Indian stock markets rose over the week, with the Sensex gaining 3.59% on expectations that the interim budget would provide incentives to various sectors. While markets started positively on Monday after the government projected higher economic growth, gains were mixed through mid-week as markets wavered. The Sensex rebounded towards the end of the week on Friday, rising 1.78% as investors awaited the interim budget announcement on Monday for further direction. Top gainers for the week included DLF, Reliance Capital, and L&T, while Ranbaxy Labs and Infosys declined.

1. Markets inch forward on budget expectations, Sensex up 3.59 percent
Posted: 12:7a.m. IST, February 14, 2009
Mumbai, Feb 14 (IANS) Indian equities markets moved up a few notches during the week even
as there was no clear indication of a positive breakout happening. A key index ended trade
Friday 3.59 percent above its previous weekly close.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) ended at 9,634.74
points, registering a 3.59 percent or 333.88 points increase from last Friday’s close of 9,300.86
points. Similarly, the broader S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) shut shop
at 2,948.35 - a 3.7 percent rise from last week’s close. Broader market indices like the BSE
midcap index gained 130.15 points, 4.51 percent higher than its previous weekly close, while the
BSE smallcap index was up 116.34 points or 3.55 percent.
“Expectations of various sectoral incentives being given through the interim budget seem to be
the only trigger this week’s rally. An element of break out might still be there but it remains to be
seen how markets will react after the interim budget is announced on Monday,” said
Jagannadham Thunuguntla, chief executive of India’s fourth largest share brokerage firm, the
Delhi-based SMC Group.
Markets started the week on a positive note with the Sensex closing 3.04 percent higher than its
previous close.
Monday also was the beginning of a “feel good” week as the central government announced
estimates of economic growth at 7.1 percent, higher than what was predicted by other agencies
like the International Monetary Fund.
The 30-scrip Sensex gained 283.03 points or 3.04 percent to close at 9,583.89 points.
At shutters, Nifty was up 2.7 percent to close at 2,919.9 points. Tuesday saw Indian equities
markets struggling to keep the rally going with the Sensex gaining 63.58 points or 0.66 percent
to close at 9,647.47 points. Similarly, the Nifty crawled up 0.5 percent to close at 2,934.5 points.
Markets appeared shaky Wednesday with the Sensex losing 28.93 points or 0.3 percent from its
previous close to end trade at 9,618.54 points.
However, the Nifty gained 0.3 percent to close at 2,925.7 points. The southbound trend
continued Thursday with Sensex dipping further, losing 1.59 percent or 152.71 points to end at
9,465.83 points.

2. Similarly, Nifty lost 1.12 percent to close at 2,893.05 points. Friday saw a rebound with Sensex
rising 168.91 points or 1.78 percent from Thursday’s close to end at 9,634.74 points. The S&P
CNX Nifty gained 1.63 percent to close at 2,940.3 points.
The top gainers this week on the Sensex were DLF (up 16.4 percent), Reliance Capital (up 14.9
percent), L&T (up 9.9 percent), HDFC (up 9.1 percent) and Maruti (up 8.8 percent). Among
Sensex’s top losers were Ranbaxy Labs (down 4.8 percent), Infosys (down 2.9 percent), Grasim
(down 2.6 percent), ITC (down 1.8 percent) and Hindustan Unilever (down 0.5 percent).
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) made net buys of $120.4 million this week compared to sale
of $40.4 million worth of shares.