Re-rating of Axis Bank's stock may continue in the near-future, believe analysts, as the risk-reward on the stock remains favourable amid healthy financials. The bullish stance comes after the Mumbai-based lender delivered a strong outperformance in the March quarter of fiscal year 2023-24 (Q4FY24) on core pre-provision profit and net profit, with improving asset quality. Axis Bank's net interest margin (NIM) expanded, against expectations, even in a tough market.
Kotak Bank was the biggest loser in the Sensex pack, falling 3.71 per cent, followed by RIL, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, PowerGrid, IndusInd Bank, Asian Paints, HDFC and ITC.
Total exposure of equity mutual funds to banking stocks is over Rs 42,000 crore - the highest level in more than three years.
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty hit their fresh record levels on Thursday after lower inflation numbers raised hopes of an interest rate cut by the RBI. Besides, heavy buying in capital goods, consumer durable and industrial stocks also helped the indices, traders said. Retail inflation continued its downward slide to reach a one-year low of 4.75 per cent in May due to a marginal decline of prices in the food basket and remained within the Reserve Bank's comfort zone of below 6 per cent, according to government data released on Wednesday.
ONGC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying over 13 per cent, followed by HCL Tech, Hero MotoCorp, NTPC, TCS, M&M, Infosys and Maruti. NSE Nifty soared 306.55 points, or 3.21 per cent, to 9,859.90.
The bias for the BSE benchmark index, technical charts suggest, is likely to remain bullish as long as the index holds above 75,600 levels for the rest of the year.
Yes Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, soaring 24.03 per cent, after the lender said it had received a binding offer for $ 1.2 billion funding from an overseas investor. SBI, Infosys, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech and HDFC too rallied up to 7.69 per cent.
The broader Nifty ended on top of 9,800 again.
Among the Sensex constituents, ICICI Bank was the biggest gainer with 11 per cent jump, followed by State Bank of India, which rose 8.04 per cent.
RIL was the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 2.63 per cent, followed by NTPC, Axis Bank, Tata Steel, PowerGrid, HDFC twins, Bharti Airtel, M&M, ICICI Bank, SBI and Bajaj Finance -- gaining up to 2.51 per cent.
Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 674 points on Friday, weighed by losses in banking stocks as an unabated spike in new coronavirus cases fuelled uncertainty over the economic impact of the pandemic. After hitting a low of 27,500.79 during the day, the 30-share BSE barometer ended 674.36 points or 2.39 per cent lower at 27,590.95. The NSE Nifty shed 170 points, or 2.06 per cent, to finish at 8,083.80.
The Nifty Bank index has come off 15 per cent from its peak in February, underperforming the benchmark Nifty which is down 6%.
'Barring a temporary blip where stocks fell on verdict day, we are back to all-time highs.'
Here is an attempt to re-look at the factors that influence the performance of the banking sector and where these are headed in 2005.
In May, MFs were the net sellers in several PSUs, as they deployed Rs 47,600 crore in equities during the month.
Though most experts remain bullish on the banking space, they suggest investors buy only those banks whose NPAs are at a manageable level of 3% to 4% and there is credit growth or earnings visibility.
With strong long-term fundamentals, banking sector cannot be completely ignored
Nestle, State Bank of India, Power Grid, Tata Steel, Larsen & Toubro and Mahindra & Mahindra were the other major gainers. In contrast, Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank and Reliance Industries were the laggards.
Infosys, Reliance Industries, TCS, HDFC, HDFC Bank, Maruti, SBI, IndusInd Bank and Kotak Bank led the gains on the Sensex, rising up to 2.53 per cent.
Benchmark Sensex rebounded by 167 points in a volatile trade on Friday amid buying in ICICI Bank, State Bank of India and Reliance Industries. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 167.06 points or 0.23 per cent to settle at 71,595.49. During the day, it hit a high of 71,676.49 and a low of 71,200.31.
Among the Sensex constituents, 20 stocks ended the session in green with HDFC Bank, Titan, Tech Mahindra, and Asian Paints being the major gainers. TCS, Maruti, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bajaj Finserve were the other gainers. In contrast, SBI, Bharti Airtel, JSW Steel, PowerGrid, ITC and Reliance closed the trading with losses.
The 50-share Nifty scaled a high of 10,207.90 intra-day but succumbed to profit-booking to finish at 10,184.15, up 53.50 points
The majority stocks are still inexpensive and undervalued.
Market players attribute the rally in small and midcaps to flows from retail investors and domestic institutions.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) selling spree continued as they dumped Indian equity worth over Rs 5,800 crore this month so far on rising interest rates and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This came after such investors withdrew Rs 24,548 crore in October and Rs 14,767 crore in September, data with the depositories showed. Before the outflow, FPIs were incessantly buying Indian equities in the last six months from March to August and brought in Rs 1.74 lakh crore during the period.
The Sensex and Nifty spiralled lower for the fourth session on the trot on Wednesday as investors remained on edge ahead of US inflation data, which will give clues on the Federal Reserve's policy tightening trajectory. Unabated selling by foreign institutional investors and a jump in crude prices also weighed on sentiment, traders said. Despite a firm start, the 30-share BSE Sensex failed to carry forward the momentum and ended at 54,088.39, lower by 276.46 points or 0.51 per cent. During the day, it tumbled 845.55 points to 53,519.30.
Domestic markets are also aided by a rally in the global markets with US market surging to record high and a firming trend at other Asian bourses.
State Bank of India was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, climbing nearly 2 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, L&T, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, M&M and ICICI Bank. NSE Nifty surged 112.15 points to 15,834.35.
Many are now cheaper after stock splits. But look at key parameters
Equity fund managers' other favourites are software stocks followed by pharma, finance and consumer non-durables
BSE Sensex on Monday closed nearly 34 points higher at 26,350.17 with gains in realty, power, FMCG and oil & gas stocks amid sustained buying by domestic institutional investors.
M&M was the top laggard in the Sensex pack, cracking over 4 per cent, followed by Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, Hero MotoCorp, Sun Pharma and ICICI Bank. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Tata Steel, NTPC, HUL and Reliance ended with gains.
The rally followed the govt's plan to bolster state-owned lenders.
Continuing buying interest across the pack helped the Bank Nifty index improve its new high on Tuesday (May 30). The index of banking stocks ended Tuesday's session at 44,436, a gain of 124 points or 0.3 per cent. On Monday (May 29), Bank Nifty hit a new high after a gap of 166 days.
With March 2016 being the final quarter when banks will have to disclose their stressed assets, the markets are assuming the worst is yet to come
Unless RBI temporarily relaxes the norms on recognising of bad loans, the pressure on this front could rise in the December quarter.
Foreign brokerages said if SBI decide to buy stake in the bank, they should buy it at Rs 1 per share as the net worth is hugely impaired.