Market Performance - The Indian equity markets ended positively, with the BSE Sensex rising by 720.56 points, or 0.84%, over the week [2][4] - The combined market value of seven of the country's ten most-valued companies increased by Rs 1,23,724.19 crore [4] Top Gainers - Reliance Industries led the gains, with its market capitalisation increasing by Rs 45,266.12 crore to Rs 21,54,978.60 crore [2][4] - State Bank of India saw a rise of Rs 30,414.89 crore, reaching a valuation of Rs 9,22,461.77 crore [2][4] - Larsen & Toubro's market value increased by Rs 16,204.34 crore to Rs 5,72,640.56 crore [2][4] - Hindustan Unilever's valuation climbed by Rs 14,626.21 crore to Rs 5,51,637.04 crore [2][4] - HDFC Bank recorded an increase of Rs 13,538.43 crore, bringing its market capitalisation to Rs 15,40,303.87 crore [3][4] - ICICI Bank's valuation rose by Rs 3,103.99 crore to Rs 9,68,773.14 crore [3][4] - Bharti Airtel added Rs 570.21 crore, reaching Rs 12,01,262.53 crore [3][4] Decliners - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) experienced a decline of Rs 10,745.72 crore, ending with a market value of Rs 11,75,914.62 crore [3][4] - Infosys lost Rs 6,183.25 crore, concluding the week at Rs 6,81,635.59 crore [3][4] - Bajaj Finance saw a drop of Rs 5,693.58 crore, with its valuation falling to Rs 6,16,430.43 crore [3][4] Company Rankings - At the end of the week, Reliance Industries remained the most valuable company in India, followed by HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, TCS, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Larsen & Toubro, and Hindustan Unilever [3][4]

Core Insights - Reliance Industries maintained its position as the most valued firm in India, followed by HDFC Bank and Bharti Airtel [1][3] Group 1: Market Performance - Reliance Industries earned Rs 45,266 crore from the share market due to a 2.50% increase in its shares over five days from December 29 to January 2, 2026 [2] - The market capitalization of Reliance Industries increased by Rs 45,266.12 crore, reaching Rs 21,54,978.60 crore, with shares closing at Rs 1,593 on January 2 [3] - The BSE benchmark index rose by 720.56 points, or 0.84%, during the same period, reflecting an optimistic trend in equities [2] Group 2: Valuation Changes - The combined market capitalization of seven of the top-10 most-valued firms surged by Rs 1,23,724.19 crore, with Reliance Industries showing the largest increase in valuation [2] - Among the top-10 firms, Reliance, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Larsen & Toubro, and Hindustan Unilever experienced valuation gains, while Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Bajaj Finance saw declines [4] - State Bank of India added Rs 30,414.89 crore to its valuation, bringing it to Rs 9,22,461.77 crore [4]

Market Overview - The combined market capitalisation of seven of the top-10 most-valued firms increased by ₹1,23,724.19 crore last week, reflecting a positive trend in equities, with Reliance Industries experiencing the largest valuation increase [1] - The BSE benchmark rose by 720.56 points, or 0.84 percent [1] Gainers - Reliance Industries saw its market valuation rise by ₹45,266.12 crore, reaching ₹21,54,978.60 crore [2] - State Bank of India added ₹30,414.89 crore to its valuation, totaling ₹9,22,461.77 crore [2] - Larsen & Toubro's valuation increased by ₹16,204.34 crore to ₹5,72,640.56 crore [3] - Hindustan Unilever's market capitalisation climbed by ₹14,626.21 crore to ₹5,51,637.04 crore [3] - HDFC Bank's valuation edged up by ₹13,538.43 crore to ₹15,40,303.87 crore [3] - ICICI Bank advanced by ₹3,103.99 crore to ₹9,68,773.14 crore [3] - Bharti Airtel's market capitalisation rose by ₹570.21 crore to ₹12,01,262.53 crore [3] Decliners - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) experienced a decline in market valuation by ₹10,745.72 crore, bringing it down to ₹11,75,914.62 crore [2][4] - Infosys saw a decrease of ₹6,183.25 crore in its valuation, now at ₹6,81,635.59 crore [4] - Bajaj Finance's market capitalisation dropped by ₹5,693.58 crore to ₹6,16,430.43 crore [4] Rankings - Reliance Industries remains the most valued firm, followed by HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, TCS, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Larsen & Toubro, and Hindustan Unilever [4]

Market Overview - The BSE benchmark increased by 720.56 points, or 0.84 percent last week [1] Company Valuations - Reliance Industries saw its market valuation rise by Rs 45,266.12 crore, reaching Rs 21,54,978.60 crore, maintaining its position as the most valued firm [6] - The market valuation of State Bank of India increased by Rs 30,414.89 crore, bringing its total to Rs 9,22,461.77 crore [6] - Larsen & Toubro's valuation surged by Rs 16,204.34 crore to Rs 5,72,640.56 crore [4] - Hindustan Unilever's market valuation climbed by Rs 14,626.21 crore to Rs 5,51,637.04 crore [4] - HDFC Bank's market capitalisation edged higher by Rs 13,538.43 crore to Rs 15,40,303.87 crore [5] - ICICI Bank's valuation advanced by Rs 3,103.99 crore to Rs 9,68,773.14 crore [5] - Bharti Airtel's market capitalisation increased by Rs 570.21 crore to Rs 12,01,262.53 crore [6] Valuation Erosion - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) experienced a decline in market valuation by Rs 10,745.72 crore, reducing its total to Rs 11,75,914.62 crore [6] - Infosys saw a decrease in market capitalisation by Rs 6,183.25 crore to Rs 6,81,635.59 crore [6] - Bajaj Finance's market valuation dropped by Rs 5,693.58 crore to Rs 6,16,430.43 crore [6] Overall Market Capitalisation - The combined market capitalisation of seven of the top-10 most-valued firms surged by Rs 1,23,724.19 crore, reflecting an optimistic trend in equities [6]

Market Outlook - Strong domestic institutional investor (DII) flows are welcomed, and concerns about "too much money chasing too few stocks" are considered premature ahead of a broader market rally in 2026 [10] - Equity investing is cyclical, with phases of inflows and pauses repeating over time, and investors should only worry after markets have delivered meaningful gains [10][2] Investment Strategy - Preference for businesses with year-to-year earnings visibility rather than those dependent on long-duration government programmes, particularly in sectors like railways and defence [3][4] - Avoidance of original equipment manufacturers in the automobile sector, with a focus on auto ancillary plays instead [8] Sector Insights - Consumption growth is best captured through new-age platform companies rather than traditional consumer staples, with growth driven by channel shifts [7][10] - Digital payment platforms such as PhonePe and Paytm exemplify the trend of rapid penetration-led growth due to consumer migration from offline to digital channels [10] Financial Sector Performance - Non-bank lenders have delivered strong returns in 2025, with companies like Bajaj Finance, Cholamandalam Investment, and Shriram Finance significantly outperforming [10] - Among banks, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank have performed reasonably well, while ICICI Bank has seen relative underperformance due to management succession concerns [10]

Core Viewpoint - The fixed deposit (FD) rates have been reduced significantly due to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) repo rate cuts, and the outlook for 2026 suggests that rates may remain stable or trend slightly lower rather than increase sharply [1][5][10] Group 1: FD Rate Changes and Influences - In 2025, banks and small finance banks (SFBs) cut FD interest rates multiple times following a total repo rate cut of 125 basis points by the RBI [9][10] - The last repo rate cut occurred in December 2025, when the RBI reduced the rate by 25 basis points [1][10] - The transmission of these rate cuts into FD rates takes time, and the full impact of previous cuts is still unfolding, which may take months to years [2][10] Group 2: Future Expectations for FD Rates - Swapnil Aggarwal, Director at VSRK Capital, anticipates that FD rates in 2026 are more likely to remain stable or trend slightly lower, contingent on controlled inflation and a more accommodative monetary policy [5][6] - A significant resurgence in inflation or unexpected economic stress is deemed unlikely to lead to a sharp increase in FD rates, suggesting a stable-to-soft outlook for deposit rates [6][10] Group 3: Investment Strategies Amidst Rate Changes - Investors may consider reallocating a portion of their savings to high-quality debt funds if FD rates decline, as these funds can benefit from falling yields [7][8] - Conversely, during rising rate periods, it is advisable to maintain short-term FDs to allow gradual reinvestment at higher rates as they become available [8][9] - Diversification across FDs, debt funds, and hybrid funds is recommended to manage risk while optimizing returns [9][10] Group 4: Current FD Rates at Major Banks - The highest FD rates at major banks include Bandhan Bank at 7.2%, RBL Bank at 7.2%, and IDFC FIRST Bank at 7% for specific tenures [3][4]

Public sector banks’ (PSBs’) employee count grew for the first time in five years while private sector banks’ staff strength saw a decline in 2024-25 (FY25), according to latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: Ajay Verma/ReutersThe employee count of state-owned lenders rose 0.22 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to 757,641 at the end of March 31, 2025 from 756,015 in FY24.On the other hand, private banks recorded a 0.86 per cent drop in ...

Group 1 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has declared a bank holiday on 31 December for all banks in Manipur and Mizoram due to local festivals [1][2] - Banks in Manipur are closed for Imoinu Iratpa, while those in Mizoram are closed for New Year's Eve celebrations [2] - Other regions in India will not observe a bank holiday on this date, with banks remaining open in those states and Union Territories [3] Group 2 - The next bank holiday will occur on 1 January 2026, affecting multiple states for New Year's Day and Gaan-Ngai [4] - A total of 16 bank holidays are scheduled for January 2026, with specific dates and reasons outlined for each holiday [5][7] - Some holidays in January will coincide with weekends, including the second and fourth Saturdays and all four Sundays [6]

Core Insights - In January 2026, banks across India will be closed for up to 16 days, with variations depending on regional festivities and observances [2][9] - National holidays, such as Republic Day, will result in all banks being closed across the country [9] Regional Bank Holidays - On January 1, banks will be closed in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland for New Year's Day / Gaan-Ngai [8] - On January 2, banks will be closed in Mizoram and Kerala for New Year Celebration / Mannam Jayanthi [8] - On January 3, banks will be closed in Uttar Pradesh for the Birthday of Hazrat Ali [8] - On January 12, banks will be closed in West Bengal for the Birthday of Swami Vivekananda [8] - On January 14, banks will be closed in Gujarat, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam for Makar Sankranti / Magh Bihu [8] - On January 15, banks will be closed in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Sikkim for Uttarayana Punyakala / Pongal / Maghe Sankranti / Makara Sankranti [8] - On January 16, banks will be closed in Tamil Nadu for Thiruvalluvar Day [8] - On January 17, banks will be closed in Tamil Nadu for Uzhavar Thirunal [8] - On January 23, banks will be closed in West Bengal, Odisha, and Tripura for the Birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose / Saraswati Puja (Shree Panchami) / Vir Surendrasai Jayanti / Basanta Panchami [8] - On January 26, all banks will be closed across all states and Union Territories of India for Republic Day [8] Regular Bank Closures - Banks will also be closed on Sundays and the second and fourth Saturdays of January 2026 [9]

Pricing and Discounts - The OnePlus 15 is currently listed at ₹72,999, reduced from its original price of ₹76,999, across Amazon, Flipkart, and Croma [1] - Buyers can avail an instant discount of ₹4,000 using select HDFC Bank or Axis Bank credit cards, further lowering the price [1] - Exchange benefits can reach up to ₹44,450 depending on the old smartphone's model and condition, making the effective price potentially drop to around ₹40,000 [1] Design and Display - The OnePlus 15 adopts a flatter, iPhone-style design first seen in the OnePlus 13s [2] - It features a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution, peak brightness of 1,800 nits, and a 165Hz refresh rate [2][3] Performance and Hardware - The device is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and Adreno 840 GPU [5] - It supports up to 16GB of LPDDR5x Ultra+ RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage [5] - A dedicated touch response chip enables a 3,200Hz sampling rate, and a separate Wi-Fi chip enhances network stability and range [6] Software and Updates - The OnePlus 15 runs on OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, featuring several AI-powered functionalities [7] - OnePlus has committed to providing four years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches [8] Camera and Battery - The smartphone includes a triple 50MP rear camera setup with a Sony IMX906 primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens [9] - It features a 32MP front camera with autofocus [9] - The device is equipped with a 7,300mAh dual-cell battery, supporting 120W SUPERVOOC fast charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging [10]