Companies in the small-cap universe are having a dream run - the Nifty Smallcap 100 index has shot up more than 25 per cent on a year-to-date basis, even as the benchmark Nifty is up 7 per cent. This is the best start for the index since 2017 when the Nifty Smallcap 100 index surged 32.3 per cent between January 1 and May 10. However, in terms of outperformance to the Nifty, this year's performance is the best in more than a decade. A combination of sectoral tailwinds and lack of institutional selling pressure has helped small companies escape from the correction triggered by the second wave of Covid-19.
Tata Steel was the day's worst performer in the Sensex pack, plunging 3.25 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel at 3.05 per cent.
The rupee opened steady at 63.30 per dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange; but, firmed up to 63.22 before quoting at 63.23 per dollar at 1000 hours.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have pumped in a whopping $33.8 billion into domestic equities and debt till February 15 this fiscal year -- the highest since FY15 when it was nearly $46 billion --taking their net outstanding investments to a record $592.5 billion, as per a report. Of the total FPI assets of $592.5 billion, $537.4 billion were in equities and $51.38 billion in debt, according to the data collated by Care Ratings. The maximum holding is in financial services sector at $191.3 billion, followed by software ($76.1 billion), oil & gas ($50 billion), automobiles & auto components ($26.9 billion, pharmaceuticals & biotechnology ($22.8 billion), sovereign ($21.7 billion--debt), household & personal products ($20.2 billion), capital goods ($19.8 billion), food, beverages & tobacco ($15.7 billion) and insurance ($13.4 billion).
After three sessions of weakness, the rupee strengthened by 50 paise against the dollar.
Rupee ended weak against the dollar.
Rupee fell to its 9-month low of 62.03 against the dollar.
Losers include ONGC, Bajaj Finance, Reliance, SBI, Hero MotoCorp, ICICI Bank, L&T, Vedanta, Yes Bank and Axis Bank, falling up to 2.54 per cent. On the other hand, Tata Steel, PowerGrid, HCL Tech, Kotak Bank and Maruti were the top gainers on Sensex, rising up to 2.31 per cent.
The broader NSE Nifty reclaimed the key 10,000-mark and touched a high of 10,143.50 before finally settling at 10,130.65
While a coordinated aggressive monetary easing from the central banks is most likely to offer some respite in the near-term, it is unlikely to improve the sentiments.
'The potential headwind is that the Indian economy is likely to see a slowdown in growth rates over the next two years.'
In the Sensex pack, Yes Bank, IndusInd Bank, Infosys, ICICI Bank, TCS, SBI, Reliance Industries, ONGC, Axis Bank and NTPC rose up to 2.66 per cent.
Other losers in the Sensex pack included IndusInd Bank, Tata Motors, TCS, Yes Bank and L&T, falling up to 3.26 per cent.
The regulator may float consultation papers for FPIs and private equity funds and the final decision will be taken after taking into account views of all the stakeholders
Nearly 100 foreign funds have been asked to cough up an estimated $5-6 bn.
This follows a staggering inflow of Rs 19,967 cr in equities and debt last month
The biggest gainers on both bourses were Bharti Airtel, HDFC duo, L&T, Bajaj Auto, Kotak Bank, Reliance Industries, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, ITC and Bajaj Finance, rising up to 4 per cent.
The rupee gained 28 paise on Thursday to close at 62.50.
In New York, the dollar was up last Friday against its major rivals following weak German economic data.
A weak dollar in overseas market boosted the rupee sentiment
Health insurance coverage should be hiked periodically to keep pace with medical inflation, or increase in healthcare costs.
The BSE 30-share index after a positive opening stretched to 31,772.41, but could not stay there for long buffeted by the selling pressure. It hit a low of 31,562.25 before settling lower by 79.68 points, or 0.25 per cent, at 31,592.03.
The rally was led by IT stocks, with TCS and Infosys rising up to 5 per cent. Yes Bank, on the other hand, was the biggest loser on both the bourses, cracking nearly 12 per cent
Markets extended losses after the first hour of trade with HDFC Group shares leading the decline.
On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors bought Rs 446 crore worth of domestic stocks on Thursday and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 49.68 crore, provisional data available with BSE suggested.
What worked for the markets was favourable global investor sentiment and encouraging flows into the emerging markets following stimulus measures taken by central banks.
This could be attributed to the attractive valuation of the Indian equities after the sharp correction during the first quarter of calendar year 2020 and significant depreciation of the Indian rupee against USD, which provided them a rather good entry point.
Will 2022 be a year of contrasting narratives -- one filled with caution and the other with continued optimism?
Markets watchdog Sebi on Tuesday decided to tighten norms for utilisation of IPO proceeds by companies, introduce special situation funds to invest only in stressed assets and amend various regulations, including those on mutual funds and settlement proceedings. The board of Sebi, which met on Tuesday, also gave its nod for amending Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) regulations and introducing a provision for appointment or re-appointment of any person, including as a managing director or a whole time director or a manager, who was earlier rejected by the shareholders at a general meeting. Once the amended norms are in place, such appointments or re-appointments can only be done with the prior approval of the shareholders.
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