Nifty IT Index vs. Nifty 50: A comparative study of the two indices.
The Nifty 50 is a benchmark index of India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) that includes/comprises the top 50 companies by market capitalization. It is widely used as a barometer of the Indian economy because it represents the overall performance of the Indian equity market. The Nifty IT Index, on the other hand, is a sectoral index that tracks the performance of the Information Technology (IT) sector. In this article, we will compare and contrast the two indices.
Performance
The Nifty 50 and Nifty IT Index have performed very differently over the years. While the Nifty 50 has been a consistent/steady performer, the Nifty IT Index has been a standout in recent months. In the last five years, the Nifty IT Index has returned around 300%, while the Nifty 50 has returned around 70%. In fact, over the last year, the Nifty IT Index has returned around 90%, while the Nifty 50 has returned around 25%.
The reason for the Nifty IT Index's outperformance is the recent strong growth in the IT sector. With the Covid-19 pandemic increasing/expanding remote working and digitalization, the demand for IT services has skyrocketed. This has resulted in an increase in IT companies' revenues and profits, which has been reflected in their stock prices.
Composition
The composition of the two indices is quite different. As previously stated, the Nifty 50 index consists of the top 50 companies in terms of market capitalization across various sectors. The Nifty IT Index, on the other hand, only includes the top ten IT companies in terms of market capitalization.
The composition of the Nifty IT Index is as follows:
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
Infosys
Wipro
HCL Technologies
Tech Mahindra
Oracle Financial Services
Mphasis
Larsen & Toubro Infotech (LTI)
Mindtree
Coforge
As we can see, TCS and Infosys alone make up more than 50% of the Nifty IT Index. This means/shows that the performance of these two companies has a significant impact on the performance of the Nifty IT Index as a whole.
Risk
The risk associated with the two indices is also quite different. Since the Nifty 50 comprises companies across different sectors, the risk is diversified. This means that if one sector underperforms, the impact on the overall performance of the Nifty 50 may be limited.
On the other hand, since the Nifty IT Index comprises/contains only IT companies, the risk is concentrated. This means that if the IT sector underperforms, the impact on the Nifty IT Index may be significant. This is something that investors need to keep in mind while investing in the Nifty IT Index.
Conclusion
Finally, the Nifty IT Index represents/reflects the performance of the IT sector, whereas the Nifty 50 represents the overall performance of the Indian equity market. While the Nifty 50 has been a consistent performer, the Nifty IT Index has recently outperformed due to strong growth in the IT sector. The risk associated with the Nifty IT Index, on the other hand, is concentrated, and investors should keep this in mind when investing in the index. Overall, both indices have advantages and disadvantages, and investors must choose the one that best suits their investment objectives and risk tolerance.