The key equity indices traded with minor losses in mid-morning trade. The Nifty hovered below the 19,350 mark. PSU bank shares extended losses for the third day in a row.
The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 21.91 points or 0.03% to 65,065.34. The Nifty 50 index shed 20.70 points or 0.11% to 19,326.75.
The broader market outperformed the headline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.21% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.55%.
The market breadth was positive. On the BSE, 1,875 shares rose and 1,552 shares fell. A total of 152 shares were unchanged.
Trading was volatile as traders roll over positions in the F&O segment from the near month August series to September series. The August 2023 F&O contracts expire today, 31 August 2023.
IPO Update:
The initial public offer (IPO) of Rishabh Instruments received bids for 90.12 lakh shares as against 77.90 lakh shares on offer, according to stock exchange data at 11:18 IST on Thursday (31 August 2023). The issue was subscribed 1.16 times.
The issue opened for bidding on Wednesday (30 August 2023) and it will close on Friday (1 September 2023). The price band of the IPO is fixed at Rs 418-441 per share. An investor can bid for a minimum of 34 equity shares and in multiples thereof.
Buzzing Index:
The Nifty PSU Bank index shed 0.70% to 4,495.80. The index fell 1.51% in three trading sessions.
Bank of Baroda (down 1.38%), Central Bank of India (down 1.27%), Canara Bank (down 1.18%), Bank of India (down 1.14%), UCO Bank (down 1.11%), Union Bank of India (down 0.81%), Punjab National Bank (down 0.55%), Indian Overseas Bank (down 0.49%), State Bank of India (down 0.43%) and Indian Bank (down 0.12%) declined.
Stocks in Spotlight:
Mahindra Logistics added 0.18%. The company announced that its board approved the appointment of Saurabh Taneja, as chief financial officer (CFO) and key managerial personnel (KMP) of the company with effect from 1 September 2023.
Gallantt Ispat advanced 2.84% after the company announced that it has received the delivery of one railway rake out of the two rakes purchased by it, and the same would help in bringing down freight costs and improve efficiency.
Sportking India rose 0.38%. The company said that CRISIL Ratings has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1' ratings on the bank facilities of the company.
Global Markets:
Asian stocks traded mixed on Thursday as China's factory activity contracted for a fifth straight month in August. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index came in at 49.7, representing a softer rate of contraction compared with July's figure of 49.3.
US stocks rose on Wednesday after latest GDP data hinted at pause in interest rate hike.
The United States' second quarter GDP growth was revised downward from an initial estimate of 2.4% to 2.1% annualised, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The downward revision mostly reflects lower estimates for corporate expenditure, which is partially offset by an upward revision for state and local government spending.