MARKETS: Sensex, Nifty volatile; RIL, Voda Idea up 3% each; HDFC down 2%

Opening Bell

LIVE market updates: The frontline indices extended their losses in Monday’s early deals amid weakness in Asian peers as investors continue to monitor developments surrounding the recently discovered omicron Covid variant.

After opening over 400 points lower, the BSE Sensex tumbled 668 points, or 1.17 per cent, to 56,439 levels. The Nifty50, meanwhile, slipped below 16,900-mark at 16,866, down 160 points.

Reliance Industries‘ stock, which was up 1.7 per cent after tariff hike announcement, was limiting downside. That said, 25 other index constituents were in the red, led by SBI (2 per cent), Bajaj Auto, NTPC, HDFC, and Tech M.

In the broader markets, the BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices fell up to 3 per cent.

Among individual stocks, Paytm fell 3.6 per cent after its parent company One97 Communications reported widening of net loss at Rs 474 crore for the quarter ended September 2021. Total revenue, however, grew 64 per cent YoY to Rs 1,090 crore in the same period.

Sectorally, BSE Telecom, Healthcare and Energy indices were up over 1 per cent each.

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Pre-open session

LIVE market updates: Benchmark indices are marginally lower in the pre-open session. The BSE Sensex eased 26 points at 57,081 while the Nifty50 dipped 19 points and held above 17,000-mark.

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(Updated at 8:15 AM)

LIVE market updates: After a massive bear hammering on Friday, benchmark indices are eyeing a bounce-back rally on Monday. A 8:10 AM, SGX Nifty was up 134 points at 17,177 levels, indicating a gap-up start.

However, tepid global cues amid the spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus may keep the upside limited. Shares in Asia-Pacific largely fell in Monday trade with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slipping about 0.3 per cent.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined about 1 per cent earlier but was last trading around 0.2 per cent lower. The Topix index also saw a partial recovery, last dipping 0.59 per cent lower after falling more than 1 per cent earlier. South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.39 per cent.

Shares in Australia also slipped as the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.17 per cent. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan traded 0.1 per cent lower.

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