China sets securities law to rein in market:China put its stamp of approval on Tuesday on a securities law to rein in chaotic share trading eight years after reopening its stock markets. Lawmakers passed the long-awaited act to replace a hotchpotch of market rules and curb a host of abuses ranging from insider trading to listing fraud and theft of investor funds. The 12-chapter, 214-article law, approved by senior members of the nation's parliament, will take effect next July 1, the official Xinhua news agency said. It contains "detailed stipulations on preventing market risk and standardising market operations to protect the interests of investors," the agency said.

PNB forays into depository service: Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Tuesday made its foray in the stock market services by offering its customers depository services. While inaugurating the services PNB executive director KR Chabria said the bank is the first nationalised bank to launch its services as depository participant of National Security Depository Ltd (NSDL) with directconnectivity from Delhi. In a statement he said the bank with large network of branches also proposes to extend the service from other metros and important centres.

GTB appointed BSE clearing banker: Global Trust Bank (GTB) has been appointed as the clearing banker for Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the bank is also considering picking up five per cent stake in BSE Central Depository Services. The clearing bank facilities would be offered to BSE members in all cities where GTB has presence, bank statement said. GTB will be the third bank to be appointed by BSE to take care of its settlement functions.

Corporation Bank to offer depository services soon: Corporation Bank, will soon offer depository services to investors of Jaipur. The bank will act as a depository participants partner to the Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL) for offering services to individual investors. SHCIL is a depository participant of the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL). Corporation Bankhad entered into a strategic alliance with SHCIL for this purpose. The bank as an agent of SHCIL will be a front end operation unit offering services like dematerialisation and rematerialisation of securities maintaining investor holding in the electronic form and effective settlement of securities traded on the stock exchanges, according to a press relase here.

Stocks react on NSE: Share prices reacted on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday as operators were squaring up their positions on the last day of the current settlement. The S&P declined by 7.20 to close at 872.65 from the last close of 879.85. The CNX Nifty Junior fell by 3.05 to end at 1493.65 from the previous close of 1496.70. The S&P CNX Defty dropped by 6.35 to finish at 710.75 from Monday's close of 717.10. S&P CNX 500 eased by 1.92 to 598.78 from 600.70. CNX Midcap 200 softened by 1.76 to finish at 534.78 from the last close of 536.54. The total turnover was Rs 2023.54 crore from 759.69 lakh shares and in 2,55,626trades.

DSE shares end mixed: Share values closed mixed on Tuesday at the Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE) with even software scrips showing downward tendencies. The DSE index (base 1983) closed 3.49 points down at 666.64. Sources said the overall market mood was somewhat despondent. Pentafour Software closed Rs 37 down at 676, while Zee Telefilms slipped Rs 29.15 at 618.85. Hindustan Lever closed Rs 25 lower at 1,645, ITC Ltd Rs 16 at 722 and HCL Infosystems Rs 12.50 at 280.50. Other specified shares which declined were Hero Honda and Reliance Industries. But cement major ACC was up Rs 71.75 at 1.071 and Satyam Computers Rs 15.50 at 722.50. Bata India gained Rs 4 at 184, BHEL Rs 5 at 266 and Larsen and Toubro Rs 6 at 164.

CSE share prices continue to soar: With bull operators extending their holdings in most of the recently active shares, share prices continued to soar today on the Calcutta Stock Exchange with turnover touching a new high for the past several weeks. Higher levels, however, couldnot be maintained in a host of counters as profit taking emerged in the market pulling down values in them. Despite this, however, several scrips finished the day in the plus territory with ACC on the lead settling at Rs.1070. Castrol and Sathyam Computer encountered renewed profit-taking towards the close which wiped out the gains in the former and reduced the same in the latter their closing being Rs.746.90 and Rs.722.60 respectively.

Software stocks firm up on MSE: On a day of thin trading, software counters firmed up further on the Madras Stock Market on Tuesday. The MSE share price index remained static at 3346.63, as no index scrip was traded. Sathyam Computers rallied to Rs 726 from Rs 697.95. MTNL moved up by Rs 15 to Rs 184 while State Bank of India was a shade lower at Rs 155.75. Amurtanjan, California Soft, CG Vak Soft, Ram Informatics and Silverline were the other firm features. Bank of Baroda was traded at Rs 47.10.

Demat trade at Rs 5.04 crore: A total of 2.73 lakh sharesvalued at Rs 5.04 crore were traded in the demat segments on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday. At NSE, NIIT traded two shares valued at Rs 3,000 in two trades, Reliance traded 43,560 shares valued at Rs 52.26 lakh in 48 trades, SBI traded 39,755 shares valued at Rs 62.06 lakh in 96 trades, L&T traded 28,255 shares worth Rs 44.77 lakh in 107 trades and TELCO traded 5,676 shars worth Rs. 9.81 lakh in 12 trades. At BSE, NIIT traded 11,500 shares valued at Rs 190.32 lakh in a single trade, Reliance traded 45,000 shares valued at Rs 54.06 lakh in four trades and TELCO traded 5,000 shares worth Rs 8.70 lakh in one trade.