The Stock prices reflect expectations for future financial performance. Thus, as an investor, it becomes very important to anticipate revisions in those expectations. Banking Index has performed well, but it is now the past and thus what lies ahead is the big question.

The benchmark Nifty index ended the week with losses, erasing most of its gains, due to bears returning to the market. A profit-booking scenario around 18,200 led to Friday's fall and took the Nifty back to the previous week's close. However, the short-term trend will remain positive as long as the index stays above 18,000, and a fall below this level may take it into the consolidation zone of 17,500-18,000. The consumer durable sector witnessed a strong breakout, while some banks fell following HDFC Bank and HDFC Ltd merger updates.

A high return on equity is a result of two factors. First, the basic nature of the business, there are some businesses which require a constant dose of capital like banks, there are some which may require a higher amount of capital but that would be a one time requirement. Second, how efficiently the management uses those resources. In times like today when interest rates have seen a sharp rise it is the second factor which becomes extremely important. ET screener powered by Refinitiv’s Stock Report Plus lists down stocks with high upside potential over the next 12 months, having an average recommendation rating of “hold” or “buy” or "strong buy".

A basket of highly-shorted stocks tracked by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. jumped more than 3% on the final day of the week as bears closed positions.

With the initial reopening euphoria long gone and earnings lackluster, the next market catalyst is looking elusive.

A basket of highly-shorted stocks tracked by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. jumped more than 3% on the final day of the week as bears closed positions.

With the initial reopening euphoria long gone and earnings lackluster, the next market catalyst is looking elusive.

The world's most valuable company reported lower revenue and profits for the quarter ending April 1, but still beat analysts' expectations.

Demand for business loans has skyrocketed with a healthy credit cycle, while demand for mortgages has seen some transfer. Diversified lenders such as BAF, Poonawalla, LTFH, and non-vehicle segments are expected to show healthy results. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Tata Capital, Yes Bank, Faircent, L&T Finance and AB Capital have adopted an aggressive stance to grow their loan book across product segments. Commission payouts offered by different lenders for a particular product are not significantly different. Rural areas in Rajasthan have a history of lower delinquencies. Poonawalla Fincorp and Bajaj Finance have been deemed as a buy with potential for increase in value.

A rise in political polarisation, divided government since November 2022 congressional elections and more elevated federal deficits over the forthcoming years are the other reasons Scope cited for the ratings review.

Stagflation fears are on the rise as the US struggles to contain inflation without hurting economic growth, which could leave investors with fewer options for return on investments. Investors are concerned that persistently high levels of inflation combined with stagnant growth could dim the appeal of both equities and bonds. While unlikely, the threat has loomed large as last year's inflation rate surge forced the Federal Reserve to launch an aggressive monetary policy tightening cycle, stoking fears of a looming recession. Investors await data that shows whether the central bank's interest rate increases have curbed inflation and not hurt growth before determining their investment strategies.

After record deposit outflows immediately after the failure of SVB and smaller Signature Bank within days of each other, deposits had stabilized into early April.

Several smallcap and midcap stocks gained double-digit returns last week in the Indian market, while Sensex remained mostly flat. The gains were driven by strong performance results and growth outlooks. Rail-related firms were in demand following an impressive FY23 performance by Indian Railways, while companies such as IndiaMART InterMESH, KEC International, and Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services also reported robust results. The earnings visibility and predictability of these companies' long-term growth led to the positive gains, which are expected to continue in the coming future.

Stagflation fears are on the rise as the US struggles to contain inflation without hurting economic growth, which could leave investors with fewer options for return on investments. Investors are concerned that persistently high levels of inflation combined with stagnant growth could dim the appeal of both equities and bonds. While unlikely, the threat has loomed large as last year's inflation rate surge forced the Federal Reserve to launch an aggressive monetary policy tightening cycle, stoking fears of a looming recession. Investors await data that shows whether the central bank's interest rate increases have curbed inflation and not hurt growth before determining their investment strategies.

Apple's quarterly results also cheered investors worried about a potential recession. The iPhone maker's shares hit their highest level in about nine months, and the stock ended up 4.7% in its biggest daily percentage gain since November.

The successful bidder has proposed to pay over ₹1,464 crore to acquire the company through an insolvency process, against the total admitted liabilities of ₹1,513 crore.

HDFC Bank shares declined 5.9% to close at ₹1625.35, and HDFC stock plunged 5.6% to ₹2701.15 on Friday. Friday's drop is their highest single-day decline since May 2020

Adani Group's flagship company, Adani Enterprises Ltd, has improved its ability to service debt as of March 31, 2023, after its gross debt fell 7% to INR 38,320 crore, while earnings increased. The company's interest service coverage ratio rose to 3.09 compared with 2.41 a year earlier. EBITDA more than doubled to INR 10,025 crore, and the company's cash position rose 37% to INR 5,374 crore YoY.

The Sensex fell 694.96 points or 1.13% to close at 61,054.29, a day after the index surged to its highest in four and a half months. The Nifty declined 186.80 points or 1.02% to end at 18,069. Both the indices once again turned negative for the year on Friday, pulling back about 0.5% year-to-date.

Large- and mid-cap mutual funds provide stability, capital appreciation, high liquidity and lower volatility against market fluctuations. These funds operate by investing in the top 250 companies in terms of market capitalization. Funds in this category must invest a minimum of 35% of the corpus each in large- and mid-cap companies.

Apple Inc gained 4.4% on better-than-expected results, helped by strong iPhone sales and notable inroads in India and other newer markets, fuelling a near 2% advance in technology stocks.

Indian non-bank lender Piramal Enterprises suffered a loss of INR196 crore ($28m), up from INR42 crore in the same period last year, as the value of its investment in Shriram Group dipped. The drop was offset by a 49% growth in retail assets, though core net interest income fell to INR1,128 crore, down 4% from INR1,172 crore a year ago. CEO Jairam Sridharan said the lender would aim to continue boosting its retail loan business with the goal of having two-thirds of the company's loan book come from that arm.

Foreign passive funds could sell about $200m worth of HDFC Bank after its merger with HDFC, with overseas investors likely having invested nearly $3bn in the merged entity, prior to the current calculation. HDFC shares slid 5.6% to INR2,701.15 ($35.87) while HDFC Bank shares fell 5.9% closing at INR1,625.35, their highest single-day decline since May 2020. HDFC Bank will be added to the large-cap segment of MSCI Global Standard Indexes following an adjustment factor of 0.5, MSCI said. HDFC Bank is subject to a foreign ownership limit of 74%, with the foreign headroom in relation to the merged entity now at 18.23%.

Large- and mid-cap mutual funds provide stability, capital appreciation, high liquidity and lower volatility against market fluctuations. These funds operate by investing in the top 250 companies in terms of market capitalization. Funds in this category must invest a minimum of 35% of the corpus each in large- and mid-cap companies. Here are five mutual funds that have consistently given superior returns: ICICI Prudential Large & Mid Cap Fund Direct Plan, HDFC Large and Mid Cap Fund Direct, SBI Large & Midcap Fund Direct Plan, Motilal Oswal Large and Midcap Fund Direct, and Mahindra Manulife Large & Mid Cap Fund Direct.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has announced a new framework for testing the IT systems used by market infrastructure institutions (MIIs), including stock exchanges, clearing corporates and depositories. The MIIs will undertake system testing, functional testing, and application security testing, which need to be approved by the Standing Committee on Technology of the respective institutions. The identified software bugs, issues or defects should be remediated immediately, while policies and procedures on the use of third-party systems or software codes should be established. MIIs will have 30 days to submit the testing framework of all their IT systems.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 120.81 points, or 0.36%, at the open to 33,248.55

On Friday, the benchmark index Sensex dropped by 695 points to reach 61,054. However, even though the market experienced a decline, four stocks from the BSE largecap index managed to achieve new 52-week highs. This is an important indicator for some traders and investors as it enables them to evaluate a stock's current worth and anticipate its future price fluctuations. The 52-week high signifies the highest price at which a stock has been traded within the last year

MSCI intends to add HDFC Bank to the largecap segment of MSCI Global Standard Indexes, with an adjustment factor of 0.5 versus market expectations of 1. This would mean that it would see no incremental inflows. Rather, the addition may result in outflows of $150 to 200 million, according to Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research. The stock of HDFC Bank tumbled 5.90 per cent to settle at Rs 1,625.35 on the BSE. HDFC shares declined by 5.63 per cent to end at Rs 2,701.15.

The Nifty suffered a 1% loss in Friday's trading session, forming a bearish candle with a long upper shadow. The weekly chart also showed a shooting star pattern, which implies bearishness. To witness a bounce, the Nifty needs to cross and maintain above the 18081 region. Supports for it lie in the 18018 and 17887 marks. India VIX was up by 4.82% at 12.29 levels, while options data suggests a broader trading range between 17700 to 18500 zones. Traders and analysts are waiting for the Nifty's next base formation.

The company reported its earnings after markets closed. The stock ended 0.7% down at Rs 493.60 on the National Stock Exchange.

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty declined more than 1 per cent at close on Friday dragged down by a heavy sell-off in index major HDFC twins. The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 694.96 points or 1.13 per cent to settle at 61,054.29. During the day, it plunged 747.08 points or 1.20 per cent to 61,002.17. The NSE Nifty fell 186.80 points or 1.02 per cent to end at 18,069.

ITC's shares rose nearly 2% to hit a 52-week high of Rs 431.9 after it acquired equity and preference shares of Sproutlife Foods for Rs 175 crore, increasing its shareholding in the company, according to an exchange filing. As of May 4, 2023, ITC was the seventh-largest company by market capitalisation in India, with a market cap of Rs 5.33tn. Improved business and lower-than-expected tax hikes on cigarette sales were cited as reasons behind the stock gains.

Portfolios of prominent investors are closely monitored by others, and ETMarkets.com is now tracking the holdings of Ashish Kacholia. According to the latest data for the March quarter, Kacholia has invested in around 42 stocks worth approximately Rs 1,800 crore. Of the listed stocks, half have shown positive performance in 2023, with 8 gaining between 25 and 70% this year. Take a look.

The stock recorded a strong bounce back after consolidating above Rs 110 levels in February 2023. It witnessed a breakout from the earlier swing high of Rs 125-128 seen in January 2023 and September as well as October 2021 on the weekly charts.

ETMarkets' analysis found that during the last three June quarters, the benchmark Sensex has remained positive twice and negative once. In FY21 and FY22, the benchmark index gained about 18% and 6%, respectively, but in FY23, it slipped by 9%. Despite this, there are 7 stocks from the BSE universe with a market capitalisation of over Rs 500 crore that have gained over 40% in each of the last three June quarters, shows ACE Equity data.Trendlyne's SWOT analysis suggests that most of these companies have more strengths than weaknesses, including low debt, improving book value per share, and zero promoter pledge. Additionally, these companies have shown consistent growth in revenue and profits over the past few quarters, with some experiencing an increase in shareholding by FII/FPI or institutions. Take a look.

“The growth in Alternatives AUM is expected to Accelerate at 11.5% CAGR over the next 5 years ($13 Tn to $ 23Tn). Private Equity and Private Debt would be the fastest growing asset classes,” says Vikaas M Sachdeva, Managing Director at Sundaram Alternates.

Despite facing significant challenges in exporting its products, shares of Indian two-wheeler company Bajaj Auto have risen dramatically this year, seeing a return of over 23%. The rise in share price has been driven by foreign institutional investors' sustained buying and expectations of a recovery in both rural and international markets. The company's diversified geography mix and electric vehicle portfolio plans have been cited as additional potential catalysts for earnings. Despite the rise, analysts claim the stock's valuations remain reasonable.

Varun Beverages Limited (VBL) stock has an upside potential of over 11% in the short term, with positive technical indicators. The stock is a candidate for long-term investment, offering a potential upside of 21% over the next 12 months, supported by robust fundamentals. VBL is a key player in the beverage industry, and its growth has improved with the addition of new territories in the domestic market and expansion in international markets, says Sharekhan. However, any change in carbonated beverage products policy or incremental tax on the beverage products will act as a key risk to earnings estimates, Sharekhan cautioned.

The ECB raised its benchmark rates by 25 basis points-the smallest increase in its rate-hike cycle that started last summer-lifting the benchmark for borrowing costs to 3.25%. It, however, signalled more tightening was to come.

VP Nandakumar, the promoter of Indian NBFC Manappuram Finance, has had his personal assets frozen after Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids as part of a money-laundering investigation. Shares in Manappuram fell almost 14%, driven by the asset freeze, including 19,29,01,996 equity shares in the company held by Nandakumar himself. He said the concerns had to do with a previous firm, Manappuram Agro Farms, which no longer exists.

In the Sensex pack, HDFC and HDFC Bank were the top laggards, falling over 4% each as the merger of both companies may result in slight outflows of $150 to 200 million. IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance and Asian Paints also opened in the red.

The focus of analysts is back on metal stocks. Unlike 2021 and early 2022 when the outlook was bullish across the board. This time around it is not secularly bullish. It is selected stocks which are getting attention, companies either with large capacity, fully integrated or in any area where they are literally monopolies. For the purpose of this report, where the average stock report plus score is a minimum of 7. The list is based on upside estimated by the analysts, with the highest potential stock coming on the top of the list.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have bought Indian shares worth 116.31 billion Indian rupees ($1.42 billion) on a net basis in April, NSDL data has shown. This marks the highest purchase since November 2022. Stable macros, strong earnings as well as FPIs' return to Indian equities are the factors driving this investment, according to Arihant Capital Markets director Anita Gandhi. Sectors such as automobile and capital goods attracted FPI buying, however, IT witnessed selling pressure due to recession fears and a banking crisis in the US along with slowdown in Europe.

Global markets have once again started witnessing corrective moves, however Nifty is showing signs of out performance, after opening lower, it is able to inch upward and market breadth also improves. A number of times this up move is led by financial service and bank stocks. We take a look at what analysts are saying for select financial service stocks.

Ceat's shares surged by almost 6% to INR 1,748 on Friday after the tyre manufacturing company reported a consolidated net profit of INR 132.42 crore in the March quarter, a rise of over five-fold YoY, boosted by revenue growth and lower raw material costs. Revenue from operations during the period was INR 2,874.82 crore compared to INR 2,591.99 crore YoY. Ceat posted a consolidated net profit of INR 182.39 crore in the fiscal year ended 31 March 2023 from INR 70.58 crore YoY.

India's Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) is set to limit brokers and mutual funds' usage of financial influencers in marketing campaigns, as the surge in retail investors during the pandemic has led to a proliferation of influencers pushing financial advice on social media platforms. SEBI fears misleading information could be given.

Hero MotoCorp reported a YoY net profit growth of 37%, beating estimates, for Q4FY23 at Rs859 crore. The growth in revenue from operations was 12% YoY to Rs 8,307 crore. Following the better-than-expected results, JP Morgan has retained an 'overweight' rating with a price target of Rs 3,050.

India's largest domestic investor, LIC, has raised its ownership stakes in seven of the biggest Indian tech majors, including TCS, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and Wipro. The state-owned insurer's investment rose 48 basis points in Infosys, to give it 8.19% ownership, while a 111 basis points increase to 3.34% in L&T Technology Services was the highest. Despite foreign institutional investors expressing recession-related worries in western economies, LIC's investment in India's IT sector comes to around INR1.3tn ($17bn), around 13% of its Dalal Street portfolio.

Despite facing significant challenges in exporting its products, shares of Indian two-wheeler company Bajaj Auto have risen dramatically this year, seeing a return of over 23%. The rise in share price has been driven by foreign institutional investors' sustained buying and expectations of a recovery in both rural and international markets. The company's diversified geography mix and electric vehicle portfolio plans have been cited as additional potential catalysts for earnings. Despite the rise, analysts claim the stock's valuations remain reasonable.