Markets end lower ahead of CAD data

Markets ended lower on Friday dragged by financials as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the June-quarter current account deficit.

The 30-share Sensex ended down 167 points at 19,727 and the 50-share Nifty ended 49 points lower at 5,833.

In the broader markets, the smallcap index was up 0.3% while the midcap index closed, down 0.1%. Both the indices relatively outperformed the BSE benchmark index which was down nearly 1%.

At 1600 hrs, the rupee was trading at Rs 62.38 compared with previous close of Rs 62.08 per dollar.

Global Markets

Most Asian stock markets posted modest gains up on Friday after U.S. jobless claims data pointed to an improving labor market, but the lack of progress in budget and debt negotiations in Washington kept investors on edge.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.2%. Japan's Nikkei bucked the trend, falling 0.3% as the market turned its focus to the government's growth strategy and tax plans next week.

European shares were in the red, with Germany's DAX, Britain's FTSE and France's CAC 40 down 0.3-0.7%.

Sectors & Stocks

On the sectoral front, Bankex, Realty, Metal, Capital Goods, Power and Consumer Durables indices were down between 1-2%.

PSU, Auto and Teck indices too closed in the negative, down 0.3-0.4%.

The only indices in the positive territory were FMCG and Oil & Gas which added 0.4% and 0.2% respectively.

BHEL, Tata Steel and Bharti Airtel down 3-4% were the major losers among the Sensex-30.

Hindalco, ICICI Bank, Sesa Goa, SBI, Dr Reddys Lab, HDFC Bank, L&T, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Hindustan Unilever and HDFC down 1-3%

were some of the other names in the red.

Hero MotoCorp, Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma, TCS, Jindal Steel and Coal India rounded off the gainers list with gains between 0.2-1.5%.

In individual stocks, shares of Vijay Mallya led United Breweries (UB) Group companies are in limelight trading higher by up to 10% in late noon deals.

United Breweries, United Spirits, United Breweries Holdings, Kingfisher Airlines and McDowell Holdings are up 2-6% on back of heavy volumes.

Shipping companies continue their upward march and rallied up to 13% second day in a row after the Baltic Dry Index touched its highest level since December 23, 2011 on Wednesday.ABG Shipyard, Bharati Shipyard, Mercator, was up 1-13%.

Allcargo Logistics surged 11% to Rs 100 after the company has acquired Econocaribe Consolidators, a US-based logistics company for about $50 million.

Wockhardt was locked in lower circuit of 5% at Rs 550 with no buyers on the counter after the US regulator said that the company’s Chikalthana Form 483 includes 16 observations.

BPCL surged 6% to Rs 329 on reports that a drilling campaign off Brazil's northeastern coast showed that an area control by the consortium of IBV Brazil likely hold more than a billion barrels of oil.

The market breadth was positive owing to the strength in broader markets. 1,144 stocks advanced while 1,078 stocks declined on the BSE.