Markets

Sensex ends lower; pharma stocks take a hit

Mumbai: Indian shares took a breather on Monday and closed marginally in red on profit booking after hitting fresh 2.5 year highs. Pharma companies dragged key equity benchmarks lower while major auto stocks ended in green. The Sensex closed at 20223.98, down 62 points or 0.31 per cent and the Nifty ended at 6156.90 down 30 points or 0.49 percent. About 1107 shares advanced, 1298 shares declined, and 141 shares were unchanged.

Macquarie's Head of Research Rakesh Arora sees the Nifty hitting 6900 by this year end. Arora is hopeful of the capital expenditure cycle picking up from the second half of this financial year. In the infrastructure space, Arora is bullish on Cummins. In the banking space, he likes SBI and Axis Bank, and among autos, his top bets are Maruti and Tata Motors.

Key gainers in the Nifty were Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra and Mahindra, HCL Technologies and Coal India, up over a percent each. Laggards included Ranbaxy Labs, Lupin, Jaiprakash Associates, Bharti Airtel and ONGC, down between 2 to 6 percent.

Pharma stocks were severely hit today. Glaxo SmithKline Pharma, Cadila Healthcare, Cipla and Ranbaxy are likely to be negatively impacted from the new drug price control order (DPCO) says broking firm HSBC....more    

Sensex edges up at close as infra stocks rally

Mumbai: The BSE Sensex closed slightly up on Friday as a late rally in infrastructure stocks offset a decline in pharmaceutical companies. The BSE Sensex provisionally closed up 0.14 per cent while the broader Nifty provisionally ended 0.28 per cent higher. Drugmakers fell after the government formally notified a new drug pricing policy designed to increase the number of drugs deemed essential that are subject to price caps. ...  

BSE Sensex ends flat; midcap stocks outperform

Mumbai: Key equity benchmarks consolidated on Thursday and managed to end in green after touching fresh multi-year highs in trade. Shares of banks, realty, auto, pharma and capital goods continued to see buying in trade and closed with smart gains. The Sensex closed at 20247.33, up 34.37 points or 0.17 per cent and the Nifty ended at 6169.90 up 23.15 points or 0.38 per cent. About 1183 shares advanced, 1270...  

Nifty, Sensex end at highest level since January 2011

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday rose over 158 points in early trade on sustained buying by funds and retail investors, mainly in realty, banking, auto and metal sector stocks. Also, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty, regained the 6,000 points level by surging 41.10 points, or 0.69 per cent, to 6,036.50. Rising for the second straight session, the BSE's 30-share barometer rose by 158.19 points, or 0.80...  

Indian food industry to touch Rs 408,040 crore by 2018

Mumbai: The current size of the Indian food industry stands at Rs 247,680 crore per annum and is expected to grow at 11 percent to touch a staggering Rs 408,040 crore by 2018, an official said in Mumbai on Tuesday. In terms of market segments, the Quick Service Restaurants and casual dine-in formats account for nearly three-fourths of the total chain and cafes make up 12 per cent, with fine...  

Rupee down 8 paise against dollar in early trade

Mumbai: The rupee on Tuesday lost eight paise to 54.81 against the dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange market due to higher demand of the US currency from banks and importers. Forex dealers said dollar strengthening against other currencies in the global market also put pressure on the rupee. The domestic currency had closed higher by seven paise at 54.73 yesterday on fresh dollar selling by exporters...  

Tata Steel shares fall on $ 1.6 billion impairment charge

Mumbai: Tata Steel Ltd shares fell as much as 2.5 per cent on Tuesday morning after it said it will book a $1.6 billion impairment charge for the financial year ended March 31. The company said it is taking the charge due to weak economic and market conditions in Europe. Tata Steel shares were down more than 2 per cent as of 9:30 am. The steel maker made the announcement...  

Sensex ends flat, shrugs off 41-month low inflation data

Mumbai: Major equity benchmarks consolidated in trade today and closed flat shrugging off 41-month low April WPI inflation number of 4.89 per cent, way below RBI's comfort zone. The Sensex closed at 19722.2 up 30.62 points and the Nifty ended at 5995.40, up 14.95 points. About 1162 shares advanced, 1206 shares declined and 146 shares were unchanged. Key gainers in the Nifty were Ranbaxy Labs, Bank of Baroda, Sun Pharma,...  

Gold falls, near 2-week low as dollar firms

London: Gold fell 1.2 per cent on Monday, holding near its weakest level in two weeks, as the dollar firmed on signs of an improving US job market and as holdings in exchange-traded funds slipped again. Bullion's safe-haven appeal has been dimmed by speculation the Federal Reserve could scale back its aggressive monetary stimulus after recent US labour market data pointed to a steady recovery trend in the world's largest...  

Jewellery stocks gain up to 7.5 pc on Akshaya Tritiya

Mumbai: Shares of jewellery manufacturers on Monday gained up to 7.5 per cent in an otherwise weak stock market amid hopes of pick-up in sales of gold jewellery and coins on Akshaya Tritiya. Thangamayil Jewellers soared by 7.49 per cent, Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri (3.19 per cent), Tara Jewels (3 per cent), Titan Industries (1.24 per cent), Rajesh Exports (1.84 per cent), Shree Ganesh Jewellers (1.84 per cent). Akshaya Tritiya is...  

Rupee down 15p vs dollar in early trade

Mumbai: The rupee on Monday lost 15 paise to hit a fresh over one-month low at 54.95 against the dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange market due to appreciation of the US currency against other currencies in the global markets. The rupee sentiment was hit by selling in commodities that was triggered by a strong dollar, which rose to a fresh four-and-a-half-year peak against the yen on...  

Sensex plunges as dollar firms up; ITC leads FMCG slide

Mumbai: Key equity benchmarks plunged 2 per cent on Monday, the biggest single day fall in more than a year, with brokers attributing the crash to profit taking after the recent run up. Signs of a recovery in the US economy also made investors jittery as they feel a portion of global liquidity flows could ease as the Federal Reserve starts tightening its monetary policy. The BSE Sensex closed at...  

Sensex ends 40 points up in special trading session

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Saturday gained 40 points in a special two-hour trading session as investors indulged in selective buying of bluechip stocks tracking gains in healthcare and metal sector shares. The 30-share index, which had regained 20,000 level after over three months on Friday, added another 39.70, or 0.20 per cent to settle at 20,122.32. Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 12,50 points,...  

Rupee trims initial losses against dollar, still down 22 paise

Mumbai: The rupee trimmed its initial weakness on Friday but was quoted still down by 22 paise to 54.47 per dollar on heavy demand of the US currency from banks and importers as it was strong overseas despite good capital inflows into equities. The rupee resumed lower at 54.57 per dollar as against the last closing level of 54.25 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) Market and dropped further to...  

Sensex ends above 20,000, Nifty at 2013-high on FII buying

Mumbai: The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark Sensex on Friday closed above the much-awaited 20,000 mark after a gap of 100 days and the NSE Nifty closed at its highest level in 2013 on heavy buying in auto, consumer durables, FMCG and banking shares amid improvement in IIP suggesting pick-up in growth. After a better start, the 30-share Sensex ended higher by 143.58 points, or 0.73 per cent to 20,082.62,...  

Sensex snaps 3-day rise; falls 51 points on profit-booking

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Thursday retreated from over three-month high levels by losing 51 points on profit-booking in recent outperformers such as Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma and HDFC Bank ahead of key industrial production data release tomorrow. After gaining over 400 points in past three sessions, the Sensex on Thursday declined by 51.14 points, or 0.26 per cent, to close at 19,939.04. The gauge had hit the crucial...  

HDFC Q4 net profit rises over 17 pc to Rs 2,083 crore

New Delhi: Mortgage major HDFC on Wednesday said consolidated net profit increased by 17.2 per cent to Rs 2,083.12 crore for the quarter ended on March 31, 2013. Its consolidated net profit during the same quarter (January-March) a year ago stood at Rs 1,776.74 crore. Total income during the last quarter of 2012-13 increased to Rs 11,042.88 crore from Rs 9,278.11 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal,...  

Sensex touches 20,000 for the first time in over 3 months

Mumbai: The Bombay Stock Exchange BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday regained 20,000 level for the first time in over three months on sustained capital inflows and better earnings, but slipped to close a tad lower. After hitting 20,000 level, the Sensex closed 101.23 points, or 0.51 per cent, at 19,990.18, a level last seen on January 31. It had gained 313 points in last two sessions. The current upsurge was...  

Rupee down 18 paise against dollar in early trade

Mumbai: The rupee today lost 18 paise to Rs 54.36 against the US dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange due to appreciation of the American currency against the euro overseas. Increased demand for the dollar from importers and banks also put pressure on the rupee. Dealers attributed the rupee's fall to dollar gains against the euro overseas but a higher opening in the domestic stock market limited...  

Sensex hits 3-month high, rises 215 points

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Tuesday rose over 215 points to close at three-month of 19,888.95 and Nifty regained 6,000-point mark on sustained buying by FIIs in banking, FMCG, realty and auto sector stocks. The Sensex rose by 215.31 points, or 1.09 per cent, to 19,888.95, a level last seen on January 31. The index had gained 98 points in the previous session. The gauge had touched the day's...