Suggest to invest in infrastructure and insurance sector in 2015

What do you think will go up from here? We have seen the banks, the autos, consumers, consumer discretionary stocks perform. The financials which are a core holding in global and local portfolios and FMCG has done okay. IT is not too bad. The ones which have really been under performers have been realty, energy and metals. 

For 2014 if one looks at the markets from the perspective of the last day, one finds that the key trigger which has taken birth, and could be a good promise for 2015, is the fall in the crude oil prices. The crude oil price is currently staying around $55 to a barrel and below. Even if it stabilises somewhere around $60 to $65 per barrel in an average year like 2015, the entire cost structure in the economy would start coming down. On one side the input cost which governs the commodity business .. 

It should in general benefit the entire economic environment as a whole. If one has to select the theme for 2015 for investment, one would remain comfortable with the kind of a infrastructure asset ownership business. 

I find that this is one area which could be created as a good theme for investment in 2015. I find that another theme in which insurance business, as and when it gets offloaded from the parent companies fold by the private insurance companies, could be a good opportunity for investors in 2015. 

HDFC Bank nears record high as FIPB clears FDI proposal

Shares in HDFC Bank have moved higher by nearly 3% to Rs 965 on NSE, after the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) cleared the proposal of bank to expand its equity base by up to Rs 10,000 crore.
The stock opened at Rs 954 and touched a low of Rs 942 in early morning trade on NSE. It touched a record high of Rs 966 touched on November 28, 2014.

Right time to invest in markets from three-year perspective

The S&P BSE Sensex has managed to rally nearly 30 per cent so far in the year 2014, outperforming other emerging market peers in the same period. The rally, however, is still not over yet and investors with a minimum of three-year horizon can look at investing at current levels.

The S&P BSE Sensex has managed to bounce back nearly 800 points in a matter of just two trading sessions, after falling over 1800 points so far in the month of December. But further consolidation is expected in the first half of 2015. 

"The market may consolidate at this stage as everyone will now watch out for a possible earlier than expected rate hike by the US Federal Reserve. Earlier most investors and analysts were expecting it to happen in the later part of 2015, but whatever indications we get, it may happen early," 

Our is of the view that if you are an equity investor and can invest with one to three year perspective, then still it is a good market to invest.

The Sensex managed to reclaim its crucial psychological level of 27000 in trade on Thursday and the 50-share Nifty index also managed to reclaim its crucial psychological level of 8250 earlier in trade on Friday. 

8,080 - 8,100 should be a strong support zone for Nifty

The index has passed its first test which was whether it can hold on to its gains throughout the day and build on them. Now, next is whether Nifty can cross 8150-8200 once that happens you will see bigger short covering coming in but overall the way broader market has turned up the way stocks have gained, basically lot of stocks were at their 50 and 100-day moving averages from there they have had sharp reversals. 

It looks like we should be able to build on these gains. 8080-8100 should be now a strong support for Nifty and from there long positions can still be taken and today is a first day of the reversal and technically you should now position for retest of the highs. 

IT stocks fall on TCS Q3 outlook; Infosys, Wipro, HCL Tech top losers

The S&P BSE IT index slipped over 2 per cent in trade on Monday, after the country's largest software services firm expects its revenue in the October-December 2014 quarter to be 'in line with seasonal trends'. 

Reacting to the news, shares of TCS plunged over 4 per cent, while InfosysBSE -0.77 % slipped as much as 1.7 per cent. Other IT stocks such as WiproBSE -0.38 %, HCL TechnologiesBSE -1.70 % and Tech MahindraBSE -3.68 % dropped over 2 per cent each. 

Sensex falls to 6-week low, oil explorers lead decline

The BSE Sensex fell on Thursday for a fourth session in five, with oil explorers leading the decline as global crude prices continued their recent tumble, while blue chips such as Infosys fell on profit-taking.

The benchmark BSE Sensex provisionally fell 0.8 per cent, while the broader Nifty ended 0.7 per cent lower.

Shares in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) closed down 3.02 per cent, while Reliance Industries Ltd  and Gail (India) fell 2.85 per cent each. 

Max India, RCap stocks rise on parliamentary panel nod to 49% FDI limit in insurance

The Max India stock rose on Wedenesday on reports that a Parliamentary committee has recommended a composite cap of 49 per cent on foreign investment in insurance in a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

At 12:29 pm, the Max India stock rose 6.25 per cent. Other stocks related to the insurance sector such as Reliance Capital and Aditya Birla Nuvo rose 3.63 per cent and 1.18 per cent, respectively

The select committee report said that the cap on foreign investment in insurance include foreign direct investment and foreign portfolio investments.

After getting a favourable recommendation from the panel that includes members from all major political parties, the government is likely to bring the Bill for consideration of the Upper House as early as next week.

Jet Airways shares gain on hopes of profit boost from oil price slump

Jet Airways shares gained as much as 3.7 per cent on Tuesday on hopes that the slump in oil prices would boost the airline's profit.

Oil prices dived 4 per cent to five-year low on oversupply worries.

Shares of the airline were up 64.8 per cent since November 25, as of its previous close on Monday.

Weakness at rivals will also boost sales of Jet Airways, say traders, as SpiceJet has cut its fleet size to save costs.

Nifty ends below 8500, Sensex sheds 339 pts; Infosys drags

It was a weak start to the week on Monday as the equity benchmarks fell more than a percent weighed down by banks, technology, capital goods, metals and auto stocks. The selling pressure extended in afternoon trade after a quiet start to the week.

The 30-share BSE Sensex shed 338.70 points to 28119.40 while the 50-share NSE Nifty closed way below the 8500-mark, down 100.05 points. The broader markets dropped too; the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices slipped 1.2 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.

However, ONGC gained 0.6 percent as media report suggested that oil ministry will cut subsidy burden of the state-run oil explorer and adjust its cess payment.

Cigarette major ITC gained for the third consecutive session today, up 1.6 percent on top of a 8 percent rally last week. Coal India topped the buying list on the Sensex, up 2.3 percent. Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel and Cipla gained 0.6-0.9 percent.

Sensex snaps 3-day fall, up 120 pts led by ITC & financials

China’s Shanghai was the top gainer, up 4.3 percent followed by Hang Seng with 1.7 percent upside on the back of strong US data. In Europe, France’s CAC and Germany’s DAX gained 0.5 percent ahead ahead of the European Cental Bank meet later today.

FLAT OPENING SEEN ON THE CARD

SGX Nifty indicates that market may open flat, Japan's benchmark index climbing toward's 7 year high. Today the Indian government to intend the insurence law bill.

Infosys shares fall nearly 3 per cent ahead of bonus issue

Infosys shares tumbled nearly 3 per cent on Tuesday as the stock price factored in the issuance of bonus shares on Wednesday to the existing investors.

Traders said that profit-booking pulled down the scrip as the IT major went ex-bonus.

Stocks of Infosys fell by 2.72 per cent to Rs 2,116 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Tuesday, while at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), it was down over 2 per cent to Rs 2,115.

The bonus issue was announced in October, when Infosys reported its second quarter earnings. It had recommended a bonus issue of one equity share for every share held.

The issuing company fixes a particular date, which is termed as record date, when the investor must own shares in order to be eligible to participate in events like receiving dividend, bonus shares.

Infosys had informed domestic bourses in November that the company had fixed record date as December 3, 2014 for the purpose of allotment of bonus shares/stock dividend.

Bonus shares are free shares given to the existing shareholders of a company.

NEGATIVE OPENING ON THE CARDS

We may see negative opening as the SGX Nifty opens negative. The key events to be watched today is RBI policy announcement. Asian markets are mixed today.

Jewellery stocks shine, gain up to 20% on RBI move

Jewellery stocks on Monday rose sharply by up to 20 per cent on easing of gold import restrictions by the Reserve Bank.

Shares of Shree Ganesh Jewellery House soared 20 per cent, while Gitanjali Gems surged 19.96 per cent and Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri zoomed 18.54 per cent on the BSE.

Among others, PC Jeweller jumped 14.93 per cent and Titan Company rallied 8 per cent.

Easing restrictions on gold imports, the Reserve Bank of India had on Friday scrapped the controversial 80:20 scheme, a move which the industry believes will bring down prices of the precious metal.

MID SESSION COMMENTRY

Merkets fall after chinese manufacturing data, Metal index turns in red, and overall market breadth was is negative.