Indian share prices are likely to hit new highs next week led by strong first quarter earnings data and liquidity, dealers said. The benchmark 30-share Sensex hit several new record highs this week, led by improving overseas fund flows which stand at 9.6 billion dollars, their highest level this year.
Indian shares rose 292.83 points or 1.91 percent to close the week at a new record of 15,565.55. The Sensex has now risen over six percent in three weeks and nearly 13 percent for the year.
"We expect liquidity and earnings data to keep the markets up. Even while software earnings data has been weak, it is nothing to lose one's sleep over," said Atul Hatwar, a dealer with brokerage Crosseas Securities.
Dealers said automobile, infrastructure and property stocks could gain further as concerns eased about a possible interest rate hike. Analysts said they did not expect India's central bank to increase rates as inflation stood unchanged at 4.27 percent for the week ended July 4 - far below the two-year high of 6.73 percent reached in February.
India's central bank will review monetary policy on July 31. Analysts said software earnings data this week were broadly in line with expectations, even though earnings were impacted by a strong rupee, as companies in the sector bill most of their clients in dollars.
The rupee is trading at a near-decade high of 40.33 to the dollar. Overseas funds have been net buyers of Indian equities this year to the tune of 9.6 billion dollars, well above the 2.55 billion dollars worth of shares that they purchased during the same period a year ago. In 2006, the Sensex rose by a record 46.7 percent, led by foreign fund investments in Indian equities totalling 7.99 billion dollars.