In a recent interaction, V. Vaidyanathan, MD and CEO of IDFC FIRST Bank, addressed concerns surrounding IDBI MicroFinance, stating that the rough period is behind the industry. He spoke about the bank's strong performance, with a 48% profit growth driven by NIM expansion and lower credit costs. Vaidyanathan also shared the bank's guidance for FY26, expecting NIM to improve to 5.85% in Q4 and credit costs to fall. Comprehensive Budget 2026 coverage, LIVE TV analysis, Stock Market and Industry reactions, Inc ...

Government and Economic Outlook - The upcoming Union Budget is unlikely to deliver major reform-oriented surprises and is expected to maintain the status quo due to limited scope for sweeping changes [1] - The government must urgently address heavy foreign portfolio investor (FPI) outflows to mitigate risks to financial stability [2][3] - Concerns among foreign investors have intensified following recent tax-related developments, particularly the Flipkart judgment, which has led to uncertainty regarding past transactions [6][7] Precious Metals and Cryptocurrencies - The recent rally in gold and silver prices is deemed unsustainable, with expectations of further price corrections in the near term [8][9] - The correction in precious metals and cryptocurrencies is viewed as a healthy development, indicating a return to market sanity [10] Indian Equities and Market Sentiment - Despite near-term pressures, the long-term outlook for Indian equities remains constructive, supported by healthy economic indicators and corporate earnings [11] - Concerns exist regarding the depreciation of the rupee, rising bond yields, and tightening liquidity conditions, which could pose challenges for the economy [12] Investment Opportunities - Attractive valuations in the midcap space and select sectors, such as construction, defense, and consumption, present potential investment opportunities [13] - Market psychology often creates the best buying opportunities, as drastic sell-offs can lead to undervalued stocks [14] - Selective buying has begun in the market, with interest in larger companies and smaller private banks benefiting from an improving rate environment [15][16]

Market Overview - The GIFT Nifty is trading marginally lower at 25,359.50, indicating a flat to negative open for the benchmark index [1] - US and European index futures are trading mixed during Asian trading hours [1] - The Nifty declined 98.25 points (0.39%) to end at 25,320.65, while Sensex fell 296.59 points (0.36%) to 82,269.78 at close [4] Commodity Market - Gold experienced its steepest drop in over 40 years, tumbling over 12% to slide below $5,000 per ounce, marking its sharpest single-day fall since the early 1980s [3] - Silver saw an unprecedented intraday collapse, plunging up to 36% in its largest intraday decline on record [3] Sector Performance - The metal index saw a sharp 5% drop, while oil & gas, banking, IT, and energy indices also ended lower, falling between 0.5% and 1% [5] - Pharma, media, consumer durables, and FMCG stocks outperformed, rising in the range of 0.7% to 1.8% [5] Earnings Reports - Bajaj Auto reported Q3 FY26 revenue up 18.8% at Rs 15,220 crore, with net profit up 18.7% at Rs 2,503 crore [7] - NTPC reported Q3 FY26 revenue down 1.8% at Rs 40,644 crore, with net profit up 5.8% at Rs 4,987 crore [9] - Bank of Baroda reported Q3 FY26 revenue (NII) up 0.1% at Rs 11,800 crore, with net profit up 4.5% at Rs 5,055 crore [9] - Meesho reported Q3 FY26 revenue up 31.6% at Rs 3,518 crore, but net loss increased to Rs 491 crore [10] Corporate Actions - Aadhar Housing Finance announced a reduction in its Retail Prime Lending Rate (RPLR) by 15 basis points effective Feb 10 [26] - NTPC may become the sole promoter of PTC India [26] - Bank of Baroda plans to raise funds worth Rs 10,000 crore through long-term bonds [26] Key Events - The Union Budget is to be tabled and presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in parliament [8] - Auto sales data for January is anticipated [8]

It turned profitable in the December quarter of 2025-26 on a healthy 38 per cent jump in revenue during the period, according to a statement.The Institute reported a profit after tax of Rs 7.03 crore for the October-December quarter against a loss of Rs 3.88 crore in the year-ago period.Revenue from operations rose by 38.6 per cent to Rs 60 crore in the third quarter compared to Rs 43.29 crore in Q3 FY25, the statement said. Total expenditure for the quarter was Rs 52.46 crore while total employee costs wer ...

IDFC First Bank Ltd.'s net profit for the third quarter of FY26 soared 48%, year-on-year. The bank reported a bottom-line of Rs  503 crore against Rs 339 crore in the same quarter last year. Its Net Interest Income was at Rs 5,492 crore compared with Rs 4,902 crore, up 12%. The firm's operating profit was up 15.6% to Rs 2,003 crore from Rs 1,759 crore.Gross non-performing assests decreased to 1.69% sequentially from 1.86%, and Net NPA also saw a marginal increase to 0.53% from 0.52% in the previous quarter. ...

Core Insights - The bank reported a 48% year-on-year increase in net profit to Rs 503 crore for Q3 FY26, compared to Rs 339 crore in the same period last year [8] - Net interest income (NII) grew by 12% year-on-year to Rs 5,492.4 crore, up from Rs 4,902 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago [8] - The bank's asset quality showed improvement, with gross non-performing assets (NPAs) ratio decreasing to 1.69% from 1.86% in the previous quarter and 1.94% a year ago [8][7] Financial Performance - Gross NPAs declined to Rs 4,614 crore from Rs 4,841 crore in the previous quarter, while net NPAs rose slightly to Rs 1,427 crore from Rs 1,345.4 crore sequentially [2][8] - Provisions for the quarter decreased by 3.7% sequentially to Rs 1,398 crore from Rs 1,452 crore, indicating an improvement in overall asset quality [5][8] - The bank's net interest margin (NIM) fell to 5.76% from 6% in the same period last year [9] Loan Growth and Segments - Nearly 89% of the year-on-year growth in loans and advances was driven by expansion in mortgage loans, vehicle loans, consumer loans, business banking, and wholesale loans, reflecting broad-based momentum across key lending segments [4][8] - The credit card portfolio expanded, with cards in force reaching 4.3 million during Q3 FY26 [5][8] - The wealth management business experienced a 31% year-on-year growth, with assets under management increasing to Rs 58,957 crore [5][8] Management Commentary - The Managing Director and CEO, V Vaidyanathan, noted strong business momentum across core segments, including lending, deposits, wealth management, and transaction banking [6][8] - He highlighted the improvement in asset quality and anticipated a further decline in the cost of funds due to recent revisions in savings rates, which is expected to support the bank's lending expansion [7][8]

US regulators have abruptly shut down a bank in Illinois in the first bank failure of 2026.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) says the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has closed Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust.[adinserter block="1"][adinserter block="1"]The FDIC has been appointed as the receiver and has entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First Independence Bank, which will assume “substantially all” deposits.“Metropolitan Capital Bank ...

Core Insights - The Q3FY26 earnings season is set to feature over 75 listed companies reporting their results, providing a comprehensive overview of corporate performance across various sectors [1] - Key companies reporting include Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, IDFC First Bank, Delhivery, GAIL (India), Finolex Industries, and Reliance Infrastructure, along with numerous mid- and small-cap firms [2] - The previous quarter showed mixed results, with some companies experiencing steady revenue growth while others faced profit pressures, highlighting the importance of monitoring margins and operational improvements [3] - The December quarter is crucial for assessing companies' positions before the end of FY26, with a focus on shifts in margins, asset quality, and cash flows, alongside management commentary [4] Sector Performance - The earnings reports will cover various sectors including banking, pharmaceuticals, logistics, energy, manufacturing, financial services, and technology, offering insights into sector-specific performance [1][2] - Market participants will evaluate income, profitability, margins, and balance sheet trends to gauge overall corporate health during the December quarter [2] - Interest-rate-sensitive and consumption-linked sectors will be particularly scrutinized for signs of stabilization and growth momentum [3] Reporting and Analysis - The live blog will provide real-time updates on earnings numbers and developments as companies report their Q3FY26 results throughout the day [5] - Analysts will closely examine management commentary alongside financial results to better understand future positioning and strategies of the companies [4]

Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) on Friday posted over two-fold jump in consolidated net profit to ₹374.03 crore, supported by higher revenues.It had reported a net profit of ₹141.89 crore in the October-December period of the preceding fiscal, the company said in an exchange filing.The company’s total income rose over 11% to ₹27,545.93 crore from ₹24,723.43 crore a year ago.In April-December, the company’s profit after tax (PAT) was ₹1,554 crore, higher than ₹970 crore in the nine-month period of FY25.S ...

Key insight: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. officials wound down Chicago-based Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust Friday, brokering a sale of most of the bank's assets to Detroit-based First Independence Bank.Supporting data: The failure is the first of 2026, and is estimated to cost the FDIC's Deposit Insurance Fund $19.7 million, according to the agency. Metropolitan reported $43 million in liabilities against advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank system in the third quarter of 2025.Forward look: The s ...