Key equity benchmarks hit fresh intraday low in mid-afternoon trade. At 14:26 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 208.47 points or 0.54% at 38,668.65. The Nifty 50 index was down 58.85 points or 0.51% at 11,585.10.
Indices opened higher, but reversed trend in morning trade. After hitting a fresh intraday low, the indices trimmed losses in mid-morning trade. Indices bounced back amid high volatility in early afternoon trade. Barometers once again slipped into negative terrain in mid-afternoon trade.
Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was off 0.38%. The BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.52%.
The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On BSE, 942 shares rose and 1453 shares fell. A total of 161 shares were unchanged.
Realty shares were mixed. D B Realty (down 4.82%), Parsvnath Developers (down 4.13%), Housing Development and Infrastructure (HDIL) (down 2.1%), Indiabulls Real Estate (down 1.16%), Anant Raj (down 1.03%), Sobha (down 0.73%), Oberoi Realty (down 0.51%), Sunteck Realty (down 0.5%), Phoenix Mills (down 0.25%) and Omaxe (down 0.07%), edged lower. DLF (up 0.40%), Unitech (up 0.71%), Mahindra Lifespace Developers (up 1.55%), Peninsula Land (up 1.60%), Prestige Estates Projects (up 1.74%) and Godrej Properties (up 2.36%), edged higher.
Most FMCG shares advanced. Godrej Consumer Products (up 1.84%), Britannia Industries (up 0.97%), GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (up 0.59%), Tata Global Beverages (up 0.58%), Dabur India (up 0.45%), Jyothy Laboratories (up 0.22%), Bajaj Corp (up 0.13%) and Marico (up 0.04%), edged higher. Colgate Palmolive (India) (down 0.09%), Hindustan Unilever (down 0.21%), Nestle India (down 0.98%) and Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care (down 1.42%), edged lower.
Gujarat Gas was up 3.09% after the company received grant of authorization for city gas distribution networks. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 3 April 2019.
Gujarat Gas announced the acceptance of grant of authorisation for geographical area of Sirsa, Fatehabad and Mansa (Punjab) districts; Ujjain (except area already authorized) district, Dewas (except area already authorized) district and Indore (except area already authorized) district; Jhabua, Banswara, Ratlam and Dungarpur districts; Ferozepur, Faridkot and Sri Muktsar Sahib districts; Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur districts; Jalore and Sirohi districts.
Meanwhile, RBI concluded its two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting today, 4 April 2019. On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation, the MPC decided to reduce the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 6% from 6.25% with immediate effect. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.25%.
The MPC also decided to maintain the neutral monetary policy stance. These decisions are in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI) inflation of 4% within a band of +/- 2%, while supporting growth.
The RBI also lowered its GDP growth outlook for 2019-2020. RBI expects GDP growth at 7.2% for 2019-20, lower than its February projection of 7.4%. There are some signs of domestic investment activity weakening as reflected in a slowdown in production and imports of capital goods. The moderation of growth in the global economy might impact India's exports, RBI said. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US, El Ni conditions strengthened during February 2019, which may affect the prospects of a normal south west monsoon, it added.
On the economic front, the Nikkei India Services PMI eased in March 2019. At 52.0 in March, the seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Services Business Activity Index indicated expansion for the tenth straight month. Falling from 52.5 in February, however, the latest reading showed the slowest upturn since last September. A reading below 50 indicates contraction in activity, while a number above it signals expansion. The data was announced during trading hours today, 4 April 2019.
Overseas, European stocks traded lower Thursday. UK lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday that would force Prime Minister Theresa May to ask for a Brexit delay to prevent Britain from crashing out of the European Union on 12 April without a deal.
Meanwhile, German factory orders fell 4.2% in February, data showed, marking their sharpest fall since January 2017.
Shares in Asia were trading higher on Thursday as hopes rise amid ongoing negotiations on the US-China trade front.
High-level trade negotiations between China and the US resumed on Wednesday in Washington. Hopes were high that both countries were closer to a deal, with US President Donald Trump planning to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Thursday in Washington. White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told the media Wednesday that China has acknowledged for the first time that the United States has legitimate gripes about IP theft, forced technology transfer and cyber hacking.
US stock closed higher Wednesday as investors reacted to upbeat comments on US-China trade talks, but weighed a shaky private-sector employment report. Payroll services firm ADP estimated that the US private sector added 129,000 jobs in March, the weakest reading in 18 months.
Among other data, Markit's March services purchasing managers index came in at 55.3. A reading of at least 50 indicates improving conditions, while those below that level denote contraction. Further, the Institute for Supply Management's services sector gauge fell to 56.1% in March, down from 59.7% in February.
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