Sunday, January 19, 2014

Weekly Market Commentary - Jan 13, 2014 - Jan 17, 2014

Low inflation numbers came as a respite to both Indian consumers and investors alike. In hindsight, the decision of RBI governor to not raise interest rates in last review meeting proved to be sound. He rightly pointed out in that meeting that RBI should avoid taking long term measures for tackling the short term problems or issues. If inflation continues to get leveled the chances of a rate cut becomes strong to revive Indian growth story. Let’s see how everything rolls out in coming days.

Sensex and Nifty gained 1.5% while CNX Midcap was down by 1.1% this week.

Monday – Sensex up by 1.8%, Nifty up by 1.6%, Midcap down by 0.2%
After a muted trading activity last week, markets saw a surge in interest in technology, energy and financial stocks. Infosys’ good results, improved dollar revenue guidance and expected positive news from other IT stocks also has raised hopes of the market. Govt’s move to notify the gas Rangarajan’s gas price formula led to improvement in energy stocks levels. In addition, weak US job data also eased the tapering concerns of investors around the globe that added to the buying momentum in the Indian markets.

Tuesday - Sensex down by 0.5%, Nifty down by 0.5%, Midcap flat
Markets pared gains it made previous day mostly because of profit booking. Lower retail inflation numbers released by the govt. on Monday evening failed to cheer up the markets as the decline was already factored in the market prices.

Wednesday – Sensex up by 1.2%, Nifty up by 1.3%, Midcap up by 0.6%
Although the retail inflation numbers were low but the fall in wholesale prices took the market by surprise. WPI increased by 6.16% far below the street estimates of 6.99%. This decline has finally set aside the speculation on rate hikes in RBI review meeting at the end of this month. Sensex touched its five-week high on the back of rise in interest rate sensitive sectors such as auto, banks and financials.

Thursday – Sensex and Nifty flat, Midcap down by 0.4%
Markets continue to trade range bound as increased hopes of no rates hikes in RBI meeting was countered by profit booking. The news that Reliance Jio is planning to bid for spectrum licenses also led to huge selling across the telecom sector stocks as re-entry of RIL may bring back the price wars and cut into profitability of the sector.

Friday – Sensex down by 0.9%, Nifty down by 0.9%, Midcap down by 1.1%
Markets slide as TCS posted lower margins and guided to no recovery until the general elections are over in the country and things stabilizes a bit. Profit booking also led to selling across all counters.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Weekly Market Commentary - Jan 6, 2014 - Jan 10, 2014

Trading activity remained muted for most of the week only to be picked up at the end of the week with starting of 3Q earnings season. Apart from ongoing earnings season, markets will also see release of CPI and WPI data next week, on which RBI’s interest rate policy hinges. Govt is also expected to come up with stake sales of IOC and Engineers India this month and BHEL, HAL in next to meet its disinvestment target of Rs 40K crores.

Sensex fell by 0.4%, Nifty lost 0.6% while CNX Midcap was down by 1.9% this week.

Monday – Sensex down by 0.3%, Nifty down by 0.3%, Midcap up by 0.3%
Market activity remains muted in absence of any catalysts. Most Asian stocks traded lower, as an index of China's services industry declined last month, and did not rise even after Fed reiterated its stand of accommodative monetary policy.

Tuesday - Sensex down by 0.5%, Nifty down by 0.5%, Midcap down by 0.9%
Investors seems to sit out on sidelines as they wait for minutes of Fed meeting and starting of earnings season on Friday which street expects to be weak.

Wednesday – Sensex up by 0.2%, Nifty up by 0.2%, Midcap up by 0.5%
Indian markets recorded their first gain of 2014 as most Asian stocks traded higher after the IMF said it would raise its estimate for global economic growth. Also, the recovery seen in US as their trade deficit narrows augurs well for Indian export stories.

Thursday – Sensex down by 0.1%, Nifty down by 0.1%, Midcap down by 0.8%
Markets closed lower on a day ahead of 3Q earnings season commencement. Street expects results to be weak though slightly better than previous quarter.

Friday – Sensex up by 0.2%, Nifty up by 0.1%, Midcap down by 1.0%
Markets cheered Infosys’ better than expected results and set the IT stocks zooming. The company also raised its FY14 dollar revenue guidance as it sees improvement in US business environment and confidence.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Weekly Market Commentary - Dec 30, 2013 - Jan 3, 2014

First week of 2014 was, to say the least, unexciting. Many investors decided to stay on the sidelines as market lacked any fresh triggers. A speech from our PM promising that his govt. would continue to push reforms, create a favourable FDI climate and will work to generate more employment left most people yawning.

Sensex and Nifty lost 1.6% each while CNX Midcap was down by 0.9% this week.

Monday – Sensex down by 0.2%, Nifty down by 0.4%, Midcap down by 0.3%
The markets were lackluster as investors stayed away because of ongoing holiday season.

Tuesday - Sensex up by 0.1%, Nifty up by 0.2%, Midcap up by 0.8%
Small gains seen in the index level as cement and oil and gas stocks registered positive movement owing to the bets on turnaround in Indian economy in 2014.

Wednesday – Sensex down by 0.1%, Nifty flat, Midcap up by 0.5%
Sensex recorded a drop on first trading day of 2014. Investors were cautious as govt. data released yesterday showed India's fiscal deficit is now 94% of the annual target. Also, lower growth of 1.7% in index of eight core industries vs. 5.8% previous year added to the bearish sentiment.

Thursday – Sensex down by 1.2%, Nifty down by 1.3%, Midcap down by 2.1%
Strong opening during the early day was hit by bout of profit booking in the second half of the trading day. Weak manufacturing data from China also kept the global sentiment low.

Friday – Sensex down by 0.2%, Nifty down by 0.2%, Midcap up by 0.3%
Markets continued their cautious stance on Friday as low activity in the market with some value buying and rise in tech stocks countering the profit booking and keeping the index range-bound.

Friday, January 3, 2014

The Walking Dead

How did equities as an investment look now after being pronounced dead about 5 years ago? Remember 2008, when everybody and his uncle was shit scared and trying to save his ass from getting fired in latest downsizing. I don’t want to remember that either. Everyday you lose friends, colleagues, batchmates to credit crisis. That was when I started giving blogging a serious thought. You can read my 2008 posts here. I wrote only three.

Lot of people denounced equities back then. Lot of my friends changed career lines. Not me. I stayed. To write this post. Not that I have become a portfolio manager of some big stud firm or have decided to retire from this business after making my millions during this crisis. Nope. My objectives are still far from being achieved. Though, I did made some money. But I stayed to present you with this graphic (all NSE data) which speaks volumes about the performance of equity markets since 2007 with special mention to 5 years CAGR performance.



Let me know what are your thoughts on equities as an investment.