Indian defence stocks have seen an average year-on-year gain of 67 per cent, driven by renewed interest following 'Operation Sindoor' and a broader increase in global geopolitical tensions, with the combined market capitalisation of 18 firms increasing by approximately 2.3 trillion.
'What we are witnessing is a massive anti-incumbency wave that has cut across all social and political divides.'
'FPIs are unlikely to return unless there is equilibrium between valuation premium and earnings growth.'
'We have lost 70-80 per cent of our business from foreign guests.'
New demat account additions in India reached an 11-month low in March, with only 2.15 million new accounts opened, significantly below the 12-month average. This slowdown is attributed to a sharp decline in equity markets, escalating West Asia tensions, and increased crude oil prices impacting India's economic outlook.
Financial year 2025-26 (FY26) saw a significant shift in corporate fundraising, with rights issues more than doubling to a multi-decade high of 51, raising 44,290 crore, while qualified institutional placements (QIPs) more than halved to 29 issues, mobilising 62,954 crore, driven by sharp equity market corrections and regulatory changes.
Benchmark indices tumbled about 2 per cent on Friday, capping one of the most turbulent weeks for domestic equities as investors fretted that the West Asian conflict could drag on for weeks or even months.
Domestic equities surged on Tuesday, posting their best single-day gains in more than eight months after a long-awaited trade deal between India and the US. The deal, which lowered tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, significantly improved investor sentiment and lifted a key overhang for the market.
Foreign investors have remained cautious ahead of the Union Budget amid expectations of limited policy changes.
Indian equities declined on Friday, with the benchmark Nifty posting its worst weekly fall since September, as foreign investor sentiment remained weak amid tepid earnings growth and little progress on the India-US trade front.
FPIs net sold equities worth Rs 1.7 trillion in 2025 -- the highest annual net sale on record.
Retail investors' equity portfolios have significantly underperformed benchmark indices over the past 16 to 18 months.
Fundraising through pre-initial public offerings (pre-IPOs) more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year, but remained below the peak seen in 2023. The narrowing gap between pre-IPO and IPO pricing is the reason for the decline in both the number and value of such deals over the past two years.
The surge has come alongside a decline in average issue sizes and more muted listing-day returns compared with last year.
'Retail portfolios were going nowhere even as headline indices moved higher, prompting investors to sell holdings and shift money to IPOs, attracted by listing-day gains.'
Shares of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) tumbled on Tuesday, posting its biggest single-day decline in 19 months, amid controversy over its purchase of Russian oil and profit-booking after recent gains.
The number of rights issues more than doubled and hit a 28-year high in 2025, even as qualified institutional placements (QIPs) shrank amid a broader market correction and the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) revised framework for rights issues.
'Only four or five original companies remain; the rest have been replaced every decade as sectors evolve or leadership shifts.' 'Companies that fail to adapt -- like many textile mills from the 1970s and shipping firms from the 1980s -- disappear.' 'Benchmark indices reward those who reinvent themselves in line with economic demands.'
The milestone crowns a record year for the domestic primary market where IPO mobilisation is set to cross Rs 1.7 trillion.
Retail investors are moving away from a buy-and-hold approach and towards more informed short-term positioning, recent investment patterns show.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances