INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Indian equity benchmarks edged lower on Wednesday, December 29, on the back of weak global cues due to year-end portfolio
Molnupiravir yesterday, to boost the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.HDFC Bank, Infosys, Power Grid Corporation of India, Coal India,
NTPC were among the top drags
On the flipside, IndusInd Bank, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy's Labs were among the top gainers.Mid- and small-cap shares were trading on a
Wednesday, following a mixed Wall Street session as the region's investors positioned their portfolios for the new year and continued to
grapple with increasing global numbers of Omicron coronavirus cases.MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan lost 0.25
The S-P 500 hit a record intraday high during the session but weakened to end the day off 0.10 per cent
in shares showed signs of petering out, but holiday-thinned trading meant markets were showing little real direction.The euro lost 0.14 per
while Brent gained more ground with a broad-based rally in global markets supporting prices.The benchmark Brent crude rose 23 cents, or 0.3
per cent, at $79.17 a barrel
United States West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude added 21 cents, or 0.3 per cent, at $76.19 a barrel
Both contracts are trading near their highest levels in a month, aided by strength in equities.Back home, on the stock-specific front,
Multiplexes' business could suffer an impact as cinema halls and theatres will be closed as part of the new guidelines.India reported 9,195
reporting the highest count at 781 so far.
