MUMBAI: 3.30 pm: Domestic equity indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty pared their day’s losses in the last hour of the trade tracking firm opening of European markets amid mixed Asian cues. Senesx closed 131.31 points up at 24,682.48, while Nifty index closed 38.15 points up at 7,498.75.

In the 50-share index, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, Cipla and HDFC gained between 1.49 percent and 2.59 percent. On the other hand, Hindalco, Vedanta, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma and YES Bank slid between 0.97 percent and 2.75 percent.

Sectorwise, the BSE Consumer Durables index slid the most — 3.61 percent, followed by BSE Telecom index (down 1.1 percent), BSE Metal index (down 0.77 percent) and BSE Auto index (down 0.51 percent). On the other hand, BSE Bankex, BSE IT index and BSE FMCG index advanced 0.88 percent, 0.86 percent and 0.81 percent, respectively.

Vinod Nair, head-fundamental research, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services, said, “The market smartly reversed from its day low as investors factored the consensus of no rate hike in Fed policy action later today. The glimpse of positive recovery in Europe has also favoured the market sentiment. On the other hand, oil prices rallied on hope of an output freeze on its April meeting.”

Markets opened on a cautious note on Wednesday and extended their southward journey as traders remained concerned with the Indian exports falling for the 15th month in a row, dipped 5.66 percent in February to $ 20.73 billion due to contraction in shipments of petroleum and engineering goods amid tepid global demand. Besides, investors remained on sidelines awaiting the outcome of the two-day U.S. Federal Reserve policy meet which began Tuesday. The Federal Reserve’s two-day monetary policy meeting will end today. The BSE Sensex opened at 24537.61 and touched a high and low of 24706.85 and 24354.55, respectively, in trade.

Equity markets got some support with report that as from March 29, global investors will be able to trade on derivatives contracts on select Indian sectors on the Singapore Exchange (SGX), in addition to on the Indian bourses. Firm opening European markets too aided sentiments.

3.20 pm: European shares bucked the trend in Asia, rising in early trade thanks to a recovery in oil prices following two days of losses that had culminated in a decline of around 5 percent.

3.07 pm: TVS Motor Company has entered into a partnership with Snapdeal to sell the motorcycles and scooters online. Nine two-wheeler products from the company will be available on Snapdeal. Customers will now be able to select model, colour and dealership of their choice on the Snapdeal Motors platform from the comfort of their homes. Shares of TVS Motor Company were trading 0.66 percent down at Rs 284.05.

2.42 pm: The 30-share index climbed further and was trading 109.50 points up at 24,660.67. Nifty was trading 22.30 points up at 7,493.90.

2.34 pm: Sensex was up 55.35 points at 24,606. Nifty was up 24.65 points at 7,485. On the global front, the Asian markets were trading mostly in green, while the European markets were trading on optimistic note. The market breadth on BSE was negative in the ratio of 968:1490 while 158 scrips remained unchanged.

2.09 pm: Sensex was down 42.50 points 24508. Nifty was trading 6.90 points down at 7,453.

2 pm: Shares of IT firm Geometric surged over 8 percent on Wednesday after the company declared interim dividend for the financial year 2015-16.

1.54 pm: Tata Motors on Tuesday said it will supply 25 hybrid electric busses to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Shares of Tata Motors were trading 1.16 percent down at Rs 356.45.

1.40 pm: Sensex was down 118 points at 24,432.77. Trident has invested 33,000 pounds in Trident Europe, its wholly owned overseas subsidiary for allotment of 33,000 equity shares of 1 pound each. The said investment falls under Overseas Direct Investment under automatic route. Shares of Trident were trading 0.76 percent up at Rs 52.90.

1.06 pm: Meanwhile, Kotak maintained “reduce” rating on Lupin shares with a “cautious” view and said, market expectations for sales of Fortamet ER, a drug that helps lower blood sugar, are too high. Shares of Lupin were trading 0.14 percent up at Rs 1,729. Sensex was down 178 points at 24,372

1.00 pm: The gold and jewellery stocks continue to trade lower for second straight session on report that gold imports in February declined 29.49 percent to $1.39 billion. Sensex was down 172 points at 24,379.

12.30 pm: Sensex was down 157.50 points at 24,393. Sentiment remained under pressure with India’s goods exports declining for the fifteenth straight month in February 2016 by falling 5.66 percent to $20.73 billion from $21.98 billion in the same month last year as global demand continued to be weak. Meanwhile, Pharmaceuticals stocks were under strong selling pressure for second consecutive day, weighed down by a weekend order from the government banning over 300 drugs.

12 pm: Lux Industries shares were trading 15.60 percent up at Rs 3471.00 after the company’s said its board of directors will consider the stock-split proposal at a meeting on April 12. Sensex was trdaing 159.64 points down at Rs 24,391.53, while NSE Nifty was trading 43.55 points down at 7,417.05.

11.45 am: Cipla has made an additional investment of $3 million in U.S.-based Chase Pharmaceuticals engaged in developing novel approaches to improve treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Stocks of the company were trading 0.55 percent down at Rs 521.80. Sensex was trading 175.88 points down at 24,375.29, while Nifty was trading 47.35 points down at 7,413.25.

11.24 am: Reliance Industries’ subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) has reportedly entered into an Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) agreement with the government-owned telco body BSNL. Under the ICR deal, BSNL will be charging 25 paise per minute for voice roaming, 25 paise per megabyte for data and 5 paise per SMS. The ICR deal will be applicable across 22 circles. Shares of Reliance Industries were trading 1.01 percent down at Rs 1,010. Nifty was trading 27.75 points down at 7,432.

10.46 am: Shares of Alphageo (India) advanced over 2 percent after it informed bourses that it has received an order worth Rs 102.42 crore from Oil India. The contract is for providing 2D seismic acquisition services in the areas covering parts of Assam & Arunachal Pradesh. The contract is to be executed by November 2018. This contract is under National Seismic program for acquisition of 2D Seismic Data in unappraised areas of North East India entrusted to Oil India. Alphageo (India) was trading 1.69 percent up at Rs 585. Sensex was down 127 points at 24,424.

10.25 am: Sensex was down 95 points at 24456. Brokers said investors indulged in selling following a

weak trend at other Asian markets and decline in country’s exports for the 15th month in a row in February at $20.73 billion, down 5.66 percent.

10.01 am: Shares of RPP Infra Projects surged over 3 percent in the morning trade on Wednesday after it informed stock exhchanges that it has received an order from Karnataka State Police Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation worth Rs 30.9 crore.

9.51 am: Sensex was down 109.57 points at 24,441.60. According to the data released by the NSE, the Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers of Rs 1427.16 crore in index futures and options segments, as per Tuesday’s data, March 15, 2016. FIIs were net buyers of index futures to the tune of 553.68 crore and they bought index options worth Rs 873.48 crore. In the stock segment, FII’s were net sellers of stock futures worth Rs 683.60 crore, while they sold stock options worth Rs 4.82 crore.

9.43 am: Indian rupee depreciated by 5 paise to 67.43 against the U.S. dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange in early trade Wednesday due to increased demand for the American currency from importers amid a lower opening of the domestic equity market. BSE Sensex was trading 86.25 points down at 24464. Nifty was down 23.10 points at 7,437.

9.31 am: Cairn India shares were trading 1.04 percent down at Rs 148.15. The Income Tax Department has slapped on UK’s Cairn Energy plc a tax demand notice of over Rs 29,000 crore, including Rs 18,800 crore in back dated interest.

9.28 am: Thomas Cook (India)’s wholly owned subsidiary — Sterling Holiday Resorts has completed the acquisition of Nature Trails Resorts on March 15, 2016. The acquisition of Nature Trails Resorts adds to Sterling Holidays’ adventure tourism product offerings, strengthening its ability to offer diverse and immense holiday experiences. Shares of Thomas Cook (India) were trading 0.68 percent down at Rs 181.25. Sensex was down 63.46 points at 24,487.

9.16 am: Sensex was trading 60.58 points, or 0.25 percent, down at 24,490.59. Nifty was down 9.80 points down at 7,450.80. All the real estate stocks in the BSE Realty index were trading in green. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013, approved by Lok Sabha Tuesday, five days after its passage by Rajya Sabha, is designed to protect consumer interest, ensure efficiency in all property-related transactions, improve accountability of developers, boost transparency and attract more investments to the sector.

9.15 am: Domestic equity markets opened on a flat note on Wednesday. Nifty opened 3.55 points down at 7457.05. Sensex opened 13.56 points down at 24,537.61.

8.44 am: Domestic equity indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty are likely to open in green on Wednesday tracking Nifty futures on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX Nifty) and mixed global markets.

At 8.24 am (IST), SGX Nifty was trading 18.50 points, or 0.25 percent, up at 7,502.

Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday while the dollar dithered as markets waited anxiously for the Federal Reserve to provide guidance on the risk of U.S. rate hikes this year. Hang Seng and Shanghai were up by 0.03 percent and 0.21 percent. However, Nikkei was down by 0.38 percent.

Healthcare and materials stocks pulled Wall Street lower on Tuesday in a second straight day of quiet trading. The Dow Jones industrial average ended up 22.4 points, or 0.13 percent, at 17,251.53, the S&P 500 lost 3.71 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,015.93 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 21.61 points, or 0.45 percent, to 4,728.67.

Back home, BSE Sensex closed 253.11 points, or 1.02 percent, down at 24,551.17 on Tuesday, while Nifty 50 index settled 78.15 points, or 1.04 percent, down at 7,460.60.

Initial public offering (IPO) of HealthCare Global Enterprises (HCG) is going to hit capital markets today. The issue will end on March 18.

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