Volatile session ends with small gains

Amid divergent trend among various index constituents, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, and the 50-unit CNX Nifty clocked small gains. The Sensex rose 37.69 points or 0.15% to 25,860.68, as per provisional closing data. The Nifty rose 22.55 points or 0.29% at 7,868.50, as per provisional closing data. IT stocks edged higher on weak rupee. Bank stocks witnessed volatile trend. Among index heavyweights, ITC and HDFC edged higher whereas L&T and Reliance Industries (RIL) edged lower.

The Sensex and the Nifty saw intermittent volatility ahead of the expiry of the near month September 2015 derivatives contracts. The Sensex rose 126.91 points or 0.49% at the day's high of 25,949.90 in mid-afternoon trade. The Sensex fell 152.03 points or 0.58% at the day's low of 25,670.96 in early trade. The Nifty rose 48.55 points 0.61% at the day's high of 7,894.50 in mid-afternoon trade. The Nifty fell 41.85 points or 0.53% at the day's low of 7,804.10 in early trade. The September 2015 derivatives contracts expired today, 24 September 2015.

The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,433 shares rose and 1,247 shares fell. A total of 125 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.22%. The BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.58%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 2560 crore, higher than turnover of Rs 2474.90 crore registered during the previous trading session.

IT stocks edged higher on weak rupee. MindTree (up 3.72%), HCL Technologies (up 2.74%), Tech Mahindra (up 2.44%), TCS (up 1.82%), Oracle Financial Services Software (up 1.80%), Wipro (up 1.68%), CMC (up 1.41%) and MphasiS (up 0.20%), edged higher. Persistent Systems (down 0.78%) and Hexaware Technologies (down 1.92%), edged lower. A weak rupee boosts revenue of IT firms in rupee terms as the sector derives a lion's share of revenue from exports.

In the foreign exchange market, the partially convertible rupee was currently hovering at 66.12, compared with its close of 65.99 during the previous trading session.

Index heavyweight and IT major Infosys rose 2.45% to Rs 1,144. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,149.60 and a low of Rs 1,110.05 in intraday trade.

State-run ONGC fell 3.66% to Rs 227.50. The stock hit a high of Rs 237 and a low of Rs 226.75 in intraday trade.

Index heavyweight Reliance Industries (RIL) fell 1.69% to Rs 837.05. The stock hit a high of Rs 848 and a low of Rs 835.05 in intraday trade.

Index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC rose 1.88% to Rs 322. The stock hit a high of Rs 323.80 and a low of Rs 315 in intraday trade.

Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC rose 1.22% to Rs 1,181. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,184 and a low of Rs 1,151.50 in intraday trade.

Lupin rose 3.82% to Rs 1,994.65 after reports that the company has increased price of its generic diabetes drug Fortamet in the US market. Lupin has reportedly increased price of its generic diabetes drug Fortamet by three times for 500 mg and 1000 mg variants in the US market. Despite the price hike, Lupin's drug is still 15% cheaper than its innovator, report said. Fortamet has two generic players in the US market viz. Lupin and Mylan. Lupin has 60% market share of the drug in value terms, according to reports. Mylan, which got the approval for the drug in 2013, has not yet launched its generic version. Fortamet's current market size is estimated at $170 million in the United States, report added.

After the price hike, a foreign brokerage has reportedly upgraded the Lupin stock to outperform.

Shares of state-run iron ore miner NMDC fell 3.21% to Rs 95. The stock hit a high of Rs 98.25 and a low of Rs 94.60 in intraday trade.

India's stock market remains closed tomorrow, 25 September 2015, on account of Bakri Id.

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