Stock markets rebound on buying in HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank; Sensex climbs 442.61 pts
Mumbai, Jul 21 (PTI): Benchmark BSE Sensex surged by 442 points while Nifty closed above the 25,000 level on Monday following buying in blue-chip private banking shares HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank after their quarterly earnings.
Snapping the two-day falling streak, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 442.61 points or 0.54 per cent to settle at 82,200.34. During the day, it surged 516.3 points or 0.63 per cent to 82,274.03.
The 50-share NSE Nifty jumped 122.30 points or 0.49 per cent to 25,090.70. The 50-issue index had slid below the 25,000 mark to settle near a month's low on Friday.
Firm trend in Asian markets and fresh foreign fund inflows also supported the markets.
Among Sensex firms, Eternal surged the most by 5.38 per cent post its first quarter numbers.
ICICI Bank jumped 2.76 per cent after the company posted a 15.9 per cent jump in its consolidated net profit for the June quarter to Rs 13,558 crore compared to Rs 11,696 crore in the year-ago period.
HDFC Bank climbed 2.19 per cent despite the firm reporting a 1.31 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit to Rs 16,258 crore for the June 2025 quarter.
Mahindra & Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Tata Motors were also among the gainers.
However, India's most valuable company Reliance Industries declined 3.29 per cent even after the firm reported its highest-ever quarterly profit of Rs 26,994 crore for the April-June quarter, reflecting a growth of 78.3 per cent over the year-ago period, driven by consumer businesses and investment sales.
HCL Tech, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services and ITC were also among the laggards.
"Positive results from banking majors supported the market to rebound after many days of consolidation. The market remains highly reactive to earnings, indicating that investors remain focused on the earnings front to aid valuation," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.
The initial reaction to earnings from heavyweights like Reliance, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank led to sharp swings, Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said.
The market currently reflects a tug-of-war between bulls and bears, with the focus primarily on earnings for further direction, he added.
The BSE midcap gauge climbed 0.55 per cent, while smallcap index ended flat, down 0.01 per cent.
Among BSE sectoral indices, capital goods jumped 1.33 per cent, bankex (1.28 per cent), financial services (1.26 per cent), metal (0.98 per cent), commodities (0.73 per cent), auto (0.66 per cent) and consumer discretionary (0.63 per cent).
Oil & Gas declined 0.70 per cent, FMCG (0.49 per cent), IT (0.30 per cent), BSE Focused IT (0.27 per cent) and teck (0.13 per cent).
In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in positive territory. Equity markets were closed in Japan for a holiday.
European markets were trading lower. The US markets ended on a mixed note on Friday.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 374.74 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.48 per cent to USD 68.93 a barrel.
On Friday, the Sensex tanked 501.51 points or 0.61 per cent to settle at 81,757.73. The Nifty dropped 143.05 points or 0.57 per cent to close at 24,968.40.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
