Stock Market Live: Rupee Closes Weaker Against Dollar
Rupee weakened by 14 paise to close at 86.47 against the US dollar.
It closed at 86.33 on Wednesday.
Source: Bloomberg
Closing Bell: Nifty, Sensex End Higher For Second Day
Indian benchmark indices extended their gains to day two on Thursday led by UltraTech Cement Ltd. and information technology stocks on positive earnings and optimism over Donald Trump's AI Policies.
The S&P BSE Sensex closed 115 points or 0.15%, up at 76,520, while the NSE Nifty 50 was 50 points or 0.22%, higher at 23,205.3. Intraday, the NSE Nifty 50 rose 0.5% to 23,270, and the S&P BSE Sensex advanced 0.44% to 76,743.
Shares of Coforge Ltd. and Persistent Systems Ltd. surged 11% and 12%, respectively on positive third-quarter earnings. Tech sentiments were also buoyed by Trump's push to make the US an AI superpower by having fewer guardrails.
Most Asian stocks advanced during the session after China reassured investors of the government’s commitment to supporting the market. The MSCI Asia Pacific index climbed for the fourth session, set for the longest winning streak in nearly a month, according to Bloomberg. Benchmark in China CSI 300 Index by as much as 1.8% before paring some gains.
UltraTech Cement Ltd., Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Infosys Ltd. and ITC Ltd., led the advance in Nifty 50 index.
Reliance Industries Ltd., Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd., State Bank of India, HCL Technologies Ltd. and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. weighed on the benchmark index.
Eight out of the 12 sectors on the NSE advanced, with Nifty IT and Nifty Media rising the most on Wednesday. Nifty Oil and Gas fell the most in trade. The Oil and Gas index fell for the third day in a row.
On BSE, 18 sectors advanced and three declined out of 21. The BSE Consumer Durables rose the most, and the BSE Oil and Gas declined the most.
Broader markets outperformed benchmark indices. The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices ended 1.78% and 0.67% higher, respectively.
Market breadth was skewed in favour of buyers. Around 2,137 stocks advanced, 1,825 stocks declined, and 105 stocks remained unchanged on BSE.
Stock Market Live: Zee Shares Rise After Q3 Results
Zee Entertainment Q3 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue down 3% to Rs 1,979 crore versus Rs 2,045 crore.
Ebitda up 52% to Rs 318 crore versus Rs 209 crore.
Margin at 16.1% versus 10.2%.
Net profit up 141% to Rs 163 crore versus Rs 53 crore.
Stock Market Live: Adani Energy Net Profit Rises 73%
Shares of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd. rose after the company reported a 73% jump in its net profit for the third-quarter.
Adani Energy Solutions Q3 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue up 28% to Rs 5,830 crore versus Rs 4,562.7 crore.
Ebitda up 39% to Rs 2,125 crore versus Rs 1,527 crore.
Margin at 36.5% versus 33.5%
Net profit up 73% to Rs 562 crore versus Rs 325 crore.
Stock Market Live: Multiple Block Deals Hit D-Street
Indian markets saw multiple block deals hit the street at around 2 p.m. with shares of companies like Zomato Ltd. and Reliance Industries Ltd. change hands.
Paytm: 1.87 million shares traded in a block.
Zomato: 12 million shares traded in a block.
Max Financial: 1.36 million shares traded in a block.
Federal Bank: 2.45 million shares traded in a block.
Fortis Health: 2.58 million shares traded in
Source: Bloomberg
Stock Market Live: Mazagon Dock Clarifies On Reports Regarding Submarine Projects
Commercial bid submitted by MDL opened by Defence Ministry for further processing.
Commercial negotiations in process for 3 additional submarines 0f Scorpene class under Project 75.
Mazagon Dock issued a clarification on reports regarding the submarine projects P75(1) & P75.
Source: Exchange filing.
Stock Market Live: Multiple Block Deals Hit D-Street
Indian markets saw multiple block deals hit the street at around 2 p.m. with shares of companies like Zomato Ltd. and Reliance Industries Ltd. change hands.
Paytm: 1.87 million shares traded in a block.
Zomato: 12 million shares traded in a block.
Max Financial: 1.36 million shares traded in a block.
Federal Bank: 2.45 million shares traded in a block.
Fortis Health: 2.58 million shares traded in a block.
Reliance: Approximately 1.1 million shares traded in another block.
Source: Bloomberg
Stock Market Live: UltraTech Shares Surge As Q3 Beats Estimates
UltraTech Cement Ltd.'s consolidated net profit fell in the third quarter of the current financial year. However, the bottom line beat analysts' estimates.
The cement manufacturer's bottom line stood at Rs 17,193.33 crore in the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024, compared to Rs 1,776.98 crore clocked in the year-ago period, according to an exchange filing on Thursday. Analysts tracked by Bloomberg had a consensus estimate of Rs 1,324 crore.
UltraTech Cement Q3 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue up 2.7% to Rs 17,193.33 crore versus Rs 16,739.97 crore.
Net profit down 17% to Rs 1,469.51 crore versus Rs 1,776.98 crore.
Ebitda down 11% to Rs 2,887.09 crore versus Rs 3,254.57 crore.
Margin at 16.8% versus 19.4%.
UltraTech's stock rose as much as 4.73% during the day to Rs 11,200 apiece on the NSE. It was trading 4.4% higher at Rs 11,166 apiece, compared to a 0.35% advance in the benchmark Nifty 50 as of 2:11 p.m.
It has risen 14% during the last 12 months. The total traded volume so far in the day stood at 3.2 times its 30-day average.
Thirty three out of the 42 analysts tracking the company have a 'buy' rating on the stock, six suggest a 'hold' and three has a 'sell', according to Bloomberg data. The average of 12-month analyst price targets implies a potential upside of 11.8%.
Stock Market Live: Ireda To Raise Rs 5,000 Crore
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. received its board approval to raise up to Rs 5,000 crore via qualified institutional placements, according to an exchange filing on Thursday.
Stock Market Live: Stocks That Hit 52-Week Low
Axis Bank Ltd., Cello World Ltd. and Gujarat Pipavav Ltd. are among the stocks that hit a 52-week low on Thursday.
Stock Market Live: Stocks That Hit 52-Week High
Shares of IT bellwether Wipro Ltd. and Zensar Technologies Ltd. hit 52-week high during the session.
Stock Market Live: Newgen Software Arm Bags Purchase Order
Newgen Software Technologies Ltd.'s arm received purchase orders of $3 million from a customer related to the insurance industry, according to an exchange filing on Thurday.
Stock Market Live: GAIL Signs Non-Binding MoU With Argentina’s YPF
India's largest Natural Gas Company Gail (India) Ltd. and two other entities signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Argentina’s YPF, according to an exchange filing on Thursday. The MoU with YPF is established to explore, facilitate, and enhance collaboration in the energy sector, the company said.
Stock Market Live: Denta Water IPO Subscribed 31 Times
Denta Water and Infra Solutions Ltd.'s Rs 220.5-crore initial public offering has been subscribed 31 times so far on its second day of bidding on Thursday. The IPO's first day of subscription saw heavy demand from non-institutional and retail investors, leading to subscription by 17.07 times.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live: BPCL Expects 20% Cut In Russian Crude Supplies
Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd.'s share price fell more than 2.6% on Thursday after the company in its post-earnings call indicated a 20% reduction in Russian crude supplies.
During its post-earnings call, the refiner said it has allocated Rs 10,000 crore for renewable energy investments, with Rs 3,000 crore set aside for spending in both FY26 and FY27.
BPCL aims to achieve a target of 2 GW in renewable energy capacity within two years, and a more ambitious 10 GW by 2030. In terms of natural gas, BPCL plans to begin receiving gas from Mozambique by 2028-29, as per Informist.
The company anticipates a 20% reduction in Russian crude supplies starting in March while noting that Russian crude typically offers a discount of $3 per barrel
Stock Market Live: Indian Tech Stocks Extend Rally
Information technology stocks extended their gains on Thursday on improving earnings and prospects that US President Donald Trump's artificial intelligence boost will favour domestic companies. The nifty IT was the top sector gainer in the previous session.
Shares of Coforge Ltd. and Persistent Systems Ltd. surged 11% and 12%, respectively on positive third-quarter earnings. Mphasis Ltd. and Wipro gained over 3.5% each during the session.
Persistent Systems' shares recorded its biggest jump since October after its third quarter result led various brokerages to either upgrade their target price or rating for the stock.
Trump, on Monday, pushed to make the US an AI superpower by having fewer guardrails by immediately halting the implementation of key safety and transparency requirements for AI developers. Improving business activity in the US would translate into more order wins for domestic tech firms.
Stock Of The Day: PB Fintech Slides 30% In 2025
Share of PB Fintech Ltd. — the parent of insurance aggregator PolicyBazaar — have been under bearish pressure since the beginning of the year as the stock has plunged nearly 30% in 17 sessions. However, Citi Research expects a catch-up given the healthy earnings visibility.
From its life high of Rs 2,246.9 per share, the stock of the online insurance company plunged to Rs 1,610 mark on Wednesday. It took support in the same region with a strong bullish wick, indicating a positive momentum. The Rs 1,610 mark is also where the long-term trend gauge — 200-daily moving average — exists.
The counter will see immediate resistance near the Rs 1,720 level. A break out of this could send the stock towards Citi's target of Rs 2,000 apiece.
The scrip, however, currently is above the 14-day simple moving average and the 21-day exponential moving average. The stock rose as much as 5.84% to Rs 1,704.7, compared to a 0.39% advance in the benchmark Nifty 50.
The sour performance this year comes after the stock rallied nearly 160% in 2024. The relative strength index was at 36, trading near the oversold zone.
Eight out of the 20 analysts tracking the company have a 'buy' rating on the stock, three suggest a 'hold' and nine have a 'sell', according to Bloomberg data. The average of 12-month analyst price targets implies a potential upside of 3.4%.
Stock Market Live: Zensar Technologies Share Price Hits Life High
Shares of Zensar Technologies Ltd. rose over 12% on Thursday to hit a fresh life high, after it reported strong third quarter results.
The software and services company reported a 2.6% rise in net profit to Rs 160 crore in the third quarter of the current financial year, compared to Rs 156 crore in the same quarter last year.
The shares of Zensar Technologies rose as much as 14.88% to Rs 861.65 apiece to hit fresh life high. It pared gains to trade 12.82% higher at Rs 846.20 apiece, as of 10:42 a.m. This compares to a 0.32% advance in the NSE Nifty 50.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live: Strides Pharma Arm OneSource Gets Listing Approval
Strides Pharma Science Ltd.'s arm OneSource received its final listing and trading approval from the national bourses, according to an exchange filing on Thursday.
The contract development and manufacturing organization for specialty pharmaceuticals will start trading on NSE and BSE from Jan. 24.
Stock Market Live: Top Stories This Hour On NDTV Profit
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Comprehensive Budget 2025 Coverage; Watch LIVE TV; Follow Stock Market Updates And Top Business, IPO And Latest News On NDTV Profit.
Stock Market Live: Macro Check As Of 11:00 P.M.
The Dollar Spot Index at $108.26
Rupee weakened by 9 paise to trade at 86.42.
India 10-Year Bond Yield at 6.77%
U.S. 10-Year Bond Yield at 4.61%
Spot gold fell 0.13% to $2,752.99 an ounce
Bitcoin fell 2.03% to $101,962.63
Stock Market Live: Pidilite Industries Shares Rise Over 8%
Shares of Pidilite Industries rose more than 8% after the company reported its December-quarter earnings with a jump in its profit. The fevicol maker's net profit rose 8.2% to Rs 552 crore in the third quarter of the current financial year from Rs 510 crore for the same period last year.
The company's revenue rose 7.6% to Rs 3,369 crore for the October-December quarter from Rs 3,130 crore for the year-ago period.
The scrip rose as much as 8.39% to Rs 2,985.75 apiece, the highest level since Dec. 24. The stock was trading 8.36% higher at Rs 2,985 apiece, as of 10:05 a.m. This compares to a 0.25% advance in the NSE Nifty 50 Index.
Stock Market Live: Cigniti Tech Stock Jumps 14% On Q3 Growth
Cigniti Technologies Ltd. saw its share price soar 14% in early trade on Thursday after its consolidated net profit during the third quarter rose 20% sequentially.
The company reported a bottom-line of Rs 63.6 crore in the October-December period, compared to Rs 52.9 crore in the preceding quarter. Revenue from operations jumped 3.5% from Rs 499 crore to Rs 516 crore.
Cigniti Tech share price advanced 14.35% in trade so far to Rs 1,703 apiece. The scrip was trading 13% higher by 9:52 a.m. The benchmark NSE Nifty 50 was up 0.27%.
Stock Market Live: Persistent Systems Shares Jump On Target Hike
Persistent Systems Ltd.'s share price recorded its biggest jump since October, after its third quarter result, announced on Wednesday, led various brokerages to either upgrade their target price or rating for the stock.
At the same time, brokerages said they are not confident about the margins and they remain a risk. "Despite healthy 3% headcount addition, utilisation stands at 87% and key margin levers are now maxed out," said Motilal Oswal. It has a 'buy' rating for the stock with an increased target of Rs 7,600 per share, implying nearly 34% upside.
The scrip rose as much as 8.55% to Rs 6,170 apiece. It was trading around the same level, as of 9:48 a.m. This compares to a 0.2% advance in the NSE Nifty 50.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live: HUL Shares Fall After Target Price Cuts Post Q3 Results
Hindustan Unilever Ltd.'s stock fell after its third quarter earnings raised concerns and brokerages cut target prices.
The FMCG major's target prices were cut by multiple brokerage firms due to subdued demand, raising concerns about its near-term performance. This comes on top of challenges for the consumer giant, whose recent profit was inflated by one-time gains.
HUL stock fell as much as 1.19% during the day to Rs 2,315 apiece on the NSE. It was trading 3.22% lower at Rs 2,267.55 apiece, compared to a 0.16% decline in the benchmark Nifty 50 as of 9:25 a.m.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live: Coforge Shares Jump 10% After Q3 Results
Coforge Ltd.'s share price advanced 10% during early trade on Thursday after the company's third-quarter earnings, dividend and acquisition announcement.
Net profit grew 6.6% sequentially to Rs 216 crore from Rs 202 crore. Analysts' consensus estimates compiled by Bloomberg had projected a bottomline of Rs 270 crore. Revenue from operations rose 8.4% from Rs 3,062 crore to Rs 3,318 crore.
Coforge share price advanced 10% to Rs 9,051 apiece soon after the market opened. The benchmark NSE Nifty 50 was down 0.2%.
The stock has risen 43% in the last 12 months. The total traded volume so far in the day stood at 17 times its 30-day average. The relative strength index was at 49.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live: Paras Defence Shares Surge On Rs 12,000 Crore MoU
Shares of Paras Defence & Space Technologies Ltd. surged nearly 6% on Thursday after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Maharashtra government.
The defence company signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government for the proposed Optics Park project, according to an exchange filing on Wednesday. The company will invest Rs 12,000 crore in the project over 10 years.
The Optics Park is expected to generate around 2000 direct employment opportunities and has the potential to become India’s first Technology Hub for Optics and Optical Technologies, it said.
NDTV Profit earlier reported that Paras Defence is eyeing a $1 billion opportunity in the optical system space, with plans to set up a development park with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.
The defense product manufacturer plans to set up an optical systems development park and said it was in talks with Maharashtra and Karnataka governments to acquire 20 acres of land for the facility.
"This will be India's first optics park that will be a one-stop shop for high-end design, manufacturing, and testing of optical systems used for automotive cameras to very high-end space cameras," Managing Director Munjal Sharad Shah said earlier.
Paras Defence stock rose as much as 5.78% in early trade to Rs 1,092.2 apiece on the NSE. It was trading 4.26% higher at Rs 1,076.5 apiece, compared to a 0.23% advance in the benchmark Nifty 50 as of 10:04 a.m.
The shares have risen 47% during the last 12 months. The total traded volume so far in the day stood at 3.1 times its 30-day average. The relative strength index was at 54.
One analyst tracking the company have a 'hold' rating on the stock, according to Bloomberg data. The average of 12-month analyst price targets implies a potential downside of 3%.
Stock Market Live: Stallion India Shares List At 33% Premium Over IPO Price
After garnering significant investor interest with its IPO, Stallion India Fluorochemicals Ltd. listed on the exchanges at a premium on Thursday.
Shares of the refrigerant seller listed on the both National Stock Exchange and BSE at Rs 120 apiece, against the issue price of Rs 90, marking a premium of 33.33%
Read more here.
Stocks To Buy Today: Infosys, Devyani, Britannia And More
Analysts have recommended a number of stocks for Thursday's trading session, advising investors to keep an eye on Infosys, Devyani, Britannia, and more. These stocks come with specific target prices and stop-loss levels for traders to consider.
Among those giving recommendations today are Rajesh Palviya, SVP - Technical and Derivatives Research, Axis Securities, Dr. Ravi Singh, SVP - Retail Research, Religare Broking, Nilesh Jain, Head AVP - Technical & Derivatives Research, Centrum Broking Limited and Brijesh Ail, Retail Research, IDBI Cap.
Read all the top pics here.
Stock Market Live: HUL, BPCL, Persistent Systems React Post Q3 Results
The stocks of Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corp. and Persistent Systems Ltd. are in focus on Thursday after the companies announced their third-quarter results.
HUL opened in the negative despite reporting a 18.9% rise in profit to Rs 2,984 crore. The fall in shares come after Macquarie, UBS, Goldman Sachs and Citi cut the target price amid demand concerns.
BPCL also fell over 1% after it opened in the green. Persistent Systems stocks snapped the sharp fall to rise nearly 5% after it reported strong third quarter results. Coforge Ltd.'s shares rose nearly 8% after a 6.6% rise in net profit to Rs 216 crore. Pidilite Industries Ltd. shares rose nearly 6% on the back of 8.2% jump in net profit to Rs 552 crore.
The shares of Laxmi Organics Ltd. and Gravitas India Ltd. rose nearly 2% and 1%, respectively, after it reported a surge in profit. The shares of Accelya Solutions India Ltd. and Zensar Technologies Ltd, were also trading in the green on Thursday.
Stock Market Live News: HDFC Bank Earnings Estimates Cut Post Q3 Results
Brokerages have cut their earnings estimate for HDFC Bank, accounting for slower loan growth, but remain positive on the lender after it delivered a strong December-quarter performance in a tough macroeconomic environment.
Given the bank’s focus on reducing the credit-to-deposit ratio at an accelerated rate, Motilal Oswal Financial Services has factored in a moderation in loan growth to 5% and 10% for the current financial year and next year, respectively.
"...the gradual retirement of high-cost borrowings, along with an improvement in operating leverage, will support return ratios over the coming years," the brokerage said in an earnings note.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live News: Sectors And Broader Market Performance
Ten out of the 12 sectors on the NSE declined, with Nifty FMCG and Nifty Oil and Gas falling the most on Thursday. Nifty IT and Media rose the most in trade.
The broader markets underperformed its larger peers, with the BSE MidCap plunging by 1.20% and the SmallCap falling by 1.56%.
Six out of the 20 sectors compiled by BSE advanced, with IT and Focused IT rising the most.
The market breadth was skewed in favour of the sellers as 2,906 stocks advanced, 1,048 advanced and 105 remained unchanged on the BSE.
Stock Market Live News: Top Gainers And Losers
ICICI Bank Ltd., Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Ltd. State Bank of India Ltd. and Bharti Airtel Ltd. weighed on the Nifty 50.
HDFC Bank Ltd., Infosys Ltd., UltraTech Cements Ltd., Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., and Wipro Ltd. contributed positively to the benchmark index.
Opening Bell: Nifty, Sensex Open Lower
Indian benchmark indices continued to tread with caution as earnings disappointment continued to weigh on domestic stocks. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. and Larsen & Toubro Ltd. draged the index, while a selloff in oil and gas and banking stocks continued.
In early trade, Nifty fell 0.28% to 23,090, while the 30-stock Sensex declined 0.27% to 76,202. At pre-open, the S&P BSE Sensex Index was up 9.5 points, or 0.01%, at 76,414 while the NSE Nifty 50 was 27 points or 0.12% lower at 23,128.
The NSE Nifty 50 is set to test key levels with immediate resistance seen at 23,300, a breakout above which can propel the index toward 23,600–23,800, according to analysts. On the downside, 23,000 will serve as immediate support, with a breach potentially dragging the index to 22,800.
Stocks in the Asia-Pacific traded opened mixed following a Wall Street rally driven by optimism over artificial intelligence plans by US President Donald Trump.
Stock Market Live: Crude Oil Prices Extend Drop
Crude oil prices edged lower after an industry report pointed to the first gain in US crude stockpiles since mid-November, as the market watched for further pledges on global trade from President Donald Trump.
West Texas Intermediate dipped toward $75 a barrel, extending a run of losses that started last Thursday, while Brent closed at $79. Crude inventories rose by 1 million barrels last week and fuel stockpiles surged, the American Petroleum Institute reported.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
Stock Market Live: Nifty, Sensex Trade Mixed In Pre-Market Trade
At pre-open, the S&P BSE Sensex Index was up 9.5 points, or 0.01%, at 76,414 while the NSE Nifty 50 was 27 points or 0.12% lower at 23,128.
Stock Market Live: HUL Target Slashed On Tepid Demand
Hindustan Unilever Ltd.'s target prices were cut by multiple brokerage firms due to subdued demand, raising concerns about its near-term performance. This comes on top of challenges for the consumer giant, whose recent profit was inflated by one-time gains.
The tepid demand trends impact the near-term growth outlook, according to analysts at Citi Research. Further, commentary around demand outlook moderating is the "key near-term negative surprise," it said.
While cautious on near-term demand, Macquarie does not expect deterioration from the flattish volumes seen in the third quarter. "Believe that worst of volume weakness is likely behind us." The gradual pace of demand recovery drives cuts to earnings per share and target price, Macquarie said.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live: Yield On The 10-Year Bond Opens Flat
The yield on the 10-year bond opened flat at 6.73%.
It closed at 6.72% on Wednesday.
Source: Bloomberg
Stock Market Live: Rupee Opens Weaker Against US Dollar
Rupee weakened by 14 paise to open at 86.47 against the US Dollar.
It closed at 86.33 on Wednesday.
Source: Bloomberg
Stock Market Live: Brokerages On HDFC Bank
Macquarie on HDFC Bank
Maintains an 'outperform' rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,300 apiece.
Reports third-quarter profit after tax in line with expectations, with decent results in a tough macro environment.
Notes a marginal increase in credit costs due to higher agricultural slippages.
Believes the stock is an outperformer given the potential for return on assets improvement over the next two years, driven by net interest margin expansion.
BofA on HDFC Bank
Maintains a 'buy' rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,020 apiece.
Highlights no surprises in third-quarter results, with the loan-to-deposit ratio normalization likely three quarters away.
Notes more positive factors than negative ones in the results.
Asset quality performance is viewed as a relief for the sector at large.
Bernstein on HDFC Bank
Maintains an 'outperform' rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,300 apiece.
Describes the third quarter as a good one, with indications of even better quarters ahead.
Observes no deterioration in asset quality and healthy net interest income growth despite slower loan growth.
Points out pre-tax profit growth of 12%, which reinforces confidence in a return to mid-teens earnings per share growth trajectory in the upcoming quarters.
Stock Market Live: Brokerages On HUL
Macquarie
Maintained 'outperform' rating on the stock and lowered the target price to Rs 2,800 apiece from Rs 3,250.
Third-quarter results were in line, but the firm remains cautious on near-term demand.
Expects no further deterioration from the flattish volumes observed in Q3.
Highlights positive tailwinds for the beauty segment from the acquisition of the Minimalist brand.
Cuts earnings per share estimates and target price due to the gradual pace of demand recovery but believes the worst of the volume weakness is likely behind.
UBS
Maintained a 'neutral' rating on the stock and cut the target price to Rs 2,700 apiece from Rs 2,800 per share.
Notes lackluster performance, with revenue growth broadly in line but weak product mix impacting underlying volume growth.
Observes volume-led growth in home care, while personal care is impacted by price hikes.
Anticipates near-term demand to remain soft.
Goldman Sachs
Maintained a 'neutral' rating on the stock and lowered the target price to Rs 2,480 apiece from Rs 2,650.
Reports weak near-term growth outlook, with urban slowdown worsening and downtrading to smaller packs underway.
Notes a decline in soap volumes driven by high price increases and grammage cuts.
Management has lowered its near-term outlook from a 'stable demand environment' to a 'moderating consumption environment.'
Citi
Maintained a 'buy' rating on the stock and reduces the target price to Rs 2,850 apiece from Rs 3,400.
Cites tepid demand trends impacting the near-term growth outlook.
Highlights the acquisition of the Minimalist brand as a potential incremental growth driver.
Cuts fiscal 2025-2027 earnings estimates by 2-6%, due to lower revenue growth assumptions.
Stock Market Live: Gold Cools After Record High — Check Rates
Gold price in India stood at Rs 79,940 as of 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, according to the India Bullion Association. The price of gold saw a sharp rise of over Rs 200, compared to Wednesday's prices.
Gold prices cooled off after it rose by Rs 630 to a record high of Rs 82,700 per 10 grammes in Delhi on Wednesday. This marks the sixth straight session of gains for the yellow metal.
Stock Market Live: Industrial Sector Expected To Spend On Energy, Says BNP Paribas
In the industrial space, BNP Paribas expects capital expenditure to bring some spending into the energy space. It also has a much more positive outlook on the transmission and distribution space, when compared to the defence space, which is overvalued, according to analysts.
India witnessed major investment-led growth with a thrust on transport infra, which is road and rail over the financial year 2015 to 2024. This movement was supported by a pick-up in public capex. Now, capex in these segments has slowed, especially from the central government. Capex in key segments has fallen by 8% year-on-year.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live News: Coforge Q3 Net Profit Misses Estimate
Coforge Ltd.'s consolidated net profit in the October-December quarter missed estimates.
Net profit grew 6.6% sequentially to Rs 216 crore, over the previous quarter's Rs 202 crore. Analysts' consensus estimates compiled by Bloomberg projected a bottomline of Rs 270 crore.
Revenue from operations rose 8.4% from Rs 3,062 crore to Rs 3,318 crore. This compared to the Bloomberg estimate of Rs 3,139 crore. On a year-on-year basis, income rose 42.8%.
On the operating side, earnings before interest and tax rose 9% to Rs 392 crore, compared to an estimate of Rs 382 crore. The EBIT margin was unchanged at 11.8%.
Read more here.
Stock Market Live News: Wednesday Market Recap
Gains in information technology stocks helped lift Indian benchmarks in the final two hours of trading, as US President Donald Trump's plans for artificial intelligence alleviated concerns over trade tariff risks.
The S&P BSE Sensex ended the day 566 points or 0.75% up at 76,404, while the NSE Nifty 50 gained 130.7 points or 0.57% higher to close at 23,135.5.
Trump's push to make the US an AI superpower, with fewer regulatory constraints, fuelled optimism. He halted the implementation of key safety and transparency measures for AI developers.
Infosys Ltd., HDFC Bank Ltd., Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., led the advance in Nifty 50 index.
Tata Motors Ltd., Bharat Electronics Ltd., Axis Bank Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Ltd. and Trent Ltd. weighed on the benchmark index.
Nine out of the 12 sectors on the NSE declined, with Nifty Realty and Nifty Media falling the most on Wednesday. Nifty IT rose the most in trade.
Stock Market Live News: Earnings To Watch
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. and UltraTech Cement Ltd. will be the key earnings to watch out for on Thursday.
Stock Market Live News: F&O Cues
Nifty January futures up by 0.41% to 23,198.95 at a premium of 43 points.
Nifty January futures open interest down by 3.34%.
Nifty Options Jan. 23 Expiry: Maximum call open interest at 23,500 and maximum put open interest at 23,000.
Securities in ban period: Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, Bandhan Bank, Can Fin Homes, Dixon Technologies (India), L&T Finance, Manappuram Finance, Mahanagar Gas, Punjab National Bank, and RBL Bank.
Market Live News: Stocks To Watch
Housing & Urban Development Corp: The company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vadhavan Port project to explore and provide funds up to Rs 25,000 crore for the development of new ports.
Paras Defence and Space Technologies: The aerospace and defence company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Maharashtra government to invest around Rs 12,000 crore for a proposed Optics Park project over the next 10 years.
MAS Financial Services: The company is to consider investment in arm Rural Housing & Mortgage.
Waaree Energies: The company's arm Waaree Solar Americas commences commercial production of 1.6 GW Solar Module line in US.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders: The Navratna company clarified that there was no contract signed between them and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, as was erroneously reported by media.
Balmer Lawrie & Co: The steelmaker issued an undertaking in favour of PFC for infusing funds for meeting shortfall in debt servicing of loan facility.
Zydus Lifesciences: The pharmaceutical company announced US FDA orphan drug designation to Usnoflast for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Agro Tech Foods: The CCI approves the proposed acquisition of Del Monte Foods.
Bharat Petroleum Corp: The board approved the submission of the development plan to the Indonesian regulator. An estimated investment of $121 million would commence once the development plan for the Nunukan Block, aimed at exploring oil and gas reserves, gets approved. The company is also to enter into a joint venture agreement with Praj Industries for setting up compressed biogas plants.
Laurus Labs: The US FDA issued a Form 483 with one observation to the company's US-based arm Laurus Generics.
Stock Market Live News: Earnings Post Market Hours
Pidilite Industries Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue up 7.6% at Rs 3,369 crore versus Rs 3,130 crore (Estimate: Rs 3,333 crore).
Ebitda up 7.5% at Rs 798 crore versus Rs 742 crore (Estimate: Rs 801 crore).
Ebitda margin at 23.7% versus 23.72% (Estimate: 24%).
Net profit up 8.2% at Rs 552 crore versus Rs 510 crore (Estimate: Rs 565 crore).
Go Digit Q3 Earnings (YoY)
GWP at Rs 2,677 crore versus Rs 2,428 crore.
Total income up 7% at Rs 2,372 crore versus Rs 2,214 crore.
Net profit at Rs 118 crore versus Rs 42.9 crore.
Combined Ratio at 108.1% versus 110.3%.
Hindustan Unilever Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue up 1.6% at Rs 15,818 crore versus Rs 15,567 crore (Estimate: Rs 15,791.4 crore).
Ebitda up 0.8% at Rs 3,695 crore versus Rs 3,666 crore. (Estimate: Rs 3,651.5 crore).
Ebitda margin at 23.4% versus 23.5% (Estimate: 23.1%).
Net profit up 18.9% at Rs 2,984 crore versus Rs 2,509 crore (Estimate: Rs 2,657.5 crore)
Persistent Systems Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, QoQ)
Revenue up 5.7% at Rs 3,062 crore versus Rs 2,898 crore (Estimate: Rs 3,023 crore).
EBIT up 12.2% at Rs 456 crore versus Rs 406 crore (Estimate: Rs 441 crore).
Margin at 14.9% versus 14% (Estimate: 14.59%).
Net profit up 14.8% at Rs 373 crore versus Rs 325 crore (Estimate: Rs 346 crore).
Declares interim dividend of Rs 20/share.
Trailing Twelve Month TCV at $594 million versus $529 million QoQ.
Cigniti Technologies Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, QoQ)
Revenue up 3.5% at Rs 516 crore versus Rs 499 crore.
EBIT up 38% at Rs 77 crore versus Rs 55.8 crore.
Margin at 14.9% versus 11.2%.
Net profit up 20% at Rs 63.6 crore versus Rs 52.9 crore.
Laxmi Organic Industries Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue up 13.3% at Rs 786 crore versus Rs 694 crore.
Ebitda up 42.9% at Rs 74.6 crore versus Rs 52.2 crore.
Margin at 9.5% versus 7.5%.
Net profit up 8.1% at Rs 29.3 crore versus Rs 27.1 crore.
Bharat Petroleum Corp Q3 Earnings Standalone (QoQ)
Revenue up 10% at Rs 1.13 lakh crore versus Rs 1.02 lakh crore (Estimate: Rs 1.07 lakh crore)
Ebitda up 68% at Rs 7,580 crore versus Rs 4,512 crore (Estimate: Rs 8,000 crore)
Margin at 6.7% versus 4.4% (Estimate: 7.5%)
Net profit up 94% at Rs 4,649 crore versus Rs 2,397 crore (Estimate: Rs 5,265 crore)
Gravita India Q3 Earnings (Cons, YoY)
Revenue up 31% at Rs 996 crore versus Rs 757 crore.
Ebitda flat at Rs 80.7 crore versus Rs 80.3 crore.
Margin at 8.1% versus 10.6%.
Net profit up 29% at Rs 77.9 crore versus Rs 60.3 crore.
Accelya Solutions India Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, YoY)
Revenue up 6.8% at Rs 133 crore versus Rs 125 crore.
Ebitda up 6.6% at Rs 48 crore versus Rs 45 crore.
Margin at 36.2% versus 36.3%.
Net profit up 4.6% at Rs 32.4 crore versus Rs 31 crore.
Zensar Technologies Q3 Earnings (Consolidated, QoQ)
Revenue up 1.3% at Rs 1,326 crore versus Rs 1,308 crore.
Ebit up 7% at Rs 183 crore versus Rs 171 crore.
Ebitda margin at 13.8% versus 13.1%.
Net profit up 2.6% at Rs 160 crore versus Rs 156 crore.
Trade Setup For Jan. 23: Nifty Recovery Hinges On Sustaining Above 23,000
The NSE Nifty 50 is set to test key levels on Thursday, with immediate resistance seen at 23,300, a breakout above which can propel the index toward 23,600–23,800, according to analysts. On the downside, 23,000 will serve as immediate support, with a breach potentially dragging the index to 22,800.
Aditya Gaggar, director of Progressive Share Brokers Pvt., highlighted the recovery in Wednesday's session following a dip to retest prior lows, as the index ended with gains of 130.70 points at 23,155.35. While IT and Pharma sectors led the rebound, Realty stocks slumped over 4.5%.
"The Nifty formed a hammer candlestick on the daily chart, signalling a potential reversal if the index sustains above 23,400. However, a close below 23,000 could confirm a bearish trend," Gaggar noted.
Stock Market Live News: GIFT Nifty Trades Below At 23,200
Stocks in the Asia-Pacific region opened mixed following a Wall Street rally driven by optimism over artificial intelligence plans by US President Donald Trump.
The GIFT Nifty, an early indicator of the Nifty 50’s performance in India, was down 3 points or 0.01%, at 23,135.5 as of 7:30 a.m.
Japan's Nikkei was 192 points, or 0.5%, higher at 39,804, while Australia's S&P ASX 200 was down 50 points, or 0.6%, at 8,379, as of 7:35 a.m.
South Korea's stocks tumbled after the country's fourth-quarter economic growth came short of expectations. The GDP expanded by 0.1% sequentially, against the expectations of over 0.2%, according to Bloomberg. The benchmark Kospi was down 0.97% at 2,522.4.
China rolled out a slew of measures to stabilise the stock market on Wednesday, including plans to increase the pension amount that can be invested in companies.
A rally fueled by technology companies sent stocks on Wall Street to the brink of their all-time highs. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.61% and 0.30%, respectively. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.28%.
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