For badla financiers it was good tiding. They were in demand as operators needed funds to finance the rising outstanding positions. Though badla rates increased to 26 per cent in the initial hours on Saturday, they finally stabilised in the 23.5-24.6 per cent annualised band.

Purchase carryforward positions stood at a high of Rs 949 crore while sale carryforward positions were valued at Rs 197.09 crore.

Pivotals like ITC, SBI, Reliance, ACC and Telco attracted carryforward charges of 23.5 per cent.

Interestingly, infotech counters like Satyam Computers and Pentafour Software attracted backwardation charges. It may be recalled thatSatyam had witnessed a phenomenal auction volume of over 52,400 shares on the National Stock Exchange on Thursday. The auction was conducted at a premium of over 9 per cent at Rs 797, reflecting the shortage of stocks in the system. The weighted average price at the auction was however pegged at Rs 757.

During the badla session on the BSE, Satyam witnessed a backwardation charge of Rs 3.98 during the initial stages.

However in the final countdown, the stock attracted a meagre backwardation charge of 30 paise. The total outstanding at the counter was pegged at a high of Rs 280,900 shares. Market was agog with rumours that an equal amount of shares would come up for auction on the BSE as well on Monday. The stock shot up by Rs 6 to trade at Rs 746 against the hawala price of Rs 740. In the case of Pentafour Software, despite the counter attracting backwardation of Re 1 during the initial stages, it finally closed on a positive note with the carryforward interest rate marked at the normal market levels of23.61 per cent.

The total outstanding at Pentafour's counter was at a high of 4.52 lakh shares.

It may be recalled that the board of Pentafour Software has scheduled a meeting on January 4 to increase FII stake in the company up to 30 per cent. On Saturday at 5.30 pm the stock traded at a premium of Rs 10 at Rs 750.

UTI Mastergain for the third consecutive week attracted backwardation charges. While the total outstanding was 4,700 shares, the counter attracted a backwardation charge of Rs 0.05 based on the hawala price of Rs 9.

Infotech scrips add spark to kerb

Reflecting the upbeat mood of the market in anticipation of fresh FII inflows coupled with expectations of an important announcements from leading corporates saw pivotals quote at a premium of over 2 per cent at the kerb markets on Saturday evening. While Pentafour Software was the star performer with the scrip trading at a premium of Rs 10 at Rs 750, Satyam Computers registered a premium of Rs 6 to be traded at Rs 746.