Why is Ashoka Buildcon falling/rising?

As of 19-Aug, Ashoka Buildcon Ltd. is experiencing a price increase, currently at Rs 181.20, reflecting a rise of 2.8 or 1.57%. The stock has shown a positive performance today, outperforming its sector by 0.58% and achieving a consecutive gain over the last two days with a total return of 2.06%. Despite this short-term uptick, the stock has underperformed over the past month, with a decline of 12.04%, and a year-to-date drop of 41.79%. Positive factors contributing to the stock's recent movement include high management efficiency, evidenced by a return on capital employed (ROCE) of 30.91%, and consistent positive results over the last six quarters, including a significant growth in profit after tax. However, the stock is trading below its moving averages and has seen a decline in investor participation, with delivery volume dropping by 33.45% against the five-day average.
In the broader market context, the stock's short-term performance of +0.78% over the past week contrasts with the benchmark Sensex, which has risen by 1.76% in the same period. This indicates that while Ashoka Buildcon is gaining ground recently, it is still lagging behind the overall market trend. The company's long-term growth prospects remain healthy, with net sales growing at an annual rate of 15.19% and a low debt-equity ratio of 0.51 times, which may attract institutional investors who hold 21.46% of the stock. Despite the recent gains, the stock's significant year-to-date decline and lower trading volumes suggest caution among investors.