The operating performance of the country's largest passenger carmakers, Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) and Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), in the July-September quarter (Q2) of 2025-26 (FY26) outpaced brokerage expectations.
Axis Bank reported a sharp drop in net profit in the second quarter of financial year 2026 (Q2FY26) on higher provisions and weak operating profit growth while revenue growth was moderate. But loan growth and deposit growth improved to double-digits year-on-year (Y-o-Y) and asset quality also improved with the gross non-performing loan or NPL ratio moving down.
Overall economic activity continued to hold up in November with demand conditions remaining robust, thanks to strengthening urban demand, but manufacturing and rural demand showed some signs of deceleration even as services remained strong, according to an article on the State of the Economy written by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials in the central bank's December bulletin.
Investors must account for currency depreciation in their financial plans and use instruments that can cushion the erosion in purchasing power.
Investors have put money in Ambuja Cements shares as the cement major has moved to consolidate its operations. The Adani Group company has proposed to merge its subsidiaries ACC and Orient Cement into the parent entity.
From the Sensex firms, Adani Ports, Bharat Electronics, Eternal, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, State Bank of India and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the biggest gainers. However, ITC, Bajaj Finance, Titan and Tech Mahindra were the laggards.
Healthcare major Max Healthcare Institute delivered a healthy performance in the second quarter (July-September) of 2025-26 (Q2FY26). Strong patient volumes and average revenues not only boosted the top line but also aided the operating performance.
Deloitte on Thursday projected economic growth at 6.5-6.7 per cent for the current fiscal, as tax incentives provided in the Budget are expected to push domestic demand amid an uncertain global trade environment. Deloitte estimated India's GDP growth at 6.3-6.5 per cent for FY25 and said that the economic outlook for FY26 hinges on a delicate balance between evolving trade relations and government efforts to boost domestic consumer demand.
India's used car market, which has been growing steadily at 10-12 per cent over the last 2-3 years, is expected to reach $40 billion in FY26.
Mining major Vedanta's consolidated net profit plunged 58.69 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 1,798 crore in the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), dragged down by exceptional losses booked during the period under review. The company had reported a net exceptional gain of Rs 1,160 crore in Q2FY25.
Ahead of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) monetary policy review in the first week of December, major public sector non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) - the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi), Power Finance Corporation (PFC), and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) - plan to raise up to Rs 24,000 crore together through bond issuancesk.
The pickup was driven partly by fresh corporate investment but more by higher working-capital demand.
Adani Energy Solutions on Monday posted a 28 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 557.10 crore for the September quarter, mainly due to one-time adjustment of deferred tax of Rs 314 crore in the year-ago period. Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) had reported a net profit of Rs 773 crore in the July-September quarter of the last fiscal.
ICICI Bank delivered satisfactory results in the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), sustaining return on assets (RoA) of around 2.3-2.4 per cent and improving asset quality. Provisions declined 26 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) and 50 per cent quarter-on-quarter (Q-o-Q).
The stock of automotive (auto) components major Bharat Forge has risen 14.6 per cent over the past month. Despite ongoing demand challenges, strong operating performance in the July-September quarter (Q3) of 2025-26 (FY26), a diversified revenue base, and expectations of a gradual recovery have lifted sentiment.
The US has replaced random H-1B selection with a wage-weighted lottery and a new $100,000 fee for applications, raising uncertainty for students and junior hires.
Foreign investors have pulled out Rs 11,820 crore ($1.3 billion) from Indian equities in the first week of this month, primarily driven by the sharp depreciation of the rupee. This sharp withdrawal follows a net outflow of Rs 3,765 crore in November, further pressuring markets.
Prosus, the Amsterdam-based technology investor with net assets valued at over $200 billion spanning payments to e-commerce, has identified India as one of its most critical growth markets, and is increasing its strategic investments here.
After completion of its mandatory tender offer in Fortis Healthcare and Fortis Malar Hospitals, Malaysian health care giant IHH Healthcare is aiming to add 2,000 beds in a bid to double down on value creation in India. IHH, which is Asia's largest multinational private healthcare provider, currently has over 5,000 beds across a combined network of 35 hospitals and 11 states.
Fino Payments Bank (Fino) has become the first such entity to get an in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to transition into a small finance bank (SFB).
'The Indian consumer is moving so quickly and they have so many options.'
India's $280-billion IT industry heads into 2026, balancing visa-related headwinds and global trade uncertainty against its biggest-ever push into artificial intelligence and the rapid expansion of global capability centres (GCCs). Heightened scrutiny of the US H-1B visa programme - including a proposed $100,000 fee for new visas and concerns over a potential 25 per cent outsourcing tax - has complicated cross-border delivery for Indian firms, even as companies accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on onsite staffing.
Macroeconomic data, global market trends and trading activity of foreign investors will be the key drivers for dictating market sentiment this week, analysts said. "This week, volatility may increase ahead of the November derivatives expiry. Domestically, markets will track several high-impact macro releases, including Q2 GDP data and industrial production.
IT services firm Wipro's revenue is likely to increase by about 4.5 per cent in FY26, mainly driven by favourable sectoral trends and recovery in discretionary customer spending, according to global rating agency Fitch.
'Calibrated depreciation will help rebalance external fundamentals, offset some of the tariff differentials with competitors, improve the competitiveness of domestic substitutes vis-a-vis Chinese imports, and contribute to the easing of financial conditions at a time when the inflation rate is unusually low,' explains Sajjid Z Chinoy, head of Asia Economics at JP Morgan.
Companies are primarily using funds raised through fresh equity issuance to repay existing debt, followed by allocation for capital expenditure, according to a study by Bank of Baroda of over 200 filings with the market regulator between April and October 2025. The report stated that of these filings with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) - covering both funds already raised in FY26 and future intent - 189 companies provided clear data on the purpose of the fund-raising.
Even as the results of Siemens for the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26) were a mixed bag, the stock was the top gainer in the BSE 200 index, rising 4.92 per cent in trade. Most brokerages are neutral or positive on the company.
The stock of mid-tier information technology (IT) major Persistent Systems has been one of the outperformers in the IT pack with a return of 5.3 per cent over the last year, while its peer index, the Nifty IT, is down 16.2 per cent over the same period. The strong September quarter (Q2FY26) result and upgrades by brokerages are positive but its ability to sustain growth momentum in a weak macroeconomic environment will be key for future gains. At the current levels, the stock is trading at a premium valuation of 38 times its FY27 earnings estimates.
The upcoming Union Budget to be presented on February 1 is likely to assume a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) growth between 10 and 10.5 per cent for FY26, a Business Standard poll of 10 economists showed. The first advance estimates released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) had estimated a nominal GDP growth of 9.7 per cent for FY25. Nominal GDP, calculated at current market prices, factors in the effect of inflation. It is used as the base to calculate crucial macroeconomic indicators, such as fiscal deficit, revenue deficit, and debt-to-GDP ratio.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India this week aims to secure energy supplies, stabilise defence deliveries and ensure bilateral trade continues smoothly despite strong Western sanctions, GTRI said on Tuesday.
A strong performance in the July-September quarter of 2025-26 (FY26) and expectations of growth from launches and acquisition-led synergies led to a 6.65 per cent jump in the share price of Torrent Pharmaceuticals.
Colgate-Palmolive India's September quarter (Q2FY26) performance has reinforced concerns among brokerages about the company's continued market challenges.
The stock of Bharti Airtel, India's largest listed telecommunications (telecom) services provider, recently hit an all-time high on expectations of higher average revenue per user (Arpu), a stable market setup, and fresh revenue lines.
Hinduja Group-led Ashok Leyland has posted a record consolidated net profit of ~820 crore in the second quarter of 2025-26 (FY26), up 7 per cent from ~767 crore during the same quarter last year.
Around 128.6 million people were employed in the unincorporated sector during July-September of FY26, showed the latest quarterly bulletin of unincorporated sector enterprises released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Tuesday. This is slightly higher than the 128.57 million in the previous quarter.
After a three-month slowdown, India's oil imports (already landed) from Russia bounced back in the first 15 days of October to 1.8 million barrels per day.
JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL) has announced a restructuring that unlocks value from Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) and changes the balance-sheet. JSTL will do a slump sale of 50 per cent stake in BPSL to Japan's JFE Steel in two equal tranches, totalling Rs 15,700 crore in cash.
Asian Paints reported a good performance for the second quarter (July-September) of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), with some help from base effects, despite strong competition and extended monsoon. Volume grew in low double digits in the key domestic decorative paints, and value in that segment grew by 6 per cent. Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) grew 21 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), and PAT (profit after tax) grew 14 per cent. Asian Paints also defended market share better after several quarters where it had lost ground to Birla Opus.
Since the Indian government reduced GST on small cars on September 22, the small car segment's share in Maruti's overall sales has risen to more than 25 per cent, up from 16.6 per cent earlier in FY26.
'The market is still very bullish. The demand is so strong that for eight models, we have no units in our factories to dispatch to dealers,' said Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer, marketing & sales, Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL).
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