UPPER CIRCUITS: YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL IN THE STOCK MARKET ROLLER COASTER

The stock market is a place where people can become rich or poor in seconds. Among that chaos, there is an upper circuit in the share market. Let us give you an example. The cost of one company’s share increases dramatically because more people want to buy it than sell it, so trading stops for a while. This feature acts as our guardian angel and ensures equilibrium stays within our reach; it’s not a bug but a feature accordingly designed by someone smarter than us. However, what does this mean for investors? How do they deal with situations where deals freeze while prices leap continuously upwards? Follow us through the equity market journey on why we have them and how useful are they at all levels of investment?

What is an Upper Circuit?

An upper circuit  in the stock market is a ceiling that restricts the extent to which the price of a stock can increase within one trading day. It means that at this level there are more buyers than sellers. These restrictions are usually set as percentages – 20%, 10% or 5% – based on previous closes; they prevent stocks from surging too much. These limits may be changed gradually according to conditions in the markets by bringing them down to say 10% then subsequently at 5% so as to control excessive speculation. Once attained, no stock can go higher for that day although it may fall if fresh shares come into play.

It is supply and demand ballet where Nifty and Sensex have their own circuit filters.

What happens when a stock reaches the upper circuit?

An upper circuit is when a stock price reaches the maximum allowable increase for that day of trading as set by the circuit filter; it happens due to increased buying activity. For instance, let’s take Amaraja Batteries with a 20% circuit limit. If its previous close was INR 1000 per share then the stock must touch INR 1200 (which is 20% more) to hit an upper freeze.

Upper freezes are temporary pauses in trading so that sudden demand surges can be absorbed into the market and further rapid increases prevented. In other words, after entering this phase; no matter what happens during the rest of today’s trade hours, such shares cannot go up any more, reflecting strong bullish sentiment among investors at large.

How to invest in UC stocks?

Investing in stocks with upper limits (UC) requires  careful research. Identifying companies which are likely to grow is also a necessity but it is hard to come by. Nevertheless, there are few things that most people can do to increase their chances of success.

  1. First of all, one needs to dig deep into available investment opportunities. Financial performance should be analyzed among other things such as business model, competitive advantages, industry trends and management team etc. Good fundamentals include consistent revenue & earnings growth; strong cash flow generation ability; manageable debt levels coupled with sustainable competitive position.
  2. Secondly, it is important for an investor to find firms capable of sustained long-term expansion. This might be indicated by different factors like expanding market opportunities; coming up with innovative products/services; using effective marketing strategies or having track record of successful execution etc.
  3. Remember that not every good company will reach their UC limit but don’t let this discourage you either – create a diversified portfolio full of high quality businesses that have strong growth potentials because when one fails another succeeds.
  4. When buying stocks of UC, it is important to be patient. Market conditions are uncertain and it may take a while for your investments to perform at their fullest extent. Do not give in to the temptation of short-term bets, but rather focus on long-term company fundamentals within your portfolio.
  5. Investing in UC stocks in a disciplined manner calls for thorough research and a perspective that looks beyond the short-run. One should identify companies with strong prospects for growth and keeping them for long periods could result in substantial returns over time.

What Factors Drives the Upper Circuit Stocks?

Supply and Demand Imbalance:

  • An upper circuit happens when demand exceeds supply. This occurs if many investors want to buy shares whose number available for sale is limited.
  • Good news like high earnings results, launching new products or services, beneficial government policies towards certain sectors or industries can set this off.

Market Sentiment and Speculation:

  • Bullish market sentiments play a key role too; 
  • Speculation can also fuel upper circuits.

Short Covering:

  • A short covering can cause a high circuit in some instances.
  • At times, if the cost of a share increases unexpectedly; sellers will be forced to buy back shares so that they don’t experience larger losses thereby increasing the price still again which may result in an upper limit being activated.

Technical factors:

  • Upper circuits are also affected by technical analysis which involves monitoring price charts and trading patterns. When a stock breaks above a key resistance level, it may kick off buying waves based on technical analysis strategies.

Liquidity and Stock Price Volatility:

  • Another thing you need to know is that reaching an upper circuit can indicate low liquidity. In lower liquid stocks even slight rises in purchasing activities can lead to significant jumps in prices.
  • Investors should be cautious about this volatility because prices may not reflect the company’s true value and might go through drastic corrections.

Summary

For investors to navigate through volatile market conditions, they must understand how upper circuits work in the stock exchange. Although there is no exact science to determine which stocks are UCs, doing extensive research and having a long term view can enable investors to find potentially profitable investments. As you start your investment journey, it would be wise if you consider using the Wright Titan Smallcase provided by Wright Research. This instrument adopts both large-cap and mid-cap companies thereby ensuring balance in investment while leveraging their robustness and solid financial background. You will be able to maneuver confidently in the stock market and create a strong investment portfolio suitable for your financial aims if only you have the appropriate approach alongside necessary resources.

Read more:-  Mutual Funds Vs. ETFs: How & What to Choose? 

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