Stock Market Today: All You Need To Know Going Into Trade On Dec. 23

Asia-Pacific markets were trading higher on Monday, tracking Friday's overnight gains on Wall Street following positive economic data and in anticipation over developments in the Nissan and Honda Motor merger.

The Nikkei 225 and Kospi were trading 0.74% and 0.84% higher, respectively as of 06:38 a.m. The S&P ASX 200 was 0.77% higher.

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 ended 1.18% and 1.09% higher, respectively. The Nasdaq Composite ended 1.03% higher. The US indices rose after Personal Consumption Expenditure data came lower than expected in November.

Brent crude was trading 0.19% higher at $73.08 a barrel, while Gold spot was trading 0.13% down at $2,619.53 an ounce as of 6:41 a.m.

The GIFT Nifty was trading 0.04% or 8.50 points higher at 23,790.00 as of 6:41 a.m.

India's benchmark equity indices ended at the lowest in over a month on Friday and recorded the worst week in months as hawkish outlook from the US Federal Reserve rattled global markets across the globe.

The NSE Nifty 50 closed 364.20 points, or 1.52% down at 23,587.50, and the BSE Sensex ended 1,176.46 points, or 1.49% lower at 78,041.59.

Overseas investors stayed net sellers for the fifth consecutive day and collectively offloaded stocks worth Rs 15,828 crore. Domestic institutional investors stayed net buyers for the fourth straight day.

The foreign portfolio investors offloaded stocks worth approximately Rs 3,597.8 crore on Friday, while the DIIs bought stocks worth Rs 1,374.4 crore, according to provisional data from the National Stock Exchange.

• UltraTech Cement Ltd.: The Competition Commission of India approved the proposed acquisition of India Cements by the company for Rs 3,954 crore.

• Vedanta Ltd.: The company tweaked its demerger plan on Friday. The company said it won't demerge its base metals subsidiary from itself, while the other four wholly owned arms will take part in the demerger scheme that it had announced earlier.

• IDBI Bank: The board of IDBI Bank will meet on Dec. 31 to consider and approve raising up to Rs 10,000 crore through the issuance of infrastructure bonds in the current financial year and 2025-26 (April-March).

• Piramal Enterprises Ltd.: The company approved raising up to Rs 2,000 crore through NCDs in one or more tranches.

• Indian Oil Corp.: The company approved an investment of Rs 657 crore for setting up a yarn project in Odisha. The project will be set up by the company's joint venture with MCPI. The project is to be set up in Odisha's Bhadrak. The estimated cost for the project is Rs 4,382.2 crore, with IOC's contribution of Rs 657.3 crore.

• AGI Greenpac: The board approved the proposal for raising up to Rs 1,500 crore through issuance of shares and equity-linked securities. The funds will be raised in one or more tranches.

• Pondy Oxides and Chemicals Ltd.: The company has raised Rs 175.4 crore through its qualified institutional placement, which closed on Friday. The company allotted 20.34 lakh shares to eligible qualified institutional buyers at Rs 860 per share, which marked a discount of 4.75% against the floor price of Rs 902.93 that the company had announced on Dec. 17.

• UPL Ltd.: The company raised Rs 3,376 crore via rights issue and approved allotment of shares at Rs 360 apiece.

• Ksolves India Ltd.: The company approved the stock split in the ratio of 1:2.

• Fortis Healthcare Ltd.: The company acquired 7.61% stake in arm Agilus Diagnostics from IOC for Rs 429 crore.

• SRM Contractors Ltd.: The company received a work order for Rs 105 crore from the NHAI.

• Religare Enterprises Ltd.: The arm received approval from SEBI for change in control of sponsor and investment manager.

• Muthoot Capital Services Ltd.: The company issued commercial paper worth Rs 25 crore.

• Interarch Building Products Ltd.: The company has projected a 50% growth in North India for FY26, with most of this growth coming from Uttar Pradesh. The North region is expected to contribute 30% to the company’s overall business volume during this period.

• Laurus Labs Ltd.: Eight Roads Ventures and F-Prime Capital have together invested Rs 120 crore in the company’s arm Laurus Bio.

• Redtape Ltd.: The company, in a board meeting on Dec. 26, will consider and approve the proposal of interim dividend for FY25 and issue of bonus shares.

• Teamlease Services Ltd.: The company acquired stake in TSR Darashaw and Crystal HR to expand its HR services portfolio.

• United Drilling Tools Ltd.: The company received order worth Rs 5.52 crore from ONGC for large OD casting pipe with multi start connectors.

• Suven Pharmaceuticals Ltd.: The drugmaker acquired 56% stake in US-based NJ Bio Inc. for $64.4 million.

• Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.: Subsidiary CuraTeQ Biologics received marketing authorisation for Bevqolva, its bevacizumab biosimilar version in the UK.

• GMM Pfaudler: A German subsidiary will form JV company to establish engineering and manufacturing facility in Poland.

• Transrail Lighting: The public issue was subscribed to 5.31 times on day two. The bids were led by qualified institutional investors (1.38 times), non-institutional investors (7.23 times), employee reserved (1.4 times), retail investors (6.9 times).

• DAM Capital Advisors: The public issue was subscribed 6.98 times on day two. The bids were led by qualified institutional investors (0.07 times), non-institutional investors (11.49 times), employee reserved (13.06 times), retail investors (8.96 times).

• Mamata Machinery: The public issue was subscribed to 37.75 times on day two. The bids were led by qualified institutional investors (4.74 times), non-institutional investors (50.23 times), employee reserved (54.31 times), retail investors (51.03 times).

• Sanathan Textiles: The public issue was subscribed to 1.43 times on day two. The bids were by led by qualified institutional investors (0.09 times), non-institutional investors (1.53 times), retail investors (2.15 times).

• Concord Enviro Systems: The public issue was subscribed to 1.24 times on day two. The bids were led by qualified institutional investors (0.01 times), non-institutional investors (1.01 times), retail investors (2.01 times).

• Carraro India: The public issue was subscribed to 0.09 times on day one. There were no bids by qualified institutional investors, while non-institutional investors subscribed 0.06 times and retail investors subscribed 0.15 times.

• Ventive Hospitality: The public issue was subscribed to 0.71 times on day one. The bids were led by qualified institutional investors (1.05 times), non-institutional investors (0.10 times), retail investors (0.61 times), portion reserved for employees (0.71 times).

• Senores Pharmaceuticals: The public issue was subscribed to 1.78 times on day one. The bids were led by qualified institutional investors (0.01 times), non-institutional investors (1.67 times), retail investors (7.2 times), portion reserved for employees (1.88 times).

• Unimech Aerospace and Manufacturing:  The company will offer shares for bidding on Monday. The price band is set from Rs 745 to Rs 785 per share. The Rs 500-crore IPO issue is a combination of a fresh issue of Rs 250 crore and rest is an offer for sale. The company raised Rs 150 crore from anchor investors.

• Aarti Pharmalabs Ltd.: Jaya Chandrakant Gogri bought 5.13 lakh shares (0.56%) at Rs 565.1 apiece, Bhavna Shantilal Shah sold 5.13 lakh shares (0.56%) at Rs 565.1 apiece.

• Manorama Industries Ltd.: Ajay Jaisinghani bought 1 lakh shares (0.16%) at Rs 1,165 apiece, Invesco Mutual Fund sold 1 lakh shares (0.16%) at Rs 1,165 apiece.

• Protean eGov Technologies: Ishares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF bought 4.51 lakh shares (1.11%) at Rs 1,999.11 apiece.

• Amber Enterprises India Ltd.: Ascent Investment Holdings Pte sold 3.45 lakh shares (1.02%) at Rs 6,075 apiece, while Axis Mutual Fund bought 1.31 lakh shares (0.39%) at Rs 6,075 apiece, Citigroup Global Markets Mauritius bought 0.16 lakh shares (0.04%) at Rs 6,075 apiece, Goldman Sachs Investments Mauritius bought 0.16 lakh shares (0.04%) and many others at Rs 6,075 apiece.

• Prataap Snacks Ltd.: Altitude Investment Fund PCC- Cell 1 bought 4 lakh shares (1.67%) at Rs 980.05 apiece, Rashi Fincorp bought 2.45 lakh shares (1.02%) at Rs 980.05 apiece, while Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund sold 6.45 lakh shares (2.7%) at Rs 980.05 apiece.

• Granules India Ltd.: Fidelity Funds.- India Focus Fund sold 29.24 lakh shares (1.2%) at Rs 596.02 apiece, Fidelity India Fund sold 1.99 lakh shares (0.08%) at Rs 596.02 apiece, Dendana Invest Mauritius sold 0.76 lakh shares (0.03%) at Rs 596.02 apiece. Bandhan Mutual Fund bought 5.72 lakh shares (0.22%) at Rs 596 apiece, Paulomi Ketankumar Doshi bought 7.38 lakh shares (0.3%) and many others at Rs 596.1 apiece.

• Usha Martin: Promoter Peterhouse Investments India sold 50,000 shares on Dec. 18.

• Cosmo First: Promoter Ambrish Jaipuria sold two lakh shares between Dec. 18 and 20.

• Wardwizard Innovations and Mobility: Promoter Garuda Mart India sold 13 lakh shares on Dec. 18 and 10 lakh on Dec. 19.

• DOMS Industries: Promoter Fila Fabbrica Italiana Lapis Ed Affini S.P.A. sold 27.73 lakh shares on Dec. 19.

• Master Trust: Promoter Harjeet Singh Arora and Rajinder Kumar Singhania created a pledge for seven lakh shares each.

• Price band revised from 20% to 10%: Fairchem Organics.

• In Short Term ASM Stage: Zota Health Care.

• Moving out of ASM: NIIT, Tilaknagar Industries.

• Varroc Engineering: To meet investors and analysts on Dec. 26.

• Ram Ratna Wires: To meet investors and analysts on Dec. 26.

• Supriya Lifescience: To meet investors and analysts on Dec. 26.

• Gravita India: To meet investors and analysts on Dec. 27.

• Nifty December futures down by 1.57% to 23,641 at a premium of 54 points.

• Nifty December futures open interest down by 2.2%.

• Nifty Options Dec. 26 Expiry: Maximum call open interest at 25,000 and maximum put open interest at 23,000. 

• Securities in ban period: Bandhan Bank, Granules, Hindustan Copper, Manappuram Finance, PVR Inox, Sail.

The Indian rupee closed at 85.02 on Friday, after it hit a record low. The rupee strengthened by six paise to close stronger against the US dollar.

The currency opened at Rs 85.08 against the greenback, according to Bloomberg. It hit a low of Rs 85.1 after the flat opening.