Nik's Diary
The Indian market opened in the red today mirroring negative
opening trades in the SGX Nifty and mixed opening in the Asian markets. After
recovering from an early move, US markets slid on Friday. They then saw modest
strength for much of the remainder of the trading session. The strength on the
day came as upbeat economic data overshadowed concerns about the impact of
automatic government spending cuts. The major averages moved roughly sideways
going into the close, hovering in positive territory. The European markets
ended Friday's session with mixed results. A number of weaker-than-expected
economic reports weighed on investor sentiments at the end of the trading week.
Manufacturing data from China and the UK were disappointing, while unemployment
in the Eurozone climbed to a record high. The markets managed to recover some
ground in the afternoon, following some better-than-expected economic reports
in the US, including the stronger-than-expected ISM manufacturing data.
Meanwhile, Indian shares rose on Friday, rebounding from three-month lows after
the finance ministry clarified it would not question the validity of tax
residency certificates held by foreign investors. India's indexes, however,
ended lower for a fifth consecutive week after the budget on Thursday
disappointed investors by financing increased revenues in part by raising taxes
on some companies and high-earners.
Quick clarification on TRC issue to soothe investor
sentiments
Spooked first by the negative global
cues from Europe and then by the lacklustre Union Budget, markets have fallen
sharply during the week ended. On the BSE, the Sensex shed 398 points closing
at 18,918 and the Nifty on the NSE ended 130 points lower at 5,719. Market breadth was extremely bad
with several stocks recording to 52-week low. Absence of any big
bang reform measures in the budget; and confusion regarding treatment of Tax
Residency Certificate (TRC) for benefits of Double Tax Avoidance Agreements
(DTAA) reportedly triggered selling from some FIIs. Weak quarterly GDP numbers
reflected the deteriorating macro picture of the economy. Weekend
clarification on TRC by the finance minister and hike in petrol prices may
dictate market direction during the early part of coming week. A sharp rebound
from current oversold levels is not ruled out. Exit from weak stocks in the
event of relief rally. Despite
the report of personal income posting steepest month-to-month drop in 20 years,
benchmark indices Dow and S&P have inched towards all-time highs in US
during the week ended. However, the reports of renewed concerns in
Europe-unsettled by political turmoil in Italy and ‘softer than anticipated’
manufacturing report from China may trigger volatility in the global
markets. For the week ahead, chartists predict trading range of
18,725-19,200 for the Sensex and 5,640-5,820 for the Nifty. Immediate supports for the
indices are at 18,820 and 18,700 and 5,680 and 5,625. Rebound from current
levels may propel the indices closer to 19,200 and 5,850 levels. Source: Deccan Chronicle
Bulk diesel
price raised; non-subsidised LPG price cut
A day after petrol price was hiked by Rs 1.40 per litre,
diesel price for bulk consumers like Railways on Saturday was hiked by almost a
rupee per litre. However, the price of cooking gas (LPG) is cut by Rs 37.50 a
cylinder that consumers buy beyond their quota of subsidised bottles. Neither
the retail prices of diesel sold through petrol pumps nor rates for subsidised
LPG cylinders has been changed. The Government had in January allowed
state-owned oil firms to sell diesel to all consumers taking supplies from
their installations at market price. Pursuant to the decision, oil companies
sold diesel to bulk consumers like Defence, Railways and State Road Transport
Corporations at a rate of Rs 58.58 per litre as compared to Rs 48.16 per litre
price of the fuel at petrol pumps in Delhi. Industry sources said the oil firms
yesterday hiked the price of diesel for the bulk consumers by 94 paisa,
excluding local sales tax or VAT. The actual increase for consumers will be up
to Rs 1.25 per litre. The hike in bulk diesel price was necessitated by the
firming up of international oil rates. This has led to loss on diesel sold
through petrol pumps rising to Rs 11.26 per litre from Rs 10.72 last month.
Also, oil companies cut the price of cooking gas (LPG) that consumers will have
to buy beyond their quota of 9 subsidised cylinders in a year. The
non-subsidised LPG will cost Rs 904.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder as against Rs 942 a
bottle previously. On Friday, the oil companies had raised petrol price by Rs
1.40 a litre, excluding VAT on firming global oil rates. The hike in Delhi
translated into Rs 1.68 and petrol now costs to Rs 70.74 a litre. Together with
Rs 1.50 per litre hike in rates effected from February 16, petrol price have
been raised by about Rs 3 per litre in two weeks. Sources said oil firms
continue to incur a loss of Rs 439 on sale of every 14.2-kg cylinder at
subsidised rate of Rs 410.50 in Delhi. On kerosene, they lose Rs 33.43 per
litre and will end the fiscal with a loss of Rs 163,500 crore on fuel sales. Source: Niticentral
S. Kumars Nationwide Ltd (SKNL) plans to raise about Rs.600 crore by selling shares of its Reid and Taylor (India) Ltd unit through a qualified institutional placement (QIP), having put its initial public offer (IPO) plan on the back burner, according to three investment bankers familiar with the development. The money will be used to pay off the company’s debt, said one of the three people on condition of anonymity. UBS India will advise the company on the transaction. “It is UBS’s policy not to comment on market speculation or rumour,” said a UBS spokesperson. An SKNL spokesman said “plans to revive the IPO will depend entirely on market conditions”. He, however, declined to comment on the company’s likely stake sale to a private equity firm and the plans of raising money through QIP or any other method. “We would not like to comment on market rumours,” he said. SKNL had planned to list its Reid and Taylor business in 2010. The Rs.1,000 crore IPO seems to have met with hurdles owing to high debt on the books of other businesses of SKNL apart from Reid and Taylor, said one of the people cited above. The consolidated debt of the S. Kumars group stood at Rs.4,262.93 crore as on 31 March, up 26% from a year earlier, according to financial data provider Capitaline published by Capital Markets Publishers Pvt. Ltd. SKNL’s debt-to-equity ratio stands at 1.83% for fiscal 2012, much above its peers. Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd’s debt-to-equity ratio as on 31 December stood at 0.98% while that of Shoppers Stop Ltd was 0.18% as on 30 September. “The company (SKNL) is no longer looking at IPO for Reid and Taylor as the debt pile-up is massive on account of SKNL’s US subsidiary HMX Acquisition Corp.,” the third banker said. HMX, a formal wear company that was acquired by SKNL in 2009, had filed a petition under Chapter 11 for voluntary capital restructuring in October. HMX had declared bankruptcy and was acquired from the US Bankruptcy Court. The net loss of HMX during the quarter ended 31 December stood at Rs.10.35 crore, according to a filing by SKNL on BSE. The company, in a statement, attributed the loss to the “sluggish market and tight liquidity situations in the US that were making it difficult for HMX to stay afloat”. “Reid and Taylor is a great asset for SKNL and has been doing well each quarter. The company does not want to let go of the asset so a strategic sale is unlikely. QIP is the best bet today. The promoters have dropped the IPO plans as market conditions are not very robust still and SKNL’s stock has not done very well,” said the third banker. The SKNL stock closed at Rs.8.95 on Friday, down 0.78% while BSE’s benchmark Sensex rose 0.3% to 18,918.52 points. “It (SKNL) has been waiting to list for quite sometime now but is unable to find an opportune time. In the meanwhile, the economy has only further deteriorated impacting discretionary spends and the retail sector,” said Abhishek Ranganathan, vice-president, retail and real estate, Institutional Equity Research, Phillip Capital (India) Pvt. Ltd. SKNL’s consolidated profit fell 88.5% to Rs.10.45 crore during the December quarter from a year earlier. According to an Institutional Investor Advisory Services India Ltd report dated 14 January, the promoters have pledged 99.82% of their holding in SKNL. The first investment banker cited above said SKNL is considering other options to tide over the debt issues, including corporate debt restructuring. He added that the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) is considering staying invested in Reid and Taylor. GIC invested Rs.900 crore in Reid and Taylor in 2008 for a 25% stake. According to GIC’s website, the sovereign wealth fund has a 20-year investment horizon. Source: Livemint
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