Key equity benchmarks were trading with small losses after hitting fresh intraday low in afternoon trade. At 13:24 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 40.17 points or 0.11% at 37,712. The Nifty 50 index was down 17.85 points or 0.16% at 11,323.85.
Domestic stocks drifted higher in early trade on buying demand in index pivotals. Stocks trimmed gains in morning trade. Key indices hovered in positive zone in mid-morning trade. Indices reversed trend in afternoon trade.
The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was off 0.32%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was flat at 14,874.26.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On the BSE, 1014 shares rose and 1487 shares fell. A total of 165 shares were unchanged.
Yes Bank (up 2.72%), IndusInd Bank (up 2.52%), NTPC (up 2.32%), Coal India (up 1.09%) and Bharti Airtel (up 0.95%), were the major Sensex gainers.
Power Grid Corporation of India (down 3.57%), HCL Technologies (down 1.99%), Hero MotoCorp (down 1.22%), ICICI Bank (down 0.97%) and ITC (down 0.83%), were the major Sensex losers.
Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 0.31% at Rs 1,350.90. The stock hit a record high of Rs 1361.45 in intraday today, 14 March 2019.
The resolution plan jointly submitted by RIL and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Company (JMFARC) for acquisition of Alok Industries (AIL) under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016, has been approved by the National Company Law Tribunal, Bench at Ahmedabad (NCLT) by order dated 8 March 2019, subject to certain conditions. The NCLT order is being reviewed for implementation of the Resolution Plan in terms of the NCLT order. The implementation of Resolution Plan is subject to obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, including approval from the Competition Commission of India. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 13 March 2019.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries rose 2.05%. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said that its wholly owned subsidiary has increased its shareholding in PJSC Biosintez, Russia, by purchasing 33,958 shares (30221 ordinary shares and 3737 preferred shares) equivalent to 11.86% of PJSC Biosintez under mandatory tender offer. Post completion of this purchase of shares, the total holding of wholly owned subsidiary company increased from 85.10% to 96.96% in PJSC Biosintez. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 13 March 2019.
Wipro shed 0.50%. Azim Premji, chairman of Azim Premji Foundation, announced after market hours yesterday, 13 March 2019, that he has increased his commitment to philanthropy, by irrevocably renouncing more of his personal assets and earmarking them to the endowment, which supports the foundation's philanthropic activities. He has done this by additionally earmarking all economic benefits for philanthropic purposes, in approximately 34% of the shares in Wipro (current market value Rs 52,750 crore/$7.5 billion), held by certain entities controlled by him. This action is in addition to his earlier donations to philanthropy, which included Wipro's shares, as well as other assets owned by him. With this action, the total value of the philanthropic endowment corpus contributed by Premji is Rs 1,45,000 crore ($21 billion), which includes 67% of economic ownership of Wipro.
On the macro front, the annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 2.93% (provisional) for the month of February 2019 (over February 2018) as compared to 2.76% (provisional) for the previous month and 2.74% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 2.75% compared to a build up rate of 2.56% in the corresponding period of the previous year. The data was released during market hours today, 14 March 2019.
Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading higher after the European Commission agreed to changes in a Brexit deal ahead of a vote in the British parliament on a divorce agreement. U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday, as investors parsed economic data that included stronger-than-expected durable goods orders and further signs that inflation remains subdued.
The Commerce Department report also showed core capital orders, a key measure of business investment, rising 0.8% in January after falling sharply the two months previous.
In Europe, the U.K. Parliament on Wednesday voted against a no-deal Brexit, a day after lawmakers rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's revised Brexit deal in a 242-391 vote. On Thursday, they will decide on whether to request an extension to the March 29 deadline to reach a trade agreement with the European Union.
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