Share Wealth

Indian benchmark indices are likely to open flat on Friday, tracking muted trend in Nifty futures on the Singapore Stock Exchange and negative trend across the global markets. Overseas, Asian stocks were trading lower, following negative closing of Wall Street in overnight trade, after the US President Donald Trump called off a key summit with North Korea. Back home, muted trend in the SGX Nifty Index Futures for May delivery, which were trading at 10,514.50, up by 5 points, or 0.05 per cent, at 10:52 AM Singapore time, also signaled a flat start for local bourses. On the economy front, capital market regulator Sebi allowed 'segregated nominee account structure' in international financial services centre (IFSC), a move which will facilitate ease of market access for foreign investors to trade in securities at Gujarat's GIFT city. On the corporate front, shares of Vedanta will remain in focus after Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has ordered the closure of the Sterlite copper factory in Thoothukudi. Among others, Idea Cellular shares will also see some movement as telecom department (DoT) approved sale of nearly 9,000 standalone towers to a local arm of American Tower Corp (ATC) for Rs 4,000 crore. On the earnings front, big names such as BEML, Bank of Baroda, Cadila Healthcare, Central Bank, Sun Pharma and Tech Mahindra, will announce their results today.

Indian benchmarks regained strength in late trade on short covering, with the Sensex rising 318 points. Robust buying in IT, banking, metal and pharma stocks amid mixed global cues supported the indices. Unabated buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) contributed to the uptrend. Domestic institutional investors bought shares worth a net Rs 789.78 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold equities worth Rs 311.11 crore yesterday, provisional data showed. The 30-share benchmark index closed trading at 34663.11 up by 318.2 points or by 0.93 per cent, while the NSE Nifty was at 10513.85 up by 83.5 points or by 0.8 per cent.

Top traded volumes on NSE Nifty were Tata Motors Ltd. 46104103.00, Oil And Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. 34819270.00, State Bank of India 34679642.00, Vedanta Ltd. 20219901.00, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. 12335067.00.

On NSE, total number of shares traded was 132.69 Crore and total turnover stood at Rs. 28863.34 Crore.

On NSE Future and Options, total number of contracts traded in index futures was 238466 with a total turnover of Rs. 20932.79 Crore. Along with this total number of contracts traded in stock futures were 931192 with a total turnover of Rs. 59058.29 Crore. Total numbers of contracts for index options were 14066947 with a total turnover of Rs. 1381993.82 Crore and total numbers of contracts for stock options were 813159 with a total turnover of Rs. 54760.99 Crore.

As on May 24, the FIIs stood as net seller in both equity and debt markets. Gross equity purchased stood at Rs. 4452.19 Crore and gross debt purchased stood at Rs. 615.19 Crore, while the gross equity sold stood at Rs. 4714.41 Crore and gross debt sold stood at Rs. 1593.72 Crore. Therefore, the net investment of equity and debt reported were Rs. -262.22 Crore and Rs. -978.53.