Stocks in the Asia Pacific region continued to decline on Friday, after heavy selling in US markets as investors digested underwhelming Nvidia Corp. results, mixed economic data and further details on US tariffs.

South Korea’s Kospi fell 2.47%, or 64.64 points to 2,557.11, while Australia’s S&P ASX 200 was down 0.81% at 8,201.50 as of 7:28 a.m. Markets in Japan fell on Friday, while the benchmark index in China and Hong Kong also saw a lower open. This comes after S&P 500 fell 1.6% on Thursday, erasing the gains it made this year.

Among important events today, Japan Tokyo CPI, industrial production and retail sales data will be released today. US PCE inflation in addition to income and spending data will also be released on Friday.

The US dollar rose on Thursday following US President Donald Trump’s announcement on starting tariffs on Canada and Mexico from March 4 and adding another 10% tax on Chinese imports.

The S&P 500 fell 1.6%, while the Nasdaq 100 slipped over 2.8%, pulled down by the Magnificent Seven that saw the biggest decline since December. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 0.45% on Friday.

Crude oil prices rose after they began the week lower with the Brent crude rising 2.08% at $74.04 a barrel as of 7:29 a.m. IST, and the West Texas Intermediate was down 0.36% at $70.10.

Benchmark indices ended Thursday’s session flat, with the media and realty sectors declining the most, while finance emerged as a top sectoral gainer, followed by metal. On Tuesday, the markets had closed on a mixed note, following five consecutive sessions of losses.

The NSE Nifty 50 ended 2.50 points, or 0.01% lower at 22,545.05, while the BSE Sensex closed 10.31 points or 0.01% higher at 74,612.43.

Foreign portfolio investors continued to remain net sellers of Indian equities for the sixth straight session on Thursday as they net offloaded stocks worth approximately Rs 556.6 crore.

Domestic institutional investors stayed net buyers for the 16th straight session as they mopped up equities worth Rs 1,727.1 crore, according to provisional data from the National Stock Exchange.

The Indian rupee pared most of the loss against the US dollar to end Thursday on a muted note.

Earnings Post Market Hours

KSB Q4 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)

  • Revenue up 20.5% to Rs 726 crore versus Rs 603 crore.

  • Ebitda up 21.6% to Rs 98.4 crore versus Rs 80.9 crore.

  • Margin at 13.5% versus 13.4%.

  • Net profit up 33.2% to Rs 73.1 crore versus Rs 54.9 crore. 

Schaeffler India Q4 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)

  • Revenue up 14% to Rs 2,136 crore versus Rs 1,874 crore. 

  • Ebitda up 14.3% to Rs 370 crore versus Rs 324 crore.

  • Margin flat at 17.3%.

  • Net profit up 13.2% to Rs 237 crore versus Rs 210 crore.

Stocks To Watch

  • Transrail Lighting: It has won new orders worth Rs 2,752 crore, primarily from the transmission and distribution segment. Year-to-date order inflows have now surpassed Rs 7,400 crore.

  • Tata Power: TP Solar Ltd., the solar manufacturing arm of Tata Power Co., has secured a contract worth approximately Rs 632 crore from Solar Energy Corp.

  • PNC Infratech: Hardoi Highways, a subsidiary of the company, has completed a Rs 864-crore road project in Uttar Pradesh. As a result, the company is eligible for an early completion bonus of Rs 14.2 crore from the National Highways Authority of India.

  • LIC: It has received a demand order for goods and services tax, interest and penalty amounting to Rs 480 crore from the Maharashtra tax authority for financial year 2020–21.

  • Rail Vikas Nigam: The company has received a letter of acceptance from Central Railway to construct a new power station aimed at enabling trains to carry heavier loads (3,000 tonnes) on the Bhusaval-Khandwa line. This project is valued at Rs 136 crore.

  • Coal India: The company will impose an additional charge of Rs 300 per tonne on top of the notified price across all mines of NCL starting May 1. This charge is expected to generate additional revenue of Rs 3,877.5 crore.

  • Kernex Microsystems (India): It received a letter of acceptance for a project worth Rs 325.3 crore from the Southeastern Railway. The contract includes “supply, installation, testing and commissioning of Kavach on GD and GQ routes” along with associated works on the section of Kharagpur and Chakradharpur division.

  • GE Power India: It received an order for an additional 320MW vertical Francis pump turbine unit from Greenko KA01 IREP Pvt., increasing the total contract value by Rs 273.5 crore.

  • Jindal Stainless: The company has acquired a 100% equity stake in AGH Dreams Pvt. and Utkrisht Dream Ventures Pvt.

  • Chemplast Sanmar: The company, along with its subsidiary Chemplast Cuddalore Vinyls, has entered into a power purchase agreement with JSW Green Energy Nine. They have also agreed to acquire equity shares in JSW Green Energy Nine through a separate agreement with JSW Neo Energy.

  • Granules India: The US FDA issued a warning letter to Granules’ Gagillapur facility based on its inspection conducted in August 2024. Manufacturing and distribution of existing products from the Gagillapur facility continue unaffected. However, the warning letter could cause delays in the FDA’s approval process for new products made at that site.

  • Blue Dart Express: The delivery services company received a GST demand order worth Rs 9.68 lakh including interest and penalty.

  • Apollo Pipes: The company acquired an additional 1% stake worth Rs 5.59 crore via secondary purchase in its arm Kisan Mouldings.

  • Servotech Renewable Power System: The company signed an MOU with the Chamber of Indian Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises to significantly boost the adoption of solar energy across India. It aims to install 100,000 solar rooftop systems in homes by 2026.

  • Rajoo Engineers: The company has a meeting of its board of directors on March 4 to consider and approve raising of funds by way of qualified institutional placement.

  • Aarti Industries: Building on the January announcement of a joint venture for plastic recycling, Aarti Circularity Ltd., a subsidiary, has now acquired a 49% equity stake in Re Aarti Pvt. This finalises their participation in the joint venture with Re Sustainability and Recycling Pvt.

  • Mankind Pharma: The National Company Law Tribunal approved the amalgamation of Shree Jee Lab, JPR Labs, and Jaspack Industries with the company.

  • Eris Lifesciences: The company completed acquisition of 30% stake in Levim Lifetech.

  • HCL Technologies: The IT major was selected by Children’s Minnesota to modernise healthcare operations with AI.

  • Roto Pumps: Following their August 2023 announcement regarding a new factory for Roto Energy Systems, the company has begun construction of the first phase, consisting of the basement and ground floor. This phase, costing approximately Rs 18 crore, is slated for completion by the end of December 2025.

  • TVS Motor: The company launched the TVS King Duramax Plus and TVS King Deluxe Plus three-wheelers in Mexico. Both these passenger carriers are designed like a car on three wheels, with several smart features for driver and passenger comfort, with a durable and reliable engine for a low total cost of ownership.

Who’s Meeting Whom?

  • Sunteck Realty: To meet a group of analysts and investors on March 4.

  • Adani Energy Solutions: To meet a group of investors at DAM Capital’s RE Energy Conference on March 4.

  • Sanathan Textiles: To meet Dymon Asia Capital on March 4.

  • ADF Foods: To meet analysts from March 4–7.

  • Veefin Solutions: To meet investors on March 4.

  • Advanced Enzyme Technologies: To meet investors from March 4–7.

Insider Trades

  • TGV Sraac: Promoter group Sree Rayalaseema Hi-Strength Hypo acquired 35,693 shares, while promoter group TGV Projects and Investments acquired 30,823 shares.

  • Jindal Drilling & Industries: Promoter group Jindal Global Finance and Investment sold 1 lakh shares, while promoter group Jindal Pipes acquired 1 lakh shares.

  • Steel Strips Wheels: Promoter Priya Garg acquired 28,000 shares.

  • Premier Polyfilm: Promoter Amitaabh Goenka acquired 12,532 shares.

  • Taarc: Promoter Group Muskaan Sarin acquired 50,000 shares.

Trading Tweaks

  • Price band change to 10% from 20%: JNK India, Precision Camshafts and Swelect Energy Systems.

  • Price band set at 20%: Abbott India, Atul, Bata India, Can Fin Homes, Coromandel International, City Union Bank, Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals, Gujarat Gas, Indiamart Intermesh, IPCA Laboratories, Dr. Lal Path Labs, Metropolis Healthcare, Navin Fluorine International, PVR Inox, Sun TV Network and United Breweries.

  • Stocks moving into short-term ASM Framework: Century Enka, FCS Software Solutions, Graphisads, Heads UP Ventures, Phantom Digital Effects, Polysil Irrigation Systems, Prajay Engineers Syndicate, Senco Gold and Texmaco Infrastructure & Holdings.

  • Stocks moving out of ASM Framework: Carysil, Concord Enviro Systems, Nandani Creation, Nitiraj Engineers, Pix Transmissions, The Sandesh and Shah Alloys.

  • Stocks trading ex-dividend: Bhatia Communications & Retail (India), International Gemmological Institute India, Panchsheel Organics and Power Finance Corp.

  • Stocks trading ex-split: RDB Realty and Oasis Securities.

  • Stocks trading ex-bonus: Jindal Worldwide.

F&O Cues

  • Nifty March futures down by 0.25% at a premium of 138.6 points.

  • Nifty March futures open interest up by 37.38%.

  • Nifty Options March 6 Expiry: Maximum call open interest at 25,500 and maximum put open interest at 22,500.

  • Securities in ban period: Nil.

Currency Update

The Indian rupee pared most of the loss against the US dollar to end Thursday on a muted note.

The Indian unit settled at 87.20 a dollar, unchanged from Tuesday’s close, according to Bloomberg data. India’s financial markets were closed Wednesday on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri.

The rupee opened 6 paise lower at 87.26 a dollar. Shortly after opening, the domestic currency plummeted 22 paise to the day’s low of 87.42 against the greenback.

. Read more on Markets by NDTV Profit.The NSE Nifty 50 closed 2.5 points or 0.01% lower at 22,545.05, while the BSE Sensex gained 10.31 points or 0.01% to settle at 74,612.43 on Thursday.  Read MoreMarkets, Business, Notifications 

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