Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a decline in early trade, ending a three-day rally, primarily due to heavy selling in IT stocks and concerns over prolonged instability in West Asia.
Indian equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty surged significantly in early trade, mirroring a global market rally and a drop in crude oil prices below USD 100 per barrel, driven by renewed hopes of diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Maruti, Power Grid, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, HDFC Bank, Asian Paints and Tata Steel were among the biggest laggards. However, Titan, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were among the gainers.
With demand for information-technology (IT) services in North America still sluggish, Europe has become a source of optimism for Indian companies because it is delivering steady gains over the past two years and continuing to outperform in the latest quarter. Yet analysts caution a full-scale revival will require a rebound in the United States (US), particularly in manufacturing, retail, and BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance), because Europe contributes only about a third of the revenues.
From the Sensex firms, Reliance Industries, Tech Mahindra, Eternal, HCL Tech, Infosys, IndusInd Bank, Tata Consultancy Services and Bajaj Finserv were the biggest gainers. In contrast, UltraTech Cement, Sun Pharma, Power Grid, NTPC, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Mahindra & Mahindra were among the laggards.
From the Sensex firms, Eternal, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Bajaj Finance, Tata Steel, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, Asian Paints, Power Grid and State Bank of India were among the laggards. Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, Titan, HCL Tech, Tata Motors, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were the gainers.
Indian-origin tech companies cornered a fifth of all H-1B visas issued by the US with Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services leading the pack, an analysis of data from the US immigration department showed. According to data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, in April-September 2024 period, out of the total 1.3 lakh H-1B visas issued to different employers, about 24,766 visas were issued to Indian-origin companies.
Among the Sensex firms, Power Grid, IndusInd Bank, Maruti, Wipro, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Asian Paints, Mahindra & Mahindra, Reliance Industries and UltraTech Cement were the biggest laggards. Hindustan Unilever, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services and Bharti Airtel were the gainers.
Among the Sensex firms, Power Grid, NTPC, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, JSW Steel, Wipro, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finance were the major gainers. Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Larsen & Toubro and ITC were among the laggards.
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.
Trading in stock markets this week will be majorly influenced by the upcoming quarterly earnings from IT majors TCS and Infosys, along with global trends, analysts said. Besides, global oil benchmark Brent crude, rupee-dollar trend and trading activity of foreign investors would also dictate the movement, they said. "On the domestic front, all eyes will be on the beginning of corporate performance for the third quarter of the current fiscal year.
The June quarter is usually considered as a seasonally strong period for the IT sector.
Titan, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, Power Grid, NTPC and Tata Motors were among the among the major gainers. Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, Nestle, JSW Steel, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra and Maruti were the major laggards.
From the Sensex pack, Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank, Infosys, UltraTech Cement, NTPC, Bajaj Finance, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services, ICICI Bank and Maruti were among the major winners. Titan, Nestle, Larsen & Toubro, Axis Bank, ITC and Asian Paints were among the major laggards.
Benchmark BSE Sensex rallied nearly 630 points while Nifty closed above the 16,500 mark on Wednesday after sharp gains in IT and energy shares amid positive global market trends. Buying in index majors Reliance Industries, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services and FII inflows bolstered the sentiment. Shares of firms related to oil exploration and refineries were in heavy demand, with Reliance Industries rallying 2.47 per cent and ONGC by 4 per cent, as the government slashed windfall tax on petrol, diesel, jet fuel and crude oil.
The recent sell-off in IT stocks such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has resulted in a sharp decline in the IT sector weighting in the Nifty50 index. The sector's weighting in the index has slipped to a five-year low of 12.2 per cent, down from the 17.7 per cent at the end of March 2022. The top IT companies - TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra - accounted for 13.6 per cent of the index at the end of March this year.
The earnings season this financial year is expected to start on an exciting note, as two information technology (IT) behemoths Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) report their first quarter numbers on the same day. By now, TCS is expected to report a better set of numbers than Infosys.
The global financial crisis has inflicted at least a year's delay on the Indian IT outsourcing industry's drive to reach its short-term revenue forecasts, with key markets in the US and Europe suffering from the financial downturn.
ICICI Bank joined the likes of Reliance Communications, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services on Monday in the Rs 1-trillion market valuation club.
While discretionary spend by global enterprises is likely to negatively impact all Indian IT firms, more revenues from products and less exposure to financial services segment are likely to lessen the impact for HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra.
Abidali Neemuchwala, who had joined Wipro in 2015 as group president and chief operating officer, was also given 200,000 in stock options in the financial year ended March 2016.
Though a weak dollar will lend some support to revenues and margins in FY21, the demand environment will outweigh any gain.
Fund managers say the recent fall is not going to sustain.
About 76,000 H-1B visas were issued to people in computer occupations in 2014.
The UK contributed to nearly $20 billion or 18% of India's $108 billion software exports for 2016.
Underweight on the sector since January amid concerns over growth prospects; no early reversal seen
Gains were led by index heavyweights Reliance Industries and Infosys.
Takes a knock after RBS changes plan on Williams & Glyn; contract loss to impact 3,000 Infy staffers
Deal to bolster firm's position in healthcare IT.
'Most of the agitations are staged by the Opposition to disturb the peace of the state.'
According to experts, while allegations against Indian IT firms of visa misuse are nothing new, this time the scrutiny could be much greater.
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