Author: Supriya Jena

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently shared that the economy is doing better than expected. When the Fed started lowering interest rates in September, they thought the economy was weaker. Now, Powell says the job market looks good, the economy is growing stronger, and inflation is a bit higher than they thought.

Powell spoke at a New York Times event, and his comments came just before a big Fed meeting on December 17-18, where they are likely to make more decisions about interest rates. Some Fed officials, like Christopher Waller, have hinted they might cut rates again soon, unless new data suggests otherwise. Powell seems to agree with this cautious approach.

He mentioned that the Fed’s previous rate cut was a signal to support jobs if the market was weak. But now, better data suggests the economy is stronger than they had anticipated.

Federal officials will soon get new data on jobs and inflation that will help them decide what to do next. Powell emphasized that their decisions are based on the current situation, not on what might happen in the future.

Other Fed officials like Alberto Musalem and Thomas Barkin are also being careful. They want to look at new information before making any promises about future rate cuts. The inflation rate remains above the Fed’s target of 2%, so they are keeping a close watch on it.

With mixed signals from various reports—some showing stronger spending and others pointing to concerns about rising prices—Fed officials are staying on alert and cautious about their next moves.

Honda Cars India has just launched the 2024 Amaze, starting at Rs 8 lakh and going up to Rs 10.90 lakh for the top model. These prices are for the first 45 days after the launch and are for ex-showroom purchases, meaning they don’t include extra costs like taxes.

What’s special about the new Amaze? It’s now the cheapest car in India that comes with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), called Honda Sensing. This means it has smart features to help keep you safe while driving. Excitingly, all Honda cars in India now have this technology, including popular models like the City sedan and Elevate SUV.

The Amaze is in its third version since it first came out in 2013, and Honda has sold nearly 580,000 of these cars, making up 40% of its sales in India.

The 2024 Amaze has some nice upgrades but still uses the same 1.2-liter petrol engine that gives 90PS power and 110Nm torque. You can choose between a 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic transmission. It’s also fuel-efficient, with 18.65 km on a liter for manual and 19.46 km for the CVT.

There are three versions of the Amaze: V, VX, and ZX. The ZX trim has the ADAS features. Here are the prices for each version:

– V MT: Rs 8 lakh
– V CVT: Rs 9.20 lakh
– VX MT: Rs 9.10 lakh
– VX CVT: Rs 10 lakh
– ZX MT: Rs 9.70 lakh
– ZX CVT: Rs 10.90 lakh

In New Delhi, DLF Ltd. shares were up by 0.49% during trading on Wednesday at 01:09 PM (IST). Around 26,754 shares were traded. The stock started at Rs 854.00 and reached an intraday high of Rs 854.00 and a low of Rs 841.00.

DLF Ltd. has a 52-week high price of Rs 967.00 and a low price of Rs 632.65. The total market value of DLF Ltd. is Rs 208,656.40 crore.

Strong Sales Growth!

In the latest quarter ending on September 30, 2024, DLF Ltd. reported very strong sales of Rs 2,180.83 crore. This is a 26.07% increase compared to the previous quarter and a huge 47.71% increase from the same quarter last year. Their net profit for the latest quarter was Rs 1,381.08 crore, a fantastic increase of 121.76% compared to last year.

How Is DLF Ltd. Valuated?

According to NiftyStat data, DLF Ltd. shares are currently trading at a P/E ratio of 57.90 and a price-to-book ratio of 5.64. This means investors see good future growth potential, and they are willing to pay more for the shares even if there is no immediate growth.

Who Owns DLF Ltd.?

As of June 30, 2024, domestic institutional investors owned 3.46% of DLF Ltd. Foreign institutional investors owned 16.16%, while promoters held 74.08%.

DLF Ltd. is part of the Real Estate industry and seems to be growing strong!

On Wednesday morning, sugar company shares were doing well. Bannari Amman Sugars Ltd. saw a big boost, rising by 5.22%. Other companies like EID Parry and Sakthi Sugars also increased, with gains of 2.15% and 0.95%, respectively.

A few companies did not perform as well. Balrampur Chini Mills saw a drop of 3.15%, and Simbhaoli Sugars fell 2.13%.

At around 10:09 AM, the NSE Nifty50 index was up by 100.25 points, reaching 24557.4. The BSE Sensex was up 378.35 points, sitting at 81224.1.

In other news, companies like SBI Life Insurance and HDFC Life Insurance were among the top gainers, both increasing by around 2%. However, some companies like Cipla and Bharti Airtel saw their shares decline.

Brokerages are feeling positive about JSW Infrastructure, GAIL India, and Supreme Industries. They see strong growth opportunities and good value in these stocks.

JSW Infrastructure: Investec has recommended buying shares of JSW Infrastructure with a target price of Rs 370, which means a potential rise of 15% from the current price of Rs 321. They believe that this company can grow its revenue significantly because of strong demand for its services over the next few years. The growth is expected from more cargo being handled at their new terminal and help from the JSW Group. The government’s push for privatizing ports also opens up new chances for the company. Also, JPW’s long-term contracts give it a solid outlook for the future. Even though the stock is priced higher than some others, Investec thinks it’s worth it due to the company’s strong growth potential.

GAIL India: Jefferies has rated GAIL India as a good buy, with a target price now at Rs 235, which gives a potential 17% rise from the current price of Rs 200. Jefferies believes that the demand for gas in India will remain strong, thanks to new local sources, LNG contracts, and better pipeline connections. They think GAIL can grab a bigger share of the gas transmission market once two new pipelines start working in FY26. If GAIL can increase prices soon, their business could see a boost. The expected earnings growth looks good too, making the stock appealing.

Supreme Industries: Jefferies has also given a buy rating for Supreme Industries, setting a target price of Rs 6,450, suggesting a potential rise of 35% from the current price of Rs 4,763. The company is expecting to sell over 20% more products soon due to seasonal demand and new projects. They also plan to increase their production capacity by 13% by March 2025. Additionally, a recent price rise in PVC (a key material for their products) gives Supreme Industries a brighter outlook. Jefferies sees this company as a solid choice in plumbing, agriculture, and infrastructure, predicting strong earnings growth in the coming years.

(With insights from NiftyStat)

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times.)

Amazon recently revealed new artificial intelligence tools at its big AWS conference in Las Vegas. These tools, called foundation models, let users create text, images, and videos easily. This move puts Amazon in competition with companies like Adobe and Meta, which are also offering cool AI services to help customers.

During the conference, Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, shared that developers had many wishes for AI improvements. They wanted faster results, lower costs, and better ways to customize the tools. With these new offerings, Amazon aims to shake off opinions that it was slow to develop AI technology while others rushed ahead.

One exciting feature is called Nova Reel, which lets people make short videos, like six seconds long, perfect for showing products on Amazon. Soon, users will be able to create videos that last up to two minutes. People in the entertainment industry are eager to use these tools to speed up filmmaking.

However, there are concerns about whether these AI systems might steal ideas from other creators. Amazon also introduced Canvas, a tool that makes images from short text descriptions. Jassy assured users that they will include watermarks to ensure the content is used safely and responsibly.

Other new features will help people quickly analyze and process text as well. Overall, these tools are designed to make creative work easier and more efficient.

On Tuesday, the Indian stock market ended on a positive note. The Nifty 50 index gained thanks to two big companies, HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries. Also, U.S. Federal Reserve officials hinted at a possible interest rate cut of 0.25% later this month, which made investors hopeful.

The S&P BSE Sensex rose by 597.67 points (0.74%) and closed at 80,845.75. Meanwhile, the Nifty 50 index went up by 181.10 points (0.75%) to finish at 24,457.15.

Market Insights:

Vinod Nair from Geojit Financial Services said that the stock market is getting stronger, driven by good global news. People are now looking for signs of growth in the economy, especially since the recent weak economic data is already reflected in company earnings. Right now, everyone’s focused on what the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will say about interest rates and liquidity.

Banking stocks saw the biggest gains because they are sensitive to interest rates, while metal stocks did well due to higher import taxes and better manufacturing data from China.

What’s Happening in the U.S. and Europe:

In the U.S., stock prices were down early Tuesday after hitting record highs. Investors were uncertain if stocks are too expensive. However, AT&T shares jumped 4.8% after announcing $40 billion in returns to shareholders.

In Europe, Germany’s DAX surpassed 20,000 points for the first time. Markets in Paris bounced back despite political issues in France. The euro gained strength against the dollar, as more interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve are expected.

Tech Analysis:

The Nifty started strong but had some ups and downs before closing positively at around 24,457. Hrishikesh Yedve from Asit C. Mehta said that the Nifty showed strength on the daily chart, hinting at a potential upward trend. If it goes above 24,550, it could reach 24,700 to 24,800. As long as the Nifty stays above 24,300, buying on dips is a good strategy.

Most Active Stocks:

– Top Stocks by Value: Punjab National Bank (Rs 121.57 crore), Power Grid Corp (Rs 106.43 crore), Adani Green Energy (Rs 95.52 crore).
– Top Stocks by Volume: Vodafone Idea (28.36 crore shares), YES Bank (15.02 crore shares), Suzlon Energy (9.11 crore shares).

Stocks Showing Buying Interest:

Shares of HEG, Graphite India, and Torrent Power were popular among buyers.

52-Week Highs and Lows:

Over 251 stocks hit their highest prices in 52 weeks, while 13 fell to their lowest. Some high-flyers included Garware Technical Fibres and KEC International.

Market Sentiments:

The overall mood in the market was positive. Out of 4,067 stocks traded, 2,704 went up, 1,261 went down, and 102 stayed the same.

Disclaimer: The opinions in this article are those of the individual experts and may not reflect the views of NiftyStat.