Indices end at record high: Sensex up 286 pts, Nifty ends above 10950

All that happened in the markets today

3:38 PM

IT shares gain: TCS up 4%

3:36 PM

Nifty Bank ends at record high

3:35 PM

Sectoral Trend

3:33 PM

Sensex top gainers and losers

3:32 PM

Markets at Close

 

Benchmark indices ended at all-time highs on Monday as Reliance Industries rallied after posting a record quarterly profit, while Oil and Natural Gas gained after saying it would buy a majority stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corp.

 

The S&P BSE Sensex ended at 35,798, up 286 points while the broader Nifty50 index settled at 10,966, up 71 points

3:22 PM

Axis Bank hits 52-week high post Q3 results

 

Axis Bank has moved higher to its 52-week high of Rs 621, up 5% on BSE in afternoon deal, after the bank reported improved assets quality in October-December 2017 quarter (Q3FY18) sequentially.

 

“The Bank’s gross non-performing assets ratio (NNPA) reduced quarter on quarter (QOQ) from 5.90% to 5.28% and net NPA from 3.12% to 2.56%,” Axis Bank said in a statement. READ MORE

 

3:20 PM

Oil prices rise as Saudi Arabia says producers will cooperate beyond 2018

 

Oil prices climbed on Monday, pushed higher by comments from Saudi Arabia that cooperation between oil producers who are currently withholding supplies would continue beyond 2018.

 

Strong global economic growth and a drop in US drilling activity also supported crude, traders said. READ MORE

3:11 PM

Investing in bitcoins? How India's crypto players are fighting to survive

 

“If the government can ban its own currency, it can, of course, ban any other currency, which it doesn’t have control over,” Sandeep Goenka, co-founder of Zebpay, one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges in India, said at a recent panel discussion on virtual currency such as bitcoins.

 

Indeed, the cryptocurrency universe in the country is staring at uncertainty like never before, as banks and payment gateway partners are increasingly withdrawing support. READ MORE

3:01 PM

Indian economy improving; GDP to clock 7% in H2: Chanda Kochhar at WEF 2018

 

The Indian economy is seeing broad-based improvement across all sectors and should clock 7 per cent growth in the second half of the current fiscal, top banker Chanda Kochhar said today.

 

Here to participate in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting, to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders, the ICICI Bank chief said the full fiscal GDP growth for 2017-18 should also be in excess of 6.5%. CLICK HERE FO FULL ARTICLE

2:46 PM

India Inc's deal hunt will drive offshore bonds rush in 2018: Citi

 

Offshore bonds volumes from India are set to gather pace after a banner year as companies tap the lowest borrowing costs in a decade to pay for buying assets locally and abroad.

 

That’s the view of Citigroup Inc., which forecasts sales of debt denominated in US dollar, euro and yen in 2018 to be as good as last year when issuance totaled $15.6 billion, the highest in three years. READ MORE

2:36 PM

Indian trading on London Stock Exchange registers 12.5% increase in 2017

 

The trading of Indian Global Depository Receipts (GDR) on London Stock Exchange showed a marked increase in 2017 compared to 2016, which experts said reflects enhanced investors' interest in one of the fastest growing major economies in the world.

 

The total value traded of Indian GDRs on the exchanges International Order Book was $4.12 billion last year, an increase of 12.5 per cent compared to 2016 which recorded $3.66 billion.

 

The exchange said that the hike reinforces Londons status as the most important international financial centre and India's funding partner of choice. READ MORE

2:15 PM

Market Check
 

S&P BSE Sensex	35,678.17		0.47%
Nifty 50	10,937.35		0.39%
S&P BSE 200	4,816.90		0.31%
Nifty 500	9,760.05		0.38%
S&P BSE Mid-Cap	17,807.49		0.24%
S&P BSE Small-Cap	19,565.26		0.56%

2:00 PM

Globally, a double-digit correction long overdue, says Rupal Bhansali

 

Easy money has been reflating risk assets and the situation is likely to reverse, posing a risk to equity markets, says Rupal Bhansali, chief investment officer-global equities, Ariel Investments. Speaking during the CFA Society India’s 8th India Investment Conference, she cautioned investors to protect their portfolios by defensive positioning. CLICK HERE FOR FULL INTERVIEW

 

1:45 PM

Reliance Industries, TCS, HDFC, HDFC Bank, Adani Ports hit new high

 

Reliance Industries (RIL), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), HDFC Bank and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone from the S&P BSE Sensex have hit their respective new high on BSE in intra-day trade today.

 

The benchmark Sensex touched a record high of 35,701 on BSE in early morning today.

 

APL Apollo Tubes, Biocon, Coffee Day Enterprises, DCM Shriram, Delta Corp, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties and Jubilant FoodWorks are among 20 stocks from the S&P BSE500 index touching their respective record highs today. READ MORE

1:30 PM

Centre needs another Rs 4.2 trillion to meet FY18 indirect tax target

 

Even as the Centre appears confident of meeting the budgeted indirect tax collection target for FY18, analysis shows it would have to mop close to Rs 4.2 trillion in the last four months to meet the Budget Estimates.

 

In comparison, in the first eight months of the financial year, which ends on March 31, it is likely to have collected around Rs 5 trillion. The budgeted indirect tax collection target is Rs 9.26 trillion. READ MORE

1:15 PM

Hop on to Eicher Motors' shares -best performing stock on Nifty 50: Goldman

 

Shares of Eicher Motors Ltd, which have soared almost 8,000% in the past decade, have hit a sweet spot, says Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

 

The stock is down 16% from its September 8 record of 33,483.95 rupees even as the broad market posted a fresh record. CLICK HERE OF FULL STORY

 

1:02 PM

IT shares gain; TCS hits new high, crosses Rs 3,000 mark

 

Shares of information technology (IT) companies were continue at their upward movement with the sector giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) hit a new high crossing Rs 3,000 mark on BSE.

 

Besides TCS, Persistent Systems, Mindtree, Take Solutions, Tata Elxsi, Zensar Technologies, NIIT Technologies, Tech Mahindra and MphasiS were up in the range of 1% to 6% on BSE on Monday. READ MORE

12:45 PM

Sebi to open consent doors for serious violations, cut burden of cases

 

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is broadening the scope of the consent mechanism to reduce the number of cases it is handling. According to sources, the regulator is planning to allow serious offences such as insider trading, front running, or fraudulent and unfair practices to be settled under the mechanism.

 

Sources privy to the development said Sebi would take a fresh look at the pricing formulae to decide the settlement amount under consent. READ MORE

12:31 PM

Street signs: Infosys tops buyback price; Bond Street trumps Dalal Street

 

Infosys tops buyback price On Wednesday and Thursday last week, shares of Infosys surpassed the buyback price of Rs 1,150 less than a month after the technology giant concluded its Rs 130-billion share repurchase. However, on Friday, Infosys shares closed a little lower at Rs 1,143 on the BSE.

 

Shares of Infosys are up 10% this month. Post-buyback shareholding data shows, foreign portfolio investors have turned out to be more savvy investors, as their shareholding has increased by nearly 100 basis points (bps) during the December quarter. READ MORE

12:17 PM

Six of 10 most valued firms add Rs 1 trillion in m-cap; TCS biggest gainer

 

The cumulative market valuation of six of the 10 most valued firms advanced by Rs 1,073.7 billion last week, helped by robust gains in TCS, HDFC and HDFC Bank.

 

The market capitalisation of Tata Consultancy Services zoomed Rs 348.1 billion to Rs 5,656.24 billion, emerging as the biggest gainer among the top-10 firms. READ MORE

12:00 PM

Mad rush for QIPs: Are companies building war chests for stressed assets?

 

India Inc is making a dash to tap the primary market to raise funds by way of qualified institutional placements (QIPs) and initial public offerings (IPOs) before the financial year comes to a close. More than 40 companies have announced their intent to raise money funds through QIPs in the last three months.

 

The mop-up could total Rs 400-500 billion, roughly two-thirds the amount of Rs 611 billion raised last calendar year, estimates suggest. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

11:44 AM

Reliance Industries gains 3% post Q3 results

 

Reliance Industries (RIL) was up nearly 3% to Rs 954 on BSE in intra-day trade after the company reported a 25% rise in a consolidated net profit at Rs 94.23 billion for the October-December 2017 quarter (Q3FY18) with higher profitability in petrochemicals and its telecom venture Jio. The company had profit of Rs 75.33 billion during the quarter ended December 2016.

 

The consolidated net revenue of the company increased by 25.7% in Q3FY18 to Rs 998 billion, as against Rs 794 billion during the corresponding period in 2016. READ MORE

11:33 AM

Q3 performance: What gives Reliance Jio an edge over defensive Airtel

 

Reliance Jio’s reported net profit for the quarter ending December 2017 at Rs 5.04 billion was more than the consolidated net profit of Bharti Airtel at Rs 3.05 billion, and this includes the latter's Africa, direct-to-home (DTH) and enterprise services businesses. While the challenger continues to gain subscribers at a frenetic pace and at higher average revenue per user (ARPU), Bharti Airtel’s on the defensive is trying to protect its share. Notably, customers at Reliance Jio are spending 25% more to avail its services as compared to Bharti Airtel. READ MORE

11:15 AM

Investing in MFs: Here's how Budget 2018 could impact the bond market

 

“The safest way to get decent returns is via mutual funds.” I’ve heard versions of this statement from half-a-dozen friends in the last year. Most of them are invested in debt mutual funds as well as diversified equity funds. It’s true that there is no safer way to get a decent nominal return. A bank fixed deposits offers much less interest.

 

Real estate is in the doldrums. Gold has been almost flat through 2017. But that safety is relative. Everyone understands that equity funds carry risk but debt mutuals can also suffer loss of capital. READ MORE

11:01 AM

Market Check

S&P BSE Sensex	35,570.33		0.17%
Nifty 50	10,889.20		-0.05%
S&P BSE 200	4,801.67		-0.01%
Nifty 500	9,715.70		-0.08%
S&P BSE Mid-Cap	17,734.06		-0.17%
S&P BSE Small-Cap	19,497.21		0.21%

10:45 AM

Six affordable housing plays: Astral Poly, Symphony, Kajaria, and more

 

Affordable housing is among the star themes for 2018. There are two ways to explore this theme — buying real estate stocks or those in ancillary sectors such as home improvement and housing finance. While the former could help investors take a direct plunge in the sector, the latter broad bases the portfolio and insulates it if the theme doesn’t pan out as expected. The latter, to some extent, also shields investors from the risks of uneven distribution of earnings and vulnerability of knee-jerk stock market movements, which realty stocks are often exposed to. 

 

Kajaria Ceramics, Century Plyboards, and Symphony, which are market leaders in their respective segments and at the cusp of benefiting from capacity additions, could be worthy investments. A shift in preference from unorganised to organised players is yet another common thread connecting these companies. However, there are some risks too. The recent data from the Reserve Bank of India shows a surge in bad loans in the sub- Rs 1 million housing loan segment. Similarly, any reduction in government subsidies could slow growth rates. For now, the potential gains far outweigh the risks. READ MORE
 

10:31 AM

Apollo Micro makes stellar debut; lists at 74% premium against issue price

 

Apollo Micro Systems made a stellar debut by listing at Rs 478, a 74% premium against its issue price of Rs 275 per share on BSE.

 

Apollo Micro Systems' Rs 1.56-billion initial public offer (IPO) saw huge oversubscription of 248 times between January 10 and January 12. READ MORE

10:14 AM

Sensex at 35,000: Existing investors should take some profit off the table

 

The BSE Sensitive index, or Sensex, has hit a purple patch. With the market breaching new highs, at over 35,000 points currently, stock market investors have seldom had it so good.

 

But, when the going is so good, it is also the time to be more diligent. Most investment experts, therefore, are striking a cautious note. Existing investors should take some profit off the table: This is the first advice of investment experts. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

10:00 AM

ONGC surges 6% on acquisition of 51.11% stake in HPCL

 

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has surged 6% to Rs 206 on BSE in early morning trade after the state-owned oil exploration company announced that it will acquire the 51.1% government stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) at a cost of Rs 369.15 billion.

 

ONGC will acquire the government stake in HPCL by paying Rs 473.97 per share which works out to a 14% premium to HPCL’s closing market price of Rs 417 on Friday, 19 January. ONGC is likely to be exempt from issuing an open offer and expects to complete this deal by the end of January 2018. READ MORE

 

9:46 AM

Earnings Impact: RIL