The main indices fell 1% on Friday amid a selloff in IT companies. While declines offer opportunities, investors should be cautious and deploy funds in a gradual manner, analysts said. The NSE Nifty slid 1.1% or 275.10 points to 23,897.95. The BSE Sensex finished at 76,664.21, down 1.3% or 999.79 points. In the past week, both indices dropped 1.9% and 2.3%, respectively, after logging two weeks of gains.
ETMarkets.comSpike in Oil Prices
“The week began with optimism of negotiations yielding results but that did not materialise and crude oil prices rose higher this week,” said Christy Mathai, fund manager, Quantum Mutual Fund.To be sure, ceasefires in both Iran and Lebanon have been extended but negotiating teams from Washington DC and Tehran haven’t yet travelled to Islamabad for talks.
Mathai said oil prices are expected to remain elevated, and this could lead to earnings being cut for more than one quarter. Markets closed ahead of Reliance Industries Ltd, India’s biggest company by market value, announcing earnings.
Elsewhere in Asia, Taiwan gained 3.2% while Japan and Hong Kong rose 1% and 0.2%, respectively. South Korea remained flat and China moved 0.3% lower.
Brent crude futures spiked nearly 17% this week after three weeks of declines. On Friday, it rose as much as $107.5.
“The guidance by IT companies that announced results were lower than estimates which also dampened prospects further,” said Mathai.
All sectoral indices closed lower on Friday. The Nifty IT tumbled 5.3%, dragged down by Infosys and Persistent Systems. The Nifty Pharma fell 1.8% while the Nifty Healthcare and Realty indices slipped around 1.5%.
VIX JUMPS 6%
The Volatility Index (VIX) jumped 6% to 19.7 as traders anticipate elevated risk in the near term. “Nifty is likely to face a major hurdle at its 200-day exponential moving average of 24,800 as sentiment remains cautious,” said Somil Mehta, head of retail research, Mirae Asset Sharekhan.
Since the trend remains bearish and the Nifty could retest the levels of 22,200, declines are likely to offer buying opportunities for long-term investors, he said.
Out of 4,389 shares that moved on the BSE, 1,241 advanced and 3,000 declined.
The Nifty Mid-cap 150 index and the Small-cap 250 index declined 1% and 1.1%. In the past week, both indices ended 0.8% and 0.2% lower respectively.
Mathai said that while the indefinite Iran ceasefire is good sign, investors were anticipating the situation to improve after the upmove in the past few weeks.
At home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 8,827.87 crore Friday. Their domestic counterparts bought shares worth Rs 4,700.71 crore. So far in April, global investors have dumped shares worth Rs a net 55,126.72 crore.
“While prices are attractive, investors are advised to remain cautious and invest in a gradual and calibrated manner as earnings are expected to moderate for the next couple of quarters and the supply shock due to the war could increase in the near term,” said Mathai.