8 bills to watch out for in Budget 2013

The Economics Times, February 21, 2013

The three-month-long Budget session for 2013-14 commences on Thursday, with the President addressing the joint session of Parliament.

The Budget session is expected to conclude on May 10, 2013. The two Houses will adjourn for recess on March 22, 2013, to reassemble on April 22, 2013 to enable the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants relating to various Ministries/Departments and make their reports to the Houses.

“The session will provide 34 sittings – 21 sittings during first part of the session before recess and 13 sittings during second part of the session,” Angel Broking said in a report.

The main legislative agenda what the markets will be watching out includes Railway and General Budgets for 2013-14.

The Railway Budget for FY2014 will be presented to the Lok Sabha on February 26, 2013. Following this, the Economic Survey of India will be tabled in the Parliament on February 27, 2013. The Budget (General) for FY2014 will be presented on February 28, 2013.

“Other than the financial business to be conducted by the House, there is a heavy non financial legislative agenda lined up with 55 bills and 3 other non legislative items,” said the Angel Broking note.

The key bills for consideration and passing include:

The Land Acquisition Bill,

Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011,

Companies Bill, 2012 as passed by Lok Sabha,

National Food Security Bill, 2011,

National Highway Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2012 as passed by Lok Sabha,

Pension Fund Regulator and Development Authority Bill, 2011,

Forward Contracts Regulation Bill,

and Lokpal Bill

Market Impact:

For investors, the focus will shift on changes, if any, in excise duty and service tax in the Budget. It remains to be seen if the government announces measures to revive weak investment growth.

A key figure to watch out is the divestment target for 2013-14. So far, the government has offloaded 5.58 per cent stake in Hindustan Copper, 10 per cent stake in NMDC, 10 per cent stake in Oil India and 9.5 per cent stake in NTPC, and garnered over Rs 21,000cr, i.e. 70 per cent of the budgeted divestment target of Rs 30,000 crore.

“Technically, 5850 still remains to be a key support for the Nifty going ahead at least till the mega event of Budget 2013 is due later in the month,” said Swati Hotkar, Technical Analyst at LKP Advisory.

The Nifty is comfortably placed above its 200-DMA, which is still a positive sign for the long term traders and investors. However, it is struggling to hold its ground above the crucial 100 DMA, which was at 5962 levels on Nifty spot.

“Weekly charts also indicate a morning star pattern, which is again a positive sign, indicating that there are high chances that the Nifty would end this week on a positive note holding the 5900 mark,” she added.

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