Sensex spared a steep drop:Select side-counters were in demand due to their strong Q4 results: Southern Online Bio Technologies Ltd moves up: Aptech Ltd recommended to select/ few investors, hits the buyer freeze:Lok Housing Ltd hits the buyer freeze: Sanguine Media Ltd hits the buyer freeze: Pratibha Industries Ltd and Flat Products Equipments Ltd hits consecutive buyer Freezes:Some Finance & Investment Companies like IL & FS, Shriram Asset Management, MB Parikh Finance, Dhanprayog Investment, GDL Leasing, Kshitz Leasing, Indian Bank Housing, Rose Investment, Sita Enterprise, Rajdhani Leasing, JK Investment, etc. did well on the bourses. But Housing finance major HDFC lost 1.8% to Rs 1655: FMCG giant Hindustan Lever (HLL) plunged 5% to Rs 199.05, soon after its Q1 results hit the market in early afternoon trade:Brent crude oil prices hovered above $68 a barrel following sharp gains at the end of last week, with investors still on the edge over a foiled plot to attack oil facilities in Top-Exporter Saudi Arabia:The market remains closed on Tuesday (1 May) and Wednesday (2 May) on account of public holidays: The market staged a solid intra-day rebound in the second half, as Reliance Industries (RIL) rebounded after an initial slide. Reliance Communications (RCL) also shot back up on the back of strong Q4 results. A recovery in State Bank of India and HDFC Bank also came about in the latter of trading. IT stocks were in demand right from the onset of the trading session. But FMCG giant Hindustan Lever (HLL) came under selling pressure soon after its Q1 results hit the market in early afternoon trade. Select side-counters were in demand due to their strong Q4 results. A few other scrips rose on expectations of good earnings. The Sensex’s provisional closing was 13,893.66, a fall of just 14.92 points. It reverted from the lower level after having plunged as many as 214.99 points in mid-morning trade, as ICICI Bank tumbled after the bank announced a large equity issue along with a dismal financial performance in Q4 March 2007. The results were announced after trading hours on Saturday (28 April). The BSE clocked a turnover of Rs 3255 crore. Reliance Communications (RCL) gained 3.3% to Rs 475.50, off the session’s low of Rs 447. A strong 34.3 lakh shares changed hands in the counter on BSE. RCL today reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1024.41 crore in Q4 March 2007. It did not give figures in the corresponding period last year. As per available data, RCL had a consolidated net profit of Rs 440 crore in Q4 March 2006. Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 2% to Rs 1571, off an early low of Rs 1505. RIL had on Thursday reported stronger-than- expected 14% growth in net profit in Q4 March 2007. IT firms rose as anxious market men awaited changes, if any, with respect to a proposal in the Union Budget 2007-08 for bringing employee stock options plans under the fringe benefit tax. Infosys rose 2% to Rs 2050.50, TCS added 2.5% to Rs 1265, Satyam Computer gained 1.4% to Rs 474, Wipro advanced 1.4% to Rs 574 and Tech Mahindra surged 9% to Rs 1612.90. The Union Budget 2007-08 is due to be passed by Parliament on Thursday (3 May). Tata Steel gained 2.5% to Rs 55.10. The stock has been witnessing alternate bouts of buying and selling since unveiling a funding plan for the acquisition of Corus, which may lead to substantial equity dilution in phases. Cement shares were in demand. ACC rose 2.2% to Rs 840 and Grasim gained 0.5% to Rs 2435. Hindustan Lever (HLL) plunged 5% to Rs 199.05. The stock declined on high volume of over 17 lakh shares on BSE. HLL's net profit, excluding extraordinary gains, rose 13.6% to Rs 334 crore from Rs 294 crore. ICICI Bank was down 7% to Rs 867, after announcing a large equity issue along with a dismal financial performance in Q4 March 2007. The stock hit a low of Rs 844.10. A whopping 9.8 lakh shares changed hands in the counter on BSE. ICICI Bank, on Saturday, posted lower-than-expected Q4 earnings due to higher cost of funds. ICICI Bank’s net profit rose 4.45% to Rs 825.12 crore in the quarter ended March 2007, against Rs 789.93 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2006. Total income for the bank rose 54.2% at Rs 8495 crore. Concerns of huge equity dilution also weighed on the stock. Along with Q4 results, ICICI Bank’s board approved raising additional equity capital by way of a public issue of shares and of American Depositary Shares (ADSs). The exercise is expected to generate around Rs 20000 crore. The approval of shareholders will be sought by postal ballot, the private sector bank said. Housing finance major HDFC lost 1.8% to Rs 1655. The company unveils Q4 March 2007 results on Thursday (3 May). Oil exploration major ONGC lost 2% to Rs 910.50, extending Friday’s decline. The market remains closed on Tuesday (1 May) and Wednesday (2 May) on account of public holidays. European shares were mixed in early trade on Monday. London’s FTSE 100 Index was down 0.06%, whereas key benchmark indices in Germany and France were up 0.2 - 0.5%. Chinese stocks on Monday shrugged off a central bank announcement at the weekend that it will raise bank reserve ratios to help restrain loan growth. The Shanghai Composite Index was up 2.1%. But other Asian markets were subdued, as exporters were hit by a weak US GDP growth data. A report on Friday showed the US economy grew by just 1.3% in the first quarter. Strong earnings helped lift the Dow to another record close above 13,000 on Friday (27 April). It rose 15.44 points, or 0.12%, to end the day at a record 13,120.94, capping off its fourth straight week of gains. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down just 0.18 of a point, or 0.01%, to finish at 1,494.07. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 2.75 points, or 0.11%, to close at 2,557.21. Brent crude oil prices hovered above $68 a barrel following sharp gains at the end of last week, with investors still on the edge over a foiled plot to attack oil facilities in top-exporter Saudi Arabia. Brent rallied over 1% on Friday after Saudi Arabia said it fended off an Al-Qaeda-linked plot to attack oil facilities, military bases and public figures, arresting Islamist militants, including some trainee pilots preparing for suicide operations.[With inputs from the Internet] Important links: www.eindiabrokers.com & www.sumanspeaks.blogspot.com