The Economic Times

In January, India witnessed a surge in wholesale price inflation, hitting a nine-month high of 1.81%. This uptrend can be attributed to escalating costs across basic metals, manufactured goods, and agricultural sectors, with food inflation also on the rise. Concurrently, retail inflation edged up to 2.75%, driven by the rising costs of food and precious metals.

Apple cultivators in India stand at a crossroads as a recent trade agreement with the US and a surge in imported fruits jeopardise their existence. The local apple sector is grappling with soaring logistics expenses and significant losses post-harvest. There's an urgent call for transformative strategies to streamline supply chains and enhance productivity.

Dalal Street is set for a wave of IPO lock-in expiries, with about 85 companies seeing restrictions lifted between February and May 2026, potentially unlocking $53 billion worth of shares, according to Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research.

Indian companies are reporting strong earnings growth. Metals and oil & gas sectors are leading the charge. Even excluding these, growth remains robust. Auto, capital goods, NBFCs, and PSU banks are showing healthy gains. Smallcaps are also recovering. Despite this, market sentiment is cautious, particularly for mid and smallcap stocks. Investors need to be selective.

On Monday, Australian shares made modest gains with technology, gold, and healthcare sectors leading the charge. While the mining and financial markets struggled, the S&P/ASX 200 index finished the day on a positive note, buoyed by a surge in tech stocks, likely driven by recent dips and savvy bargain hunters.

Inox Wind shares fell to their 52-week low on Monday after a weak Q3 marked by slow execution, missed revenue estimates, and higher interest costs. Brokerages, including Nomura and Motilal Oswal, slashed price targets, citing softer guidance and trimmed growth forecasts despite retaining BUY ratings.

India has exported over 200,000 tonnes of sugar by February in the current marketing year. The United Arab Emirates is the leading destination for these shipments. The government has approved a total of 2 million tonnes for export this year. This includes an additional 500,000 tonnes recently permitted. Sugar production is projected to increase significantly.

Bitcoin hovers near $68,700 after failing to break the $70,000 resistance, with major cryptocurrencies experiencing declines. Analysts note a cautious market sentiment, influenced by declining ETF inflows and range-bound price action. However, underlying demand appears steady, with potential for a rally above $72,000.

Technology stocks experienced a decline as investors assessed AI's impact on India's IT services sector. Experts suggest adaptation over alarm, noting that while medium-term challenges exist, short-term reactions are overdone. The focus shifts to domestic consumption, infrastructure, and cement sectors for resilience amid global uncertainty.

India's capital markets are shifting towards long-term investing with new RBI norms from April 2026. Brokers face stricter collateral rules, including 100% backing for bank loans and a 25% cash reserve for margin trading. These measures aim to reduce speculation and enhance market stability, contrasting with more leveraged global markets.

U.S. markets will remain shut on February 16 for Presidents Day, pausing trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq and across the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite. The federal holiday creates a shortened week before trading resumes on Tuesday. Presidents' Day, observed on the third Monday of February each year, is commemorated across federal institutions, with banks and government offices closed

Indian government bonds traded in a narrow range on Monday. A fall in US Treasury yields offered some support. However, concerns over upcoming local debt supply capped gains. The 10-year benchmark bond yield remained steady. Traders noted that while lower US yields are positive, significant supply will prevent a sharp decline in domestic yields.

China's financial markets are observing a seasonal pause for the Lunar New Year, leading to reduced liquidity and potential shifts in global market dynamics. With mainland markets and parts of Hong Kong closed, investors are monitoring commodities, currencies, and risk sentiment for spillover effects during this significant economic period.

The Reserve Bank of Indias sweeping overhaul of collateral and funding norms is set to reshape market dynamics, sharply raising costs for proprietary traders while sparing most retail brokers. Analysts say the tightening will hit different market participants in vastly different ways. Shares of BSE, Angel One, MCX and Groww tumbled as analysts warned of lower liquidity and earnings pressure.

US consumer prices showed a smaller than anticipated rise in January. This suggests inflation pressures are under control. The development supports expectations for interest rate reductions later this year. Financial markets reacted with caution. Policymakers will consider this data alongside labor market signals. Investors await further economic releases and Federal Reserve statements.

Stock market intermediaries faced a sharp sell-off Monday after the RBI tightened lending rules, demanding fully secured funding and stricter collateral for margin trading. This forces firms like BSE and Angel One to seek costlier alternatives, potentially impacting earnings and profit margins significantly. The new regulations take effect April 1.

US investors anticipate a volatile week as AI disruption concerns impact sectors, prompting a rotation from tech into energy, consumer staples, materials, and industrials. Upcoming corporate earnings from retailers like Walmart and key economic data, including Q4 GDP and inflation figures, will be closely monitored for market direction.

As 2026 begins amid global uncertainty, Milan Parikh warns traders against risking years of wealth for short-term gains. At IOC 7.0, he stresses disciplined risk management, urges capping losses to one years profits, and highlights how technology, Gen Z participation, and structured learning are reshaping Indias fast-evolving trading ecosystem.

Gold and silver futures opened sharply lower on the MCX on Monday as investors booked profits after the previous sessions rally. Gold futures for April 2026 fell Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,54,905 per 10 grams, while silver dropped 3.3%. In global markets, spot gold and silver also declined after strong gains on Friday, reflecting cautious sentiment.

Indian IT giants are actively reinventing their strategies to counter fears of AI-driven disruption, which has led to a significant market value sell-off. Companies are embedding AI into transformation programs, focusing on outcome-led growth, and leveraging internal AI tools to maintain margins and deliver value to clients.

Indian stock markets, Nifty and Sensex, continued their decline for a fourth consecutive session on Monday. Metal stocks contributed to the downturn. Earlier, IT stocks faced a sell-off due to AI disruption fears. Experts suggest IT sector weakness may persist. Funds are expected to shift towards financials, automobiles, capital goods, telecom, and pharma.

Indian markets saw IT stocks fall amid AI worries. Analyst Deven Choksey sees this as a buying chance. He believes AI will help IT firms flourish by enabling outcome-based pricing and faster project delivery. This shift creates new revenue streams. Choksey also highlights growth potential in FMCG exports due to trade agreements. He advises investing in large-cap IT companies.

Fixed income investors should recalibrate strategies as RBI nears the end of its rate-cut cycle. With comfortable liquidity and low rate hike probability, short-term AAA corporate bonds above 7% offer better risk-reward. Accrual-oriented strategies in the short to medium segment are favored over long-duration bets. Potential Bloomberg index inclusion could boost government bonds.

Markets are entering a discerning phase, shifting from narratives to performance. Investors are cautioned against chasing high-P/E small and mid-caps without earnings visibility, as multiple compression is likely. India's medium-term outlook remains constructive, driven by earnings delivery, global liquidity, and FII flows.

A White Marubozu is a bullish candlestick pattern in technical analysis. It occurs when the opening price is the lowest for a given period, and the closing price is the highest. Represented by a long white (or green) candlestick with no upper shadow and a small or nonexistent lower shadow, it indicates strong buying pressure throughout the session.

Bharat Electronics Limited shares are set to gain attention. The company's board has approved a joint venture with Safran Electronics and Defence of France. This partnership will focus on Project Hammer. The new entity will be a technology partner for manufacturing and maintenance of the HAMMER Weapon System. The Indian Air Force and Navy are the primary users.

Four Nifty 500 stocks, including Engineers India, signalled bullish momentum after their RSI crossed above 50. The RSI Trending Up scan highlights strengthening price momentum and potential upside. Such technical signals are often tracked by traders to identify short-term buying opportunities in stocks showing improving trend strength.

Wipro and Infosys IT stocks are in focus after a rebound. A recent sell-off wiped out significant market value. Concerns arose from AI tools automating legal tasks. However, analysts see value in beaten-down IT stocks. They highlight the indispensable role of IT services firms. The sector is adapting to new business models and AI-led development.

Manappuram Finance shares are in focus after the RBI granted final approval for Bain Capital affiliates to acquire up to 41.66% stake. Bain Capital will invest approximately Rs 4,385 crore, initially acquiring 18% and triggering a mandatory open offer for an additional 26% stake. This partnership aims to accelerate growth and strengthen investments in technology and risk management.