Why is Ambuja Cements falling/rising?

As of 24-Oct, Ambuja Cements Ltd is experiencing a decline in its stock price, currently at 555.45, down by 9.05 points or 1.6%. The stock has underperformed its sector today by 0.28% and has been on a consecutive downward trend for the last two days, resulting in a total decline of 2.17%. Over the past week, the stock has decreased by 1.43%, and in the last month, it has fallen by 4.68%, contrasting with the Sensex, which has gained 0.31% and 3.05% respectively. Despite a strong performance in terms of net sales and profit growth in recent quarters, the stock's long-term growth prospects appear weak, with an annual operating profit growth rate of only 3.13% over the last five years and a relatively low return on equity of 7.8%.
In the broader market context, Ambuja Cements' short-term performance has lagged behind the benchmark, as indicated by its negative returns over various periods compared to the Sensex. While the stock has shown some resilience with a year-to-date gain of 3.73%, it has underperformed the broader market over the last year and three years. The high institutional holdings at 25.54% suggest that more knowledgeable investors are involved, yet the overall sentiment remains cautious due to the stock's expensive valuation and below-par performance in both the near and long term.