Tata Steel, Hindalco rise after Macquarie raises target price, maintains 'outperform'

Metal stock news: Tata Steel and Hindalco shares rose on Tuesday after foreign brokerage raised its targets while maintaining its 'outperform' ratings for both metal stocks. Tata Steel and Hindalco shares rose as much as 2.0 per cent and 1.7 per cent to Rs 152.6 and Rs 539.8 apiece on BSE, respectively. The brokerage also retained the same rating for a bunch of other metal or mining-related stocks. 

Macquarie's targets imply upsides to the tune of 8.3 per cent and 12.5 per cent in Tata Steel and Hindalco Industries shares from the previous close. 

On the other hand, JSPL shares fell as much as 2.0 per cent to Rs 790.2, JSW Steel shares as much as 1.3 per cent to Rs 793.5, and Coal India shares as much as 1.9 per cent to Rs 414 apiece. 

However, at 1 pm, Tata Steel shares were left with a gain of 0.1 per cent, while Hindalco shares were up 0.9 per cent, JSPL shares were down 0.7 per cent, and JSW Steel and Coal Idnia shares were down 0.2 per cent each.

Coal India, JSPL and JSW Steel shares faced selling pressure amid market-wide weakness, even as Macquarie's targets implied upside potential to the tune of around 5-10 per cent each. 

In a ret dated March 12, brokerage Elara Capital said global crude steel production remained under pressure for a second straight month, down 2.0 per cent on a year-on-year basis to to 148 million tonnes in January, owing to a fall of seven per cent in Chinese production in contrast to growth of four per cent in the rest of the world (ROW).

According to the brokerage, primary long steel prices were close to bottoming considering that the spread between primary and secondary rebar had fallen below the long-term average as well as a recent uptick in thermal coal prices. 

However, flat steel prices were expected to remain under pressure in CY24 on account of a capacity ramp-up by NMDC and JSPL, inflow of imports, and upcoming capacity additions by JSW Steel and Tata Steel, according to the brokerage.  

Aluminum prices are estimated to see support from less supply of bauxite from Guinea, the second-largest producing nation, due to a nationwide strike by workers' associations, it added.

How metal stocks have fared in the past

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