Stocks To Watch Today: Bajaj Auto, BPCL, NTPC, Quess Corp, Vodafone Idea

Sovereign bonds rallied and Asian stocks were mixed on Thursday as investors parsed the economic and monetary-policy outlook after the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged the risk of a recession.

Shares gained in Japan and Australia but slipped in South Korea. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures fell following modest losses in US shares. As of 6:50 am, the Singapore-traded SGX Nifty--an early barometer of India's benchmark Nifty 50--was 0.2% lower at 15,442.5 points.

US Treasuries extended a rally, taking two-year yields nearer 3%. Bonds jumped in Australia and New Zealand. The dollar was steady and the yen inched higher. In commodities, crude dropped about 2% to $104 a barrel.

Powell said the US has to get high inflation back down to the 2% target. He accepted that steep rate increases could cause an economic contraction and called a soft landing “very challenging” in testimony to the Senate.

Here's a look at the stocks to watch today:

• NTPC: The state-run power giant said it may have to add new coal power capacity to meet the country’s surging demand for electricity, a policy shift triggered by recent energy shortages.

• Vodafone Idea: Vi's board has approved fundraising worth Rs 436.21 crore via a preference issue. The company will issue 42.76 crore equity shares or warrants convertible into equity shares at Rs 10.20 apiece to its promoter and Vodafone Group company Euro Pacific Securities.

• Bajaj Auto: The Pune-based automaker will consider a share buyback proposal on June 27, days after it scrapped a previous plan to do so.

• BPCL: The state-run refiner has received an order from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs sanctioning scheme of arrangement of Bharat Oman Refineries with the company.

• IRB Infrastructure: The roads builder has received Rs 308 crore out of a total claim of Rs 419 crore from IRB Pathankot Toll Road.

• GPT Infraprojects: The company has bagged an order worth Rs 292 crore from East Coast Railway to build viaducts, major bridges, site facilities and other allied works.

• DCB Bank: The lender has appointed Satish Gundewar as the chief financial officer to replace Bharat Laxmidas Sampat, who is retiring.

• Quess Corp: Allsec Technologies will merge with the company in an all-stock deal. Minority shareholders of Allsec will be issued equity shares of Quess Corp. in the ratio of 74:100.

• Imagicaa Entertainment: The company has completed the debt resolution process and has inducted directors from the new promoter group on the board. It approved allotment of equity shares and 0.01% redeemable non-convertible preference shares on preferential basis as part of the resolution plan agreed by the lenders.

• BLS International: The company has signed an agreement with the West Bengal government for computerisation and e-governance of registration offices.

Pledged Share Details

• Swan Energy: Promoter Group Dave Impex revoked a pledge of 42,000 shares on June 21.

• Emami: Promoter Groups Sneha Enclave and Suraj Finvest created a pledge of 6.35 lakhs and 2.35 lakhs on June 17 each.

• Jindal Steel & Power: Promoter Group OPJ Trading created a pledge of 9.33 lakhs on June 16.

• Krishna Institute Of Medical Sciences: Promoter Group Krishna Bollineni created a pledge of 1.73 lakh shares on June 20.

Insider Trades

• Uflex: Promoter Group Flex bought 1,000 shares on June 20.

• Supreme Petrochem: Promoter Groups Boon Investment and Trading Co. bought 4,462 shares and Jovial Investment and Trading Co. bought 33,793 shares on June 20.

• Anant Raj: Roma Sarin bought 50,000 shares on June 21.

• Usha Martin: Peterhouse sold 1.5 lakh shares on June 20-21.

• Jindal Stainless: JSL bought 4.98 lakh shares on June 20-21.

• Jagran Prakashan: Promoter Groups Tarun Gupta and Devesh Gupta bought 6,953 shares on June 20.

• Dr. Lal PathLabs: Promoter & Director Dr. Archana Lal Erdmann sold 81,669 shares between June 20 and June 21.

• GNA Axles: Promoter Group GNA Gears bought 625 shares between June 9 and June 17.

• PSP Projects: Promoter Group PSP Family Trust bought 20,000 shares on June 20.

• Craftsman Automation: Promoter Group Murali S sold 58,847 shares on June 21.

• India Pesticides: Promoter Group Anand Swarup Agarwal bought 41,977 shares on June 21.

• Nuvoco Vistas: Promoter Niyogi Enterprise bought 85,518 shares between June 20 and June 21.

Block Deals

• Poonawalla Fincorp: Celica Ventures bought 27.06 lakh (0.35%) shares at Rs 222 apiece. Microfirm Capital bought 27.06 lakh (0.35%) shares at Rs 222 apiece. Mayank Poddar sold 27.06 lakh (0.35%) shares at 222 apiece each. Sanjay Chamria sold 27.06 lakh (0.35%) shares at 222 apiece each.

Who's Meeting Whom

• UTI Asset Management: To hold AGM on July 25.

• Persistent Systems: To meet Union Mutual Fund on June 23.

• Butterfly Gandhimathi Appliances: To hold AGM on July 14.

Trading Tweaks

• Record Date AGM: Dr. Lal Pathlabs, GHCL, Welspun India

• Record Date Dividend: Dr. Lal Pathlabs, GHCL, Welspun India, BSE

• Record Date Special Dividend: GHCL

• Record Date Bonus: Ajanta Pharma

• Record Date Final Dividend: NGL Fine-Chem

• Ex-Date Final Dividend: Computer Age Management Services, Dalmia Bharat, Happiest Minds Technologies

Top Research Reports

• ICICI Bank - Best Placed: Nirmal Bang

• Tata Consumer Products - To 'On Course For Better' From 'The Platform For Better': ICICI Securities

• Shriram Transport Finance - Merger With Shriram Group Can Be A Positive Catalyst In The Near Term: Nirmal Bang

• J Kumar Infra - Decent Revenue Growth, Ebitda Margin To Lead To Healthy CAGR In Bottom Line: Dolat Capital

• India's Corporate Profit To GDP Ratio – Analysing Growth Across Cycles: Motilal Oswal