Geo-political risks, ongoing Q4 results to steer equity indices
Mumbai, May 6: Geopolitical risks, coupled with the ongoing quarterly results season and macro-economic data points, are expected to influence the trajectory of key Indian equity indices next week, analysts opined.
According to market observers, even the upcoming state assembly election in Karnataka, along with crude oil price fluctuations as well as the direction of foreign fund flows and the rupee's movement against the US dollar will impact investors' risk-taking appetite.
"Two important events will drive the market sentiments during the next two weeks. First, is the outcome of the US-Iran nuclear deal and the other is the Karnataka elections, especially BJP's performance,"said Devendra Nevgi, Founder and Principal Partner, Delta Global Partners.
"The (expected) breakdown of the US-Iran deal and the ensuing sanctions on Iran would lead to a rise in crude oil prices and in geopolitical risks. And a poor performance by BJP in Karnataka would raise the political risk premium on India."
Besides these, the ongoing results season will play an important role in determining the equity indices' movement.
Companies like ICICI Bank, Pfizer, Tata Chemicals, ABB India, Sun Pharma Advanced Research, Eicher Motors, Jindal Steel & Power, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Adani Transmission, Apollo Tyres, Asian Paints and SpiceJet are expected to announce their Q4 earning results next week.
"Result season will gather pace in the coming weeks with major heavyweights set to unveil their results; as per recent history, results during the second phase are dull," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.
Apart from Q4 results, investors will look out for upcoming macro-economic data points such as the country's fiscal deficit numbers and industrial production figures which will be released during the week starting May 7.
In addition, Nair said that outflow of "foreign funds due to rich valuation is a concern to the market".
In terms of investments, provisional figures from the stock exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold scrips worth Rs 2,688.05 crore, while the domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth Rs 932.99 crore during the week.
Figures from the National Securities Depository (NSDL) revealed that foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) divested equities worth Rs 1,351.85 crore, or $202.56 million, during May 2-4.
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Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
