Market Today: Benchmark indices ended on positive note on March 21 with Nifty above 17,100. Amid improved global sentiment, and a relief rally after days of bear hammering, equity markets logged strong gains on Tuesday. Besides, healthy buying in index heavyweights Reliance Industries (up 3.2 per cent, and top large-cap gainer), Bajaj twins, Titan, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC twins, Ultratech Cement, and IndusInd Bank added to the gains.
The S&P BSE Sensex surged 446 points, or 0.77 per cent, to settle at 58,075 levels today, while the Nifty50 moved past the 17,100-mark to end at 17,107, higher by 119 points or 0.7 per cent.
The market breadth was firmly in the favour of buyers as the broader markets, too, rose in tandem with the benchmarks. The S&P BSE Midcap and SmallCap indices closed with gains of up to 0.6 per cent.
Among sectors, financial stocks were seen holding the fort with the Nifty Bank, PSU Bank, Pvt Bank, and Financial Services indices gaining up to 2 per cent. The defensive plays, meanwhile, were on the backfoot with the Nifty IT, and FMCG indices down up to 0.8 per cent.
Dr. V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, “Two data points indicate the current market mood. The stock price of the US bank First Republic crashed by 40% yesterday and gold zoomed by 2% . Fears of contagion in the global banking system is causing the nervous selling in vulnerable banking stocks and strength in gold is indicative of the flight to safety. Fears of banking contagion hitting equity markets have aggravated FII selling, which has reached a cumulative Rs 11757 crores in the last 11 days. FII’s net short position is at record highs indicating negative expectations. Even though the current texture of the market is sell on rallies, the huge short position may trigger a short-squeeze if the Fed decides to pause in the meeting tomorrow. Tomorrow’s Fed decision and commentary will be crucial.”
Rupee Close
The Indian rupee closed largely flat at 82.6550 per dollar, as investors were wary ahead of a pivotal U.S. Federal Reserve bank meeting decision due amid a banking sector crisis.
Global Cues
Asian stocks climbed Tuesday following gains on Wall Street as immediate concerns over the strength of the global financial system dissipated.
US stocks jumped on Monday after a deal to rescue Credit Suisse and central bank efforts to bolster confidence in the financial system relieved investors, while participants also weighed the likelihood of a pause in rate hikes from the Federal Reserve this week.
The dollar regained some ground on Tuesday but was pinned near a five-week low as traders tiptoed back into riskier assets after UBS’ state-backed takeover of Credit Suisse allayed some fears of a widespread, systemic banking crisis. The dollar slipped 0.12% to 131.15 against the Japanese yen , while the U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, fell 0.04% to 103.30.
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