Mastershare, which was heavily invested in automobile stocks, has reduced its exposure to the sector and stepped up investments in consumer products and diversified companies. Mastershare gave a dividend of 16 per cent for the year ended June 30, 1998. Since inception in 1986, the NAV of the fund has grown by a compounded annual rate of 23.2 per cent against a 14.9 per cent growth in the BSE National Index and 15.4 per cent in Sensex.

Fresh buying propels pivotals on NSE: Pivotals rose further on the National Stock Exchange Friday on increased buying by foreign institutional investors. The S&P Cnx Nifty started higher at 829.20 and rose further sharply to close at 840.80, showing a good gain of 11.65 over the last close of 829.15. Cnx Nifty junior gained by 3.70 at 1406.20 as against the previous close of 1402.50. S&P Cnx Defty ended 9.65 higher at 688.75 from 679.10 yesterday. S&P Cnx 500 improved by 5.30 to 574.14 from the last close of 568.84 and Cnx Midcap 200 moved up by 2.58 pointsto 504.55 from 501.97.

CSE shares rally on fresh support: With active fresh support aiding sentiment, some of the key scrips tacked on useful gains Friday on the Calcutta Stock Exchange. The turnover was fair and undertone steadier. The majority of leaders participated in the upturn but the recently active software scrips remained subdued for want of fresh support.

Reflecting the price improvement in key scrips, the CSE's 40-share index posted gains to close at the best level of the day at 1633.90, the lowest being 1605.36 points. Leading the uptrend, Reliance counter wound up at Rs 119.90 on hectic support, while Telco extended recent gains to Rs.126.60 with Tisco finishing a shade higher at Rs 86.90, L&T closed with perceptible gains at Rs.149, ACC at Rs 949, ITC at Rs 705.20 and SBI at Rs 155.80 with Castrol held at Rs 622.90, IPCL at Rs 62.30, ICICI at Rs 44.10 and Grasim at Rs 149.

Vatsa Corp tops the list of complaints on NSE: Vatsa Corporation Ltd with 25 complaints topped the listof corporates with maximum number of complaints pending against them for more than two months as on October 31, 1998, at the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Motorola (I) ltd had 15 complaints followed by Videocon International with 11, NEPC India Ltd and Xedd Telecom with seven each, Grapco Industries and Padmini Polymers with six each, Rinki Petrochemicals and Industries Ltd with five, Reliance Capital Ltd with four and Kothari Industrial Corporation with three complaints, the NSE release said.

Tokyo shares down 1.5%: Profit-taking drove Tokyo stocks 1.5 per cent lower in thin trading, as market participants retreated to the sidelines ahead of the weekend, brokers said. ``Considering the sharp gains seen earlier in the week, we can view the falls yesterday and today as an adjustment, with investors taking profits,'' a Kyoritsu Secur ities Co. Ltd. broker said. The 225-issue Nikkei average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 219.40 points to end at the day's low of 14,121.97 after the previous day's1.3 per cent decline. Share prices extended their losses towards the close amid the absence of buying support, which exaggerated the impact of intermittent futures-led selling, brokers said.

Singapore stocks up 1.2%: Singapore's benchmark stock index fell 1.2 per cent on profit-taking following the announcement of a major restructuring and imminent losses by leading conglomerate Keppel Corp, dealers said. The Straits Times index fell 15.76 points to 1,283.76 while the broader All-Singapore index dipped 3.75 points to 363.85. The sales manager at a local house said property stocks which have led the market rally are now coming in for profit taking following news that Keppel Land will a nnounce more provisions and a loss for 1998.

Malaysian shares perk up 3.3%: Malaysian share prices jumped 3.3 per cent on institutional and retail buying interest amid a thaw in the country's often stormy ties with neighbouring Singapore. The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's composite index rose 14.63 points toend at 453.29, while the lesser second board index rose 3.88 points or 3.5 per cent to 116.07.

Thai shares zoom 4%: Thai shares closed four per cent higher across the board after finance minister Tarrin Nimmanahaeminda ordered four state banks to ease their interest rate policies, dealers said. Analysts said ensuing moves by three banks to slash rates prompted a surge of local buying and prised some money out of the pockets of previously reticent offshore investors. ``They may perceive that the economic outlook is brighter due to lower interest Rate environment,'' one said.