Mkts end with hefty losses; Sensex below 16,000

The markets closed with huge losses inline with its Asian peers. Markets across Asia closed in red on weak cues from US on account of credit concerns.

Even on weekly basis markets have shaved with Sensex down nearly 9.5%. Realty index down 19% and bankex down 17%. Today, Sensex closed at the lowest level since 2007. Nifty slipped below 4,800 levels and Sensex has breached 16,000 mark.

All the BSE sector indices ended in deep red. Bank, capital goods, power and realty stocks were the worst hit.

Adlabs, Ess Dee, Spice Jet, Mundra Port, Chambal Fertiliser, Welspun Gujarat were the top laggards.

Bajaj Auto, ICICI Bank, Reliance Energy and Siemens werre biggest losers.

Sensex closed down 566.56 points or 3.42% at 15975.52, and the Nifty down 149.80 points or 3.04% at 4771.60.

About 433 shares have advanced, 2560 shares declined, and 55 shares are unchanged.

The BSE Midcap Index ended at 6,804.39 down 4.4%.

The BSE Smallcap Index ended at 9,595.41 down 4.6%.

The BSE Bankex ended at 8,477.46 down 5%. Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Kotak Mahindra, Oriental Bank, Allahabad Bank moved downwards.

The BSE Capital Goods Index closed down 4.5% at 14,025.12. Astra Microwave, BEML, Crompton Greave, Thermax, Greaves Cotton, Areva T&D closed lower.

The BSE Auto Index closed at 4,634.70 down 4.4%. Escorts, TVS Motor, Amtek Auto, Cummins, Punj Tractors, MRF closed lower.

The BSE Metal Index closed at 15,453.60 down 3.5%. Hind Zinc, Sterlite, NALCO, Shree Precoated, Mah Seamless, Jindal Steel, Jindal Saw, JindalStainless closed lower.

The BSE FMCG Index closed down 1.1% at 2,207.71. Colgate, ITC, Bata India, Godrej Consumer, HUL, GlaxoSmith Con closed lower.

BSE Oil and Gas Index closed at 10,022.91 down 3%. GAIL, Reliance Natura, HPCL, RPL,ONGC, Reliance, ONGC ended in red
BSE power index closed at 3,155.16 down 5.6%. Torrent Power, NTPC, Reliance Energy, Tata Power, Power Grid Corp, Crompton Greave ended in red.

The BSE IT Index was down 3% at 3,638.44. I-Flex Solution, Patni Computer, Financial Tech, Mphasis, Tech Mahindra, TCS, Infosys closed lower.

The NSE cash turnover was at Rs 14948.3 crore and the NSE F&O turnover was at Rs 38712.25 crore. The BSE cash turnover was Rs 6261.94 crore. Total market wide turnover was at Rs 59922.49 crore.

Mkts still under selling pressure; BSE Midcap down 5%

The markets have recoverd by some points from day's low, some buying is happening at lower levels in major stocks but still witnessing huge selling pressure. The Sensex and Nifty are down over 4.5%. The market breadth is negative, advance:decline ratio at 1:20, improved from 1:30. Midcap and small cap stocks have hammered a lot, still down nearly 6%. On the global front, Asian markets closed lower with sharp cut. European markets are trading in deep red.

At 3.10 hrs IST, the Sensex is down 669.05 points or 4.04% at 15873.03, and the Nifty down 178.45 points or 3.63% at 4742.95.

About 353 shares have advanced, 2641 shares declined, and 54 shares are unchanged.

The BSE Midcap was down 5.06%. Adlabs, Ess Dee, Spice Jet, Mundra Port, Chambal Fertiliser, Welspun Gujarat were the top laggards.

Bajaj Auto, ICICI Bank, Reliance Energy and Siemens are biggest losers while ITC and Suzlon Energy are gainers on the bourses.

GSS America, Reliance Industries, Reliance Energy, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel are most active shares.

New listing - GSS America gained by Rs 76 at Rs 476.35. It is trading with volumes of 8,393,698 shares.

All BSE indices are still trading in red. The BSE Realty and Bankex are down over 6%, BSE Power, Auto, IT, Metal, Oil and Capital Goods indices down about 3-5%.

Indian rupee is trading around 40.63 per dollar.

Mkts see savage cut: Nifty slips below 4700 mark

The markets have slipped further and are trading deep in red as there is sustained selling pressure in scrips across sectors. Asian markets ended with significant losses. Cues from US were very discouraging, US markets dropped to 18-month low. Nifty has slipped below 4,800 levels and is hovering around 4,750 mark. Sensex has breached 16,000 mark.

At 2.00 hrs IST, the Sensex is down 793.22 points or 4.80% at 15748.86, and the Nifty down 227.85 points or 4.63% at 4693.55.

About 330 shares have advanced, 2672 shares declined, and 46 shares are unchanged.

Midcap index is down nearly 6%; Adlabs, Ess Dee, Spice Jet, Mundra Port, Chambal Fertiliser, Welspun Gujarat.

All the BSE sector indices are in deep red, down nearly 3% each. Bank, capital goods, power and realty stocks are the worst hit, down over 4% each.

Reliance Energy, Bajaj Auto, Hindalco, Siemens, DLF, ICICI Bank, Satyam, Zee Enetertainment, Maruti Suzuki, were among the top losers on the indices.

Largecap power stocks like Reliance Energy, Tata Power and Suzlon have taken it on their chin.

Mkts see savage cut: Nifty slips below 4700 mark

The markets have slipped further and are trading deep in red as there is sustained selling pressure in scrips across sectors. Asian markets ended with significant losses. Cues from US were very discouraging, US markets dropped to 18-month low. Nifty has slipped below 4,800 levels and is hovering around 4,750 mark. Sensex has breached 16,000 mark.

At 12.32 hrs IST, the Sensex is down 605.27 points or 3.66% at 15936.81, and the Nifty down 187.15 points or 3.80% at 4734.25.

About 378 shares have advanced, 2620 shares declined, and 49 shares are unchanged.

All the BSE sector indices are in deep red. Bank, capital goods, power and realty stocks are the worst hit, down over 4% each.

Reliance Energy, Bajaj Auto, Hindalco, Siemens, DLF, ICICI Bank, Satyam, Zee Enetertainment, Maruti Suzuki, were among the top losers on the indices.

Largecap power stocks like Reliance Energy, Tata Power and Suzlon have taken it on their chin.

Mkts tumble: Bajaj Auto, Rel Energy, ICICI Bk top losers

The markets are trading deep in red near the day's low as there is sustained selling pressure in scrips across sectors. Asia continues to trade weak. Cues from US were very discouraging, US markets dropped to 18-month low. Nifty has slipped below 4,800 levels and is hovering aroun 4,750 mark. Sensex has breached 16,000 mark.

At 11.08 am, the Sensex was down 551.96 points or 3.34% at 15990.12, and the Nifty was down 168.60 points or 3.43% at 4752.80.

About 424 shares have advanced, 2560 shares declined, and 63 shares are unchanged.

All the BSE sector indices are in deep red. Bank, capital goods, power and realty stocks are the worst hit, down over 4% each.

Reliance Enegy, Siemens, DLF, ICICI Bank, Satyam, Zee Enetertainment, Maruti Suzuki, were among the top gainers on the indices.

Largecap power stocks like Reliance Energy, Tata Power and Suzlon have taken it on their chin.

Markets plunge: Nifty slips below 4800

The markets have opened on shaky grounds inine with rest of the Asia. Selling is seen in scrips across sectors. Cues from US were very discouraging, US markets dropped to 18mth low. Sensex opened with a gap down of over 400 points and Nifty was down over 100 points.

Nifty has slipped below 4,800 levels in the opening trade.

At 10.08 hrs IST, the Sensex is down 431.19 points or 2.61% at 16110.89, and the Nifty down 138.15 points or 2.81% at 4783.25.

About 628 shares have advanced, 2332 shares declined, and 87 shares are unchanged.

All the BSE sector indices are in deep red. Bank, capital goods, power and realty stocks are the worst hit, down over 4% each.

Reliance Enegy, Siemens, DLF, ICICI Bank, Satyam, Zee Enetertainment, Maruti Suzuki, were among the top gainers on the indices.

Largecap power stocks like Reliance Energy, Tata Power and Suzlon have taken it on their chin.

Asian markets have slip further. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 756.19 points, Japan's Nikkei plunged 3.33%, Taiwan's Taiwan Weighted declined 1.23%, Singapore's Straits Times was down 2.28% and South Korea's Seoul Composite tumbled 2.46%.

The Dow plunged 214.60 points, or 1.75%, to 12,040.39 as credit concerns rattled the market and lacklustre retail sales compounded worries about the economy.

Market cues:

FIIs net sell $117.7 m in equity
MFs net sell Rs 151.6 cr in equity
NSE F&O Open Interest up by Rs 1,095 crore at Rs 65,131 crore
F&O cues:

Futures Open Interest up by Rs 199 crore and Options Open Interest up by Rs 896 crore
Nifty Futures shed 11 lakh shares in Open Interest; at 17-point discount
Nifty Open Interest Put-Call ratio at 1.19 Vs 1.17
Nifty Puts add 8.6 lakh shares in Open Interest
Nifty Calls add 5.9 lakh shares in Open Interest
Nifty 4600 Put adds 3.7 lakh shares in Open Interest
Nifty 5000 Call adds 1.6 lakh shares in Open Interest
Nifty 4900 Call adds 1.6 lakh shares in Open Interest
Stock Futures Open Interest unchanged

IDFC bags Standard Chartered AMC for USD205 million

Standard Chartered PLC announces that it has agreed to sell Standard Chartered AMC Private Limited, including minorities, to Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited (IDFC) for a total cash consideration of approximately USD205 million. The consideration is before deductions for local taxes and deal expenses. The transaction does not include Standard Chartered's mutual fund distribution business which Standard Chartered will continue to pursue.

Jaspal Bindra, Chief Executive Officer, Asia, Standard Chartered, said: “IDFC is a well respected financial services company and we are delighted to have reached an agreement with them for the sale of this business. Standard Chartered will remain a distributor of asset management products in India. India is a key market and delivered record results in 2007.”

This was for the second time that Standard Chartered Asset Management business was up for sale after the UBS deal was called off by the Reserve Bank in December last year, citing regulatory issues. This time Standard Chartered did manage to up the price by USD87 million from USD118 million agreed upon earlier with UBS.

IDFC will be paying USD205 million for Standard Chartered's USD3.25 billion AUM. The transaction of course subject to certain regulatory approvals and other closing conditions, and both parties expect to seal the deal in the second quarter of 2008.

Dr. Rajiv Lall, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IDFC said: “We are pleased to acquire a quality asset management platform. This is in line with our wider strategy of broadening our footprint in the asset management business and diversifying our fee-based revenue streams.”

Incorporated in March 2000, Standard Chartered AMC had a total of USD3.25 billion, as on January 31, 2008 out of which 22 per cent was in equities and the remaining in debt.