Bailout package for Discoms perks up power sector stocks

The bailout package for the State Electricity Distribution Boards (Discoms) has a positive impact on different players involved in the power generation space — equipment manufacturers, power producers and banks that have financed power projects — in the opening minutes of trading today.

But the impact appears to be more in the case of power gear manufacturers and banks rather than the power producers despite the fact that the shares of banks and equipment manufacturers have gone up substantially in the wake of the spurt of announcements made by the Centre.

Crompton Greaves moved up by Rs 4.45 to Rs 128, BHEL gained Rs 4.15 to Rs 252, Siemens was up by Rs 7.95 at Rs 718.90 and L&T jumped by Rs 10 at Rs 1588.25.

The gains made by power producers were a little subdued.

Adani Power gained Rs 2 at Rs 52.75, Reliance Power was up by Rs 2 at Rs 98.20, NTPC was trading higher by Rs 2.20 at Rs 168.65 and Tata Power was up by Rs 1.25 at Rs 104.50.

The PSU banks also made gains. PNB gained Rs 18.55 at Rs 839.75 and SBI gained Rs 26.40 at 2,224.65. Canara Bank was up by Rs 9.65 at Rs 437.30 and Union Bank gained Rs 5.85 at Rs 209.90.

The announcement, however, did not make any significant impact on some of the other power related entities like Rural Electrification Corporation, PFC and Power Grid Corporation.

While REC, which has made handsome gains in the past few days, was up by Rs 1.50 at Rs 232.35, Power Finance Corporation gained Rs 2.15 at Rs 202.10 and PowerGrid was up by 90 paise at Rs 119.

Probably the market would make a call on how further these stocks would move once the full implications of the Government announcements are known in the coming hours after analysts and different players involved in the power space react to the decision.