Telecoms Lift Indian Stocks to Record Level

123jump.com Staff
20 Jul, 2007
New York City

Sensex in India scaled new high on steady fund flows from international investors and a rise in telecom and metal stocks. Relinance sold 5% stake in its telecom tower unit for $340 million lifting other telecom stocks. Firm metal prices lifted steel, zinc and copper stocks. Cements stocks bucked the trend and corrected. Larsen & Toubro jumped 4% on earnings. Wholesale inflation was reported unchaged at the end of July 7th.

[R]12:30PM New York, 11:00PM India – Sensex Closes higher on telecom stocks and earnings from Larsen & Toubro.[/R]

In Mumbai trading Sensitive 30 Index increased 0.1% to 15,565.55, record close. The index edged higher on strength in telecom stocks and steady fund flows from international investors.

Economy News

Wholesales Price Index, a measure of annual inflation, for the week ending July 7th, was reported at 4.27%, unchanged from the previous week ending. The food prices fell in the week but failed to impact the overall inflation.

Deal News

Reliance Communication jumped 1.3% after adding more than 2% in the previous session on a deal to sell 5% stake in its telecom tower unit for 27,000 rupees or $338 million to a group of private equity investors. The deal values the infrastructure unit at $6.5 billion. Bharti Airtel jumped 3% on the news hoping for a similar deal for its tower unit. Reliance reached 592 rupees and Bharti at 943 rupees, traded at record intra-day high. Reliance Communication chairman Anil Ambani had earlier said the group of companies controlled by second richest man in India has a capacity to borrow more than $5 billion in the international markets.

Metals and Commodities

Firmness in metals prices lifted stocks of Tata Steel and SAIL. Tata Steel jumped 5% to 715.90 rupees, JSW Steel advanced 2.7% to 722 rupees, Hindustan Zinc added 2.5% to 788 .60 rupees, SAIL increased 0.6% to 156 rupees.

Cements stocks fell after rallying for more than two weeks. ACC fell 3.7%, Ambuja Cement lost 2.3%, and India Cements dropped 1.3%.

Earnings News

Satyam reported earnings of 3.78 billion rupees on 27% rise in sales to 18.3 billion rupees. The stock fell 2% on the news.

Larsen & Toubro jumped 4.2% on net income of 3.77 billion rupees. Company secured projects worth $180 million in the quarter.

Gujarat Ambuja profit surged 168% on 16% increase in revenue to $180 million.


[R]11:30AM New York, 10:00PM India – Korea, India and Hong Kong close at record in Asian trading.[/R]

Asian Markets across the region advanced on rising oil and metals prices, higher earnings, and positive sentiment in New York and European trading a day ago. Shanghai led the region with a sharp rise of 4.3% followed by 2.36% rise in South Korea, 1.4% gain in Indonesia, 1.3% rise in Singapore, 1.2% in increase in Taiwan, and 1.2% ahead in Hong Kong, and 0.6% edging up in Australia. Japan increased a fraction 0.23%.

In Korea trading LG Electronics jumped 6% on earnings of 384.6 billion won in the second quarter compared to a loss of 9.7 billion a year ago. The strong earnings prompted rating revision from local brokers. The second largest mobile phone operator earnings lifted Samsung Electronics by 4%. Posco jumped nearly 4% on the statement that it plans to expand its production. Korea Zinc jumped 6% on firm metal prices in overnight trading in Europe. Kospi Index jumped 2.4% or 45.64 at close to record level of 1,983.54.

In Hong Kong trading Han Seng Index gained 1.2% at 23,291.90 to a record close lifted by financials, insurance, and telecom stocks. China Mobile jumped 2.5% after the company reported that it added 5.53 million new subscribers in June, driven by promotions and discounts. Insurance companies China Life increased 2.6% and Ping An gained 2.5%.

In Tokyo trading Nikkei 225 Index added 0.23% to close at 18,157.93. Industrials, technology and steelmakers lifted the sentiment. Ahead of earnings, Nippon Steel and JFE Holdings added 3.9% on hopes of better earnings. JFE has guided earnings for the first half to increase 12% to 150 billion yen on 13% sales increase to 1.68 trillion yen. Matushita Electric jumped 1.5% ahead of earnings next week. KDDI, mobile phone operator, fell after its reduced its subscription price for new subscribers by 50%.


[R]9:00AM New York – Earnings news dominate the New York opening[/R]

Earnings reports from several companies in the technology, banking, and industrial sectors dominated the trading sentiment. Market averages are likely open lower in New York on a decline in Google, Microsoft, and Caterpillar.

Citigroup reported second quarter earnings of $6.23 billion from $5.26 billion a year ago on revenue 20% gain in revenue of $26.6 billion. Earnings per share jumped to $1.24 from $1.05. International revenue jumped 34%, on recent acquisitions, to $12.6 billion and earnings surged 35% to $3.04 billion. Earnings in the investment banking jumped to $2.83 billion from $1.72 billion. The Global Wealth Management division which includes the Smith Barney brokerage services, earned $514 million, 48%, on a global rise in earnings.

Caterpillar Inc ((CAT)) earnings dropped to $823 million from $1.05 billion on 7.1% revenue increase to $11.4 billion. Earnings per share declined to $1.24 from $1.52. The company restated the annual earnings guidance between $5.30 and $5.80 per share and revenue of $44 billion in the year 2007. The company also lowered its forecast of new home construction to 1.4 million from 1.5 million. Engine sales in the North America declined 7.5% from a year ago due to higher demand of engines last year ahead of tigher emissions standard.

Google dropped 7% in the morning hours after disappointing some aggressive growth investors and Microsoft is down 3% on charges related to Xbox repairs. Caterpillar lost 5% on 7% decline in earnings. Whirlpool is ahead 2% on 77% jump in earnings. sanDisk jumped 7% on its quarterly profit on strong sales in Europe. Advanced Micro Devices jumped 2% and reported sales gain of 13% to $1.38 billion in the second quarter.

Apple Inc traded at record high to $142 on a favorable report from Piper Jaffrey and a revised price target of $205.