RBI AND US FED TO SET THE MOOD AHEAD

By Ruma Dubey

It is going to be a data packed week and when it is all about data, the mood on the Street is always wait-and-watch.

After the record breaking past week, today it almost looks like as though the market is taking a breather, waiting to catch its breath, with an eye on the goal post, preparing for the next lap.

This is a week of central banks. Almost all the banks around the world, in this first week of August, are scheduled to take decisions on interest rates. Take a look at the schedule:

India’s RBI – 2.30 PM 1^st August

USA’s Fed Reserve – 11.30 PM 1^st August

Bank of Japan – 7.00 AM 2^nd August

Bank of England – 4.30 PM, 2^nd August

Reserve Bank of Australia – 10 AM, 7^th August

Thus till 1^st August at least, the market could be more range bound as the impact of decisions by other central banks might not be much.

Other macro data which could have an impact would be the monthly auto sales number and PMI – both expected on 1^st August.

This apart, the earnings season is on so it would be more of stock specific action. Today, big names like Axis Bank, HDFC, Tech Mahindra, Century Textiles, GIC, Godrej Consumer, Indigo and many more are to announce their numbers. Tomorrow biggie is Tata Motors.

And in the week starting 1^st August, we could stock specific action in Apollo Tyres, Emami, Exide, HEG, Pidilite and a whole slew of midcap stocks. That will pretty much set the mood.

So till day after tomorrow, the moods will remain more or less somber and if no rate hike comes in, as expected, the markets will be back to zooming up in the second half of the week.

Thus it’s a week where central bank’s are setting the mood the market and we can only wait-and-watch till the event gets over.