Benchmark indices ended lower on the expiry day, dragged by index heavyweights like RIL, HDFC twins, ICICI Bank, among others, as Brent crude prices rose above $75 per barrel for the first time in 2019. Negative sentiment in the global markets also affected the indices. The BSE Sensex settled at 38,731, down 324 points, while the broader NSE Nifty50 was at 11,642, falling 84 points. Among broader markets, Nifty Midcap indec fell 0.4% and Nifty Smallcap index was flat. Grasim, Ultratech Cement, BPCL, Dr Reddy's and Bharti Airtel were the top gainers on the Nifty, while, Bharti Infratel, Tata Steel, Vedanta, Maruti and Hindalco fell the most on the index.  All sectoral indices, except Nifty Realty ended the day in red. Nifty Metal fell the most followed by banking indices, which fell over 1 percent each. Nifty FMCG and Nifty Auto also slipped during the day.

Company's net profit nearly doubled to Rs 109.8 crore in March quarter, against Rs 54.9 crore in same period last year. Revenue from operations jumped 55.4 percent to Rs 600 crore during the quarter YoY.

Zydus Cadila has received the final approval from the USFDA to market Leflunomide Tablets USP (US RLD — Arava Tablets), 10 mg and 20 mg, Cadila Healthcare said in its BSE filing. It will be manufactured at the group’s formulations manufacturing facility at Baddi. This medication is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a condition affecting multiple small and large joints of the body.

Indiabulls Housing Finance (IHFL) on Wednesday reported a 7 percent year-on-year (YoY) drop in net profit at Rs 1,006 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31. Gagan Banga, VC and MD of Indiabulls Housing Finance, spoke to CNBC-TV18 about the company's financial results and growth prospects.

Brent crude oil on Thursday rose above $75 per barrel for the first time in 2019 in the wake of tightening sanctions on Iran, while gains in US prices were crimped by a surge in US supply. Brent crude futures rose to a 2019 high of $75.01 per barrel on Thursday and were at $74.90 per barrel at 0705 GMT, up 33 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last close. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $65.94 per barrel, up 5 cents from their previous settlement. READ MORE

Brokerages have "buy" ratings on the stock and have raised its target price for the stock. Strong recovery in the company's operating performance after a long time and consistent approach to trim down the cost further augured well, said analysts. READ MORE

Benchmark indices were off day's high in afternoon as Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, reclaimed $75 a barrel. The BSE Sensex rose 42 points to 39,099 and the Nifty50 gained 24 points at 11,750.

SpiceJet rose over 5 percent after CEO Ajay Singh in an interview with CNBC TV18 said that they will be hiring more professionals from Jet Airways, and are also discussing to induct 15 of their aircraft. Singh also revealed plans to add 40 more aircraft from the ailing carrier.

“We are also planning to get 40 Jet aircraft on-board. Boeing expects clearances for technical upgrades in May, and could possibly compensate SpiceJet for loss of business, however, no expected amount has been decided yet”, he said. READ MORE

"The company would like to clarify that based on preliminary information received the total applications from ASBA (applications supported by blocked amount) and non-ASBA have exceeded the total issue amount of Rs 25,000 crore," Vodafone Idea said in an exchange filing. The country's largest telecom operator through the rights issue, which ran between April 10 and April 24, offered 2,000 crore new shares at Rs 12.50 apiece. READ MORE

Nokia reported a surprise quarterly loss on Thursday, citing hard competition in its core business, the networks unit. Having signalled back in January "a particularly weak Q1", Nokia reported a fall to an operating loss (non-IFRS) of 59 million euros ($66 million) from a profit of 239 million euros in the first quarter a year ago.

That compared with analysts' profit expectation of 305 million in a Reuters poll. The networks industry - dominated by Nokia, Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei - has been battered by years of slowing demand since 4G network sales peaked in the middle of the decade.

The company posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 608 crore in the fourth quarter, almost flat on the year, as consolidation in the telecom sector resulting in reduced tenancies. The company had posted a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 606 crore in the same period year ago. READ MORE

- Buy Rural Electrification Corporation with a stop loss at Rs 149, target at Rs 154

- Buy DCB Bank with a stop loss of Rs 208, target at Rs 217

- Buy TVS Motor with a stop loss of Rs 512, target at Rs 524

- Buy Hindustan Unilever with a stop loss of Rs 1745, target at Rs 1772

- Sell NMDC with a stop loss of Rs 103.5, target at Rs 101

- Buy Bajaj Finserv with a stop loss of Rs 7594, target at Rs 7740

- Buy HCL Tech with a stop loss of Rs 1120, target at Rs 1175

- Sell Dabur India with a stop loss of Rs 403, target at Rs 388

- Buy Hindustan Unilever with a stop loss of Rs 1739, target at Rs 1780

Benchmark indices open flat on Thursday, following subdued Asian peers, ahead of April F&O Expiry. Investors also remained cautious amid ongoing March-quarter earnings season. At 9:20 am, the BSE Sensex was trading at 39,025, down 29 points, while the broader NSE Nifty50 was ruling at 11,724, falling 3 points. Broader markets were also trading flat on the morning trade. Grasim, Ultratech Cement, PowerGrid, NTPC, and Hindalco were the top gainers on the Nifty, while, Bharti Infratel, Indiabulls Housing, Tata Motors, IOC and Adani Ports fell the most on the index.  Sectoral indices were trading mixed with banking indices slipping while Nifty Realty gained. Nifty Auto also fell 0.2 percent.