The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex declined 9.98 points or 0.02% to 60,105.50. The Nifty 50 index shed 18.45 points or 0.10% to 17,895.70.
Bharti Airtel (down 3.64%), Cipla (down 2.79%), Divi's Laboratories (down 2.56%), Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (down 2.52%) and Hindustan Unilever (down 1.95%) were major Nifty losers.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 0.27% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.02%.
The market breadth was positive. On the BSE, 1,866 shares rose and 1,627 shares fell. A total of 148 shares were unchanged.
Among the sectoral indices on the NSE, the Nifty Metal index (up 0.75%), the Nifty PSU Bank index (up 0.70%) and the Nifty Bank index (up 0.52%) outperformed the Nifty50 index. Meanwhile, the Nifty FMCG index (down 1.13%), the Nifty Healthcare index (down 0.81%) and the Nifty Pharma index (down 0.66%) underperformed the Nifty50 index.
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Investors looked ahead to the U.S. consumer price index report due on Thursday for more clues on the rate-hike trajectory. Meanwhile, the World Bank slashed its growth forecasts for most countries and regions and warned that new adverse shocks could tip the global economy into a recession.
US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday emphasized the need for the central bank to be free of political influence while it tackles high inflation. Powell noted that stabilizing prices requires making tough decisions that can be unpopular politically.
Economy:
The World Bank in its latest economic update has said that India's economic growth will slow to 6.6% in the next fiscal year from an expected 6.9% in the current year.
"The slowdown in the global economy and rising uncertainty will weigh on export and investment growth," the World Bank said.
Increased infrastructure spending and "business facilitation measures" will, however, crowd-in private investment and support the expansion of manufacturing capacity, it added.
India is expected to be the fastest-growing economy of the seven largest emerging markets and developing economies, it said.
Beyond the fiscal year ending March 2024, growth in India is likely to slip back towards its potential rate of just over 6%, the bank added.
Global Markets:
Markets in Europe and Asia edged higher on Wednesday as investors looked ahead to the U.S. consumer price index, which would set the Federal Reserve's trajectory in its attempt to tackle inflation.
US stocks ended firmly higher on Tuesday on relief that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell refrained in a speech from commenting on rate policy.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday stressed the need for the central bank to be free of political influence while it tackles persistently high inflation. In a speech delivered to Sweden's Riksbank, Powell noted that stabilizing prices requires making tough decisions that can be unpopular politically.
Meanwhile, the World Bank slashed its growth forecasts for most countries and regions and warned that new adverse shocks could tip the global economy into a recession. Global gross domestic product will probably increase 1.7% this year, about half the pace forecast in June, the Washington-based lender said Tuesday. The bank, which also cut its growth estimates for 2024, said persistent inflation and higher interest rates are among the key reasons. It also cited the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and a decline in investment.
Numbers to Track:
The yield on India's 10-year benchmark federal paper declined to 7.293 from its close of 7.313 recorded in the previous trading session.
In the foreign exchange market, the rupee edged higher against the dollar. The partially convertible rupee was hovering at 81.64, compared with its close of 81.7475 during the previous trading session.
MCX Gold futures for 3 February 2023 settlement rose 0.33% to Rs 55,895.
The US Dollar index (DXY), which tracks the greenback's value against a basket of currencies, was up 0.06% to 103.30.
The United States 10-year bond yield declined 1.24% to 3.574.
In the commodities market, Brent crude for March 2023 settlement added 46 cents or 0.57% to $80.56 a barrel.
Stocks in Spotlight:
Tata Motors rose 1.21%. Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEML), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, and Ford India (FIPL) had executed a unit transfer agreement on 7 August 2022 for acquisition of Ford India's manufacturing plant situated at Sanand, Gujarat for Rs 725.70 crore. The parties have completed the transaction and TPEML has acquired the Sanand Property and the VM Plant and Machinery.
Bharti Airtel slipped 3.46% after a foreign broker downgraded the stock to underperform from overweight and slashed its target price to Rs 710 from Rs 860 earlier. The target price is at 7% discount to the ruling market price. According to the media reports, the foreign broker is of the view that delayed price recovery likely will impact telecom players. 5G rollouts drive CAPEX intensity, it said.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone shed 0.01%. The company said that the company's consortium with Israel's Gadot Chemical Tankers has completed the acquisition of HPC from the Government of Israel.
Hindalco Industries gained 2.90% after the company announced that its board has approved fund raising of upto Rs 700 crore by issuing non-convertible debentures (NCDs) on private placement basis.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries advanced 1.65% after the drug maker announced that one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries has launched a novel anti-cancer drug, Palbociclib in India for patients who have advanced breast cancer. The pharma major said that the drug will be available under the brand name of Palenotm (Palbociclib).
Adani Wilmar gained 1.50% after the edible oil major said it had another good quarter, with strong volume growth across all segments leading to continued gain in market share across key product categories in Q3 FY23.
The company reported high-single digit growth in edible oil volumes, while the growth in value terms was in low-single digit. Food & FMCG basket continued to grow at a very strong rate of high-20s in volumes and mid-40 growth in value in percentage terms during the quarter. Industry essentials registered a strong volume growth of over 40% and high-teens growth in value during Q3 FY23.
Piramal Pharma declined 1.93%. The pharma company said that the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued a Form 483, with six observations after the inspection of its Lexington facility. The USFDA conducted a pre-approval inspection (PAI) and good manufacturing practices (GMP) inspection of Piramal Pharma's Lexington facility, Kentucky, USA from 27 December 2022 to 10 January 2023.
PC Jeweller fell 0.42%. The company said that during the quarter ended 31 December 2022, the company has recorded domestic turnover of Rs 829.10 crore, registering a growth of more than 38% on YoY basis. The company's domestic turnover in the corresponding quarter of the previous year was Rs 600.18 crore. It further informed that the company had also opened a new franchisee showroom at Katihar (Bihar) during the quarter.
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