Equity Alert
Asian mkts close mixed as investors bet on US Fed rate cut
This story was originally published at 15:54 IST on 14 August 2025
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Equity Alert: Asian mkts close mixed as investors bet on US Fed rate cut
MUMBAI--1510 IST--Barring South Korea's KOSPI and Australia's S&P/ASX 200, most other indices in the Asia-Pacific closed in the red Thursday as investors bet on a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve at its monetary policy meeting next month. Japanese stocks fell the most, due to concerns over Bank of Japan's potential policy shift.
Japan's Nikkei and Topix ended 1.5% and 1.1% lower, respectively, after hitting all-time closing high levels Wednesday. A stronger yen also weighed on the market. The yen, climbed to a three-week high after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in a media interview, criticised the Bank of Japan's stance on inflation, saying that the central bank is "behind the curve" and needs to raise rates to get price pressures under control, Reuters reported.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed 0.4% lower while mainland China's CSI 300 index closed flat at 4,173.31. Singapore's FTSE Singapore Straits Times closed the session 0.4% lower after hitting an all-time high of 4282.8 earlier in the session.
South Korea's KOSPI and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 ended slightly higher. The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 0.5% higher, paring gains from its record intra-day high of 8891.10. The index was buoyed by gains in the banking sector.
Following are the levels of key Asian indices at 1519 IST:
|
INDEX |
LEVEL |
CHANGE IN % |
|
CSI 300 Index |
4173.31 |
(-)0.08 |
|
Hang Seng Index |
25519.32 |
(-)0.37 |
|
Nikkei 225 Day |
42649.26 |
(-)1.45 |
|
TOPIX FIRST SECTION |
3057.95 |
(-)1.1 |
|
KOSPI |
3225.66 |
0.04 |
|
FTSE Singapore Straits Times |
4256.52 |
(-)0.38 |
|
S&P/ASX 200 Index |
8873.8 |
0.53 |
(Arya S. Biju)
Equity Alert: Vishal Mega Mart hits record high on strong Q1 results
MUMBAI--1144 IST--Shares of Vishal Mega Mart rose 8% to hit a record high of INR 155.60. However, the stock came sharply off highs shortly and, at 1142 IST, it traded up 1.1% at INR 145.77. The hypermarket chain operator reported a good set of numbers with strong growth and expanded margins for the June quarter.
Global brokerage firm Jefferies maintained a "buy" rating on the stock and has raised its target price by over 23%, according to NDTV Profit's X post. The company has reported a double-digit strong same-store sales growth for the fifth consecutive quarter, the brokerage said. The company also maintained it momentum in store additions. The quick-commerce platform continued to scale-up well, it said.
Of the brokerage reports on the stock available with Informist, Elara Securities (India) and ICICI Securities have a 'buy' rating with target price of INR 140 each and Kotak Securities has an 'add' rating with a target price of INR 125. So far Thursday, 48.03 million shares of the company have changed hands on the NSE, sharply higher than 5.92 million shares traded during the same period on Wednesday. (Simran Rede)
Equity Alert: Pfizer rises 8%; co reports over 27% growth in Apr-Jun PAT
MUMBAI--1123 IST--Shares of Pfizer rose 8% to one month-high of INR 5,513.50 after the company reported a jump in its net profit for the June quarter. The stock rose for the fourth consecutive session and is up 10% over the period. At 1122 IST, shares of the company traded over 5.5% higher at INR 5,389.
The pharmaceutical company reported a net profit of INR 1.92 billion for the June quarter, up over 27% on year but down 42% on quarter. Its revenue from operations rose over 7% to INR 6.03 billion for the latest quarter and 2% compared to the March quarter. The rise in its net profit was likely due to an over 60% increase in the company's other income at INR 671.7 million.
The US Food and Drug Administration may revoke authorisation for Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children aged under five, CNBC reported Wednesday. The company said the US regulatory body's "deliberations" were not related to the safety and efficacy of the shot, "which continues to demonstrate a favourable profile".
ICICI Securities has an 'add' rating on the stock with a target price of INR 5,450 and Nirmal Bang Equities has a 'sell' rating with a target price of INR 5,220. So far, over 293,000 shares of the company changed hands, as against only 5,065 shares traded during the same period Wednesday. (P. Madhu Kumar)
Equity Alert: JSW Cement lists at INR 153.50, premium of 4.4% to issue price
MUMBAI--1106 IST--Shares of JSW Cement listed at INR 153.50, a premium of 4.4% to the issue price of INR 147, on Thursday. At 1055 IST, the stock was at INR 146.45, down 0.4% from the issue price. Nearly 74.88 million shares of the company have changed hands on the NSE so far.
The initial public offering, which ended Monday, was subscribed nearly eight times on the final day, with the company receiving bids for 1.41 billion shares against 181.29 million shares on offer.
JSW Cement manufactures cement, construction chemicals, readymix concrete, and aggregates, including ground granulated blast furnace slag produced from blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel manufacturing process. The company had posted a consolidated net loss of INR 1.14 billion for the year ended Mar. 31 on a revenue of INR 58.13 billion. (Simran Rede)
Equity Alert: All Time Plastics lists at INR 311.30, up 13% from IPO price
MUMBAI--1104 IST--Shares of All Time Plastics listed at INR 311.30, a premium of 13.2% to the issue price of INR 275. At 1102 IST, the stock was at INR 295.85, up 7.6% from the issue price. Nearly 11.03 million shares of the company have changed hands on the NSE so far.
The initial public offering, which closed Monday, was subscribed five times by the end of the final day with investors bidding for 54.17 million shares, against the 10.55 million shares on offer.
All Time Plastics manufactures plastic consumerware products for everyday household needs. For 2024-25 (Apr-Mar), the company had reported a consolidated net profit of INR 472.94 million on revenue of INR 5.58 billion. (Simran Rede)
Equity Alert: Muthoot Fin hits record high on higher-than-expected results
MUMBAI--1001 IST--Shares of Muthoot Finance rose almost 12% to hit a record high of INR 2,799 after the company reported higher-than-expected earnings for the June quarter, supported by robust loan growth and lower credit costs. Over 4 million shares of the company changed hands on the bourse so far Thursday, 148 times the 27,000 shares traded during the same period Wednesday. At 1000 IST, the stock was 10% higher at INR 2,765.50.
For the quarter ended June, the finance company's net profit rose almost 90% on year to INR 20.46 billion, which was also sharply higher than the Street's expectation of INR 15.71 billion. Its revenue rose over 50% to INR 34.73 billion, also higher than the INR 30.91 billion expected for the quarter.
Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities upgraded the stock rating to "buy" from "hold" and raised the target price to INR 2,885 from INR 2,724. "...we have been positive on Muthoot Finance because of its strong customer acquisition & retention measures, entry into new geographies & segments and its ability to grow through strong internal accruals," it said in its report. The brokerage expects the company's net profit to grow at 24.2% compounded annual growth rate over 2025-26 (Apr-Mar) and FY27, led by almost 19% rise in gold loan, stable margin, and lower credit costs.
Nuvama Institutional Equities raised the target price to INR 2,993 from INR 2,625 and retained its "buy" rating on the stock as the company's strong earnings were substantially better than industry peers. The company's contribution of subsidiaries to gold loans is increasing and it is confident about maintaining yield and growth, the brokerage said.
Of the 11 research reports available about the company with Informist, eight broking firms have a "buy" or equivalent rating on the stock with an average target price of INR 2,526. Two brokerages have a "hold" rating and the remaining one has a "sell" view. (Anjana Therese Antony)
Equity Alert: Glenmark Pharma Q1 PAT seen up 8% on strong domestic sales
MUMBAI--0955 IST--Shares of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals were up 0.6% at INR 2,040.90, ahead of the company's Apr–Jun earnings Thursday. At 0952 IST, around 102,000 shares of the company had changed hands on the NSE, as compared to 42,389 shares traded till the same time Wednesday.
Motilal Oswal Financial Services expects Glenmark Pharma's consolidated net profit for the June quarter to rise 8.1% to INR 3.68 billion from INR 3.40 billion in the same quarter last year, on the back of robust growth in domestic formulations business and strong traction in the European market. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the net profit is likely to surge nearly nine-fold from INR 46.5 million in Jan–Mar, when earnings were hit by exceptional costs of INR 3.73 billion.
The company's consolidated net sales are pegged at INR 35.95 billion, up 10.8% on year and 10.4% higher on quarter, aided by an 8.5% year-on-year growth in the domestic formulations segment, driven by strong cardiac and respiratory therapy sales. The brokerage also expects healthy growth momentum in the Europe business on the back of new launches and better traction in existing products.
The company's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation is projected at INR 6.73 billion, up 14.5% on year and 20.1% higher on quarter, with EBITDA margin estimated at 18.7%, marginally lower than the 18.8% in the year-ago quarter. However, it is higher than 17.2% in the March quarter.
Investors will look for management updates on the progress of niche product approvals and filings for the US market, as well as details on the out-licensing deal for ISB2001. This drug is a trispecific antibody designed to treat relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Any commentary on US pricing pressure and the ramp-up of recently launched products in Europe will also be closely tracked.
Out of the seven brokerage reports available on the company with Informist, four brokerages have 'buy' rating on the stock with an average target price of INR 1,614, two brokerages have a 'hold' rating. Only one brokerage has a ‘sell' rating on the stock. (P. Madhu Kumar)
Equity Alert: Patanjali Foods declines almost 2% ahead of Apr-Jun earnings
MUMBAI--0953 IST--Shares of Patanjali Foods fell nearly 2% Thursday ahead of the company's June quarter earnings. The stock is down for 13 of the last 19 sessions. At 0951 IST, shares of the company traded at INR 1,793, down 0.3%. So far Thursday, 98,789 shares of the company have changed hands on the NSE, higher than 53,972 shares traded during the same period on Wednesday.
Systematix Shares and Stocks (India) expects robust growth in the company's edible oil segment on the back of a weak base. It sees subdued demand for biscuits and a persisting declining trend in the foods segemnt. It also expects a steady sequential performance in the company's home and personal care segment.
The brokerage expects Patanjali's margins to contract 136 basis points on year and 103 bps on quarter to 4.3%. It sees margins in the edible oil segment coming off after easing of inflation. Home and personal care segment's margins are likely to expand on quarter on scale leverage, the brokerage said.
Systematix has a 'buy' rating on the stock with a target price of INR 2,055. Going ahead, the brokerage believes growth in the foods segment, acquired home and personal care business and rural demand will be key factors to monitor. (Simran Rede)
Equity Alert: Indices open higher amid high volatility; IT, pharma lead
MUMBAI--0940 IST--Benchmark indices opened higher amid greater volatility due to expiry of the weekly derivatives contract of the Nifty 50. The market also tracked record gains in international markets from the past two sessions. The market is making a cautious move amid rising geopolitical tensions, tariff threats, and uncertainty around a trade deal with the US, according to analysts.
At 0939 IST, the Nifty 50 and the BSE Sensex were 0.1% higher at 24637.15 points and 80622.50 points, respectively. Most information technology and health-related stocks supported the rise of the Nifty 50. Volatility in the market rose due to the expiry day of the futures and options contract of the Nifty 50. India VIX, the market's fear gauge, was at 12.3325, up 1.6%.
Broader market indices fell sharply shortly after outperforming their benchmark peers and being higher in early trade. All small-cap indices were higher for the fourth consecutive session in initial trade, while mid-cap indices were in the green at open for the second day. Later, these indices swung between gains and losses.
Sectoral indices were a mixed bag, with the Nifty Pharma gaining 0.8%, followed by the Nifty IT and Nifty Healthcare, which were 0.7% higher each. Traders are likely to have booked profits in metal stocks after gains in three consecutive sessions. The Nifty Metal had risen over 2% over this period but was down 1.1% Thursday, the worst hit sectoral index.
Muthoot Finance rose over 11?ter hitting a 10% upper band earlier. The stock surged after the non-banking finance company reported robust June quarter earnings that beat the Street's estimates. Pfizer was up nearly 6?ter the comapny's Apr-Jun net profit rose over 27% on year. Vishal Mega Mart was up following a 37% on-year rise in its Apr-Jun consolidated net profit. (Simran Rede)
Equity Alert: Mkt seen up Thu; Nifty 50 options expiry to cause volatility
MUMBAI--0820 IST--The domestic equity market is likely to rise more Thursday and volatility is expected in the final trading hour due to the weekly expiry of Nifty 50 options contracts. With the June quarter earnings season ending this week, investors' focus will shift to developments in global markets, particularly with respect to trade and tariffs. Even though concerns about the stock market's expensive valuations persist, analysts are not expecting a major correction. They said the market is unlikely to reach the 10-month lows it had hit in April.
Investors will closely watch the Russia–US presidential meeting scheduled in Alaska Friday amid hopes that the US will likely removal the additional 25% tariffs imposed on India over its purchase of Russian crude oil in case of a positive outcome from the meeting. India is a net importer of crude oil and Russia meets about 35% of its demand.
"We do not expect any impact on domestic inflation from US tariffs unless crude oil prices rise significantly from reduced Russian supplies," Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities said in its report. A $10 per barrel increase in crude prices typically pushes up inflation by about 20-25 basis points depending on the extent of pass through, it added.
On Wednesday, the Nifty 50 closed 0.5% higher at 24619.35 points and the BSE Sensex ended 0.4% higher at 80539.91 points. At 0756 IST, the GIFT Nifty August futures contract traded on the NSE International Exchange was at 24698.50 points, which is around 80 points higher than the Nifty 50's closing level Wednesday. The weekly expiry of Nifty 50's options contracts Thursday is likely to lead to some volatility during the final hours of trading. (Anjana Therese Antony)
Equity Alert: Asian markets mixed; Japan indices down after record high Wed
MUMBAI--0820 IST--After a significant jump Wednesday, Asian equity markets showed a mixed trend Thursday tracking US indices. Investors bet on a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve at its monetary policy meeting outcome next month. Japanese indices were the worst hit in the region after record highs for two consecutive days.
Heavy industry and electronics stocks led the declines in Japan's benchmark indices. A stronger yen also weighed on the market. In the early trade, the Nikkei 225 and the Topix were down more than 1?ch. Both the indices were in the red after six sessions of gains and rising around 6-7% over this period.
Australia's unemployment rate eased to 4.2% in July on a seasonally adjusted basis, in line with estimates of economists polled by Reuters. It was lower than the 4.3% unemployment rate in June, according to the data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. Meanwhile, the employment print rose by 24,500 people in July, higher than a revised increase of 1,000 in June. At 0811 IST, the S&P/ASX 200 was 0.8% higher.
Among other indices in the region, South Korea's Kospi reversed its early gains and was down 0.2%. The FTSE Singapore Straits Times was down 0.4%, while the Chinese indices were higher, with the CSI 300 up 0.8% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng up 0.4%.
Following are the levels of key Asian indices at 0811 IST:
|
INDEX |
LEVEL |
CHANGE IN % |
|
CSI 300 Index |
4213.5962 | 0.88 |
|
Hang Seng Index |
25716.68 | 0.40 |
|
KOSPI |
3220.60 | (-)0.12 |
|
Nikkei 225 Day |
42687.97 | (-)1.36 |
|
TOPIX FIRST SECTION |
3059.11 | (-)1.06 |
|
FTSE Singapore Straits Times |
4255.98 | (-)0.39 |
|
S&P/ASX 200 Index |
8897.00 | 0.79 |
(Simran Rede)
Equity Alert: S&P, Nasdaq hit new highs Wed on better-than-view July CPI
MUMBAI--0746 IST--US benchmark indices closed higher Wednesday, with the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite hitting fresh all-time closing highs for the second day. A better-than-expected inflation print for July boosted sentiment and raised hopes that the US Federal Reserve may ease interest rates.
Signs that US import tariffs have not fully penetrated into consumer prices came as a relief to investors this week as they await the impact of trade uncertainty on the economy. The CME Fedwatch tool showed a 93.8% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut by the Fed in September. The central bank last lowered its key interest rates in December. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Wednesday said he thought an aggressive 50-bps rate cut was possible, given the recent weak employment numbers, Reuters reported.
However, the gains in the equity market were not as sharp as on Tuesday due to weakness in some information technology stocks. Investors likely booked profits in stocks such as Nvidia, Alphabet, and Microsoft. "Valuations are elevated. I do think, though, at the end of the day, the key will be the delivery of earnings, and that's what we're seeing," Reuters quoted Katherine Bordlemay, co-head of client portfolio management, fundamental equities at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, as saying.
Following are the closing levels of US indices overnight:
|
INDEX |
LAST LEVEL |
CHANGE IN % |
|
Dow Jones Industrial Average |
44922.27 |
1.04 |
|
NASDAQ Composite |
21713.14 |
0.14 |
|
S&P 500 |
6466.58 |
0.32 |
(Simran Rede)
US$1 = INR 87.55
End
Edited by Nishant Maher
All prices from National Stock Exchange, unless otherwise specified.
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