Navratri, a Hindu festival celebrated biannually, is not just about merriment and festivities, but also holds valuable investment lessons. Each of the nine avatars of Goddess Durga represents different qualities that can be applied to investments. These lessons include starting with introspection and dedication, being patient and disciplined, gaining knowledge, focusing on goals, taking control of finances, paying attention to details, eliminating negatives and sins, and being prepared for challenges. By following these lessons, one can welcome financial abundance into their life and create a diverse investment portfolio.

Sanjiv Bhasin, Director at IIFL Securities, recommends his top stocks to bet on this festive season. Take a look:

Gold and Silver Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) provide a convenient and effective strategy for investors to protect their wealth during inflation. Unlike physical bullion, ETFs allow investors to own a share of a larger pool of gold or silver held by the fund, simplifying the investment process. ETFs also offer diversification and risk mitigation by holding a diversified portfolio of precious metals. They are highly liquid investments, easily tradable on stock exchanges, and provide transparency in terms of holdings and performance.

The current earnings season is being overshadowed by macroeconomic forces such as conflict in the Middle East and surging Treasury yields. As a result, S&P 500 Index constituents are moving in unison as global events sway the markets. This is making it difficult for stock pickers to outperform their benchmarks, with only 37% of large-cap active managers outperforming their benchmarks as of September. Investors are now looking to Big Tech giants' earnings next week for signs of whether Wall Street projections are too optimistic.

Indian benchmark indices ended the week with a net loss of over 1% due to factors such as rising US bond yields, firm crude oil prices, and weak earnings from IT companies. The upcoming week is expected to be volatile as several companies are set to release earnings and the October derivatives expiry is due. The Nifty 50 may trade within a range of 19,300 to 19,850, with the potential for a significant move in either direction

Private sector lender ICICI Bank on Saturday reported a 36 per cent rise in standalone net profit to Rs 10,261 crore for the September 2023 quarter, aided by an improvement in interest income. The Mumbai-based lender had posted a net profit of Rs 7,558 crore in the year-ago period. The total income in the second quarter of the current fiscal rose to Rs 40,697 crore from Rs 31,088 crore in the same period a year ago, ICICI Bank said in a regulatory filing.

Private sector lender ICICI Bank on Saturday reported a 36 per cent rise in standalone net profit to Rs 10,261 crore for the September 2023 quarter, aided by an improvement in interest income. The Mumbai-based lender had posted a net profit of Rs 7,558 crore in the year-ago period. The total income in the second quarter of the current fiscal rose to Rs 40,697 crore from Rs 31,088 crore in the same period a year ago, ICICI Bank said in a regulatory filing.

Vaswani has more than three decades of experience in the banking sector. He was Chief Executive Officer of Barclays Bank, UK, and subsequently CEO of their global consumer, private, corporate and payments businesses.

Explore seven midcap stocks that have demonstrated exceptional performance by outpacing their respective sectoral indices in the past three months. These stocks, including Tata Elxsi and HDFC AMC, have exhibited robust growth and market resilience. Watch!

Earning seasons not only helps in judging what is happening to individual companies but more importantly it helps gauge the undercurrent of the markets. When the street does not react with a sharp spike in price when a company announces better than expected results then it indicates lower liquidity and life could be tougher for bulls. If the market reacts to negative surprises or what is commonly called below estimate by any company with a minor cut in stock price, that means that liquidity is very high and the street gets into a mood of giving pardon. Refinitiv’s Stock Report Plus which lists stocks with high upside potential over the next 12 months, having an average recommendation rating of “buy” or "strong buy".

While the capex cycle has been moving well in sectors like railways, road and other infrastructure sectors for some years. In sectors like cement, chemicals, pharma which are driven by the private sector, indications of capital spending on adding capacities, what is commonly called private sector capex coming back are visible. One industry which benefits from this capex would be the capital goods sector, but one has to be very careful in choosing the stock as the word “capital goods stocks” is prone to getting misinterpreted.

Though the total number of stocks which have seen a consistent improvement in their overall score have come down. As compared to a basket of around 15 to 18 stocks, overall numbers of stocks have come down to 10. It is an indication of volatile markets of the last four weeks showing its impact on the result of quantitative investing models. In one case, while the score has improved, overall recommendation remains as a “sell”. The stocks from sectors like new age platform companies, capital goods, have come to the list. The selected stocks depict a strong upward trajectory in their overall average score which is based on five key pillars i.e. earnings, fundamentals, relative valuation, risk and price momentum. This implies that there has been a significant improvement in their market outlook in the given time frame.

But remember, just like jumping off a seesaw suddenly can leave you off balance and regretful, selling your stocks too quickly can leave your investment strategy shaky, and you might miss out on potential gains.

However, with the help of technical and fundamental analysis, one can predict the market to a great extent. Here, we will discuss the methods and how to use them to analyze the commodity market.

Let us understand the effect of an increase in bond yields on the overall market. The 10-year US Government Bond Yield has surged to its highest level since 2007. This significant increase in bond yields is driven by rising interest rates and further fueled by geopolitical risks.

Investors are often on the look out for dividend-paying stocks. Here are five smallcap stocks that have the highest dividend yields over the last 12 months. (Data Source: Axis Securities)

"When rates are increasing at the rate they are and the geopolitical situation is what it is, now you are getting a bid to volatility," said Brent Kochuba, founder of options analytics service SpotGamma.

"Since the debt crisis in 2009-2015, significant progress has been made in addressing Greece's economic and fiscal imbalances," it added.

The lender said Roger von Mentlen will become chairman of the boards of directors of UBS Switzerland and of Credit Suisse Switzerland.

In the midcap segment, only Supreme Industries rose in double-digits with 13% gain. New India Assurance and Crisil were distant close, with 9% and 7% gains, respectively.Among the Sensex pack, Nestle India topped the charts with 3.07% returns, followed by Ultratech at 1.07% and Power Grid at 0.6%.

"When rates are increasing at the rate they are and the geopolitical situation is what it is, now you are getting a bid to volatility," said Brent Kochuba, founder of options analytics service SpotGamma.

ITC shares fell 2.75% to close at Rs 438 on Friday. The average price target on ITC of all analysts compiled by Bloomberg following the second quarter results is at Rs 509.33, implying an upside of almost 16% over Friday's closing.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell more than 1% each. All of the S&P 500 index's 11 sectors ended lower in broad-based selling, with technology and financials among the biggest drags.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) managing director, Rohit Jawa, stated that all the categories in which the company operates will experience an S-curve of growth driven by increased per-capita consumption and higher rural contribution. He mentioned that HUL has already shown this growth curve in categories such as home care and fabric conditioners, and sees similar opportunities in new demand spaces.

The transaction is being financed by a consortium of 10 international banks including DBS Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mizuho Bank and MUFG Bank. Other banks in the consortium include Barclays Bank PLC, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, ING Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Standard Chartered.

But the question remains with Sebi becoming careful about the sudden spurt in retail participation in this risky trading segment, how long will the party last?

The Indian economy has developed resilience, enabling it to withstand large shocks and navigate an increasingly turbulent global landscape, the governor said, urging banks and financial institutions not to lower their guard.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has stated that the government is focused on reducing its debt burden and has been practicing responsible spending to avoid burdening future generations. The aim is to bring down the fiscal deficit to 4.5% of GDP by FY26. Sitharaman also emphasized the need for reforming multilateral institutions in order to effectively address global challenges. The government has been cautious of its debt levels and is exploring strategies to reduce it. The Jan-Dhan Yojana has played a crucial role in promoting financial inclusion in the country.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to keep repo rates unchanged for an extended period due to easing core inflation and high real interest rates. However, the frequent fluctuations in food prices may require the RBI to remain vigilant. The RBI aims to maintain macroeconomic stability but acknowledges uncertainties such as adverse weather events, global food and energy prices, and volatility in global financial markets. The MPC meeting also discussed the need to sustain and stimulate investment, projecting a GDP growth of 6.5% for FY24.

State Bank of India (SBI) and IL&FS have different views on debt restructuring at ITPCL, the bankrupt financier's power joint venture entity. SBI wants an assessment of the liquidation value before signing on the proposal, while IL&FS, as part of its resolution framework, is not obligated to undertake a liquidation assessment for this asset. Last month, lenders approved a restructuring plan for ITPCL, with 59% of its debt classified as sustainable and the remaining 41% converted into non-convertible debentures. ITPCL operates a 1,200-MW power plant in Tamil Nadu.

Deepak Chhabria has been removed from the board of Finolex Cables, following a longstanding dispute with his cousin, Prakash Chhabria. This comes after the Supreme Court reprimanded the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal for allowing Deepak to continue in his role. The fight for control of Finolex Cables is expected to intensify, with Prakash intending to stake claim to the position. Shares of Finolex Cables rose 1.47% on Friday.

The new guidelines are aimed at "strengthening overall resiliency, the procedures at or governance of QRTAs for handling disruption, augmentation of systems and practices to achieve better Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO), and to improve overall preparedness by conducting periodic announced/ unannounced drills.

"The dream run of domestic flows continues and multipolar world dynamics are driving both FDI and portfolio flows toward India. Recent high-frequency trends also support our bullish stance with inflation concerns abating and the trade balance improving," it said in a report.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 48.90 points, or 0.15%, at the open to 33,365.27.

Marquee funds, including Citigroup, Axis MF, Bandhan MF, ADIA, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Motilal Oswal among others bought stakes in the company through the deal. In August this year, SoftBank offloaded about 1.17% Zomato stake under a block deal, which was valued at Rs 947 crore. Back then, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Kotak Mahindra MF, Invesco MF, Goldman Sachs, Franklin Templeton MF, Avendus, and Societe Generale, among others picked up the stake.

The short-term trend of the Nifty remains negative. A slide below the immediate support of 19,480 could drag Nifty towards another important support of 19,350 levels in the near term. Immediate resistance is placed around 19,650 levels, said Nagaraj Shetti, Technical Research Analyst, HDFC Securities.

During Friday's trading session, the Sensex benchmark index dropped 232 points, concluding the day at 65,398. Despite the market's sharp decline, 7 stocks listed on the BSE commodities index reached their highest price in the last 52 weeks. The 52-week high is of great importance to certain traders and investors because it serves as a crucial technical indicator for assessing a stock's current worth and for predicting potential price variations. It signifies the highest price at which a stock has traded throughout the past year.

Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty fell for the third day running on Friday due to weak trends in global markets and soaring crude oil prices. Foreign fund outflows also weighed on investor sentiments amid strengthening US bond yields which are nearing 5 per cent for the first time since 2007. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 231.62 points or 0.35 per cent to settle at 65,397.62. During the day, it plunged 320.63 points or 0.48 per cent to 65,308.61. Falling for a third straight day, the Nifty declined 82.05 points or 0.42 per cent to 19,542.65.

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The bank's net interest margin however fell to 8.43% from 9% in the year ago quarter. Net interest income grew 26% year-on-year at Rs 766 crore while other income rose 25% to Rs 181 crore.

Several midcap stocks in the Indian market showcased significant movements by surpassing their 20-day SMA, indicating potential changes in their stock trends.

From the Sensex pack, ITC, Tata Steel, and HUL were the top laggards, falling over 2% each. SBI, JSW Steel, and Power Grid also ended lower, while Kotak Bank, IndusInd Bank, TCS, and NTPC closed higher. Tata Communication closed 3.7% lower after the firm reported a 58% YoY decline in consolidated profit after tax to Rs 221.26 crore for the second quarter of FY24.

Several major stocks in the Indian market demonstrated significant moves by crossing their 100-day SMA, signaling potential shifts in their stock trends.

In a day marked by remarkable market activity, several Nifty 200 stocks achieved significant milestones by reaching new 52-week highs on October 20.

According to Trendlyne data, these 9 Nifty500 stocks that have given multibagger returns in the past one year are trading below their industry price-to-earnings (PE) levels. Low PE stocks are considered valuable and are best suited for long-term investment horizons. Here’s the full list:

Several largecap stocks in the Indian market demonstrated significant movements by surpassing their 50-day SMA, signaling potential changes in their stock trends.

Delve into the significance of a Golden Crossover and why it's essential for investors, as we explore five Nifty stocks that have recently experienced this bullish pattern.