The Economic Times News

Indias hospital and defence sectors offer strong long-term investment potential, driven by capacity expansion, medical tourism, healthy order books and policy support. Marketsmith Indias Mayuresh Joshi explains why organised healthcare players and select defence stocks remain attractive despite valuation concerns, highlighting structural growth drivers, improving balance sheets and disciplined capital allocation.

PVR Inox shares are showing signs of life with the success of Dhurandhar and the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash. These films are expected to boost box office collections in the current quarter. Analysts believe this content surge could lead to modest earnings upgrades for the company.

Railway stocks extended their rebound on Tuesday, with Jupiter Wagons, IRCTC and RailTel gaining as investors reposition ahead of Union Budget 2026. The rally builds on stock-specific triggers and renewed capex hopes, even as the sector remains scarred by steep losses through much of 2025.

Indian government bonds experienced a further decline on Tuesday, following a significant drop the previous day. This downturn is attributed to upcoming heavy state debt supply and concerns over substantial debt sales in the final quarter of the financial year. Bond yields are rising as prices fall, with traders noting market volatility and a lack of effective central bank intervention.

India's IPO market achieved a record Rs 1.76 lakh crore in 2025. This strong performance, driven by domestic liquidity and investor confidence, is set to continue into 2026. Startups made a significant comeback, and Offer for Sale dominated fundraising. The pipeline for 2026 is robust, featuring diverse sectors and major companies.

Ambuja Cements board approved merger schemes to combine ACC and Orient Cement into Ambuja through share swaps, with no cash payout. ACC shareholders will get 328 Ambuja shares for every 100 ACC shares, while Orient shareholders receive 33 Ambuja shares per 100 Orient shares. The swap values ACC near its current market price and offers Orient a roughly 9% premium.

On December 22, six Nifty500 stocks gained over 5% and appeared on the bullish White Marubozu scanner, indicating strong intraday buying pressure. This candlestick pattern, with no upper shadow and a long white body, signals buyers controlled the session from open to close, offering traders potential insight into further upward price movement.

Indian IT stocks, after a four-year slump, face an AI reckoning. While past growth was fueled by pandemic spending, a cautious global market and AI's initial efficiency gains have pressured revenues. Experts anticipate a gradual AI-driven recovery, with 2026 expected to bring stability and renewed confidence as companies integrate AI into core business processes.

Gold and silver prices extended record-breaking gains on Tuesday, with MCX gold February futures hitting Rs 1,38,300/10 grams and silver March futures at Rs 2,16,596/kg. Safe-haven demand, global geopolitical tensions, and expectations of dovish US monetary policy continue to support the metals, pushing them toward new all-time highs.

KSH International listed at a nearly 4% discount to its IPO price, reflecting muted investor sentiment after the issue saw just 83% subscription. The company cut its OFS size post-issue to support smoother allotment. Despite strong fundamentals, valuation concerns dominated demand across non-institutional and retail categories.

GPT Infraprojects shares: The company emerged as the L1 bidder for a Rs 670 crore NHAI infrastructure project. The order was secured through a consortium with ISCPPL and disclosed in a regulatory filing.

Gujarat Kidney and Super Specialty IPO is attracting investor attention. The issue is oversubscribed, with strong demand from retail investors. The grey market indicates a potential listing premium. The company plans expansion and acquisitions using IPO funds. Analysts advise caution due to valuation concerns and execution risks. Investors await post-listing price discovery.

India's auto sector is experiencing a robust rally, driven by a significant GST rate reduction in September. This policy shift has spurred broad-based demand across passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, tractors, and commercial vehicles. Auto ancillaries are outperforming, fueled by strong exports and EV component growth, setting a positive outlook for 2026.

Indian equities opened lower on Tuesday, breaking a two-day rally as foreign investors resumed selling. The Sensex and Nifty saw slight declines, with analysts anticipating thin trading volumes as the year concludes. The market awaits fresh catalysts ahead of the year-end.

Axis Securities forecasts the Nifty 50 to reach 28,100 by December 2026, anticipating a robust earnings-led growth phase for Indian equities. The brokerage has identified nine top stock picks, including SBI and Varun Beverages, with potential upside up to 23%, driven by strong fundamentals and earnings visibility.

India's IPO market is facing a harsh reality check as nearly half of the 102 listings in 2025 are trading below their issue price. Even strong demand from High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) failed to protect 12 heavily subscribed IPOs, which are now underwater, highlighting issues beyond subscription frenzy.

Ola Electric shares: The company clarified that promoter Bhavish Aggarwals Rs 324 crore stake sale was a one-time move to repay debt. The proceeds were used to fully repay a Rs 260 crore promoter-level loan, including interest, and to release all pledged promoter shares.

On December 22, four Nifty500 stocks closed more than 1.5% below their VWAP levels, signalling potential bearish pressure. Closing below VWAP indicates the stock ended the session beneath its volume-weighted average price, reflecting rising selling interest and weakening intraday sentiment among market participants.

Indian equity markets are set for a stronger 2026 as earnings growth revives, consumption picks up and capex improves, says Bajaj Finserv Asset Management CIO Nimesh Chandan. Largecaps remain attractive, smallcaps are back on the radar after corrections, and sectors like financials, healthcare and consumption offer fresh opportunities for investors.

Indian investors are increasingly seeking global diversification, with outbound investment queries rising 25-30% year-on-year. Despite domestic market highs, global markets like the US, Europe, and Japan have outperformed. Technology, clean energy, and healthcare are key themes attracting interest, with a recommended 20% allocation to global assets.

As 2026 approaches, fixed income investors face nuanced challenges with slowing rate cuts. Siddharth Chaudhary of Bajaj Finserv AMC advocates a barbell strategy, balancing cash for flexibility with selective long-duration bonds. Attractive term premiums, evolving RBI liquidity, and INR stability shape bond market opportunities, with potential for spread compression amid managed volatility.

Anand Shah, CIO at ICICI Prudential AMC, emphasizes that companies, not markets, create wealth through compounding. His BMV framework (Business, Management, Valuation) guides stock selection, prioritizing sustainable earnings growth, quality, and reasonable valuations. Shah advocates for businesses that outperform their sectors and grow faster than GDP, while surviving downturns.

Despite Nifty 50 hitting record highs in 2025, many portfolios lagged due to market polarization, with large-caps outperforming mid- and small-caps. This divergence stemmed from expensive valuations and uneven earnings growth in smaller segments. Looking ahead, sustained SIP inflows and a strong IPO pipeline are expected to drive market stability and growth in 2026.

December 23 is the last day to buy Ram Ratna Wires shares to qualify for its 1:1 bonus issue. The record date is December 26, and with December 25 being a market holiday, the stock will turn ex-bonus on December 24. Investors must purchase shares by the close on December 23 to be eligible.

Ambuja Cements is embarking on an exciting merger with ACC Ltd and Orient Cement Ltd, a move designed to create a robust and unified cement platform across the Indian landscape. By merging, the companies aim to boost efficiency and refine their corporate framework.

Nuvama Wealth Managements 1:5 stock split enters its final eligibility window, with December 23 set as the last day to buy shares. The record date is December 26, while December 24 will be the ex-split date due to the Christmas market holiday and the T+1 settlement cycle.

Indian investors are positioning for an earnings revival in 2026 after domestic equities underperformed Asian peers in 2025. Expectations of tax relief, interest-rate cuts and stronger corporate profits are driving optimism. Banks, autos and capital goods led gains, while exporters, realty and media stocks lagged amid currency weakness.

DCM Shriram Industries demerger enters its final eligibility phase, with December 23 set as the last day to buy shares under the revised record date of December 26. The stock will trade ex-demerger from December 24, ahead of the Christmas trading holiday, determining shareholder entitlement to the new entities.

Five NSE largecap stocks showed improving momentum on December 22 as their RSI readings moved above the 50 mark. This shift indicates strengthening price action and early accumulation. A rising RSI often reflects a developing bullish bias, offering traders early signals of potential upside as trend strength improves.