Sensex to touch 20,000-mark soon: Assocham

The BSE benchmark index Sensex is is likely to touch the crucial 20,000-mark in the near future with return of overseas investors and increased liquidity in global markets, according to a study by Assocham.

The study by the industry body expects banking, IT and FMCG to be frontline stocks. Real estate, automobile and consumer durables, which are sensitive to interest rates, would take some time to make a comeback, the study said.

The big uncertainty would, however, remain around infrastructure stocks since it would still take some time before the policy issues are thrashed out in power, road, ports and airports segments.

The $1 trillion infra story is yet to take off and the government needs to give a big push before any tangible results are seen, Assocham said.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have poured in more than Rs 19,000 crore ($3.5 billion) in Indian stock markets last month, the highest monthly inflow in seven months.

The the Sensex closed at 18,823.91 level in the last trading session.

The recent initiatives by the government coincided with the quantitative easing of liquidity by the central banks in the US and Europe have aided strong capital inflows.

"On the other hand, the re-infusion of confidence by the domestic and foreign investors in the Indian economy was needed desperately in India which was coming under pressure from sharp depreciation of rupee and increasing current account deficit," Assocham President Rajkumar Dhoot said.

The study said as compared to other classes of assets -- gold and property-- the stock market has been a bad performer in last three years.

"While we often do this mistake of treating the stock market gains or losses notional, the setback in the market in the past three years had made life difficult not only for the retail and institutional investors but also the India Inc, which had to heavily depend on debt rather than equity.

"The situation seems to be improving for this class of assets as well, if the Indian government continues with reforms," the chamber said.