Indian blue-chips likely to open at record highs on IT boost Jul 15, 2024

 

Indian blue-chips likely to open at record highs on IT boost

Jul 15, 2024 08:30 

NIFTY+0.35%SENSEX+0.78%TCS+6.63%DMART+3.70%

India's blue-chip stock indexes are likely to open at record highs on Monday, boosted by information technology stocks on hopes of recovery in demand and expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut in September.

The GIFT Nifty (GIFc1) was at 24,613 points as of 8:28 a.m. IST, indicating that the NSE Nifty 50 NIFTY will open above its closing level of 24,502.15.

The Nifty 50 and S&P BSE Sensex SENSEX logged record closing highs on Friday, and extended their winning streak to a sixth consecutive week.

Indian IT companies, which earn a significant share of revenue from the U.S., led the rally over the last two weeks helped by firming bets of a September U.S. rate cut and largely upbeat results from Tata Consultancy Services TCS.

The odds of a 25 basis point rate cut has risen to about 90% from about 70% a week ago, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, on the back of recent soft labour market and inflation data.

The sector will be in focus again on Monday after HCLTech posted a 6.7% rise in June-quarter revenue and projected growth in most verticals and geographies in the ongoing quarter.

These results have provided a much-needed boost to the IT sector, where sentiment has been sluggish, and valuations appear reasonable, said Krishna Appala, analyst, Capitalmind Research.

Meanwhile, domestic retail inflation acclerated for the first time in five months due to sharp rise in food prices, data showed on Friday.

Asian shares (.MIAPJ0000PUS) were trading 0.3% lower as investors grapple with political uncertainty after the attack on U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

STOCKS TO WATCH

** Avenue Supermarts DMART: Operator of DMart retail store chain posted a 17.5% rise in first-quarter net profit on Saturday.

** Cipla CIPLA: Company's manufacturing plant in Kurkumbh, Maharashtra has been classified as Voluntary Action Indicated by the U.S. drug regulator.

** Lupin LUPIN: Co said the U.S. FDA inspection at its facility ended with zero observations.

($1 = 83.5060 Indian rupees)