Trading Volumes At Rs 157.59 Crore

NSE REPORT

Modest activity in the government securities counter saw trades worth Rs 157.59 crore being struck on the National Stock Exchange yesterday. However, meagre buying interest in the corporate debentures and bonds witnessed deals worth only Rs 26.48 lakh on the NEAT system.

Says a NSE broker, Despite the inter-bank call rates moving in a steady range of 5 to 5.5 per cent, several banks preferred to adopt a `wait and watch attitude.

Budget blues are keeping the dealers away from enlarging their trading position. There is definitely an air of uncertainty in the gilts secondary market, observes a bank dealer.

Continued buying interest in the newly issued 13.65 per cent government security (2007) kept the yields of the paper under pressure. The ten-year paper worth Rs 5 crore changed hands at a yield to maturity (YTM) of 13.61 per cent.

Deals worth Rs 43 crore were struck in the 13.4 per cent government security maturing in 1999 at a YTM of 12.88 per cent.

Moderate buying amounting to nearly Rs 35 crore was also seen in the zero coupon bond maturing in 2000 at a weighted YTM of 13.29 per cent. That apart, short end maturity 91-day treasury bill amounting to Rs 5 crore were traded at a YTM of 6.6 per cent.