SEBI warning on rally in small, midcap stocks leads to selloff in broader markets

MUMBAI: The Nifty opened positive on Monday, but soon witnessed profit booking amid weak global cues and SEBI warning over a midcap-smallcap rally, Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Retail Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said on Monday.

The index closed near the day’s low with a loss of 161 points or 0.7 per cent at 22,333 levels on Monday. The broader markets, especially the smallcaps, bore the brunt and were down 2 per cent, he said.

On the domestic front, sentiments dampened after the SEBI chief highlighted irrational run-ups and expensive valuations in small and midcaps.

Also, stress test disclosures for small and midcap funds are to be announced on March 15, which is likely to keep the pressure on the broader market in the near term, Khemka said.

“Going ahead, we expect the consolidation to continue in the market with large bouts of volatility. We recommend switching to largecaps where the risk-reward is more favourable," he said.

Barring healthcare, all sectors ended in red on Monday, as the market turned cautious ahead of key inflation data from India and the US this week, Khemka said.

Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research at HDFC Securities, said the Nifty ended lower on Monday with indices continuing to fall from the opening time with little bounces in between. It was a broad-based fall.

Cash market volumes on the NSE dipped below Rs 1 lakh cr at 0.99 lakh crore, while the smallcap index fell more than the Nifty even as the advance decline ratio fell to 0.24:1, Jasani said.

The European stock markets fell on Monday, continuing the losses seen in Asia after Friday's weakness on Wall Street, ahead of the release of key US inflation data.

Growing uncertainty over US interest rates saw traders lock in profits at record highs, especially in the technology sector, Jasani said.