Extending previous session's
southward journey, Indian equity benchmarks ended with losses of over a
percent, with frontline gauges breaching their crucial 58,800 (Sensex) and
17,500 (Nifty) levels, dragged by heavy selling pressure in metal, realty and
basic materials stocks. Benchmarks made negative start and remained under
pressure throughout the session amid weak global cues. Traders remained anxious
as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed that the country's foreign
exchange reserves fell $2.238 billion to $570.74 billion in the week ended
August 12. Domestic sentiments also got hit with labour ministry stated that retail
inflation for farm and rural workers increased to 6.60 per cent and 6.82 per
cent, respectively, in July mainly due to higher prices of certain food items.
In June retail inflation for farm and rural workers stood at 6.43 per cent and
6.76 per cent respectively. Domestic sentiments remained pessimistic in late
afternoon deals, amid reports that with the price situation remaining at
'unacceptably and uncomfortably' high level, members of the RBI's Monetary
Policy Committee underlined the need for preventing upward drift of inflation
and bringing it down to the target band, as per minutes of its recent policy
meeting. Traders also reacted negatively to External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar's statement that India faces a challenge to ensure that its economic
interests are well protected and its consumers are shielded to the extent
possible from the enormous jump in the oil prices in the wake of the Ukraine
conflict. Traders overlooked the finance ministry's monthly economic review
stating that India is better placed on the growth-inflation-external balance
triangle for 2022-23 than it was two months ago, on the back of government
policy response and the RBI's monetary policy actions. Meanwhile, foreign
investors have shown tremendous enthusiasm for Indian equities and have infused
close to Rs 44,500 crore in August so far amid softening of inflation in US and
falling dollar index. Finally, the BSE Sensex fell 872.28 points or 1.46% to
58,773.87 and the CNX Nifty was down by 267.75 points or 1.51% to 17,490.70.
The US markets ended deeply in
red with Nasdaq settling cut of over two percent, magnifying their previous
session' losses, amid on concerns about the outlook for interest rates. Traders looked ahead to the economic
symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this week. Focus is on Fed Chair Jerome
Powell's speech on Friday at the central banking conference in Jackson Hole for
further cues on how aggressively the Fed is likely to be with future interest
rate hikes. There is expectation that Powell is going to try to sound hawkish
to tamp down inflationary expectations and tighten financial conditions. So
that's most likely going to be a negative catalyst for the market. Shares from
across several sectors reeled under severe selling pressure. Tech stocks
declined on concerns over more aggressive rate hikes from the Fed. Financial,
airline and energy stocks were among the other prominent losers. Stock specific
developments Netflix shares plunged more than 6 percent after CFRA downgraded
the stock's rating, citing concerns about a likely drop in company's earnings
in the second half of the current financial year. Microsoft, Meta Platforms,
Alphabet, Intel, Apple, IBM and Cisco Systems declined sharply. Ford shares plunged
after the company said it will lay off 3,000 workers to fund its shift to
electric vehicles. Visa, Goldman Sachs, American Express, Home Depot, 3M,
Caterpillar, JP Morgan Chase and Caterpillar also ended with sharp losses.
Crude oil futures ended lower on
Monday on account of worries about outlook for energy demand. Oil prices also
fell as the dollar moved higher against most of its major rivals amid rising
bets over interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, after another Fed
official flagged the likelihood of continued aggressive monetary tightening.
Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin said central bankers were inclined towards
faster, front-loaded interest rate increases, even if that meant risking a US
economic recession. Benchmark crude oil futures for September delivery fell
$0.54 or about 0.6 percent to settle at $90.23 a barrel on the New York
Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for October delivery drooped $0.24 or 0.3
percent to settle at $96.48 a barrel on London's Intercontinental Exchange.
Indian rupee ended flat on Monday
due to mild dollar demand from banks and importers. Traders were anxious as
India's foreign exchange reserves slumped by over $2 billion in the week ending
August 12, as the Reserve Bank of India intervened to shore up the rupee and
keep the currency below 80 per dollar. The RBI's weekly statistical supplement
data showed that the country's forex reserves slumped to $570.74 billion in the
week ending August 12, down by $2.238 billion from $572.978 billion in the
previous week. On the global front, euro briefly fell back below parity against
a robust dollar on Monday and was languishing at five-week lows, weighed down
by concern that a three-day halt to European gas supplies later this month will
exacerbate an energy crisis. Finally, the rupee ended unchanged from its
previous close of 79.84 on Friday.
The FIIs as per Monday's data
were net buyers in both equity and debt segment. In equity segment, the gross buying
was of Rs 7008.56 crore against gross selling of Rs 5476.56 crore, while in the
debt segment, the gross purchase was of Rs 211.61 crore against gross selling
of Rs 206.32 crore. Besides, in the hybrid segment, the gross buying was of Rs
26.79 crore against gross selling of Rs 3.52 crore.
The US markets ended lower on
Monday as nervousness persisted about a Fed gathering this week in Jackson Hole
where policymakers are expected to reinforce a strong commitment to stamp out
inflation. Asian markets are trading in red on Tuesday following a sell-off on
Wall Street overnight. Indian markets suffered their worst fall in more than
two months on Monday amid weakness across global markets, as investors remained
on the back foot amid fears of a global slowdown. Today, domestic markets are
likely to make negative start tracking free-fall in global markets. There will be
some volatility in the markets ahead of the monthly expiry of futures and
options contracts this week. Traders will be concerned as although
private-sector capital expenditure (capex) is expected to lift off in the
quarters ahead, a recent study by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows project
loan demand by Indian companies for capex in 2021-22 (FY22) did not pick up
like it did in the preceding years. There will be some cautiousness as on
August 22, foreign institutional investors sold Rs 453.77 crore in the Indian
markets. Traders may take note of a private report that the Reserve Bank's rate
setting panel is likely to opt for slowing down the pace of hikes and increase
the repo rate by 0.25 per cent in September. However, some support may come
later in the day as in a bid to promote ease of doing business, the finance
ministry notified the consolidated rules for overseas investment by Indian
entities. The Foreign Exchange Management (Overseas Investment) Rules, 2022
will subsume extant regulations pertaining to Overseas Investments and
Acquisition and Transfer of Immovable Property outside India Regulations, 2015.
Meanwhile, a private report stated that the Centre may release about Rs 30,000
crore soon as GST (goods and services tax) compensation for June 2022, the last
month of the five-year guaranteed compensation pledged by the Union government.
Auto components industry stocks will be in focus as industry body ACMA said
Indian auto components industry clocked its highest-ever turnover of Rs 4.2
trillion in 2021-22, registering a growth of 23 per cent on the back of strong
performance in exports and aftermarket. There will be some reaction in diamond
related industry stocks with a private report that India, which cuts or
polishes about 90% of the diamonds sold in the world, is ramping up sales of
laboratory-made gems as demand from the US surges and they become more accepted
in other markets.
Support and
Resistance: NSE (Nifty) and BSE (Sensex)
Index
|
Previous close
|
Support
|
Resistance
|
NSE
Nifty
|
17,490.70
|
17,408.69
|
17,631.39
|
BSE
Sensex
|
58,773.87
|
58,518.48
|
59,215.87
|
Nifty Top volumes
Stock
|
Volume
|
Previous close (Rs)
|
Support (Rs)
|
Resistance (Rs)
|
(in Lacs)
|
Tata Steel
|
740.37
|
105.20
|
103.40
|
108.30
|
Oil & Natural Gas Corporation
|
312.31
|
132.30
|
129.90
|
134.60
|
Tata Motors
|
150.50
|
453.55
|
447.75
|
464.15
|
Adani Port & Special Economic Zone
|
146.93
|
840.00
|
820.94
|
875.49
|
ICICI Bank
|
138.48
|
854.00
|
846.60
|
864.40
|
L&T has commissioned Green Hydrogen plant at its AM Naik Heavy Engineering Complex in Hazira, Gujarat.
NTPC has started capturing carbon dioxide from the flue gas stream at its thermal plant in Vindhyachal.
HDFC Bank has launched its state-of-the art Bank on Wheels van, to take banking services to unbanked villages.
Cipla's New Jersey-based unit -- Cipla USA, Inc is recalling 7,992 bottles of Difluprednate Ophthalmic Emulsion, used to treat swelling and pain after eye surgery, in the US market.