Markets end lower; Sensex holds 27,000

Markets extended losses for the second day, amid weak global cues, with HDFC Group shares leading the decline even as IT majors gained after huge overseas orders.

The 30-share Sensex ended down by 59 points at 27,027 and the 50-share Nifty slipped 9 points to close at 8,087.

The broader markets outperformed the benchmark indices- BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices gained between 0.4-1.2%.

The market breadth on BSE ended firm with 1,723 shares advancing and 1,268 shares declining.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1697.74 crore on Thursday, as per provisional data from the stock exchanges.

INDIAN RUPEE

The rupee will likely stagnate over the next year as a US dollar rally gathers steam and the Indian economy at best chugs along, while the Chinese Yuan will probably appreciate a little, a Reuters poll found.

The poll of more than 30 currency strategists, conducted this week, predicted one US dollar will fetch Rs 60.50 in a month, Rs 60.30 in six months and Rs 60.82 in a year. The dollar was trading around 60.43 on Friday.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Friday in choppy trade, but declines were limited as the mood was supported after the dollar rose to a six-year high against the yen following the European Central Bank's monetary easing steps.

The Nikkei dropped 0.1% to 15,668.68, close to a seven-month high of 15,829.38 hit on Wednesday. For the week, the index rose 1.6%. The broader Topix declined 0.3 percent to 1,293.21, and the new JPX-Nikkei Index 400 shed 0.3% to 11,732.03.

The ECB cut interest rates to fresh record lows and announced plans to buy asset-backed securities (ABS)

and covered bonds in October.

SECTORS & STOCKS

BSE Auto, Bankex, FMCG and Power indices declined between 0.1-1%. However, BSE Capital Goods, Metal and Realty indices gained by nearly 1% each.

The main losers on the Sensex were Hero MotoCorp, HDFC, BHEL, Coal India, ICICI Bank, Hindalco and Bharti Airtel.

Wipro has secured a 5-year Infrastructure Management contract from Philip Morris International (PMI), which owns cigarette brands like Marlboro. The stock gained by nearly 1%.

Infosys gained by nearly 1% after the company signed a five-year group-wide IT outsourcing services contract with BP (formerly British Petroleum).

Select banks which had gained following upbeat economic data witnessed profit taking. However, SBI gained by over 1%.

On the gaining side, Bajaj Auto, Sesa Sterlite, L&T, ONGC and Tata Steel have gained between 1-2%.

L&T gained after the company secured a turnkey order worth Rs 5,100 crore for setting up a 1320 MW supercritical thermal power plant project at Shree Sinaji TPP (Stage-II) on complete engineering-procurement construction basis from the state utility MP Power Genertaing Company Limited (MPPGCL).

Among other shares, Suven Life Sciences zoomed by 20%, extending its previous 7% gain, after the company said it received one product patent each in three countries.

Info Edge (India) ended higher by nearly 5% after the company's QIP Committee, on Thursday, approved and authorised the launch of Qualified Institutions Placement.

Natco Pharma was locked in 5% upper circuit at Rs 1,439 after the company said its marketing partner in the US, Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc. (BPI), has filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Everolimus for tablets in dosages of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, and 0.75mg.