 and closes on 19 January 2013. RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani said at the company's Annual General Meeting in June 2012 that the company's buyback program represents a highly accretive use of cash by the company and it will supplement earnings growth from operations, for higher EPS (earnings per share), in the near future.
Realty major, DLF gained 0.8% ahead of its Q1 results today, 6 August 2012.
Godrej Consumer Products' fell 0.31%. The company's consolidated net profit after minority interest jumped 31% to Rs 130 crore on 39% growth in net sales to Rs 1389 crore in Q1 June 2012 over Q1 June 2011. Commenting on the first quarter results, Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Consumer Products said: "We have maintained strong growth momentum. All our operations driven by our 3x3 strategy have performed well despite tough economic headwinds. We are particularly pleased that we have maintained healthy volume growth while continuing to deliver profitable results. Our focus on innovations backed by a deep understanding of consumer needs and our relentless efforts in managing costs and enhancing efficiencies have enabled us to deliver strong performance. We are confident that the strength of our business model and the capability of our team will enable us to continue to deliver superior performance."
Divi's Laboratories gained 0.75% after company said its net profit jumped 63.15% to Rs 167.38 crore on 36.12% growth in total income to Rs 510.17 crore in Q1 June 2012 over Q1 June 2011.
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals rose 1.06% Glenmark Generies Inc., USA -- a subsidiary of Glenmark Generics -- has been granted final abbreviated new drug approval (ANDA) from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for Montelukast Sodium Tablets, 10mg. Glenmark Generics (GGL) is a subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. Glenmark will commence distribution of the product immediately. Montelukast Sodium tabtets are Glenmark's generic version of Singulair by Merck & Co., Inc., indicated for the treatment of prophylaxis and chronic treatment of asthma. For the 12 month period ended March 2012, Singulair garnered annual sales of $3.5 billion in the United States, according to IMS Health data.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) last week said the El Nino weather pattern is likely to reduce rains again in the second half of the June to September monsoon season. The IMD said rains over the entire June to September season are now expected to be less than 90% of long-term average. This is lower than IMD's previous forecast of 96%. Monsoon rains are considered deficient -- a drought in layman's terms -- if they fall below 90% of a 50-year average. Between June 1 and August 1, rainfall was about 19% below normal. The IMD expects normal rains in August -- a critical month for summer crops. It expects rainfall to be 5-6% below average in September due to the possibility of El Nino. The weather office said rainfall during August-September is expected to be 91% of the long-term average.
The rainfall distribution has been erratic this year as major crop- growing regions such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana have received scanty showers threatening the prospects of summer crops. With the monsoon season halfway through, India is staring at the possibility of a full-blown drought in some regions.
A panel of Indian ministers last week approved steps to contain the impact of a near-drought situation. The steps include providing a diesel-price subsidy to farmers, increasing the subsidy on seed supplies and removal of the import tax on oilmeals.
Insufficient rainfall could lead to higher food inflation. There will be an impact on foodgrain output, but it is too early to give any estimate, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar last week. Mr. Pawar said the government will raise subsidies for the supply of various seeds for alternate crops in affected areas.
Rice sowing has picked up according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture. Rice was sown in 233.68 lakh hectares (lh) till Friday, 3 August 2012, compared with 191.06 lh a week back. Rice sowing so far has been below the normal area of 240.89 lh for the summer sown crop by this time of the year. Cumulative sowing of coarse cereals totaled 135.75 lh till 3 August 2012, compared with 117.48 lh a week back. It, however, remains much lower than 169.30 lh of normal area for the crop this time of the year.
Sowing of pulses totaled 72.79 lh till 3 August 2012, compared with 62.99 lh a week back. It, however, remains lower than 84.15 lh of normal area for this time of the year. Sowing of oilseeds totaled 145.17 lh till 3 August 2012, compared with 138.33 lh a week back. It is almost equal to the normal area of 145.49 lh for oilseeds by this time of the year. Sowing of cotton totaled 100.14 lh till 3 August 2012, compared with 97.24 lh as on 27 July 2012. The normal cotton sowing area of 99.89 lh by this time of the year has already been surpassed. Sowing of jute and mesta totaled 8.40 lh as on 3 August 2012, exceeding the normal area of 8.22 lk for the crop by this time of the year.
The monsoon rains--which make up around 70% of India's annual rainfall--are crucial to the nation's agriculture sector and broader economy. More than 60% of the country's farmland is rain-fed. The timing, distribution and quantity of rainfall are all important for crops. The four-month southwest monsoon season that starts from June accounts for almost 70% of total annual moisture that Indian soil receives in a year.
A bad monsoon will have a larger impact on inflation than on growth as agriculture output constitutes a relatively small portion of India's economy, Indian central bank officials said on 1 August 2012, in a conference call following the release of its monetary policy review on 31 July 2012. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept its key policy rate viz. the repo rate unchanged at 8% after first quarter review of Monetary Policy 2012-13 in an effort to keep a lid on inflation and inflation expectations. The RBI, however, lowered banks' statutory liquidity ratio, or the part of deposits that must be invested mainly in government bonds, by a percentage point to 23% to ensure that liquidity pressures do not constrain the flow of credit to productive sectors of the economy.
Principal adviser to the Planning Commission Pronab Sen recently said slowing investment due to weak confidence in the economy is hurting growth. Mr. Sen said Indian companies aren't facing any shortage of funds. Many of them are sitting on piles of cash and aren't even repatriating overseas borrowings, he added.
The government should take steps to meet the fiscal deficit target set out in the budget and that would improve sentiment and revive investments, Mr. Sen said. He said the government should scale back its spending and slash subsidies on fuels, food and fertilizers to help check its budget deficit.
Slowing growth in investment remains a cause for concern for India. Investment makes up 35% of India's economic activity.
A comprehensive Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill is among the 31 Bills the government has lined up for consideration and passing during the monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on Wednesday, 8 August 2012. Among the other bills include those on Forward Contracts, Banking laws, whistle-blowers and women's reservation as also the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials bill. The monsoon session of Parliament will conclude on September 7.
Voting for the country's new vice president takes places tomorrow, 7 August 2012.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has decided to refer the issue of implications on FIIs and portfolio investors of the amendment made to the Income Tax Act relating to the taxation of non-resident transfer of assets where the underlying asset is in India to the Expert Committee on anti-avoidance tax proposal viz. the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR). "It is necessary to have clarity on the tax liability of portfolio investors and foreign institutional investors as a result of this amendment particularly when the investment is made through a registered stock exchange in accordance with SEBI guidelines and purely in the form of portfolio investment", the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement issued Monday, 30 July 2012. Any clarification needs to be harmonised with the GAAR guidelines and will have to address any residual concerns outside of GAAR, the PMO said.
Dr. Singh last month constituted an expert committee on anti-avoidance tax proposal viz. the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) to undertake stakeholder consultations and finalise the guidelines for GAAR by 30 September 2012.
An India-Mauritius joint panel will discuss a series of proposals to review the double taxation avoidance treaty between the two nations on 22-24 August in Mauritius. India has been looking to negotiate the double taxation avoidance agreement with Mauritius for the past few years to check so-called round tripping and other potential abuses. Round tripping entails moving money out of one country to another, and getting it back under the garb of foreign capital. Capital gains tax is close to zero in Mauritius and almost 40% of investments into India come through the island nation. Under the bilateral agreement, capital gains from sale of securities can be taxed only in Mauritius. The India-Mauritius joint working group will also discuss the inclusion of a so-called limitation of benefit clause, similar to the Singapore tax treaty with India, to ensure only genuine Mauritius-based companies are benefited. India's tax agreement with Singapore says that only those companies that spend a minimum of $200,000 (about Rs 1 crore) in Singapore can avail the benefits of the treaty.
Sanctity of tax residency certificates issued by a country to companies operating in its jurisdiction to enable the firms to claim tax benefits under various treaties is another issue between India and Mauritius. While India in this year's national budget said the certificates are a necessary but not sufficient condition, Mauritius wants those issued by it honoured. Draft guidelines issued by Indian government for implementing the controversial anti-avoidance tax proposal viz. the GAAR state that GAAR provisions should be invoked on a foreign institutional investor (FII), if it chooses to take a treaty benefit, but would not in any case be invoked in the case of the non-resident investors of the FII. The draft guidelines suggested that the onus of proving wrongdoing should be on the authorities.
Investors' focus is currently on Q1 June 2012 earnings. Mahindra & Mahindra and Bharti Airtel unveil Q1 results on 8 August 2012. Tata Motors and Ranbaxy Laboratories unveil quarterly results on 9 August 2012. State Bank of India, Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries, Siemens and BPCL announce quarterly results on 10 August 2012. ONGC announces Q1 results on 11 August 2012. Tata Steel and Coal India unveil Q1 results on 13 August 2012. Hindalco Industries and IDFC will unveil Q1 results on 14 August 2012.
Asian shares climbed on Monday, joining in a global stock rally triggered by stronger US economic data and optimism for progress in Europe. Key benchmark indices in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan rose by between 0.41% to 2.05%.
Australian inflation reached 0.2% in July from the previous month, according to the TD Securities - Melbourne Institute monthly survey. In June, the survey showed a 0.2% monthly drop. On an annual basis, the gauge rose 1.5%, compared to a 1.6% increase in June.
Euro zone debt worries eased a bit at the end of last week amid renewed speculation that the European Central Bank will buy Spanish and Italian government bonds as soon as next month. European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi last week said the ECB may soon step in to buy government bonds in the open market, possibly in unlimited quantities, and it will also consider other unconventional measures to lower exceptionally high borrowing costs of financially stressed euro-zone economies. Draghi indicated that the ECB may buy government bonds in the open market under strict conditions and after stressed states submitted a request for aid
Germany's Federal Constitutional Court will announce a decision on lawsuits challenging the country's participation in the permanent euro-zone rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism, and the fiscal pact on 12 September 2012. The court held a public hearing earlier this month to examine complaints that participation in the fund and the fiscal pact violated German law by taking some authority over the national budget away from parliament.
US stocks surged on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping to a three-month high, after US nonfarm payrolls rose more than expected in July. US employers in July hired the most workers in five months, but an increase in the jobless rate to 8.3% kept prospects of further monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve on the table. Nonfarm payrolls rose 163,000 last month, the Labor Department said on Friday, breaking three straight months of job gains below 100,000 and offering hope for the ailing economy. The unemployment rate rose from 8.2% in June, even as more people gave up the search for work and a survey of households showed a drop in employment. The Federal Reserve last week sent a stronger signal that a new round of major support could be on the way if the recovery did not pick up.
Service-sector activity expanded at a slightly faster pace in July than a month earlier, according to the Institute for Supply Management, bucking economists' expectations for the group's nonmanufacturing index to show slowing expansion.
Election for a new president in the United States, the world's biggest economy, is scheduled on 6 November 2012.
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