Indian Stock Market : Sensex ends below 17,200; auto, banks, metals down

The Sensex closed in the red, led by losses in auto, banks, metals and realty stocks even as the European markets remained firm.

The Sensex closed at 17,163.89, down 138.02 points, or 0.80 percent. It touched an intraday high of 17,271.77 and a low of 17,120.86.

The Nifty ended at 5,192.25, down 46.90 points, or 0.90 percent. It touched an intraday high of 5,217.30 and a low of 5,180.65.

The BSE Midcap Index fell 0.87 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index declined 0.89 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 2.44 percent, the BSE Bankex declined 1.69 percent and the BSE Metal Index was 1.64 percent lower. The BSE IT Index was up 0.66 percent.

Indian Stock Market : Nifty ends below 5,200; auto, metals, banks down

The Nifty closed below the intermediate support level of 5,200 as a weak rupee and lack of conviction among investors hurt sentiment.

The benchmark has drifted closer to the lower end of the trading range of 5,180-5,300 as foreign institutional investors await clarity on GAAR, a proposed retrospective taxation of cross-border transactions and a reduction in fuel subsidies. The Finance Bill will be debated in Parliament early next week.

The rupee slipped below 53 per dollar, a new four-month low, on increased demand for the greenback from importers and foreign banks. The rupee was at 53.44 per dollar, down 48 paise, against its previous close of 52.96 per dollar.

The Nifty ended at 5,188.40, down 50.75 points, or 0.97 percent. It touched an intraday high of 5,217.30 and a low of 5,180.65.

The Sensex closed at 17,151.19, down 150.72 points, or 0.87 percent. It touched an intraday high of 17,271.77 and a low of 17,120.86.

The BSE Midcap Index fell 1.02 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index declined 1 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 2.43 percent, the BSE Metal Index declined 1.75 percent and the BSE Bankex was 1.74 percent lower. The BSE IT Index was up 0.71 percent.

Banks witnessed selling pressure following the Reserve Bank of India's directive to set aside more capital to meet the BASEL III requirements.

Hero MotoCorp (7.55%), Axis Bank (3.94%), Bank of Baroda (3.39%), Maruti Suzuki (3.24%) and IDFC (2.89%) were among the top Nifty losers.

Hero MotoCorp posted a 20% increase in net profit to Rs 603 crore in the quarter ended March, narrowly missing analysts' estimates, as higher raw material costs damped gains from record sales of bikes and scooters. Its total turnover (net sales and other income) in the fourth quarter rose 12% to Rs 6,035 crore driven by higher volume growth as sales jumped 8% to 15.72 lakh units. The company announced a dividend of Rs 45 per share.

Hero MotoCorp results were largely in line with estimates, but net profit came in 4% below estimates due to a higher tax rate, said a CLSA report.

The announcement of Rs 45/share dividend will come as a disappointment given expectations were of Rs 80 plus and it could take a toll on Hero's premium multiples, it added.

Asian Paints (2.37%), Hindustan Unilever (2.32%), Wipro (2.05%), BPCL (0.94%) and TCS (0.74%) were the among the index gainers.

The market breadth was negative on the NSE with 429 gainers against 1,047 losers.

Indian Stock Market : Nifty below 5200; auto, banks, metals decline

The Nifty extended its intraday losses and was near the day's lows as profit booking intensified across the board on the back of the rupee's depreciation against the dollar. There are chances that the market may break out of the tight trading range in coming sessions.

The rupee was at 53.40 per dollar, down 44 paise, against the previous close of 52.96. The Indian currency may breach the 54-per-dollar mark in the near to medium term,
according to analysts.

At 02:40 p.m., the Nifty was at 5,185.75, down 53.40 points, or 1.02 percent. It has touched a high of 5,217.30 and a low of 5,180.65 in trade today.

The Sensex was at 17,162.24, down 139.67 points, or 0.81 percent. It has touched a high of 17,271.77 and a low of 17,120.86 in trade today.

The BSE Midcap Index fell 1.04 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index slipped 1.01 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 2.35 percent, the BSE Metal Index declined 1.83 percent and the BSE Bankex was 1.73 percent lower. The BSE IT Index was up 0.86 percent.

Baniking stocks are witnessing selling pressure following the Reserve Bank of India's directive to set aside more capital to meet the BASEL III requirements.

Hero MotoCorp (7.60%), Axis Bank (3.96%), Bank of Baroda (3.89%), IDFC (3.59%) and DLF (3.34%) are among the top Nifty losers.

Hero MotoCorp posted a 20% increase in net profit to Rs 603 crore in the quarter ended March, narrowly missing analysts' estimates, as higher raw material costs damped gains from record sales of bikes and scooters. Its total turnover (net sales and other income) in the fourth quarter rose 12% to Rs 6,035 crore driven by higher volume growth as sales jumped 8% to 15.72 lakh units. The company announced a dividend of Rs 45 per share.

Hindustan Unilever (2.35%), Wipro (1.98%), Asian Paints (1.56%), TCS (0.92%) and BHEL (0.85%) are the among the index gainers.

The market breadth was negative on the NSE with 413 gainers against 1,029 losers

Indian Stock Market : Sensex choppy; Hero MotoCorp, ICICI Bank, Coal India down

The Sensex is witnessing a choppy session with negative bias as investors remained on the sidelines in the absence of clarity on GAAR and tax policy issues.

The rupee continued to slip against the dollar on demand from importers and concerns about slowing economic growth. The partially convertible rupee was at 53.22 per dollar, down 26 paise, against the previous close of 52.96.

At 01:05 p.m., the Sensex was at 17,220.73, down 81.18 points, or 0.47 percent. It has touched a high of 17,271.77 and a low of 17,148.66 in trade today.

The Nifty was at 5,208.30, down 30.85 points, or 0.59 percent. It has touched a high of 5,217.30 and a low of 5,189.45 in trade today.

The BSE Midcap Index was down 0.80 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index slipped 0.69 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 1.63 percent, the BSE Realty Index declined 1.02 percent, the BSE Bankex was 1.01 percent lower. The BSE IT Index was up 0.47 percent and the BSE Healthcare Index moved up 0.32 percent.

Hero MotoCorp (6.99%), ICICI Bank (2.69%), Coal India (2.27%), Tata Power (1.94%) and Bajaj Auto (1.71%) are among the top Sensex losers.

Hero MotoCorp posted a 20% increase in net profit to Rs 603 crore in the quarter ended March, narrowly missing analysts' estimates, as higher raw material costs damped gains from record sales of bikes and scooters. Its total turnover (net sales and other income) in the fourth quarter rose 12% to Rs 6,035 crore driven by higher volume growth as sales jumped 8% to 15.72 lakh units. The company announced a dividend of Rs 45 per share.

Hindustan Unilever (1.51%), Wipro (1.48%), HDFC Bank (1.22%), BHEL (0.96%) and Sun Pharma (0.85%) are among the index gainers.

The market breadth was negative on the BSE with 919 gainers against 1,590 losers.

The European markets opened in the green ahead of an ECB meet. The FTSE 100 was up 0.66 percent, the CAC 40 gained 0.88 percent and the DAX moved 0.99 percent higher.

Indian Stock Market : Nifty hovers near 5,200; Hero, Axis Bank, JP Asso down

The Nifty is drifting back to the lower end of the trading range as it hovered above the support level of 5,200 on the back of the weak rupee and Asian peers.

The rupee slipped below 53 per dollar, a new four-month low, as risk-averse investors continued to buy the greenback. Demand from importers also put pressure on the rupee. The rupee fell to a low of 53.18/19 per dollar against its previous close of 52.96. The Reserve Bank of India seems to have intervened between the 52.80 and 53 levels, according to dealers.

At 10:00 a.m., the Nifty was at 5,215.20, down 23.95 points, or 0.46 percent. It has touched a high of 5,217.30 and a low of 5,203.55 in trade today.

The Sensex was at 17,215.06, down 86.85 points, or 0.50 percent. It has touched a high of 17,271.77 and a low of 17,194.26 in trade today.

The BSE Midcap Index was down 0.17 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index slipped 0.14 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 1.51percent, the BSE Bankex declined 0.61 percent, the BSE Oil & Gas Index was 0.61 percent lower.l The BSE IT Index was up 0.22 percent and the BSE FMCG Index moved up 0.01 percent.

Hero MotoCorp posted a 20% increase in net profit to Rs 603 crore in the quarter ended March, missing analysts' estimates, as higher raw material costs damped gains from record sales of bikes and scooters. Its total turnover (net sales and other income) in the fourth quarter rose 12% to Rs 6,035 crore driven by higher volume growth as sales jumped 8% to 15.72 lakh units. The company announced a dividend of Rs 45 per share.

Hero MotoCorp (5.43%), Bajaj Auto (2.54%), Maruti Suzuki (2.09%), Axis Bank (1.60%) and Jaiprakash Associates (1.56%) are among the top Sensex losers.

Hindustan Unilever (1.67%), Cipla (1.18%), Sesa Goa (1.17%), Sterlite Industries (0.95%) and Wipro (0.89%) are the among the index gainers.

The market breadth was negative on the NSE with 499 gainers against 793 losers.

Asian markets were down on profit booking. The Hang Seng fell 0.50 percent, the Seoul Composite slipped 0.33 percent, the Taiwan Weighted edged 0.20 percent lower and the Strait Times was down 0.11 percent.

Indian Stock Market : Nifty seen opening lower; sugar stocks eyed

The 50-share Nifty is expected to open lower on Thursday, tracking weak global cues, while investors will keep a close eye on sugar stocks after the government removed the cap on sugar exports and placed the commodity under the open general licence (OGL) category.

According to sources, the export of 1 million tonnes of sugar announced in the last meeting of the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) will now take place under OGL. Stocks like Balrampur Chini Mills Ltd, Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd and Bajaj Hindustan Ltd will be in focus.

The Nifty snapped a three-day upmove and closed in the negative terrain on Wednesday as a weak rupee and lack of conviction among investors hurt sentiment.

The rupee closed near the 53-per-dollar mark on Wednesday as demand for the greenback from importers increased. A widening current account deficit, slowing domestic economic growth and exit of foreign institutional investors on concerns of tax policies have been putting pressure on the rupee.

"There is a lot of headwind against the market's momentum, particularly because of the regulatory issues and non-implementation of policy. At the same time, nasty provisions like GAAR have certainly affected confidence of the people, which has probably taken away many investors from directly participating in the market at the current levels," Deven Choksey, MD, KR Choksey Securities, said.

"Adding fuel to the fire are ETFs which have withdrawn money to pay oil bills and this acts as a negative for the rupee. This too is putting off global investors and traders," Deven added.

Overnight, US stocks edged lower as economic data showed that private sector hiring unexpectedly fell to a seven-month low in April, sparking concerns that Friday's key jobs report will also disappoint investors.

"US private employers added 119,000 jobs in April, well short of expectations for 177,000, according to the ADP report. That sparked market rumors that Friday's payrolls data will show the economy added just 125,000 to 150,000 jobs last month, well below a Reuters consensus forecast for 170,000," a Reuters report said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 10.75 points, or 0.08 per cent, to 13,268.57. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 3.52 points, or 0.25 per cent, to 1,402.30. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 9.41 points, or 0.31 percent, to 3,059.85.

Asian shares slipped on Thursday after disappointing data from US and Europe reignited concerns about the strength of the global economic recovery.

"European shares dropped on Wednesday after a survey showed euro zone factories sank further into decline last month, with the downturn hitting Italy and Spain hard and appearing to take root among core members France and Germany," a Reuters report added.

Hong Kong 's Hang Seng was trading lower at 21,197.12, down 0.5%. South Korea 's Kospi was trading 02% lower at 1,993.45. China 's Shanghai index was trading flat at 2,439.

At 08:00 a.m., Nifty India stock futures in Singapore were down 15 points at 5,217.00, indicating a negative opening in the domestic market.

Indian Stock Market : Sensex slips 0.5% in early trade; Hero MotoCorp down 5%

The Sensex slipped as much as 0.5 percent early Thursday, with RIL, ITC and Hero MotoCorp leading the losses. The broader 50-share NSE index was down 0.6 percent to 5,207.40.

Hero MotoCorp slipped more than 5% in early trade to touch a low of Rs 2,111.15 after the two-wheeler manufacturer reported profits below street expectations. Its adjusted operating profit margin was broadly flat on a YoY basis at 12% in the fourth quarter of FY12, while net sales grew 11.9% in the quarter.

Shares of sugar companies such as Balrampur Chini Mills, Shree Renuka and Bajaj Hindustan increased over 4% in early trade after the government removed the cap on sugar exports and placed the commodity under the open general licence (OGL) category.

Indraprastha Gas (IGL) rose 1.6% to Rs 227.50 in early trade, ahead of a hearing on an IGL petition, challenging an order of the Petroleum Natural Gas Regulatory Board on network tariff and compression charge, scheduled for later today in the Delhi High Court.

Shares of ACC, Ambuja Cement slipped nearly 1% after the cement manufacturers reported a growth in production at 2.17 million tonnes and 1.91 million tonnes, respectively, for the month of April.

At 9:20 a.m., the 30-share BSE index was trading 0.5% lower at 17,201.16 points led by losses in RIL (0.4%), ITC (0.6%) and Hero MotoCorp (5.3%).

The BSE Auto Index slipped 1.3%, the BSE Realty Index dropped 0.7% and the BSE Metals Index fell 0.7%.

Top Sensex gainers include Cipala, which was trading 1.1% higher at Rs 320.95, and BHEL, up 0.9%.

World Stock Market today :Today's Big Stock Market Movers

The Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 are all up, with the Nasdaq leading the pack at +1.1%. Here are the six big movers in the S&P 500.

Winners:

Sears Holdings Corporation (SHLD): Up 13.4% — Sears Holdings said it expected its first-quarter earnings from continuing operations to be between $1.46 to $1.84 a share, which has caused its stock to jump over 13%.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) : Up 7.4% — Aubrey McClendon has agreed to separate the role of CEO and chairman, as he is relinquishing his position as chairman but remaining CEO. Investors support this decision, as their stock has moved up rapidly.

Masco Corporation (MAS): Up 5.5% — Masco is confident that their business, which involves mostly cabinet and other home improvement products, will improve with an improving housing market.

Losers:

Avon Products (AVP): Down 7.6% — Avon's profits sunk as they sold 1% fewer items and the number of sales representatives sank, which has caused their stock to tumble.

Emerson Electric Co. (EMR): Down 5.6% —Due to economic conditions in Europe and China, Emerson Electric's Q2 profits fell 2%.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (JEC): Down 4.9% — Jacobs announced earnings of 65 cents per share, which CEO John Prosser stated were below their expectations.

World Stock Market : Dow Jones average hits highest mark since '07

NEW YORK: The fastest growth in US manufacturing in 10 months gave stocks a lift Tuesday and pushed the Dow Jones industrial average to its highest close in more than four years.

Manufacturing expanded last month at the strongest pace since June, according to the Institute for Supply Management. Orders, hiring and production all rose.

A measure of manufacturing employment also reached a nine-month high, a hopeful sign ahead of Friday's monthly jobs report.

The manufacturing news jolted stock indexes out of a morning stupor, although the gains waned throughout the afternoon. The Dow added 65.69 points to 13,279.32, its highest closing mark since Dec. 28, 2007, during the first month of the Great Recession.

Treasury prices fell, and benchmark crude oil rose $1.29 to settle at $106.16 per barrel. Both of those things tend to happen when investors expect stronger economic growth.

In a separate report Tuesday, the Commerce Department said construction spending ticked up in March, following two months of declines.

Other indexes pushed higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose eight points to 1,406. The Nasdaq composite climbed four points to 3,050.

All 10 industry groups within the S&P 500 climbed, led by energy companies. Chesapeake Energy Corp. jumped 6 per cent on reports that the company will strip CEO Aubrey McClendon of his chairman's title.

McClendon, Chesapeake's founder, was under fire for taking out more than $1 billion in loans using the company's wells as collateral. Chesapeake recently agreed to end the program that allowed McClendon to take personal stakes in the wells.

The S&P finished April in the red, its first losing month since November. The Dow managed a tiny gain.

Judging by its track record, May isn't a promising month for stocks. Since World War II, the S&P 500 has gained an average of 0.31 per cent in May. For all months, the average gain is 0.67 per cent.

Among stocks making big moves:

Sears Holdings Corp. soared 15 per cent, the biggest gain in the S&P 500. The operator of Kmart and Sears stores expects to post a first-quarter profit thanks to a gain from the sale of some US and Canadian stores. The company's stock has jumped 99 per cent so far this year.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. gained 7 per cent after the food conglomerate reported profits that beat analysts' expectations. Profits dropped by nearly a third over the past year, pulled down by one-time charges and lower weaker results from its ethanol and oilseeds businesses.
 
Avon Products Inc. fell 8 per cent, the largest drop in the S&P. The company said earnings plunged 82 per cent, hurt by a bigger restructuring charge, commodity costs and rising labor costs. The results were worse than analysts had expected.

Indian Stock Market : Sensex ends in red; auto, power, capital goods down

The Sensex pared intraday gains and closed in the negative territory on the back of profit booking after European peers slipped off highs. Auto, power and capital goods were the top sectoral losers while technology, FMCG and banks showed some resistance.

The Sensex ended at 17,271.45, down 47.36 points, or 0.27 percent. It touched an intraday high of 17,432.33 and a low of 17,265.48.

The Nifty closed at 5,230.55, down 17.60 points, or 0.34 percent. It touched an intraday high of 5,279.60 and a low of 5,226.45.

The BSE Midcap Index was down 0.38 percent, while the BSE Smallcap Index edged 0.17 percent higher.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 1.87 percent, the BSE Power Index slipped 1.38 percent and the BSE Capital Goods Index declined 1.09 percent. The BSE IT Index was up 0.48 percent, the BSE FMCG Index moved 0.17 percent higher and the BSE Bankex advanced 0.07 percent.

Indian Stock Market : Sensex rangebound; FMCG, tech, banks advance

The Sensex is rangebound after shedding some of intraday gains. FMCG, technology and banks continue to remain firm while a weakness emerged in auto, power and oil & gas stocks.

At 12:30 p.m., the Sensex was at 17,380.46, up 61.65 points, or 0.36 percent. It has touched a high of 17,432.33 and a low of 17,363.26 in trade today.

The Nifty was at 5,264.95, up 16.80 points, or 0.32 percent. It has touched a high of 5,279.60 and a low of 5,254.30 in trade today.

The BSE Midcap Index was up 0.32 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index gained 0.61 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE FMCG Index was up 0.88 percent, the BSE IT Index advanced 0.84 percent and the BSE Bankex gained 0.74 percent. The BSE Auto Index was down 0.66 percent, the BSE Power Index slipped 0.39 percent and the BSE Oil & Gas Index declined 0.35 percent.

Hindustan Unilever (2.92%), DLF (2.54%), Bharti Airtel (2.16%), Jindal Steel (1.94%) and TCS (1.85%) are among the top Sensex gainers.

Bharti Airtel reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,006 crore for the quarter ended March 2012 against Rs 1,400 crore a year ago. Total income was at Rs 18,738.8 crore compared to Rs 18,507.8 crore in the same period last fiscal. The company recommended a dividend of Re 1 per equity share of face valued Rs 5 each for the financial year 2011-12.

Shares of Hindustan Unilever gained momentum after the company announced quarterly results a day ago. The company's net profit increased nearly 21 percent to Rs 686.61 crore for the quarter ended March 2012 against Rs 569.18 crore in the same quarter a year ago.

Total income increased to Rs 5,835.86 crore for the quarter compared to Rs 5,028.71 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal.

Tata Motors (1.94%), Coal India (1.63%), Bajaj Auto (1.55%), Maruti Suzuki (1.49%) and ONGC (1.35%) are among the losers.

Foreign institutional investors seem to be selling Tata Motors. Analysts expect JLR figures to slow down going forward.

Bajaj Auto's sales in April 2012 rose 4 percent to 381,580 units compared to 367,309 units in the same period a year ago.

The market breadth was positive on the BSE with 1,361 gainers against 1,166 losers.

Indian Stock Market : Nifty ends below 5,250 as weak rupee hurts sentiment

The Nifty snapped a three-day upmove and closed in the negative terrain as a weak rupee and lack of conviction among investors hurt sentiment.

The rupee closed near the 53-per-dollar mark on demand for the greenback from importers. Widening current account deficit, slowing domestic economic growth and exit of foreign institutional investors on concerns of tax policies have been putting pressure on the rupee.

India's exports in March fell for the first time since the 2009 global financial crisis. They fell 5.7 percent to $28.7 billion in March 2012 while imports rose 24.3 percent to $42.6 billion.

The partially convertible rupee ended at 52.95 per dollar, down 22 paise, against a previous close of 52.73. It slipped to a low of Rs 53.02 per dollar earlier in the day.

The market had opened on a positive note taking cues from Asian peers, but failed to hold above intermediate resistance levels and gave away gains as the session progressed. The Nifty has been moving in the range of 5,200-5,300 for the past few sessions. It has been lacking strength to break out on the either side.

Once the issues on GAAR and tax policies are clarified by the government, the market may break out on the upside, analysts said.

The GAAR issue would probably be resolved before the finance bill is implemented. A clarification should help people stay back in India and not withdraw money which would ultimately bring down the pressure on rupee as well.

The Sensex ended at 17,301.91, down 16.90 points, or 0.10 percent. It touched an intraday high of 17,432.33 and a low of 17,265.48.

The Nifty closed at 5,239.15, down 9 points, or 0.17 percent. It touched an intraday high of 5,279.60 and a low of 5,226.45.

The BSE Midcap Index was down 0.27 percent while the BSE Smallcap Index edged 0.20 percent higher.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 1.72 percent, the BSE Power Index slipped 1.25 percent and the BSE Capital Goods Index declined 0.94 percent. The BSE IT Index was up 0.73 percent, the BSE Bankex moved 0.27 percent higher and the BSE FMCG Index advanced 0.21 percent.

Tata Motors (3.65%), Maruti Suzuki (3.20%), ACC (2.59%), Coal India (2.58%) and Tata Power (2.41%) led the Nifty losers.

Foreign institutional investors seem to be selling Tata Motors. Analysts expect JLR figures to slow down going forward.

DLF (2.78%), Bharti Airtel (2.42%), SAIL (1.95%), Punjab National Bank (1.95%) and Cipla (1.92%) were among the top Nifty gainers.

Bharti Airtel reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,006 crore for the quarter ended March 2012 against Rs 1,400 crore a year ago. The company recommended a dividend of Re 1 per equity share of a face value of Rs 5 each for the financial year 2011-12.
The market breadth was negative on the NSE with 662 gainers against 793 losers.

The European markets were mixed. The CAC 40 gained 1.04 percent and the DAX moved 0.83 percent higher. The FTSE 100 was down 0.18 percent.

Indian Stock Market : Nifty slips in red; Tata Motors, Maruti, Coal India down

The National Stock Exchange's Nifty failed to hold above intermediate resistance levels and slipped in the negative territory as profit booking intensified in auto, power, capital goods and oil & gas sectors.

At 2:30 p.m., the Nifty was at 5,244.05, down 4.10 points or 0.08 percent. It touched intraday high of 5,279.60 and a low of 5,240.75.

The Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex was at 17,335.09, up 16.28 points or 0.09 percent. It touched intraday high of 17,432.33 and a low of 17,309.69.

The BSE Midcap Index was up 0.07 percent and the BSE Smallcap Index gained 0.35 percent.

Among sectoral indices, the BSE Auto Index was down 1.23 percent, the BSE Power Index slipped 0.82 percent, the BSE Capital Goods Index declined 0.57 percent and the BSE Oil & Gas Index slipped 0.31 percent. The BSE IT Index was up 0.90 percent, the BSE Bankex advanced 0.47 percent and the BSE Healthcare Index gained 0.25 percent.

Tata Motors (-3.33%), Tata Power (-2.65%), Maruti Suzuki (-2.58%), Coal India (-1.93%) and Siemens (-1.63%) led the Nifty losers pack.

Foreign institutional investors seem to be selling Tata Motors. Analysts expect JLR figures to slow down going forward.

Bharti Airtel (2.58%), DLF (2.51%), Punjab National Bank (2.06%), SAIL (1.95%) and Cipla (1.92%) were among the top Nifty gainers.

Bharti Airtel reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1006 crore for the quarter ended March 2012 against Rs 1400 crore a year ago. Total income was at Rs 18,738.8 crore compared to Rs 18507.8 crore in the same period last fiscal. The company recommended a dividend of Re 1 per equity share of face valued Rs 5 each for the financial year 2011-12.

The market breadth was flat on the NSE with 739 gainers against 719 losers.

The European markets were mixed. CAC 40 gained 1.04 percent and DAX moved 0.83 percent higher. FTSE 100 was down 0.18 percent.

Indian Stock Market : Sensex gains 0.6% in early trade; Hindustan Unilever up 3%

The Sensex rose as much as 0.6 percent early on Wednesday with ICICI Bank, HUL and ITC leading the gains. The broader 50-share NSE index was up 0.5 percent to 5,275.40.

Shares of Hindustan Unilever surged over 3% to Rs 429 in early trade after the FMCG major reported a net profit of Rs 686.61 crore, up 20.63 percent for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2012.

Shares of Tata Motors slipped over 2% to Rs 310.40 after the automaker reported a 7 percent fall in total sales, including exports, in April to 60,086 units from 64,383 units in the corresponding period of last year.

Pantaloon Retail Ltd dropped over 1% to hit its day's low of Rs 182.55 on reports that the Kishore Biyani-led Future Group will spin off the branded apparel business under Pantaloon Retail into a separate entity into which Aditya Birla Nuvo will infuse Rs 1,600 crore to acquire a controlling stake.

Shares of Future Capital Holdings tanked over 5% in early trade to hit their day's low of Rs 133.00.

At 9:20 a.m., the 30-share Sensex was trading 0.4% higher at 17,386.16 led by gains in ICICI Bank (up 0.8%), HUL (up 2.5%) and ITC (up 0.6%).

The BSE consumer durable index gained 1.2%, the BSE FMCG index advanced 1.2% and the BSE metal index rose 0.9%.

Top Sensex losers include Tata Motors, which was trading 2.1% lower at Rs 310.10, and ONGC, which was trading 0.8% lower.

Quarter 4 Results : Hindustan Motors Q4 net up Rs 18.01 crore

 Hindustan Motors today reported a net profit of Rs 18.01 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2012.

The company had posted a net loss of Rs 6.97 crore in the same period of 2010-11.

Net sales of the company declined to Rs 134.93 crore for the fourth quarter, as against Rs 155 crore in the same period of 2010-11 fiscal, the company said in a statement.

Hindustan Motors reported a loss of Rs 29.96 crore for the fiscal ended 2011-12 due to adverse foreign exchange rate.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 75 lakh in the previous fiscal.

The company's net revenue from operations for the fiscal 2011-12 stood at Rs 495.48 crore, as against Rs 654.79 crore in the previous year, .

Shares of Hindustan Motors today closed at Rs 9.45 apiece on the BSE, down 0.74 per cent from its previous close.

Quarter 4 Results : HUL Q4 net profit up 21%, beats forecast

India's largest FMCG company Hindustan Unilever's ( HUL ) fourth quarter net profit rose better-than-expected 21% year-on-year to Rs 687 crore, helped by strong growth across segments. Analysts on average had expected HUL to report a net profit of Rs 649 crore, according to a CNBC-TV18 poll,
HUL,the unit of Anglo-Dutch Unilever Plc, reported net sales of Rs5,660.5 crore in the Jan-March quarter, up 16% from a year ago.

In the fourth quarter, HUL had exceptional items, which included gain ofRs 34.73 crore from sale of properties and Rs 5.78 crore provisionfor retirement benefits among other things. In the year ago quarter it had exceptional gain of Rs 47.8 crore from sale of properties anda few other provisions. Its net profit before exceptional items wasup 29%, HUL said.

During the three-month period, the company's domestic consumer business grew 20% with a volume growth of 10%.

Among key segments, soaps & detergents revenue rose 28% year-on-year to Rs 2,834.38 crore in Jan-March.

Personal products revenue was up 17% year-on-year to Rs 1,710.94 crore. The company said, skin care brands like Ponds, Fair & Lovely and Vaseline and hair care brands continued double-digit growth. However,growth in oral care continued to be modest amid high competition.

While,beverages sales rose 8% to Rs 683.2 crore, coffee grew in double digits. HUL's packaged foods revenue was up 10% from a year ago to Rs348 crore.

Revenue from other segments, which includes exports, chemicals and the Pure-it water purifier business, however, fell 47% from a year ago to Rs 182.30 crore.

HUL's total expenses in the quarter were up 14% to Rs 4,989.6 crore. Its advertising and promotional spends went up 9% from a year ago and employee benefits expenses were up 17%.


HULshares closed at Rs 417.60 on Monday, unchanged from Friday's closed

Quarter 4 Results : Taj GVK Q4 PAT down at Rs 7 cr

Taj GVK Hotels & Resorts has announced its fourth quarter results. The company’s Q4 PAT was down at Rs 7 crore versus Rs 13 crore, year-on-year, (YoY).

Its net sales were up at Rs 71 crore versus Rs 69 crore, YoY.

Quarter 4 Results : Vijaya Bank Q4 net up 235% YoY on lower provisioning

State-owned Vijaya Bank on Monday reported more than two-fold (or 235%) jump in its fourth quarter (Jan-March) net profit, bolstered by lower provisioning and administrative costs. Net interest income or the difference between interest earned and paid out, inched up 3% to Rs 493 crore.

During the three month period, provisions (other than tax) and contingencies dropped from Rs 162 to Rs 89 crore, a sharp fall of 82% y-o-y. Similarly, operating expenses fell nearly 40% to Rs 367 crore in the same period.

The bank's asset quality has improved. Gross non-performing asset ratio fell from 2.98% to 2.93% sequentially while net NPA ratio decreased from 1.81% to 1.72%. The lender expanded its loan book by 19% y-o-y (at about Rs 58,000 crore), which is higher than the industry average of 16% in FY12. However, deposits grew at slower pace by 13% to Rs 83,000 crore

Vijaya Bank has proposed to pay a dividend of Rs 2.50 per share. At 15.15 hours, its shares were trading at Rs 58.70, up 3.50% on the NSE.

Quarter 4 Results : Dabur India Q4 cons PAT at Rs 171 cr

Dabur India has announced its fourth quarter results. The company's Q4 consolidated PAT at Rs 171 crore versus Rs 147 crore, year-on-year, YoY.

Its consolidated net sales were up at Rs 1,363 crore versus Rs 1,108 crore, YoY.

The company will pay final dividend of Rs 0.75 per share.

Quarter 4 Results : OBC Q4 PAT down 21% at Rs 265 cr

Oriental Bank of Commerce has announced its fourth quarter results. The bank's Q4 net profit was down 20.65% at Rs 265 crore versus Rs 334 crore, YoY.

Its gross NPA was up at 3.17% versus 2.92%, QoQ.

Its gross NPA was up 10.76% at Rs 3580 crore versus Rs 3,232 crore, QoQ.

Its NII was up 5.42% at Rs 1068 crore versus Rs 1,013 crore, YoY.

The company's net NPA was up at 2.21% versus 1.89%, QoQ.

Its provisioning coverage ratio was at 61.52%.

Quarter 4 Results : Godrej Consumer Q4 cons net up 36% YoY at Rs 193 cr

FMCG company Godrej Consumer Products ' fourth quarter consolidated net profit rose 36% year-on-year to Rs 193 crore, helped by strong sales growth.

Net sales for the three-month period were up 31% from a year ago to Rs 1,323 crore. The company also crossed USD 1 billion revenue for fiscal 2012.

Godrej Consumer's sales in the soaps category (personal wash) rose 30% year-on-year, with 17% volume growth. Household insecticide sales were up 28% and hair care segment saw 13% growth in Jan-March quarter.

In its international operations, sales were up 49% to Rs 518 crore, while domestic sales rose 21% to Rs 807 crore.

The company's EBITDA margin was at 18.9% in Jan-March, up 150 bps year-on-year.

Godrej Consumer shares hit a 52-week high of Rs 541.90 on NSE as investors cheered the company's results. At 13:00 hrs, the stock was up 1.5% at Rs 534.75.

Quarter 4 Results : United Phosphorus Q4 cons PAT at Rs 202 cr

United Phosphorous has announced its Q4 consolidated results. The company's PAT at Rs 202 crore versus Rs 218 crore, year-on-year, YoY.

Its Q4 consolidared net sales were up at Rs 2119 crore versus Rs 1805 crore, YoY.

Quarter 4 Results : Bank of India Q4 net up 93% on high net interest income

Public sector lender Bank of India (BOI) has reported a whopping 93%Year-on-Year jump in its fourth quarter (Jan-March) net profit at Rs 953 crore, driven by higher interest income and lower operating expenses.

Net interest income or the difference between interest earned and paid out rose 21% sequentially to Rs 2501 crore. However, net profit increased at a slower pace by 7.6% to Rs 2678 crore for fiscal year ending March 31, 2012

The bank's global loan book expanded more then 16% to Rs  2.49 lakh crore, while deposits grew at a muted pace nearly 6.5% to 3.18 lakh crore.
Post the result announcement, BOI stock rose 5% to Rs 352.25.

Public sector lender Bank of India (BOI) has reported a whopping 93%Year-on-Year jump in its fourth quarter (Jan-March) net profit at Rs 953 crore, driven by higher interest income and lower operating expenses.

 Net interest income or the difference between interest earned and paid out rose 21% sequentially to Rs 2501 crore. However, net profit increased at a slower pace by 7.6% to Rs 2678 crore for fiscal year ending March 31, 2012

The bank's global loan book expanded more then 16% to Rs  2.49 lakh crore, while deposits grew at a muted pace nearly 6.5% to 3.18 lakh crore.
Post the result announcement, BOI stock rose 5% to Rs 352.25.