Post Market Commentary 2-April-08

Market fails to sustain higher level as heavyweights give up early gains

Strong cues from global markets had boosted domestic bourses earlier in the day. US stocks rallied on Tuesday, 1 April 2008, after Lehman Brothers said it raised $4 billion in an offering of convertible preferred shares, which soothed fears it was heading for a fate similar to that of Bear Stearns.

An early surge on the bourses proved short-lived as index heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and L&T, gave up initial gains. The Sensex, which had surged past 16,000 mark in early trade, fell below that level later. Nevertheless, the market breadth remained strong. 16 shares advanced from the 30-member Sensex pack.

Sensex settled 123.78 points or 0.79% higher at 15,750.40. Sensex gained 92.85 points at day’s low of 15,719.47 hit in late trade. Sensex opened with an upward gap of 396.68 points at 16,023.30 and advanced further to hit a high of 16,236.70 in early trade. At the day’s high, the Sensex rose 610.08 points. It oscillated in a band of 517.30 points in volatile trade

S&P CNX Nifty was up 14.65 points or 0.31% at 4,754.20.

The market breadth was strong on BSE: 1734 shares advanced as compared to 938 that declined. 50 shares remained unchanged.

The BSE Consumer Durables index (up 0.80% to 3,917.70), the BSE IT index (up 2.93% to 3,644.35), the BSE Auto (up 1.56% at 4,539.52), the BSE Bankex (up 2.34% at 7,822.56), the BSE Health Care index (up 0.82% at 3,862.83), the BSE TecK index (up 2.04% to 3,078.22), outperformed the Sensex

The BSE Metal index (down 2.15% to 13,516.89), the BSE FMCG index (down 0.79% at 2,318.80), the BSE Oil & Gas index (down 0.25% to 10,328.08), the BSE Realty index (up 0.46% at 7,501.17), the BSE Power (down 0.49% to 3,137.12), the BSE Capital Goods index (down 0.46% at 13,498.15), and the BSE PSU index (down 0.11% to 7,387.62), underperformed the Sensex