The Economic Times

The National Stock Exchange of India on Thursday said that it has appointed Rothschild & Co as an independent advisor to oversee its long-awaited initial public offering.

The UK has chosen HSBC's blockchain platform to run the country's pilot issuance of tokenised or digital government bonds, the bank said on Thursday, a move that puts Britain ahead of its G7 peers in exploring blockchain-based sovereign debt.

Indian government bonds rose on Thursday, as traders unwound their short positions after a January inflation reading that was lower than the market had feared. The 10-year 6.48% 2035 bond yield settled at 6.6833%, compared with 6.7088% on Wednesday.

Housing sales fell 10 per cent last year across 15 tier-II cities to 1.56 lakh units while remained flat in value terms at Rs 1.48 lakh crore, according to PropEquity.

Hindalco Q3 Results: Aditya Birla Group's flagship metal company Hindalco reported a 45% decline in its December quarter consolidated net profit at Rs 2,049 crore compared to Rs 3,735 crore posted in the year ago period.

Realty firm Experion Developers will invest Rs 1,500 crore to develop a housing project in Noida to expand its business.

Realty firm Spring House Workspaces has set up a new co-working centre in Noida, comprising 1,200 desks across 60,000 sq ft area, to meet rising demand of flexible managed office spaces from corporates.

Realty firm Smartworks Coworking Spaces Ltd has taken on lease 1.81 lakh sq ft office space in Mumbai to expand its portfolio amid rising demand for prime workspaces from corporates.

Indian benchmark indices closed lower on Thursday, dragged by heavy selling in IT stocks. Nifty and Sensex fell amid AI disruption concerns and fading US rate-cut hopes. Coforge, TCS and Infosys led losses, while Lenskart and Hindustan Copper gained on strong triggers.

Four commodity stocks SAIL, Sharda Cropchem, Jindal Steel and JSW Steel hit fresh 52-week highs, rallying up to 55% in just one month despite a weak broader market.

Mamaearth Q3 Results: The company's revenue from operations stood at Rs 602 crore in Q3FY26, recording a 16% growth versus Rs 518 crore in the October-December period of FY26.

Indian IT services firms face a growth slowdown due to Artificial Intelligence. AI tools reduce project effort, impacting billing. Large IT firms expect 5-6% revenue growth, while mid-cap firms anticipate 10-12%. Contract renewals may lead to pricing cuts. India's position as the world's software factory remains secure. Valuations may need adjustment in this new growth environment.

Institutions trimmed stakes in 10 major largecaps in Q3, signalling selective profit-taking and portfolio rebalancing across sectors.

SBI has overtaken TCS and Infosys in market valuea feat unimaginable five years ago, says Gurmeet Chadha. The surge reflects PSU banks sharp turnaround driven by better risk management and digitisation, even as IT stocks face heavy AI-led selling. Nifty IT has dropped 21% in a year, while PSU banks soar.

Indian stock markets are trading in a tight range. The Nifty index is finding it difficult to move past the 26,000 mark. Experts are advising investors to focus on specific stocks. Bajaj Finance and Hero MotoCorp are recommended for buying. Hindustan Unilever's outlook is cautious. Selective stock picking offers opportunities amidst consolidation.

India's electronics manufacturing sector is booming with 30% growth. Companies like Amber and Syrma are leading the charge. The industry is shifting towards higher-value industrial and automotive products. This trend is boosting profits and creating exciting investment opportunities. Investors are looking for companies with strong order books and margin improvement.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has announced a first interim dividend of 35 per share for FY26, with February 18, 2026 set as the record date and payment due by March 14. The company also reported strong Q3 results, with consolidated net profit rising 30% year-on-year to 1,867 crore and revenue from operations growing 11% to 7,699 crore.

JPMorgan also views Vodafone Ideas target of a threefold increase in cash EBITDA over three years as aggressive, as it assumes market share gains against Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, which the brokerage finds uncertain.

HAL Q3 Results: Revenue from operations in the December quarter increased 11% YoY to Rs 7,699 crore, compared with Rs 6,957 crore in the same quarter last year.

Japan's SoftBank Group said on Thursday it logged a net profit of 248.6 billion yen ($1.62 billion) in the October-December quarter, boosted by the rising valuation of its investment in OpenAI.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) reported quarterly revenues largely in line with expectations, while its margins surprised investors by exceeding forecasts. This upside in profitability was attributed to improving trends in key segments and the gradual impact of GST rate cuts, offering some comfort amid a challenging consumption environment.

Moodys estimates that higher US H-1B visa fees could raise costs for Indian IT majors by $100 million to $250 million, or about 1% of revenues. While large firms can absorb the impact due to strong margins and cash reserves, smaller companies may face pressure amid rising AI investments.

Japanese government bonds rallied on Thursday, particularly, as investors reacted positively to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pledge for esponsible stimulus following her electoral victory. This reassurance led to falling yields across various tenors, including the 40-year and 30-year JGBs, as the market digests her commitment to fiscal prudence.

Indian benchmark indices fell sharply as stronger U.S. jobs data dampened hopes of near-term Fed rate cuts, triggering a risk-off mood. The Nifty IT index plunged nearly 4%, wiping out Rs 1.3 lakh crore in market value after Anthropics new AI tool stoked fears of deeper disruption across Indias tech sector.

Indian IT stocks face pressure from global AI advancements and China's innovation, triggering sentiment-driven selling. While short-term pain is expected, experts believe the sector's long-term fundamentals remain strong due to its implementation and customization expertise in cloud and data services.

Tata Consultancy Services' stock has plunged, pushing its market value below Rs 10 lakh crore. Fears of artificial intelligence disrupting the IT sector are growing. Stronger-than-expected US jobs data also dampened investor sentiment. This has led to a broad sell-off in the Nifty IT index. Experts suggest the Indian IT sector will continue to face challenges.

Japan's Nikkei share average surpassed 58,000 for the first time. Government bonds and the yen also saw gains. This rally follows Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's election victory. Markets are reacting to her fiscal policy commitments. Strong earnings and the LDP's win are boosting domestic shares. Investors are watching for potential overheating and profit-taking movements.

Foreign institutional investors are returning to India following the US-India trade agreement, but concerns over earnings growth persist. Artificial intelligence is emerging as a significant risk, impacting jobs and business models, particularly in white-collar industries and IT services, leading to potential consolidation and job reductions.

Bitcoin bounced back to $67,000 mark after dipping to $65,000 yesterday. Strong U.S. jobs data reduced expectations of an early interest rate cut. Major altcoins saw mixed movements. Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced slight declines. Institutional demand through ETFs continues to support prices. Investors are watching upcoming inflation data for further market direction.

Market expert Neeraj Dewan remains constructive on PSU banks, citing strong earnings and reasonable valuations, suggesting SBI is a buy-on-dips opportunity. He is optimistic about the commercial vehicle sector due to improving capex trends. However, Dewan advises caution on the IT sector due to volatility and potential structural impacts from AI.

Indian government bonds saw a slight dip early Thursday. This move followed a rise in U.S. Treasury yields. Investors are now keenly awaiting India's inflation data later today. The 10-year bond yield is expected to hover around 6.75% levels. This comes after stronger than expected U.S. jobs numbers. India's consumer inflation is projected to reach 2.4% in January.

Bill Ackmans Pershing Square has taken a major new position in Meta, investing $2 billion on the confidence that AI adoption will unlock long-term value. The hedge fund exited Hilton, arguing Meta remains undervalued despite recent volatility, and sees AI boosting recommendations, advertising efficiency and future engagement across Metas platforms.

HUL Q3 Results: The companys revenue from continuing operations stood at Rs 16,441 crore, up 5.6% YoY from Rs 15,556 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year, HUL said in a regulatory filing.

The Federal Reserve held policy rates steady in January, citing a resilient labor market and inflation above its 2% target. This decision revealed a split within the FOMC, with some officials prioritizing growth and employment concerns while others emphasize continued vigilance against persistent inflation before considering further rate cuts.

Indias IT sector plunged on Thursday as the Nifty IT index fell over 4%, erasing Rs 1.3 lakh crore in market value amid AI-driven disruption fears. TCS, Infosys and Wipro hit fresh lows as Anthropics new automation tools triggered panic selling, widening concerns over shrinking moats, pricing pressure and weakening global demand.

Shriram Finance has doubled investors wealth over the past year, outperforming the Nifty and hitting fresh 52-week highs. Trading well above key moving averages, the stock remains in an uptrend, supported by strong AUM growth, steady asset quality and upbeat brokerage targets, further boosted by MUFG Banks proposed 20% stake purchase.

Januarys stronger-than-expected U.S. payroll gains give the Federal Reserve room to keep rates steady, even as major revisions reveal that job growth nearly stalled through 2025. With unemployment edging down and productivity rising, policymakers remain cautious, balancing firmer recent data against concerns about a weakening labor market and delayed rate cuts.

Indian IT services stocks have seen a significant selloff driven by AI concerns. However, experts believe AI will enhance efficiency and boost profit margins, not harm the sector. Platform companies are highlighted as a decade-long opportunity. The jewellery sector shows strong consumer demand. Current IT valuations offer attractive entry points for investors.

Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty traded lower on Thursday, impacted by a sharp selloff in IT stocks and investor caution following stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data. This data dampened hopes of near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts, while domestic market support is expected from earnings growth in other sectors.

Gold prices have surged, nearly doubling in the past year, with a 60% year-on-year rise in the December quarter. While festive demand remained strong, driven by consumers locking in prices, jewellery volumes dropped significantly.

Foreign institutional investors are cautiously returning to Indian stocks after a significant exodus, driven by a strengthening rupee and an interim trade deal with the US. However, a sustained comeback hinges on improving corporate earnings, which have remained a concern, posing a key risk to continued foreign inflows.

Gold and silver futures opened lower on Thursday as a stronger US dollar, fueled by robust jobs data, dampened interest rate cut expectations. Investors now await US inflation figures for Federal Reserve policy clues. Experts advise buying gold and silver on dips, citing near-term volatility due to dollar fluctuations and geopolitical tensions.

RSI trending up means that the Relative Strength Index (RSI) values are increasing, suggesting strengthening momentum in the stock price.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index was up 0.4% at 57,874.61 after rising as high as 58,015.08 earlier in the day, as trading resumed after a holiday. So far in 2026, the Nikkei has surged 15%. The broader Topix climbed 0.8% to 3,884.16 on Thursday.

India's banking and auto sectors are exceeding expectations, with loan growth reviving and vehicle sales accelerating. Consumer durables show promising signs of a turnaround, poised to benefit from real estate deliveries. Urban consumption is also picking up, particularly in discretionary items. UTI Mutual Fund is targeting underpenetrated sectors for investment.

Indian IT stocks like Infosys and Wipro saw significant drops following a sharp decline in their US ADRs. Investor concerns are mounting over AI's potential to disrupt legal services and other sectors, leading to fears of increased competition and margin pressure for IT firms.

Shares of Patanjali Foods drew attention after the company reported robust Q3FY26 results, with profit and revenue rising sharply. FMCG and edible oil segments delivered broad-based growth, margins remained stable, and exports expanded. Management expects a strong FY26 finish, supported by macro tailwinds, easing inflation, resilient rural demand, and nationwide GST-related consumption boosts.

Hindalco shares may face pressure after Novelis delayed the restart of its Oswego plant following fire incidents, impacting around Rs 14,400 crore in cash flows. The subsidiary reported a quarterly net loss amid production disruptions, though most losses are expected to be insurance recoverable. Recovery is targeted for late Q2CY26.

India's fixed income markets are recalibrating cautiously. While macro fundamentals have improved, elevated borrowing and weak demand shape the bond outlook. SBI Mutual Fund's CIO advises selective duration, favoring short-end corporate bonds and tactical state development loans amid heavy supply.