'Unlike in the sporting arena, where sports federations moved from partisan to impartial referees, in Indian democracy's biggest festival, it appears we are moving backward from unbiased and objective to one-sided and partisan,' observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies jumped to a lifetime peak of Rs 404.18 lakh crore on Thursday helped by a five-day rally in benchmark indices, making investors richer by Rs 11.29 lakh crore. Recovering after a sell-off in early trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 486.50 points or 0.66 per cent to settle at 74,339.44 on Thursday. During the day, it surged 718.31 points or 0.97 per cent to 74,571.25.
The biggest gainers on both the bourses were Reliance Industries, Infosys, NTPC, ONGC, HUL, PowerGrid, Asian Paints, ITC and HCL Tech, rising up to 2 per cent.
The 30-share Sensex and the 50-share Nifty ended flat at the mark of 29,008 and 8,767 respectively.
Global trends, trading activity of foreign investors and movement of oil benchmark Brent crude would dictate terms in the domestic markets this week, analysts said. Equity markets, which fell nearly 3 per cent last week, may face volatile trends amid the monthly derivatives expiry on Thursday. "This week marks the September month Futures and Options (F&O) expiry, which is expected to bring about volatility in the market," said Santosh Meena, Head of Research, Swastika Investmart Ltd.
Markets end in the red, midcaps in focus
Asian Paints dropped the most by 1.33 per cent. IndusInd bank fell 1.2 per cent, Axis Bank by 1.19 per cent, SBI by 1.12 per cent, Bajaj Finance by 1.07 per cent, Nestle by 1.04 per cent, and TCS by 0.97 per cent. Hindustan Unilever, Reliance Industries, Power Grid and Kotak Bank also retreated. Maruti Suzuki was the lead gainer, rising by 2.22 per cent.
Broader market outperformed the headline indices with BSE Midcap and Smallcap finishing the day 1.22%, and 1.54% higher, respectively
Domestic equity markets will be driven mainly by quarterly earnings, global trends, and the movement in crude oil prices in this holiday-shortened week, analysts said. Investors would also keep an eye on the Middle East amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict and the trading activity of foreign investors. Markets will remain closed on Tuesday for Dussehra.
The agency opposed Sisodia's bail plea before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who extended the judicial remand of the AAP leader till April 18 after he was produced before the court on the expiry of his custody.
"Allah ko pyaari ho gayi meri beti," said Ansaar, whose 11-day-old daughter was among the seven newborns killed in a blaze at a childcare hospital.
From the Sensex basket, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, HCL Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services, Larsen & Toubro and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the biggest laggards. Mahindra & Mahindra, Power Grid, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank and Maruti were the major gainers.
During the arguments, the Kejriwal's counsel told the court that the entire case upon the CM rests on statements.
The government must develop a legally tenable mechanism in order to restore the cycle of simultaneous elections.
Investors' wealth eroded by Rs 6 lakh crore in a single day on Wednesday as the BSE benchmark Sensex tumbled over 790 points. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell by 790.34 points or 1.08 per cent to settle at 72,304.88. During the day, it slumped 872.93 points or 1.19 per cent to 72,222.29.
Three journalists of China's state-run news agency Xinhua, who were denied extension of visa, have departed India, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Maruti Suzuki fell 0.7% even after its March quarter profit grew by 15.8% to Rs 1,709 crore in Q4
'The tide started to turn against the BJD when V K Pandian toured the districts gathering people's grievances last year.'
Modi slammed opposition parties for seeking proof of the damage done by the Indian Air Force in Pakistan's Balakot.
The Delhi high court on Friday said the trial court order granting bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shall not be given effect to till it hears the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s plea challenging the relief granted in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise scam.
Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty settled with marginal gains on Thursday in a highly volatile trade amid the scheduled monthly derivatives expiry and muted trend in the US markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex closed 86.53 points or 0.13 per cent higher at 66,988.44, registering its third day of gains. During the day, it hit a high of 67,069.89 and a low of 66,610.35.
BSE's fresh shot at cracking the derivatives market is off to a promising start. However, Asia's oldest bourse is facing resistance from brokerages with nearly 10 large brokers yet to offer the relaunched Sensex and Bankex derivatives on their platforms. Many brokers maintain that they are working on the back end to enable BSE derivatives on their apps and websites. Some said while volumes are picking up, they are still miniscule compared to bigger rival NSE, which is the most-preferred venue for derivatives trading. Only a few brokers responded to formal queries sent by Business Standard on the issue of allowing BSE derivatives on their platform.
The MPs who win assembly polls will have to quit one of their seats in the next 14 days.
Bajrang Punia has been handed a provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during the recent trials.
'In April, we saw a 10 per cent growth in our own volumes.'
With no major domestic market-moving event scheduled this week, stock market investors would largely focus on global trends and foreign fund movement, and may face volatility amid monthly derivatives expiry, analysts said. This week Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes are due for release which would provide further cues to the market, Siddhartha Khemka, Head - Retail Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said. "With all major events behind us, participants will take cues from global markets, crude and currency market movement.
The S&P BSE Sensex gained 57 points to end at 26,064 and the Nifty50 climbed 17 points.
The 50-stock NSE barometer Nifty finished 14.75 points, or 0.14 per cent, down at 10,382.70 after shuttling between 10,340.65 and 10,393.15.
Failing to get any reprieve from the Delhi high court, the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will move the Supreme Court soon against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate and maintained the excise policy case was the 'biggest political conspiracy of the country' to finish the party.
The political heat in West Bengal has been giving the rising mercury levels serious competition since the high court order.
Special judge Hardeep Kaur sent both the accused to jail after they were produced before the court on expiry of their custodial interrogation by the Delhi police.
In a major relief to 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff of West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the order of the Calcutta high court order invalidating their appointment made by the state's School Service Commission (SSC) in the state-run and state-aided schools.
The Rajya Sabha election scene in Karnataka heated up with the Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) combine fielding its second candidate, even though the alliance has the strength to win only one out four seats.
Domestic quarterly earnings, global trends and foreign fund trading activity would dictate the movement in equity markets, which may face volatility amid the scheduled monthly derivatives expiry this week, analysts said. Equity markets took a breather last week. The BSE Sensex declined 298.22 points or 0.48 per cent and the Nifty dipped 111.4 points or 0.60 per cent.
Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency to political funding.
Markets ended lower following expiry of July F&O contracts and sales by foreign funds.
A court in New Delhi on Tuesday sent Bharat Rashtra Samiti leader K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 9 on a plea made by the Enforcement Directorate that the 'highly influential' arrestee, if released, was likely to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence.
Apparently aimed at keeping the flock together ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls, all ruling Congress MLAs in Karnataka will stay put together at a hotel in Bengaluru on Monday after the budget session of the state legislature concludes and will later also travel together for voting the next day.
Asked how many seats INDIA bloc will get, Gandhi said, "Have you heard Sidhu Moose Wala's song '295'? So 295 (seats)."
Investors turned cautious ahead of the US Fed meet outcome later today and July F&O expiry.
