Brokers watch the movement of stock prices on their computer screens during a trading session. File photo
| Photo Credit: PTI

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in initial trade on Thursday (February 20, 2025) as fresh tariff threats, weak Asian markets and foreign fund outflows hurt investors’ sentiment.

The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex dropped 393.01 points to 75,546.17 in early trade. The NSE Nifty declined 118.95 points to 22,813.95.

From the Sensex pack, HDFC Bank, ITC, Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra, Zomato and Hindustan Unilever were among the biggest laggards.

NTPC, Infosys, Reliance Industries and Adani Ports were among the gainers.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹1,881.30 crore on Wednesday (February 19) after a day’s breather, according to exchange data.

“Trump’s tariff talks continue to impact markets. Trump’s declaration that the US will impose 25% tariffs on automobiles, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals impacted India’s pharma stocks since India’s leading pharma companies are major exporters to the US. If this is implemented in early April as Trump declared, it will impact the US, too, through shortages and higher prices,” V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services, said.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading in the negative territory.

“Market participants in Asia were primarily concerned about the potential ramifications of the tariff plans on global trade dynamics. Given this backdrop, it is anticipated that Indian bourses will move in tandem with their Asian counterparts,” Ameya Ranadive, Chartered Market Technician, CFTe, Sr Technical Analyst, StoxBox, said.

US markets ended in the positive territory on Wednesday.

“President Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on imports like automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals, set to begin on April 2, could disrupt global trade,” Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd, said.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.32 per cent to USD 75.80 a barrel.

The Sensex dipped 28.21 points or 0.04 per cent to settle at 75,939.18 on Wednesday. The Nifty skidded 12.40 points or 0.05 per cent to 22,932.90.

A bronze statue of a charging bull inside the premises of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in Mumbai. File photo
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty climbed in initial trade on Thursday (January 2, 2025) amid buying in frontline IT and bank stocks.

The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 242.95 points to 78,750.36 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up by 69.25 points to 23,812.15.

From the 30 blue-chip pack, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Infosys, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Consultancy Services were the biggest gainers.

NTPC, Sun Pharma, Asian Paints and Adani Ports were among the laggards.

The gross GST collection rose 7.3 per cent year-on-year to ₹1.77 lakh crore in December despite a significant increase in both domestic and export refunds.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading lower.

US markets were closed on Wednesday for New Year holiday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹1,782.71 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.44 per cent to USD 74.97 a barrel.

The BSE benchmark climbed 368.40 points or 0.47 per cent to settle at 78,507.41 on the first trading session of 2025 on Wednesday. The Nifty went up by 98.10 points or 0.41 per cent to 23,742.90.

Brokers react during a stock market session. File photo
| Photo Credit: ANI

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rallied in early trade on Tuesday (December 3, 2024) amid buying in blue-chip stocks like HDFC Bank and State Bank of India and firm trends in global markets.

The BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 300.98 points to 80,549.06 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up by 101.85 points to 24,377.90.

From the 30-share Sensex pack, Adani Ports, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, JSW Steel, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance and JSW Steel were the biggest gainers.

ITC, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharma and Power Grid were among the laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading higher.

US markets ended mostly in the positive territory on Monday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹238.28 crore on Monday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought shares worth ₹3,588.66 crore, according to exchange data.

“The underlying resilience of the market is evident in its ability to bounce back. The strength in market heavyweights like Reliance and HDFC Bank can impart resilience to the market,” V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services, said.

A view of the the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). File photo
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty climbed in early trade on Monday (October 14, 2024) helped by buying in banking and financial stocks amid a positive trend in global equities.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 460.38 points or 0.57 per cent to 81,841.74 in early trade. The NSE Nifty climbed 138.80 points or 0.56 per cent to 25,103.05.

Among the 30 Sensex companies, Larsen & Toubro, JSW Steel, HDFC Bank, Tech Mahindra, Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone, IndusInd Bank, NTPC and Infosys were the gainers.

In contrast, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, UltraTech Cement, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Asian Paints, Nestle India and Hindustan Unilever were among the laggards.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹4,162.66 crore on Friday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought equities worth ₹3,730.87 crore, according to exchange data.

“This month, through 11th October, FPIs have sold equity for ₹58,710 crore. This massive selling didn’t have a serious impact on the market since the entire FPI selling has been absorbed by DIIs who are receiving sustained fund inflows.

“This trend of FII selling and DII buying is likely to sustain in the near-term since Chinese stocks continue to be cheap compared to the elevated valuations in India,” V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services, said.

In Asian markets, Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul were trading in the green territory while Hong Kong was in the negative.

“IT and banking stocks are likely to remain resilient on the back of expected good Q2 numbers. However, there is only limited scope for the market to move up sharply from here,” Vijayakumar said.

The Wall Street ended with gains on Friday.

The uncertainty surrounding the US presidential elections next month also is likely to weigh on markets along with the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, he added.

Global oil benchmark Brent Crude fell 1.09 per cent to USD 78.18 a barrel.

On Friday, the BSE Sensex fell 230.05 points to close at 81,381.36, and the NSE Nifty slipped 34.20 points to settle at 24,964.25.

Stock trader looking at a share price on a screen at a brokerage house as BSE index moved up on a trading day. File photo
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Benchmark equity indices climbed in early trade on Thursday (October 10, 2024) amid a firm trend in global equities and buying in banking stocks.

Market participants will closely watch Q2 earnings season, starting with Tata Consultancy Services which is set to report its results later in the day, traders said.

The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 309.85 points or 0.38 per cent to 81,776.95 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up 90.70 points or 0.36 per cent to 25,072.65.

From the 30 Sensex companies, PowerGrid, NTPC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, Mahindra and Mahindra and Larsen & Toubro were among the gainers.

Infosys, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Tech Mahindra and ICICI Bank were among the laggards.

In Asian markets, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul were trading higher.

Wall Street ended with gains in overnight deals on Wednesday.

“The record highs in the US market, positive trends in Asian markets, and the Reserve Bank of India’s dovish commentary have uplifted market sentiment,” Vikas Jain, Head of Research at Reliance Securities, said.

Global oil benchmark Brent Crude climbed 0.77 per cent to USD 77.18 a barrel.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹4,562.71 crore on Wednesday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought equities worth ₹3,508.61 crore, according to exchange data.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept its key interest rate unchanged on Wednesday but took the first step towards a rate cut as it eased its relatively hawkish policy stance to ‘neutral’.

The monetary policy committee, which included three RBI officials and an equal number of new external members, voted five-to-one to keep the benchmark repurchase or repo rate – which governs the interest rate of home, auto, corporate and other loans – at 6.5 per cent for a 10th straight policy meeting.

ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, Nestle and HDFC Bank were among the gainers. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Snapping its record-breaking rally, benchmark BSE Sensex closed marginally down on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) due to profit-taking in metal, oil and IT shares amid weak global trends.

Halting its 10-day winning run, the 30-share BSE Sensex slipped 4.40 points or 0.01% to settle at 82,555.44 in a range-bound trade. During the day, it dropped 159.08 points or 0.19% to 82,400.76.

Broader 50-issue Nifty of NSE eked out gains of 1.15 points to close at a fresh peak of 25,279.85, taking its gaining streak to a record 14 days.

In the 10-day rally, Sensex spurted 2,135 points or 2.61%. Nifty has surged nearly 1,141 points or 4.59% in 14 straight days.

Among the 30 Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, Adani Ports, JSW Steel, HCL Tech, Bharti Airtel, IndusInd Bank and Tata Motors were the biggest laggards.

ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, Nestle and HDFC Bank were among the gainers.

“Amid mixed global signals and the absence of significant new catalysts, aside from the anticipated Fed rate cut, which is already factored in, the domestic market took a breather. Mild caution emerged due to a recent slowdown in manufacturing activities, which indicates a slowdown in demand,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong settled lower.

European markets were quoting in the negative territory. The U.S. markets were closed on Monday (September 2, 2024) for the Labour Day holiday.

“Markets ended flat in a lacklustre trading session as investors exercised caution on the back of weak Asian and European cues. Also, the markets have been hitting new highs in the recent upsurge and hence investors are a bit sceptical about taking further bullish bets,” Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd, said.

In the broader market, the BSE smallcap gauge climbed 0.54% and midcap index went up by 0.19%.

Among the indices, utilities declined 0.77%, oil & gas (0.69%), realty (0.53%), tech (0.51%) and IT (0.31%).

Financial Services, healthcare, industrials, bankex, consumer durables and services were the winners.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹1,735.46 crore on Monday (September 2, 2024), according to exchange data.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 1.79% to USD 76.13 a barrel.

People walk past the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building, in Mumbai. File photo
| Photo Credit: PTI

Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) due to emergence of profit-taking after a record rally.

Weak trends from Asian peers also contributed to the tepid investors’ sentiment in the domestic equity market during the early deals.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 78.28 points to 82,481.56 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dipped 23.6 points to 25,255.10.

Among the 30 Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Infosys, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra and Titan were the biggest laggards.

ITC, Sun Pharma, Hindustan Unilever and Nestle were among the gainers.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading lower.

The US markets were closed on Monday for the Labour Day holiday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 1,735.46 crore on Monday, according to exchange data.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.40 per cent to USD 77.21 a barrel.

Surging for the 10th straight session on Monday, the BSE benchmark jumped 194.07 points or 0.24 per cent to settle at an all-time closing high of 82,559.84. During the day, it surged 359.51 points or 0.43 per cent to reach a new intra-day record peak of 82,725.28.

The Nifty climbed 42.80 points or 0.17 per cent to settle at a lifetime closing high of 25,278.70, taking its winning run to the 13th day in a row. During the day, it soared 97.75 points or 0.38 per cent to hit a fresh all-time intra-day peak of 25,333.65.

In a 13-day gaining streak since August 14, the Nifty has rallied 4.72 per cent or nearly 1,140 points. The BSE benchmark has jumped 2.65 per cent or 2,135.16 points in its 10 straight days of gains.

Equity benchmark indices began the trade on an optimistic note on Wednesday (August 14, 2024) after two days of plunge, tracking a rally in the US markets, amid hopes of rates cut by the Fed in September.

The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 144.92 points to 79,100.95 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up 57.5 points to 24,196.50.

From the 30 Sensex firms, HCL Technologies, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tech Mahindra, Tata Motors, State Bank of India and NTPC were the biggest gainers.

UltraTech Cement, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports and Hindustan Unilever were among the laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul and Tokyo were trading higher while Shanghai and Hong Kong quoted lower.

The US markets ended significantly higher on Tuesday.

“The PPI (Producer Price Inflation) numbers from the US indicate softening of inflation, and a confirmation of this declining trend is likely from the CPI numbers coming today. The US market moved up yesterday in anticipation of this and a rate cut by the Fed in September,” said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth ₹2,107.17 crore on August 13. 204, according to exchange data, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought equities worth ₹1,239.96 crore.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.61 per cent to USD 81.18 a barrel.

The BSE benchmark tumbled 692.89 points or 0.87 per cent to settle at 78,956.03 on Tuesday. The NSE Nifty slumped 208 points or 0.85 per cent to 24,139.

A vendor walks past by a poster of bear and bull in south Mumbai, reflecting the mood of the stock markets, as the BSE sensex went down by 640 points in early trader on August 2, 2024. File photo
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Friday, August 2, 2024, as investors rushed to book profits after record-breaking rallies in the past few sessions as well as tracking cues from global sell-offs.

Economic Survey 2023-24 cautions against significant increase in retail investors in stock market

Massive selling in bellwether stocks like Reliance and ICICI Bank also dragged the investors’ sentiment.

The 30-share BSE Sensex plunged 640.13 points to trade at 81,227.42 in the morning trade. The NSE Nifty declined 271.40 points to 24,739.50. Both the indices slumped up to 1 per cent during early deals.

From the Sensex pack, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Larsen & Toubro, Adani Ports, Tech Mahindra, NTPC, and Tech Mahindra were the laggards.

HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints, Nestle India and ITC were among the gainers.

“The rally in India has been sustained more by money flows into the market than by fundamentals. Without fundamental support the rally cannot sustain. It remains to be seen whether the buy on dips strategy will work this time too. Since valuations are high some profit booking, particularly in mid and small caps, can be considered,” said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude rose 0.78 per cent to USD 80.14 a barrel.

In Asian markets, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul were trading lower.

The US stock market also ended lower on Thursday after a record rally.

Foreign institutional investors bought equities worth ₹2,089.28 crore in the capital markets on Thursday.

The 30-share Sensex climbed 126.21 points or 0.15 per cent to settle at a new lifetime high of 81,867.55, while NSE Nifty rose 59.75 points or 0.24 per cent to settle at an all-time closing peak of 25,010.90.

A monthly survey released on Thursday showed India’s manufacturing sector growth eased slightly in July, on softer increases in new orders and output, while cost pressures and demand strength led to the steepest increase in selling prices since October 2013.

The government’s GST collections in July rose 10.3 per cent to over Rs 1.82 lakh crore, mainly driven by domestic transactions in goods and services, according to official data released on Thursday.

The bull statue at the Bombay Stock Exchange building, in Mumbai.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Equity benchmark indices climbed on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, as the markets saw volatile trading amid buying in bank stocks in tandem with mixed global trends.

Rallying for the fourth day running, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 116.94 points to 81,572.34 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up 33.75 points to 24,891.05.

From the Sensex pack, NTPC, Asian Paints, JSW Steel, Bharti Airtel, ITC, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, and Special Economic Zone and Tech Mahindra were the major gainers.

Power Grid, Tata Motors, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the laggards.

In the Asian markets, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Seoul are trading higher while Tokyo is quoting in the negative territory.

The U.S. markets settled on a mixed note on Tuesday.

“The global cues are likely to be supportive on expectations of a rate cut from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) in September. The Fed commentary expected tonight is likely to indicate the possibility of rate cut in September.

“It is time for investors to take a long-term call on the market and moderate their expectations to realistic levels. At this juncture in the market safety is important,” V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said. Chasing super normal returns from the broader market will be a risky game, he said.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude is rose 1.49 per cent to USD 79.80 a barrel.

Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth ₹5,598.64 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data.

On Tuesday, the 30-share BSE Sensex closed higher by 99.56 points, or 0.12 per cent, at 81,455.40 — its all-time closing high.

The NSE Nifty edged up 21.20 points, or 0.09 per cent, to settle at an all-time closing high of 24,857.30.