Market Performance - The BSE Sensex traded 144 points higher, or 0.2%, at 84,210, while the Nifty 50 was up by 55 points to start the day at 25,922, or 0.21% higher [1][11] - The Nifty Smallcap index outperformed the frontline gauges, advancing 0.55% after surging 2.65% in the previous session [11] Key Stock Movements - On the Sensex, Titan Company, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Axis Bank, and Bharti Airtel were among the top gainers, rising up to 1.5% [2][11] - Laggards included HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, IndiGo, and Asian Paints, which fell in the range of 0.5%-1% [11] Investment Trends - Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) net bought shares worth Rs 2,255 crore on February 9, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of just Rs 4.15 crore [5][12] - VK Vijayakumar of Geojit Investments noted strengthening market tailwinds as economic growth prospects improve, particularly with a revival in private capital expenditure [12] Economic Indicators - Data from a sample of listed companies showed a 13.1% year-on-year rise in fixed assets in H1FY26, indicating a pickup in private investment [12] - The improving performance of the broader market, especially in small caps, could enhance retail investor sentiment [12] Global Market Context - U.S. equities ended higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq gaining momentum as technology stocks stabilized after a previous selloff [6][12] - Asian markets were mixed, with Japan's Nikkei 225 extending its post-election rally to fresh highs, benefiting from the "Takaichi trade" [7][12] Commodity Prices - Oil prices edged lower, with Brent crude futures slipping 25 cents, or 0.4%, to $68.79 per barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude declining 23 cents, or 0.4%, to $64.13 per barrel [9][12] Currency Exchange - The Indian rupee opened 0.05% higher at 90.71 against the U.S. dollar, compared to the previous close of 90.7575 [10][12]

Core Insights - Companies are increasingly turning to bank loans due to elevated yields in the corporate-bond market [1] - The State Bank of India (SBI) reported over 13% year-on-year growth in wholesale advances, driven by sectors such as services, petroleum, and petrochemicals [1] - Economic activities have improved in the third quarter, attributed to GST rationalization, with a notable increase in working-capital drawing by companies [2] Company Performance - SBI has a loan pipeline of ₹7.9 trillion, which includes sanctioned but unutilized loans [1] - Bank of Baroda's wholesale books grew 8.1% year-on-year and 4.6% sequentially, aiming for 10% year-on-year growth by year-end [3] - Bank of India reported an 11% year-on-year growth in corporate books, with a corporate-loan pipeline of ₹65,000 crore [5] - Bank of Maharashtra experienced nearly 14.5% year-on-year growth in its corporate books in Q3 [5] Sector Trends - Credit to industry recorded a 13.3% year-on-year growth, with micro and small industries showing a sharp acceleration at 31% year-on-year [7] - Large private banks, including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, reported significant growth in their corporate books [8] - HDFC Bank reported 10.3% year-on-year growth, while Axis Bank showed the strongest growth at 27% year-on-year [9] Lending Dynamics - Much of the corporate lending is occurring at external benchmark-linked rates (EBLR), facilitating faster monetary transmission [10] - A report by SBI Research indicates that a decline in bank lending rates has narrowed the pricing gap with corporate-bond yields, prompting firms to shift back to banks [10]

Market Overview - Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty extended gains for the second consecutive session, driven by optimism over the India-US trade deal and strong buying in public sector banks, consumer durables, and realty stocks [3][10] - The 30-share BSE Sensex increased by 485.35 points, or 0.58%, closing at 84,065.75, while the NSE Nifty rose by 173.60 points, or 0.68%, settling at 25,867.30 [3][7] Sector Performance - Key sectors attracting investor interest included cement, capital goods, textiles, and consumer discretionary, supported by favorable trade deals and union budget proposals [11] - Public sector banks showed stronger-than-expected performance, contributing to the outperformance of the PSU bank index [10] Stock Performance - Notable gainers included State Bank of India, Titan, UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, while laggards comprised PowerGrid, NTPC, and Infosys [4][9] - The benchmark index reached an intraday high of 84,314.68, reflecting a surge of 734.28 points, or 0.87% during the session [6] Foreign Investment - Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) purchased equities worth ₹1,950.77 crore, indicating a return of foreign capital to the market [12]

Market Overview - Nifty Bank index opened at 60,315, showing a gap-up from the previous close of 60,238, currently hovering around 60,250 [1] - The advance-decline ratio is 8-6, indicating a positive market sentiment [1] Performance of Banks - Union Bank of India and State Bank of India are the top gainers, with increases of 1.7% and 1.1% respectively [1] - IndusInd Bank and Axis Bank are the top losers, with declines of 1% and 0.8% respectively [1] - Nifty PSU Bank has advanced nearly 1%, while Nifty Private Bank is down 0.4%, indicating that public sector banks are outperforming private banks [2] Nifty Bank Futures - February expiry Nifty Bank futures opened slightly higher at 60,439 compared to the previous close of 60,418, currently trading at 60,330, down 0.15% [3] - The contract is struggling to find direction, with support levels at 60,100 and 60,000, and resistance levels at 60,500 and 60,800 [3] Market Sentiment - There is a slight bullish bias as the contract has been making higher lows over the last few trading sessions [4] - Traders are advised to consider buying Nifty Bank futures if it breaks out of 60,500, with intraday targets set at 60,800 and a stop-loss at 60,350 [5]

Core Insights - The Nifty Bank index opened significantly higher at 61,411, up 2.7% from the previous close of 58,619, but is currently hovering around 60,200, indicating a struggle to maintain higher levels [1] - All 14 stocks in the Nifty Bank index are performing positively, with Axis Bank and IDFC First Bank leading the gains at 3.1% each [1] - Private banks are outperforming public sector banks, with the Nifty Private Bank index up 2.9% compared to the Nifty PSU Bank index, which is up 2.4% [2] Nifty Bank Futures - The February expiry Nifty Bank futures opened at 60,999, up 2.5% from the previous close of 58,843, and is currently trading at 60,320 [3] - The futures contract reached an intraday high of 61,299.80 but has since declined to 60,320, with support levels identified at 60,150 and 60,000 [3] - There is a likelihood that the Nifty Bank futures will struggle to surpass an intraday resistance level at 60,600, suggesting a range-bound session between 60,000 and 60,600 [4] Trade Strategy - It is advised to refrain from trading Nifty Bank futures as they are expected to remain within a specific price range [5] - Key support levels are at 60,150 and 60,000, while resistance levels are at 60,600 and 61,000 [5]

Market Performance - Stock markets rebounded with the BSE Sensex rising by 943.52 points or 1.17% to settle at 81,666.46 after a significant drop on Budget day [3][10] - The NSE Nifty increased by 262.95 points or 1.06% to end at 25,088.40, with a peak of 1,009.31 points during the day [4][5] Sector Performance - Blue-chip stocks in oil & gas, banking, and auto sectors saw value buying, contributing to the market recovery [3][11] - Power Grid surged by 7.61% and Adani Ports climbed by 4.76%, indicating strong performance among key players [4][7] Economic Indicators - A sharp decline in global crude oil prices, with Brent crude dropping 4.88% to USD 65.94 per barrel, provided relief to the markets [12][14] - The Union Budget for 2026-27, amounting to Rs 53.5 lakh crore, aims to boost manufacturing and support agriculture and tourism, reflecting a long-term growth strategy [8][9] Investor Activity - Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 588.34 crore on Sunday, indicating cautious sentiment in the market [5][12] - Despite the sell-off, the market showed signs of recovery as participants recalibrated positions following the Budget day decline [13]

By the end of the session, the benchmarks had pared some losses, with the Sensex down 296.59 points or 0.36% at 82,269.78, while the Nifty fell 98 points or 0.39% to end at 25,320.65.Here's how analysts read the market pulse:Indian equity markets remained volatile ahead of the Union Budget, with benchmark indices dragged lower by weakness in “With geopolitical risks and global tariff pressures rising, the Union Budget is keenly awaited for cues on growth support and fiscal discipline. Globally, although a ...

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Core Viewpoint - The Nifty Bank index shows a positive trend with a gap-up opening and slight gains, indicating potential for further upward movement in the banking sector [1][4]. Group 1: Nifty Bank Index Performance - The Nifty Bank index opened at 59,576, up 0.4% from the previous close of 59,205, currently hovering around 59,400 [1]. - The advance-decline ratio is 6-8, indicating a slight bearish bias in the market [1]. - Yes Bank and Axis Bank are the top gainers, each up 1.8%, while IDFC First Bank and Canara Bank are the top losers, down 1.7% and 1.5% respectively [1]. Group 2: Sector Performance - The Nifty PSU Bank index has decreased by nearly 0.5%, while the Nifty Private Bank index has increased by 0.7%, showing that private banks are outperforming public sector banks [2]. Group 3: Nifty Bank Futures - The February expiry Nifty Bank futures opened higher at 59,880, up 0.25% from the previous close of 59,630, currently trading at 59,780 [3]. - Staying above the support level of 59,600 is viewed positively, with potential to rise to 60,500; however, slipping below this support could lead to a decline to 59,000 [3]. Group 4: Trading Strategy - A recommendation is made to buy Nifty Bank futures at 59,780, with a target of 60,500 and a stop-loss at 59,580 [5]. - Key support levels are identified at 59,600 and 59,000, while resistance levels are at 60,500 and 61,000 [5].

Market Performance - Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty surged in early trade on January 28, 2026, with Sensex jumping 646.49 points to 82,503.97 and Nifty rising 196.7 points to 25,372.10, driven by optimism over the India-EU free trade agreement [1] - Major gainers included Axis Bank, Reliance Industries, NTPC, Bharat Electronics, ICICI Bank, and Bajaj Finance [1] Company Performance - Asian Paints experienced a nearly 6% drop after reporting a 4.83% decline in consolidated net profit to ₹1,073.92 crore for the December quarter of FY26, attributed to exceptional items related to the new labour code and impairment losses in a subsidiary [2] - Other laggards included Maruti, HCL Tech, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and State Bank of India [2] Trade Agreement Impact - India and the European Union finalized a landmark free trade agreement on January 27, 2026, aimed at creating a market of two billion people and enhancing trade and defense cooperation [3] - The agreement will reduce tariffs on 99% of Indian exports to the EU and on over 97% of EU exports to India, accounting for nearly a quarter of global GDP [4] Investment Trends - Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth ₹3,068.49 crore, while domestic institutional investors purchased stocks worth ₹8,999.71 crore, indicating a shift in market dynamics post-trade deal [4] - The Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments noted that the India-EU trade deal is a significant long-term positive, with investors now focusing on the upcoming Union Budget [6]