Trade Tensions, Rupee Depress Equity Indices; Banking Stocks Down

MUMBAI: Latest global trade protectionist measures, along with high crude oil prices and a depreciation in rupee’s value, dragged the Indian equity market in the red for a second consecutive session on Tuesday.

Sector-wise, heavy selling pressure was witnessed in the interest sensitive stocks like banking, auto, and capital goods. Index-wise, the wider NSE Nifty50 provisionally closed at 11,278.90 points, lower by 98.85 points or 0.87 percent from the previous close of 11,377.75 points.

The S&P BSE Sensex, which had opened at 37,660.19 points, provisionally closed at 37,290.67 points, lower by 294.84 points or 0.78 percent from the previous close of 37,585.51 points. It touched a high of 37,745.44 points and a low of 37,242.85 during the day’s trade. “Carrying on from Monday, markets continued to dive on Tuesday to close in the red for the second consecutive session. The Nifty had in fact opened on a positive note, but selling soon resumed and pulled the index lower,” said Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities. “The weakness came on the back of rising global trade tensions after (US President Donald) Trump said he will impose tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, escalating the trade conflict.”

According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services: “Selling pressure increased on the bourses due to the spike in oil prices led by factors like an implication of US sanction on Iran and supply constraints. “Domestic triggers failed to add momentum despite ease in inflation, government policies to contain CAD and consolidation in PSUBs. This situation will ease once the global bond and currency market stabilize which is currently under pressure given the chaos over oil and Fed rate hike.” On the currency front, the Indian rupee closed at 72.98, weakening 47 paise from its previous close of 72.51 per greenback.

Investment-wise, provisional data with the exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors sold scrip worth Rs 1,143.73 crore and domestic institutional investors bought stocks worth Rs 264.66 crore. Sector-wise, only FMCG stocks on the BSE ended in the green, gaining 102.11 points. On the other hand, the S&P BSE banking index lost 510.20 points, the auto index was down 353.54 points and the capital goods ended 250.56 points lower from its previous close. The top gainers on the Sensex were Hindustan Unilever, up 3.87 per cent at Rs 1,666.15; Yes Bank, up 1.43 per cent at Rs 323.15; Wipro, up 1.02 per cent at Rs 332.50; ONGC, up 0.93 per cent at Rs 173.35; and ITC, up 0.23 per cent at Rs 302.60 per share. The losers were State Bank of India, down 4.06 per cent at Rs 274; Tata Motors, down 3.36 per cent at Rs 251.45; Bajaj Auto, down 2.84 at Rs 2,775.90; Axis Bank, down 2.81 per cent at Rs 608.45; Tata Motors(DVR),down 2.45 per cent at Rs 137.55 per share. (IANS)