CPO Aug futures plung 0.82% to Rs 398.30/10 kg on demand worries, oversupply woes vs open of Rs 399.50/10 kg

Base Metal:Copper plunges to 5-yr low on demand worries, higher stockpiles

 

   Copper plunges to five-year low on afternoon trades Friday on demand concerns from Euro-zone and China and on higher stockpiles of the metal, said analysts.

  "Base metals were down on global demand worries and on higher supply," said Priyanka Jhaveri an analyst with Kotak Commodities.

  Base metals were down on demand worries from Euro-zone following weaker than expected industrial production activity in Germany, the biggest metal consumer in Euro-zone, said analysts.

  Germany industrial production s.a for month of June fell unexpectedly to 1.4% compared to analysts' expectation of 0.4% gain and 0.0% a month ago, government data showed.

  Germany imports for month of June dropped 0.5% compared to consensus estimation of 0.5% growth and 0.7% growth a month ago while exports dropped 1% compared to analysts forecast of 0.5% decline and 1.6% expansion a month ago, government data showed.

  Prices of base metals were also down on growing fears about China's slowing economic growth. Traders worry that contracting manufacturing activity and falling home prices will translate into reduced demand for the metal.

  China services PMI came at 53.8 in July compared to 51.9 a month ago, a survey by Caixin/Markit Economics showed.

  A reading above 50 points indicates growth on a monthly basis, while one below that points to a contraction.

  China is the world's largest consumer of copper accounting for about 40% of total global demand and major consumer of other industrial metals.

  Copper prices were also supported after jumped to highest since January 2014 and inventories rose a eighth day on London Metal Exchange (LME), indicating oversupply woes, said analysts.

  Copper stockpiles jumped by 725 tons to 352,325 tons, LME data showed.

  Base metals were also down as investors are caution ahead of United States, the second biggest metal consumer, Non-Farm payrolls data due later in the day today.

  Upbeat Non-farm data will fuel expectation of September rate hike which in turn may lift US Dollar higher and drag down commodities in general.

  On Tuesday, Dennis Lockhart, Federal Reserve President of Atlanta expressed his support for an interest rate hike in September.

  Lockhart, a voting member of Federal Open Market Committee this year, said to Wall Street Journal that it would take 'significant deterioration' in the United States economy for him not to support a September rate hike.

  In its latest policy review last month, the central bank reiterated its resolve to hike rates later this year as the economy was poised for expansion and labour market was expected to improve further. A pick-up in US economy, the world's biggest, augurs well for emerging market especially for exporting companies.

  The central bank said it was seeing 'solid' job gains and maintained its view that economic activity was expanding 'moderately', with the risks to the outlook 'nearly balanced'.

  Copper for August delivery dropped 0.26% to Rs 330.30 per kilograms on the MCX.

  Lead for August delivery slipped 0.60% to Rs 108.25 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest level since July 31.

  Prices of zinc for August delivery plunged 0.29% to Rs 118.60 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest level since April 2, 2014.

  Nickel for August delivery dropped 0.22% to Rs 692.60 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest level since July 7.

  However, prices of aluminium traded flat in afternoon trades Friday on short covering and on higher supply, said analysts,

  Prices of the aluminium were supported as investors bought back oversold position after prices plunged to two-year low on Thursday, said analysts.

  On Thursday, aluminium for August delivery plunged 0.34% to Rs100.55 per kilograms on the MCX, its lowest since May 16, 2013.

  However, sharp gain in the metal prices was cushioned by higher supply of that metal from China, said analysts.

  China's exports of primary aluminium rose to 20,412 tons in the first six months of the year, a surge of 66% from the same period a year ago while exports of semi-finished aluminium products jumped by 44% to 2.22 million tons.

  Meanwhile it is estimated that global inventories are at about 14 million tons.

  Aluminium for August delivery fell 0.05% to Rs 100.50 per kilograms on the MCX. The metal prices traded as high as at Rs 100.80 per kilograms on the MCX.

TNS STOCKS: Fall Fri on Fed rate hike fear ahead of NFP data; BHEL slumps

 Indian shares declined in afternoon trades Friday as investors feared a probable rate hike in September after strong United States jobless claims amid weak earnings from Bharat Heavy Electricals.

  Global risk appetite dropped as investors awaited non farm payrolls data for the month July, which might indicate a probable rate hike in September.

  Thursday, jobless claims declined more than expected, sparking fears of a September rate hike.

  Jobless claims came at 270,000 for the week ended Jul 31 lower than analysts' estimate of 273,000 and 267,000 a week ago, a government data showed.     

   On Tuesday, Dennis Lockhart, Federal Reserve President of Atlanta expressed his support for an interest rate hike in September.

  Lockhart, a voting member of Federal Open Market Committee this year, said to Wall Street Journal that it would take 'significant deterioration' in the United States economy for him not to refrain from supporting a September rate hike.

  In its latest policy review last month, the central bank reiterated its resolve to hike rates later this year as the economy was poised for expansion and labour market was expected to improve further. A pick-up in US economy, the world's biggest, augurs well for emerging market especially for exporting companies.

  The central bank said it was seeing 'solid' job gains and maintained its view that economic activity was expanding 'moderately', with the risks to the outlook 'nearly balanced'.

  Meanwhile, shares also fell after heavyweight index component Bharat Heavy Electricals posted weak first quarter earnings.

  BHEL posted first quarter profit of Rs 338.9 million compared to Rs 1.93 billion in the same period a year ago.

  Meanwhile, sales slumped to Rs 42.08 billion from Rs 50.67 billion in the same period a year ago.

  Meanwhile, locally investors also focused on corpus funds coming in from the state run retirement fund after it said that it would invest nearly Rs 50 billion in the equity markets this fiscal.

  The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will allocate Rs 50 billion in the present fiscal for exchange traded funds that track the country's two main share indexes, but could increase that to as much as Rs 70 billion to Rs 80 billion, fund commissioner K.K.Jalan.

  Yesterday, Central Provident fund Commissioner, K.K. Jalan said that to begin with, EPFO will invest in two exchange traded funds, one built around the Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange and another around BSE's Sensex. Going forward, it may diversify its basket of ETFs.

  According to a decision by the central board of EPFO, the retirement fund manager will invest up to 5% of its incremental corpus in ETFs in the current financial year. In other words, between 6 August and 31 March 2016, EPFO will pump in between Rs 50 billion and Rs 60 billion in the stock market.

   At 1:50PM, India's benchmark index, the S&P BSE Sensex declined 0.30% to 28,215.80 on the Mumbai stock exchange. The measure opened at 28,327.11 compared to previous close of 28,298.13.

   The 50-share Nifty slipped 0.33% to 8,560.80 on the National Stock exchange. The measure opened at 8,580.80 compared to previous close of 8,588.65.

  Overseas investors net bought Rs 4.48 billion worth local shares Thursday, provisional data from the stock exchanges showed.

  The following stocks/sectors recorded significant movement on the stock exchanges today:

  Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Company Ltd: The flagship company of Wadia Group, slipped 6.1% to Rs 81.65 after reporting net loss in the fiscal first quarter on higher finance costs and weak sales.

  IVRCL Ltd: A Hyderabad based company, spurted 1.8% to Rs 12.03 Friday after the company announced that it has allotted shares to lenders in accordance to the restructuring agreement.

  Jaypee Infratech Ltd: A local infrastructure development and real estate company, slumped 6.6% to Rs 14.75 after fiscal first quarter net profit dropped 43.2% on weak sales and higher finance costs.

  Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd: A Bangalore-based fertilizer company, fell 2.55% to Rs 59.15 Friday after fiscal first quarter net loss widened on one-time cost.

   Sun Pharmaceuticals Ltd: India's biggest drugmaker, gained 0.65% to Rs 852after its Israel unit Taro posted strong earnings for the first quarter.

  Uflex Ltd: A local packaging company, jumped 3.7% to Rs 181.60 after the company said that fiscal first quarter group profit climbed 22% on strong sales.

  Vedanta Ltd: The flagship company of Anil Agarwal led Vedanta Resources Plc, climbed 1.7% to Rs 129 on talk to restart iron ore mining operations at the Codli mines in Goa next week.

 

Future Retail Q1 net profit slips 91% on higher costs; Shares dn

  Future Retail Ltd, the flagship company of Kishore Biyani owned Future group, Friday said fiscal first quarter net profit slipped 90.8% on higher finance costs and higher expenses. Shares of the company fell.

  Net profit fell to Rs 61 million in the three months ended June 30 compared to Rs 665 million in the same period a year ago, Future Retail said in a statement to the stock exchanges today.

   Net sales of the company jumped 22.8% to Rs 28.46 billion while other income surged 10.14% to Rs 92.3 million in the Apr-Jun quarter.

  The company's finance costs rose 6.2% to Rs 1.51 billion in the first quarter while total expenses climbed 22.2% to Rs 27.48 billion in the quarter.

  At 1:55PM, Future Retail fell 2.7% to Rs 125 on the Mumbai stock exchange. The 30-share Sensex index fell 0.18% to 28,247.60.

LME base metals inventory - Aug 7 - Table

 

 Inventories of base metals, in tonnes, on the London Metal Exchange Friday:

 

                                   ----inventory----

                                   Aug 7        Aug 6  change   chg in pct

  copper                         352,325      351,600      725      0.21

  aluminium                    3,396,150    3,404,475   -8,325     -0.24

  lead                           210,075      212,800   -2,725     -1.28

  zinc                           428,325      429,650   -1,325     -0.31

  nickel                         456,678      458,490   -1,812     -0.40

  tin                              6,630        6,565       65      0.99

  aluminium alloy                 13,040       13,040      nil       nil

  aluminium alloy (NASAAC)        49,300       49,440     -140     -0.28