Around 60 lakh shares of Data Patterns, representing a 10.7 percent stake in the company, changed hands in a block deal worth Rs 1,100 crore on February 16. While Moneycontrol could not immediately identify the parties involved in the deal, CNBC-TV18 reported citing sources that a foreign entity was a seller. The sold stake was bought by a clutch of foreign and domestic institutional buyers.

Indian banks saw a strong third quarter due to high loan demand and non-interest income, resulting in good asset quality. Private banks had faster domestic loan growth, while PSU lenders saw improvement in asset quality despite rising wage and pension costs. However, margins will continue to be under pressure due to tight liquidity and high deposit rates.

Stocks rise on Thursday following weaker-than-expected retail sales data, as investors speculate that the Fed may cut interest rates in the coming months. Despite earlier concerns about high inflation, a report showing lower initial jobless claims provided more positive economic indicators. S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices both gained, with companies such as CBRE Group and Wells Fargo performing well.

On February 16, Paytm shares fell nearly 2% to a fresh record low of Rs 318.05 after the ED questioned senior executives and took documents from them following RBI action. The stock has lost 23% in five days and 57% in 11 days, eroding investor wealth. Regulatory concerns about KYC irregularities have led to money laundering fears, causing sustained downturn and eroding market cap.

Medplus Health Service's stock price declined slightly on February 16 due to the suspension of its subsidiary's drug licence for a Mumbai store. The Thane FDA suspended the licence for 15 days for violating conditions. Similar suspensions were also issued for other Medplus stores in January and December. It is advised to consult certified experts before making any investment decisions.

Shares of Yes Bank gained 1.7 percent to Rs 29.5 per share on February 15 after Carlyle Group sold a 1.35 percent stake worth Rs 1,056 crore at an average price of Rs 27.1 apiece through the open market transaction. The stock of Yes Bank has surged 13 percent in the past one month, as against 1 percent decline in the benchmark Sensex.

📊 Amid positive global cues, benchmark indices started on a positive note today. 📢 At 9:16 AM, the Sensex gained 272.69 points or 0.38% at 72,323.07. Nifty is higher by 92.50 points or 0.42% at 22,003.25 📈 Glenmark (⬆️5.15%), BPCL (⬆️3.00%) and Polycab (⬆️1.70%) appeared as the top performers on the Nifty50 at the open. BPCL and Dilip Buildcon are in focus today.

On February 15, BSE Sensex closed in the green, with M&M as the top gainer rising 6%. HDFC Bank and M&M contributed to the gains. PSU banks and stocks continued their upward trend from the previous session. India VIX decreased, showing lower volatility. Broader markets outperformed key indices. MRPL was the top gainer. Vedanta, Gland Pharma, and other stocks saw weakness.

Jeff Bezos has sold a significant portion of his shares in the company over the past month, totaling $6 billion. This is part of a previously announced trading plan, where Bezos plans to sell up to 50 million shares throughout the year. Other tech executives, such as Mark Zuckerberg, have also taken advantage of soaring stock prices by selling off shares in their respective companies.

Several stocks, including Canara Bank and Zee, have been banned from trading in F&O market due to exceeding the market-wide position limit. Other stocks, such as GNFC and RBL Bank, may also enter the ban list while Delta Corp and other stocks may exit as their MWPL has reduced. Technical analysis shows mixed trends for these stocks with some experiencing declines and others gaining last month.

Oil prices remained stagnant on Friday due to conflicting factors such as slower global demand and weak retail sales data in the U.S., which could potentially lead to interest rate cuts. Brent crude futures dropped slightly while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures saw a minimal increase. The unexpected decline in U.S. retail sales sparked optimism for potential interest rate cuts.

H-Rera warns banks to monitor withdrawals by developers from the regulator's account to prevent misuse of funds collected from homebuyers. Developers who do not comply with regulations may face penalties up to 5% of project cost, and banks could also face legal action for allowing such withdrawals without ensuring compliance.

The SEC approved the merger of Donald Trump's media and tech company with a blank-check acquisition vehicle, valuing it at $10 billion. Despite limited user base and losses, investors are showing interest due to Trump's involvement. Investigations, leadership changes, and settlement with SEC have impacted the deal, but it is still on track.

On Feb 15, high-frequency trading firm Citadel Securities was a net buyer in Hindustan Oil Exploration and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure, and a net seller in Coffee Day Enterprises. The stocks all closed higher with increased trading volumes. It is believed that HFTs may be targeting small, illiquid stocks, drawing in retail investors. On this day, Hindustan Oil Exploration gained 11.49%.

RBI has banned Paytm Payments Bank from accepting new deposits or credit transactions after February 29, but it may not greatly impact payments as majority users have linked their Paytm UPI app with other banks. The central bank's actions are in response to concerns about Chinese investments in Paytm's payment aggregator subsidiary.