Nikhil Agarwal

Oil companies face continued losses of Rs 7-8 per litre on petrol and diesel, with a breakeven point only at crude prices of $85-87 a barrel. Despite recent price hikes, government reluctance to reverse duty cuts and fiscal pressures mean OMCs are absorbing the pain, potentially impacting non-defence capital expenditure.

Several small and midcap stocks have achieved multibagger status in 2026, offering substantial returns. Companies in sectors like fiber optics, defence, pharma, and solar energy have seen significant growth. This rally highlights thematic strengths overriding broader market concerns. Experts advise caution, emphasizing selective investing in quality companies with strong fundamentals and governance.

CLSA sees nearly 60% upside in Ather Energy, initiating coverage with an “Outperform” rating and a Rs 1,450 target. The brokerage cites a “twin engine” of cost deflation and premiumisation, strong software-led revenues, and improving unit economics, expecting EBITDA breakeven by FY28 and significant margin expansion through FY31–32.

Indian banks RoA is expected to ease to 1.15–1.2% this fiscal from 1.3% last year, driven by lower treasury income and higher pre-emptive provisioning ahead of the ECL framework. Despite the dip, margins remain stable, and asset quality risks are contained, keeping overall profitability broadly resilient.

Indian markets are trading high. Relying on one asset class is risky. A flexible asset allocation strategy is recommended for the next three years. This approach will shift capital between equities, debt, and commodities. The goal is to achieve better risk-adjusted returns. This dynamic strategy adapts to market conditions for smoother outcomes.

Nikhil Agarwal With Indian markets trading near elevated long-term averages, relying on a single, static asset class carries higher risk.

Nippon India Mutual Fund's Rupesh Patel remains constructive on midcaps despite concerns over valuations, citing resilient earnings growth and improved valuation comfort after a prolonged time correction. He favours financials, consumer discretionary and select industrials, while emphasising a bottom-up stock-picking approach to navigate geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties.

Nikhil Agarwal While the midcap index flirts with new peaks, strong corporate earnings have helped cool down previously stretched valuations.

Market volatility surged following a late-Friday sell-off, with MSCI rebalancing and global cues cited as triggers. Geojit Financial Services' Anand James identifies key Nifty support levels and discusses June series rollover data, IT sector resilience, and top stock picks, emphasizing a cautious start to the week.

PSU banks achieved historic profit and NPA lows in FY26, yet analysts favor leading private banks for FY27. This shift is driven by superior earnings compounding potential and a more attractive risk-reward profile amid intensifying deposit pressures and global uncertainty. While PSU banks' structural tailwinds have largely played out, private banks are better positioned for sustained growth.