Q1 earnings to guide equity markets this week

The first quarter earnings season will dictate the trend in the equity markets in this holiday-shortened week amid absence of major macroeconomic drivers, say analysts.

Besides, lacklustre global markets may increase volatility in the market, they added.

Equity markets would remain closed on Wednesday for Bakri-Id.

"This week is a holiday-shortened one and global cues and earnings announcements will continue to dictate the trend. Besides, COVID-related updates and progress of monsoon will remain in focus.

"On the earnings front, we have a long list of major corporates who will be announcing their numbers during the week," said Ajit Mishra, VP Research, Religare Broking.

Some of the prominent names are Reliance, ACC, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Auto, HCL Technologies, HDFC Life Insurance, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, Hindustan Unilever, Ultratech Cement, Ambuja Cement and JSW Steel, Mishra added.

"In our view, progress of monsoon, Q1 FY22 corporate earnings and COVID-19 positivity rates will be in focus in the near term," Binod Modi, head strategy at Reliance Securities said.

"As we have stepped into the earning season, market momentum will be decided by outcomes of quarterly earnings and management commentary on recovery.

"We expect this sector-specific momentum to continue during the weeks ahead.

"However, lacklustre global market and FII net sellers are likely to increase volatility in the market," said Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Financial Services.

During the last week, the BSE benchmark rallied 753 points or 1.43 per cent powered by gains in infra, IT and financials stocks.

The benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty hit a new record high and ended up by 1.4 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.

On the sectoral front, most sectors contributed to the move and closed higher.

The broader markets, midcap and smallcap continued their stellar performance and ended in the range of 1.4-2.3 per cent, Mishra said.

Market participants would also track the movement in the forex market, Brent crude and foreign institutional investors.