The Indian rupee weakened against the US dollar due to a strengthening dollar, high crude oil prices, and foreign fund outflows amid geopolitical uncertainties.
JPMorgan has downgraded Indian equities to 'neutral' from 'overweight', citing elevated valuations, rising earnings risks, and limited exposure to next-generation technology like AI. The brokerage believes other emerging markets offer more attractive risk/reward propositions despite India's strong structural growth story.
'As re-industrialisation gathers pace across regions like Asia, Europe and the US, a wide range of products and inputs will see demand.'
'When markets go into a budget with excessive optimism, the risk of disappointment is higher.'
The government is closely watching the fast-paced developments at the salt-to-semiconductor conglomerate.
From the Sensex pack, HCL Tech, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors and Eternal were the lead gainers. Power Grid, Adani Ports, IndusInd Bank, Nestle, HDFC Bank and Hindustan Unilever were among the laggards.
Stock markets are likely to trade in a range-bound manner in a holiday-shortened week where trading activity of foreign investors, currency movement and global macroeconomic data announcements are expected to drive sentiments, analysts said. Several global markets may see subdued activity on account of Christmas and New Year holidays, an expert said.
Delhi Police have arrested four individuals involved in an interstate racket manufacturing and distributing counterfeit prescription drugs, uncovering an illegal processing unit in Delhi.
Bharat Electronics, Reliance Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, InterGlobe Aviation, ICICI Bank and UltraTech Cement were among the other major gainers. Axis Bank, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Trent and Titan were the laggards.
If Tata Sons is listed, the special veto rights of Tata Trusts, under Article 121A, may have to go away.
IndiGo operator InterGlobe Aviation had a mildly encouraging third quarter in financial year 2026 (Q3FY26).
Fears around artificial intelligence (AI) sparked a global selloff in information technology (IT) stocks, dragging down domestic software shares and prompting the heaviest foreign portfolio investor (FPI) outflows since the second half of July 2025.
Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank and UltraTech Cement were also among the big gainers. Adani Ports, ITC, Bharti Airtel and Asian Paints were among the laggards.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids across Arunachal Pradesh, uncovering a large-scale interstate liquor smuggling and money laundering network.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' Executive Chairman Dilip Shanghvi described the USD 11.75 billion acquisition of US-based Organon & Co as both a "happy" and "bit anxious" moment, acknowledging the significant debt required to fund the large transaction.
Following regulatory action against Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), Paytm strategically separated its core operations, a move praised by analysts for preserving business continuity and governance. This separation has enabled Paytm to sustain growth and improve profitability.
India's manufacturing sector experienced a mild recovery in April, with the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising to 54.7 from 53.9 in March. However, inflationary pressures intensified, with input costs increasing at the fastest pace since August 2022, largely attributed to the Middle East conflict.
Indian equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty, ended lower after a spectacular rally, with the Sensex tumbling 931 points, as renewed tensions in West Asia, particularly the risk to the ceasefire deal after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, dampened investor optimism.
Delhi Police have uncovered a racket involving the illegal diversion and sale of government-supplied medicines intended for free distribution in hospitals, seizing drugs worth Rs 70 lakh and arresting five individuals.
From the Sensex firms, Tata Steel tanked the most by 4.57 per cent. ICICI Bank, Power Grid, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Infosys and Kotak Mahindra Bank were also among the laggards. Mahindra & Mahindra, State Bank of India, ITC and Bharat Electronics were among the gainers.
'The problem is not just slower growth, but also the quality of growth.'
The selloff in domestic information technology stocks intensified on Friday, with the Nifty IT index sliding as much as 5.2 per cent during the session before paring losses to close 1.44 per cent lower.
The government has dismissed speculation of an imminent increase in petrol and diesel prices, assuring citizens that there are no plans for a hike despite rising crude oil costs.
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire ends, while Pakistan urged both sides to extend the truce and pursue diplomacy.
Stocks of fast-moving consumer goods companies have taken it on the chin in calendar year 2026 (CY26) with the Nifty FMCG index falling over 6 per cent compared to the Nifty 50 dipping 0.8 per cent. Nifty FMCG is one of the worst-performing sectors on the NSE in CY26.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged Public Distribution System (PDS) scam.
Leading jewellery companies, Titan Company and Kalyan Jewellers India, have reported better-than-expected top-line growth in Q4 FY26, driven by robust same-store sales growth, higher average ticket sizes, and an improvement in buyer growth, signalling a strong recovery in demand.
The Indian trading and investment space has transformed exponentially in the last few years, and technology plays a pivotal part in how traders engage with the markets. In 2026, brokers are far more than order-execution platforms; they provide several value-added features to market participants to facilitate a data-driven and seamless trading experience.
Companies in the lower mcap deciles have recorded the fastest growth in median mcap.
Analysts predict continued volatility in Indian equity markets due to domestic macroeconomic data, F&O expiry, global developments including US tariff policies, and geopolitical tensions.
Since this is a long-term investment, investors must do their homework and choose a fund manager carefully.
A strong third-quarter (October-December/Q3) performance for 2025-26 (FY26) has helped the stock of India's largest listed pharmaceutical (pharma) company, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, gain about 7 per cent since the start of February.
Benchmark indices--Sensex and Nifty--were 0.7-0.8 per cent higher from the Saturday closing. Among the widely-tracked Nifty 50 stocks, 39 advanced and the rest 11 declined at the opening bell. Among the individual stocks, Cipla, ICICI Bank, Sun Pharma, Power Grid Corp, and Bharti Airtel were the top five gainers, while Asian Paints, Hindustan Unilever, Britania, HDFC Bank, and BPCL the losers, NSE data showed. On Monday, Indian stock exchanges were closed for trading on the occasion of Pran Pratistha of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Infosys shares experienced a significant drop, hitting a 52-week low, after the company announced its Q4FY26 results and provided a modest revenue growth guidance of 1.5-3.5 per cent in constant currency for FY27, falling below market expectations and raising concerns about AI-led deflation and margin pressures.
From the 30 blue-chip stocks, Titan, Asian Paints, Nestle, Tech Mahindra, Reliance Industries, Zomato, Larsen & Toubro and Bajaj Finserv were among the laggards. Adani Ports, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel and Tata Motors were among the gainers.
Benchmark Sensex tumbled 1,236 points or 1.5 per cent while Nifty closed near 25,450 on Thursday following an across-the-board sell-off amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran.
Macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors would be major driving factors for market movement this week, analysts said. Unabated capital infusion by domestic institutional investors have supported the positive trend in the stock market last week, traders said.
'In investing, poor sentiment is always a good vintage to build a portfolio.'
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) will launch Dated Brent Crude Oil (Platts) futures on April 13, offering a new hedging tool for market participants.
The fiscal tilt towards capex benefits companies in investment-related sectors like capital goods, defence equipment, engineering & construction and metal & mining. The planned cut in revenue expenditure will weigh on companies in consumption sectors like FMCG, consumer durables and retail.
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