Markets remain range-bound in early trade; IT stocks outperform
Mumbai, June 24
Indian equity benchmarks traded in a narrow range on Wednesday morning for a second consecutive session amid decline in crude oil prices.
Sensex was trading at 76,348.95, up over 100 points or 0.19 per cent in early deals, while Nifty was at 23,853.75, higher by 30 points or 0.12 per cent.
Sector-wise, Nifty IT led the gains, rising nearly 1 per cent, followed by Nifty MidSmall IT & Telecom (0.72 per cent), Nifty Pharma (0.68 per cent), Nifty Healthcare (0.57 per cent) and Nifty Realty (0.3 per cent).
Financial and banking stocks also remained in positive territory, with Nifty Private Bank and Nifty PSU Bank advancing 0.23 per cent and 0.21 per cent, respectively.
On the downside, metal and auto stocks witnessed selling pressure, with Nifty Metal declining 0.23 per cent and Nifty Auto slipping 0.21 per cent.
"The crash in Brent crude has removed the macro headwinds for India. The rupee has stabilised and FII selling appears to have tapered off," analysts said, adding that these developments are positive for the market.
However, they cautioned that a weak monsoon remains a concern. Rainfall has been deficient by 43 per cent so far, raising fears of a marginal impact on economic growth and corporate earnings.
The analysts advised investors to align their portfolios with the emerging risks, noting that sectors such as FMCG and entry-level two-wheelers could be affected by lower rural incomes. "Pharmaceutical stocks, with their relatively inelastic demand profile, are likely to remain resilient and could even outperform in a monsoon-deficient environment," they said.
On the commodities front, international benchmark Brent crude fell more than 1 per cent to around $76 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 1.5 per cent to about $72 a barrel.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Market going range-bound is fine, but I'm worried about the auto and metal sectors. My dad's pension is invested in some auto stocks, hope the analysts' advice about aligning portfolios is taken seriously. Will talk to our financial advisor about pharma stocks.
As an expat working in Mumbai, it's interesting to see how global crude prices are impacting the Indian markets. The IT sector's strength makes sense given the global demand for digital services. But I agree the monsoon situation is concerning - hope the government has contingency plans.
Not a fan of all this short-term market noise. But as a small investor, I appreciate the analysts pointing out that pharma could do well even if monsoon fails. Better to plan ahead than panic later. By the way, anyone else notice that FII selling tapering off is a big positive? Something to cheer about. 😊
I moved here from the UK last year, and it's fascinating how the monsoon directly affects market sentiment. The 43% rainfall deficit is worrying, but I'm glad the analysts are being realistic about it. Also glad to see IT stocks doing well - my company's been hiring like crazy! 📈
Respectfully, I wish the media would stop hyping every small move up or down. Markets go up, markets go down - that's normal. What matters is the long term. That said, the monsoon deficit is a real issue. Let's hope for some good rains in July, yaar. 🤞
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