China's stock indices showed modest gains following accelerated growth in services activity for July. The Shanghai Composite increased by 0.07%, and the CSI300 rose by 0.24%. Meanwhile, concerns over a potential U.S. recession weighed down Hong Kong stocks and global markets, pushing investors towards safer bonds and away from riskier assets.

Sensex and Nifty plummeted as US recession fears caused investors to retreat from risk assets. Sensex opened over 2,400 points down, while Nifty fell below 24,300. All major sectoral indices were in the red, driven by economic uncertainties and geopolitical issues. Market capitalisation dropped by Rs 10.24 lakh crore.

The Korea Exchange activated sidecar trading curbs on the KOSPI market, halting program trading for five minutes on Monday, as the benchmark KOSPI fell 5% by 11:11 a.m. local time, following a 3.7% drop on Friday, marking its worst session since March 2020.

Today is the last day to buy shares of Grasim Industries, Ipca Laboratories, and 10 other companies to qualify for dividends, with August 6 as the record date. Dividends go to those listed on the record date. Under the T+1 framework, the record and ex-dates usually align, unless affected by a market holiday.

Momentum spreading to more sectors and large players.

During the June quarter, retail investors increased their holdings in PSU stocks while mutual funds and FIIs reduced theirs. Stocks like Bharat Electronics Ltd, HAL, and RITES saw higher retail ownership. Analysts noted potential overvaluation in some sectors but highlighted the overall reasonable valuation of PSUs, driven by strong earnings growth and government reforms.

At least 11 firms, including Indus Towers Ltd., have or are set to approve share buybacks shortly after the new regime was proposed in the budget on July 23. This is a jump from the average of about four transactions per month in 2023, data from primeinfobase.com show.

The Korea Exchange activated sidecar trading curbs on the KOSPI market, halting program trading for five minutes on Monday, as the benchmark KOSPI fell 5% by 11:11 a.m. local time, following a 3.7% drop on Friday, marking its worst session since March 2020.

The Topix and Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell about 5%, with the former set for a three-day decline that would be the worst since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown and put them near bear markets. A circuit breaker halted trading of Topix futures for about 10 minutes.

The equity benchmarks experienced notable declines, breaking a five-day upward trend amidst a global sell-off. Key stocks included Zomato, which gained significantly, ITC, which saw slight losses, and Adani Wilmar, which increased. Analysts highlighted bullish trends in Zomato and Adani Wilmar, while ITC may see a pivotal move if it surpasses 500 levels.

In the first quarter earnings season, 109 companies released their financial results. Bharti Airtel was projected to achieve Rs 38,488 crore in revenue for Q1 2024, showing a 2.6% annual rise. Estimated net profits varied between Rs 3,922 crore and Rs 2,068 crore, with challenges noted in the DTH sector and ARPU stabilization.

Private banks targeted new-to-bank customers for credit on UPI with fixed deposits as collateral. With the upcoming launch of credit-line-on-UPI by NPCI, banks aimed to cost-efficiently provide small-ticket loans to customers lacking credit history. Collaborations with NBFCs or fintechs were also explored to enhance product distribution.

Experts advised investors to exercise caution amid market instability. Nifty's potential downturn was linked to maintaining positions below 24,800 and VIX levels. Key stocks such as Nykaa, HDFC Bank, and Sun Pharma were highlighted. Important support and resistance levels were noted for Nifty, indicating potential market movements and recommended buying strategies.

Nifty achieved a milestone of 25,000 but later declined due to weak global market cues. Analysts predict further weakness in coming sessions. Foreign investors turned net sellers, offloading Rs 3,310 crore worth of shares. Several stocks entered the F&O ban list. Notable companies will announce their first quarter results on Monday.

Private banks targeted new-to-bank customers for credit on UPI with fixed deposits as collateral. With the upcoming launch of credit-line-on-UPI by NPCI, banks aimed to cost-efficiently provide small-ticket loans to customers lacking credit history. Collaborations with NBFCs or fintechs were also explored to enhance product distribution.

In the April-June quarter, the difference between foreign and domestic institutional investors' ownership in Indian companies hit a record low of 115 basis points. The share of foreign investors dropped to 17.38%, a 12-year low, while domestic investors' ownership rose to a record high of 16.23%. The gap was widest in March 2015.

“After this extended consolidation phase, Asian Paints stock has recently demonstrated renewed bullish momentum by surpassing its 200-day DEMA and breaking through the key resistance level of 3050. Traders can buy for a target of Rs 3400 in the next 6-7 weeks,” Shitij Gandhi, Senior Technical Analyst, SMC Global Securities, said.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 6.7% early Monday, extending losses from last week due to concerns over the U.S. economy dealing with high interest rates. The index later recovered some ground. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq also experienced declines, amplifying fears of a potential recession in the U.S.

The past week saw domestic markets close marginally lower amid volatility. Key highlights included SBI's 0.9% rise in Q1 net profit, Titan’s slight profit decrease, and Divi's Labs' 21% profit growth. Airtel, ONGC, and Marico were noted for upcoming Q1 results, while Infosys had significant regulatory updates.

Asian markets declined, and bonds rallied as concerns over a potential U.S. recession grew. Investors anticipate the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates following weak employment data. Major indices and futures dropped significantly. Key earnings reports and economic indicators are expected this week to provide further insights into market conditions.

Asian Paints, part of the S&P BSE Sensex, is down over 9% from its December 2023 highs but shows momentum. It hit Rs 3,422 on December 29, 2023, and bottomed above 2,600 in May 2024. Reclaiming key moving averages, it has broken out of a 5-month consolidation. Experts suggest a target of Rs 3,400 in 1-2 months.

The benchmark TA-35 stock index fell as much as 2.7%, the most in a week, before slightly paring losses to be down about 2.5% at shortly before 1 p.m. local time. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange is closed Friday and Saturday.

A selloff that rocked equity markets around the world is clouding the outlook for investors looking to buy stocks on the cheap, as worries over the U.S. economy and disappointing tech earnings threaten more losses ahead.

There has been an age-old debate when it comes to investing. Does equal weight strategy or differential weight strategy work better? In equal weight, if you have to invest Rs 100, you will allocate Rs 20 to each stock. In differential weight, one may allocate Rs 50 to one stock, Rs 20 to another, and then remaining Rs 30 to 3 others. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The equal weightage probably works better at time of investing in a sector and that too when there is a structural change taking place. In the IT sector, the winner of AI is still unknown, so it will be better to go for an equal weight strategy with the right mix of stocks.

The Benchmark Nifty50 and Sensex closed over 1% lower on Friday, dragged by auto, energy, and IT stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex closed 1.08% lower at 80,981, while the NSE Nifty50 index ended below the 24,750 level."The short-term trend of Nifty is down, but the near-term uptrend status of the market is intact. There is a possibility of some more weakness in the coming sessions down to 24,600-24,500 levels before showing any upside bounce from the lows. Immediate resistance is at 24,900 levels," said Nagaraj Shetti of HDFC Securities.Here are 5 stock recommendations for Monday:

Saying that I am a long term investor and being a long term investor are two different things. One is a statement and the other is an experience. The second one includes hard work and going against the narrative and holding the stock for the long term. At this point of time, the desire to own a small cap is very high because of the recency bias, but two days of correction and one starts to question why invest in small caps. As the global markets witness a correction, there is a probability that we might see some more correction in the market and that is what might once again create a narrative against small caps. But if you own the right stocks, don't bother. But make sure you have the right stock and not the ones which are essentially low priced in absolute terms and bought due on tip.

Follow-on offerings are particularly sensitive to market timing because the stock is constantly trading and its price fluctuates continuously. This makes deal pricing very dynamic, with precise timing being crucial.

Investors who have been around are wondering if this is 1999 all over again with an imminent NASDAQ crash. Many others are pondering whether to sell, lock in profits, or buy more. The best approach, we believe, is to examine the data and make an objective decision.

The Rs 8,373.10 crore (USD 1 billion) qualified institutional placement (QIP) of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL), which closed last week, saw over 120 investors seek shares in the firm that is into power transmission, distribution and smart metering business. Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller's family office-led investment firms were among the companies that sought shares of AESL in the QIP.

Going forward, developments in the US economy and markets will set the trend for FPI in August, V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services, said.

Saying that I am a long term investor and being a long term investor are two different things. One is a statement and the other is an experience. The second one includes hard work and going against the narrative and holding the stock for the long term. At this point of time, the desire to own a small cap is very high because of the recency bias, but two days of correction and one starts to question why invest in small caps. As the global markets witness a correction, there is a probability that we might see some more correction in the market and that is what might once again create a narrative against small caps. But if you own the right stocks, don't bother. But make sure you have the right stock and not the ones which are essentially low priced in absolute terms and bought due on tip.

Bharti Airtel's market valuation went lower by Rs 11,821.5 crore to Rs 8,50,389.88 crore and that of ICICI Bank diminished by Rs 7,843.75 crore to Rs 8,42,176.78 crore.

During the weekend ending August 2, the Indian benchmark index Sensex showed modest weakness, despite closing in the green for four out of the last five sessions, with major gains erased on Friday. ETMarkets identified four penny stocks that saw price increases of 10-25% during the week. Our selection criteria focused on stocks with a market capitalisation below Rs 1,000 crore, a share price under Rs 20, and a trading volume exceeding 50 lakh shares. (Data Source: ACE Equity)

The Street will react to major earnings reports from SBI, Divi’s Laboratories, Titan, and Britannia when markets resume trading on Monday. Additionally, 922 BSE-listed companies will announce April-June earnings, including Bharti Airtel and Tata Power. Indian markets will take cues from US market closures and GIFT Nifty futures.

The Indian market snapped a 5-day winning streak to close in the red on Friday, tracking muted global cues.The S&P BSE Sensex fell by more than 800 points, while the Nifty50 closed below the 25,000 level.

Sometimes stocks are tactical buys rather than long term investment. where one acquires them for their dividends, keeps them for a medium term and sells them when they give modest capital gains. The question would then arise: why buy a stock for modest capital gains, when other stocks could provide a higher capital appreciation? The reason dividend-yielding stocks should be in your portfolio is that when markets are bearish or have a corrective phase, income from dividends ensures that once a stock reaches a certain dividend yield some institutional investors become buyers. For example a recently launched mutual fund which is focussed on investing in high dividend yielding stock would be a buyer the moment the stocks which it has identified come in range.

Berkshire's results suggest the 93-year-old Buffett, one of the world’s most revered investors, is growing wary about the broader U.S. economy or stock market valuations that have gotten too high. The results were released on Saturday after a stock market selloff that pushed the Nasdaq into correction territory, while a weak jobs report sparked worries about U.S. economic activity and whether the Federal Reserve waited too long to cut interest rates.

The past week saw significant volatility in the markets, marking a new lifetime high before facing corrective pressures. Despite maintaining upward momentum and surpassing the 25,000 mark, the markets ultimately succumbed to corrective pressures, closing with a net weekly loss of 117.15 points (-0.47%). Technically, the markets remain vulnerable to profit-taking from higher levels and are significantly deviated from their mean, indicating potential for a corrective move. Volatility spiked with the INDIA VIX rising by 16.92%.

FPIs purchased a significant amount of domestic shares in July 2024, amounting to Rs 32,365 crore. This buying trend continued from June, where they also invested heavily. However, there was a period of net selling in April and May, where they offloaded shares. The year began with a negative trend in January, but February and March saw them return as net buyers, making significant investments in the market.

Couple of months before the general election took place, it was all about power stocks. Anything to do with the power sector was being lapped up. Today, they might not be in the headlines, due to lack of price action on the street. But does this make a difference in the real business conditions which have got back into shape after a long period of time. The answer is no. Look at the announcement and listen to concalls which some of the companies have done after their Q1 results. It is clear whether it is their plans to get into clean energy space while continuing with expansion and modernization of their thermal power plants or increasing their distribution circles. Probably it is time to make a decision about an investment which was taken as momentum investment or trade whether it needs to be turned into a long term portfolio or not.

The fundraising plan was announced by SBI along with its April-June quarter earnings where the lender reported a standalone net profit of Rs 17,035 crore, up by 0.9% over Rs 16,884.29 crore reported in the year-ago period. The interest earned during the reported quarter stood at Rs 1,11,526 crore, which was higher by 16% versus Rs 95,975 crore reported in the corresponding quarter of the last financial year.

Zerodha Asset Management Company and its founder, Nithin Kamath, were penalized by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for delaying the appointment of their Chief Financial Officer. The fines amounted to Rs 5 lakh for the company and Rs 4.08 lakh for Kamath. Zerodha has filed an appeal, asserting the delay was not deliberate.

The fundraising plan was announced by SBI along with its April-June quarter earnings where the lender reported a standalone net profit of Rs 17,035 crore, up by 0.9% over Rs 16,884.29 crore reported in the year-ago period.

The past week saw significant volatility in the markets, marking a new lifetime high before facing corrective pressures. Despite maintaining upward momentum and surpassing the 25,000 mark, the markets ultimately succumbed to corrective pressures, closing with a net weekly loss of 117.15 points (-0.47%). Technically, the markets remain vulnerable to profit-taking from higher levels and are significantly deviated from their mean, indicating potential for a corrective move. Volatility spiked with the INDIA VIX rising by 16.92%.

ETMarkets' analysis of BSE smallcap stocks reveals that over the past three sessions (July 31 - August 2), four stocks have consistently shown increases in their prices, trading volumes, and delivery volumes, indicating higher investor interest in these stocks. (Data Source: ACE Equity)

A host of brokerages, including global and domestic, have initiated coverage on several stocks. They are bullish on companies such as Zomato, Muthoot Finance, Sansera Engineering, and CE Info Systems with a targeted upside of up to 30%. Here is a list of 7 stocks on which brokerages initiated coverage:

The Budget's capital gains tax changes caused a stir in the market, forcing sell-side analysts to defend their optimistic stock valuations despite the negative tax impact. This added to existing challenges in the market.

BHEL, Eicher Motors, Bharti Airtel, and NTPC were among companies gearing up for attention due to upcoming record dates for dividends, bonus issues, and stock splits. Key dates ranged from August 5 to August 9, with major announcements anticipated from firms like Britannia, NTPC, and Rajoo Engineers concerning final dividends and bonus issues.

Unexpectedly weak U.S. employment data for July triggered recession concerns, leading to a sell-off in stocks and a surge in safe-haven bonds. The unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, and job growth slowed significantly. Investors reacted to these signs of economic vulnerability amid disappointing earnings from major tech companies like Amazon and Intel.

Wall Street faced turbulence as apprehensions rose over high-interest rates affecting U.S. growth. Recent data revealed slowed job growth and higher unemployment in July, sparking market selloffs. There are concerns that elevated borrowing costs are harming the economy, compounded by lackluster corporate earnings and heightened market volatility.