Stock market today: Sensex, Nifty 50 end 1% lower as RBI Monetary policy fails to enthuse investors

The 30-share BSE Sensex ended lower by 723.57 points or 1% at 71,428.43 level while the Nifty 50 closed at 21,717.95 level, down 212.55 points or 0.97%.

On the broader market front, the Nifty Midcap 100 was flat (0.05%) today, while the Nifty SmallCap 100 closed 0.4% lower. The fear gauge index, the India VIX rose by 2.7% on Thursday.

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Prior to the RBI rate decision, both indices rose by around 0.2%  but they quickly turned negative and continued to decline.

“Though FY25 GDP growth forecast has improved, the RBI remains vigilant on inflation & banking liquidity. The incomplete transmission of the cumulative 250 bps and the inflation ruling above the target level adds uncertainty about the timing of the interest rate reduction. 

The ripple effect was seen in the government 10 year yield, which inched higher. A large pocket of the market slid into red like FMCG, banks, and auto,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Shares were mostly up in Asia on Thursday as the S&P 500 approached the 5,000 mark for the first time, according to an AP news report. On Thursday, China’s smaller primary market saw a 1.3% increase in the Shenzhen Components index, which tracked the Shanghai Composite index, which increased 1.3% to 2,865.90. Mainland China’s markets will be closed for the Lunar New Year vacation starting on Friday and continuing into next week.

Despite substantial gains for real estate developers, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slid 1.2% to 15,878.07 due to massive selling of technology companies. The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gained 2.1% to 36,863.28, while the Kospi in Seoul saw a rise of 0.4% to 2,620.32. The S&P/ASX 200 index in Australia increased 0.3% to 7,639.20. 

Following the release of their most recent quarterly reports, major equities including Ford Motor, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and others saw significant gains on Wednesday, pushing Wall Street closer to yet another record-breaking milestone, according to AP news report.

Top Nifty 50 gainers and losers today

As many as 15 stocks settled in the green in the Nifty 50 index while the rest 34 ended in red.

Shares of State Bank of India (up 3.64%), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (up 3.35%), Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (up 3.00%), Coal India Ltd (up 1.84%), and Hindalco Industries Ltd (up 1.73%)ended as top gainers.

On the other side, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (down 3.49%), Britannia Industries Ltd (down 3.16%), Axis Bank (down 3.01%), Nestlé India Ltd (down 2.98%), and Eicher Motors Ltd (down 2.97%) were among the laggards.

(more to come)

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Published: 08 Feb 2024, 03:30 PM IST