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The Baseline
25 Jul 2025, 05:47PM
Five Interesting Stocks Today - July 25, 2025
By Trendlyne Analysis

1. One97 Communications (Paytm):

This fintech firm surged 6.8% over the past week after reporting a net profit of Rs 123 crore in Q1 FY26, its first quarter without any one-off gains. This was significantly above Forecaster's estimates, primarily due to cost optimisation and an increase in payment revenue. The company reported revenue growth of 32% YoY, driven by a jump in payment processing margins. The firm’s share price has gone up by 134% over the past year.

Paytm sharply reduced its expenses in Q1. Marketing and promotional expenses fell more than half YoY, while employee benefits declined by a third. These cost cuts helped the company post a positive EBITDA margin of 3.8%. CFO Madhur Deora said Paytm is working towards achieving a 15–20% EBITDA margin over the next two to three years, which is quite a hill to climb from the current level. In Q1, contribution margin stood at 60%, up meaningfully due to the upfront profitability of its non-default loss guarantee (non-DLG) lending model.

Under this new model, Paytm no longer bears the risk of customer defaults on loans issued via its platform, unlike its earlier default loss guarantee structure. According to Citi, this transition has played a key role in the stronger contribution margin. With loan penetration still low across its ecosystem, management sees ample room to scale its financial services business, especially in merchant lending.

With a 35% market share, the company currently serves 1.3 crore merchants who pay for devices and value-added services. CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma sees much broader potential here. “We see the potential of over 10 crore merchants who will accept payments, and believe that, over a period of time, 40–50% of these merchants will need subscription services for managing their business needs,” he said during the earnings call.

Emkay Global maintains a ‘Buy’ rating on the company with a higher target price of Rs 1,350. The brokerage expects the company’s valuation to improve as it sustains profitability and expands its payments and financial services businesses. Emkay also highlights Paytm’s strong cash reserves and long-term growth potential as key positives in the current risk-reward equation.

2. Newgen Software Technologies:

ThisIT solutions company fell 17% over the past week after posting weakQ1FY26 results. The company's net profit plunged 54% QoQ to Rs 49.7 crore, while revenue dropped 21.2% QoQ to Rs 350 crore, and both missedforecaster estimates. The company underperformed across all regions.

The revenue miss wasdue to delays in closing large deals and cautious spending by clients amid global economic and geopolitical challenges. As a result, clients took longer to finalise purchases. License sales were particularly affected by a slowdown in large-scale license deals, especially from the banking sector. Virender Jeet, CEO of the company,said, “The number 1 challenge for us right now is the deal size. And that is the only difference that has happened in the business.”

The Indian businessdeclined 28%, while the Middle East businessfell by 25%. Both regionscontribute around 30% each to overall revenue. In India, demand from large private and public sector banks slowed down as major deals were already completed. In the Middle East, operations were disrupted by visa and travel restrictions in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj period, delaying deal closures and project execution.

To offset the slowdown in large deals, the company aims to increase the number of smaller deals to around 100, up from the current 60-70. It is also focussing on winning more deals in newer growth areas like fintech and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

In this quarter, the companyadded 12 new clients, a tally management considers healthy and in line with previous quarters. However, the averagedeal size was lower. Managementviews Q1 as an exception and expects growth to pick up in H2FY26. They believe the deal pipeline is strong and closures will improve as local issues like Saudi visa delays ease.

Following the results, IDBI Capitaldowngraded the stock to ‘Hold’ from ‘Buy’, citing near-term execution challenges and delays in large deal closures. However, it still remains positive on the company’s long-term prospects, supported by strong annuity growth, rising AI adoption, and a healthy pipeline across key verticals. But to get a boost from these, Newgen would need to beat the competition in deal closures.

3. Indian Energy Exchange (IEX):

Thiscapital markets company fell 30% on July 24 after the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)announced a plan to change pricing regulation. CERC plans to overhaul electricity pricing through a market coupling mechanism across three power exchanges, starting from January 2026, rather than allowing IEX to determine price independently. 

Market coupling is a model in which buy and sell bids from all power exchanges in the country are aggregated and matched to discover a uniform market clearing price (MCP) for electricity across regions. It will also mean that there will be only one price for the electricity traded at any point in time across exchanges. 

Out of the three power exchanges—IEX, Power Exchange India, and Hindustan Power Exchange—IEX enjoys a 90% market share in electricity trading volumes. Currently, each power exchange collects buy and sell bids and discovers its own MCP. 

IEX derives 75% of its revenue from the real-time market and the day-ahead market segments (bids placed one day before). The implementation of a centralised mechanism reduces IEX’s independent pricing power and limits its ability to command higher trading margins, which in turn weighs on its revenue.

Rohit Bajaj, Joint Managing Director, notes, "The market coupling order will impact the business, and we expect a drop in volumes when the norms take effect from January 2026. If competition rises, we plan to reduce transaction charges to stay competitive and retain the leadership position in the market."

The implementation of market coupling enables generation companies to sell electricity to distribution companies in the day-ahead market, serving as an alternative to long-term power purchase agreements. This mechanism will benefit end consumers by reducing overall electricity tariffs.

Rupesh Sankhe, senior vice president for research at Elara Capital, says, "IEX currently holds a monopoly position in the day-ahead market. The implementation of market coupling is a major negative, and the company could lose nearly half its market share in the day-ahead segment and 25% of its overall revenues."

The company's revenue rose 19.2% YoY in Q1FY26, and net profit rose 25.1% YoY, driven by higher electricity trading volumes and renewable energy certificates.

Following CERC’s announcement, Bernstein reduced its price target to Rs 122 from Rs 160, while maintaining a 'Market-Perform' rating. The brokerage notes that IEX’s liquidity moat and market position have weakened, and the only way to compete now is through transaction fees.

4. Havells India:

This electrical equipment company rose over 3% on July 22 after Chairman & MD Anil Gupta outlined plans to use surplus cash to build capacity and enter newer geographies. Havells has already used part of its cash to build renewable energy capacity and secure a stable supply of solar equipment. He added that the company’s move into renewable energy aligns with its recent investments and expansion efforts.

However, Gupta flagged that it will take at least one more quarter for inventories to return to normal, both at factories and with dealers. Demand dropped this year as the strong monsoon limited summer sales, unlike last year when a hotter summer helped clear stock faster. As a result, the June quarter was more difficult, which is reflected in the Q1 results.

Havells' revenue fell 6% YoY in Q1, and net profit dropped 15% to Rs 348 crore due to the weak performance of its subsidiary Lloyd, and the electrical consumer durables segment. This was mainly due to an unexpectedly mild summer that lowered demand for cooling products. The cables & wires segment was a bright spot, helped by demand from infrastructure and industrial projects.

Executive Director Rajiv Goel said, “The challenges in Q1FY26 were transitory. We’re optimistic about Lloyd’s outlook over FY26 to Q1FY27 as demand and inventories improve. These inventory changes shouldn’t affect our margins in the coming quarters.”

He also noted that the solar business earned Rs 500 crore in FY25 and is expected to generate Rs 1,000–1,500 crore over the next couple of years. Havells has invested Rs 600 crore in Goldi Solar, a Gujarat-based panel manufacturer, to support this growth. The company aims to fully integrate solar module manufacturing, along with related supply chain operations, within 18 months.

Post results, ICICI Securities gave a ‘Buy’ rating, saying the dip in sales is temporary and doesn’t affect Havells’ long-term potential. The brokerage expects the company to gain market share, as smaller and unorganised players face pressure. It projects the company’s revenue and net profit to grow at 11.1% and 18.4% annually over FY26–27.

5. Nuvoco Vistas Corp:

This cement & cement products company hit a 52-week high of Rs 417 on July 18, driven by strong Q1 FY26 results. The company reported a 9.3% YoY revenue jump, fueled by higher pricing and 6% YoY volume growth. It surpassed Forecaster estimates by 1.9%, as pure cement realization grew 5.5% QoQ due to price hikes in the eastern region since March. The stock also appears on a screener of stocks with high momentum scores.

The company achieved a net profit of Rs 133.2 crore this quarter, a significant turnaround from last year's Rs 2.8 crore loss, thanks to lower material costs and reduced operational spending. Its EBITDA per tonne surged 42% YoY to Rs 1,019 on the back of stable fuel costs. The company plans to further cut operating costs by Rs 50 per tonne in FY26 by using efficient manufacturing processes and achieving faster turnaround times. Additionally, their Odisha plant is expected to be operational by Q3FY26, with all its primary cement material transported by rail lines.

Nuvoco Managing Director, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, forecasts a 7-10% growth for the cement industry in FY26, expecting a significant surge after the monsoon season. He believes that the central government's substantial Rs 11 lakh crore capital expenditure plan will drive infrastructure development during the fiscal year.

Mr. Krishnaswamy noted a rise in slag cement prices in eastern India, driven by the growth of composite cement manufacturers in the region. He mentioned that slag cement availability is likely to remain tight in the coming quarters, leading to a notable increase in auction prices compared to three years ago. He also highlighted Nuvoco's strategic move, securing a 20-year contract with Tata Steel for 2.5 million tons of slag cement, covering 55–60% of its requirements.

PL Capital observes that Nuvoco, which holds 75% of its capacity in East India, has experienced improved prices since February, anticipating stronger demand. Although the monsoon season might temporarily slow demand and affect pricing until September, the brokerage expects a less severe decline than last year, bolstered by projected higher government capital expenditure and robust rural demand. Based on this outlook, PL Capital maintains an 'Accumulate' rating for Nuvoco, increasing its target price to Rs 422.

Trendlyne's analysts identify stocks that are seeing interesting price movements, analyst calls, or new developments. These are not buy recommendations

Market closes lower, Shriram Finance's Q1 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 1.9%
By Trendlyne Analysis

Nifty 50 closed at 24,837 (-225.1, -0.9%), BSE Sensex closed at 81,463.09 (-721.1, -0.9%) while the broader Nifty 500 closed at 23,014.80 (-286.3, -1.2%). Market breadth is sharply down. Of the 2,467 stocks traded today, 448 were on the uptick, and 1,981 were down.

Indian indices closed lower amid FII selling and uncertainty over the US-India trade deal. The Indian volatility index, Nifty VIX, rose 5.2% and closed at 11.3 points. Bajaj Finance closed 4.8% lower after its Q1FY26 net interest income (NII) missed Forecaster estimates by 18.9% despite growing 22% YoY to Rs 10,227 crore.

Nifty Smallcap 100 and Nifty Midcap 100 closed lower. Nifty Media and Nifty Capital Markets were among the top index losers today. According to Trendlyne’s sector dashboard, Hardware Technology & Equipment emerged as the worst-performing sector of the day, with a fall of 2.6%.

Asian indices closed mixed. European indices are trading mixed. US index futures are trading higher as investors anticipate trade agreements with the European Union and China ahead of the August 1 deadline, following recent deals with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Brent crude futures are trading higher after rising 1% on Thursday.

  • Money flow index (MFI) indicates that stocks like Anand Rathi Wealth, Olectra Greentech, Godrej Agrovet, and Gujarat Mineral Development Corp are in the overbought zone.

  • Shriram Finance is falling sharply as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 1.9% despite growing 6.8% YoY to Rs 2,159.4 crore. Revenue grows 20.1% YoY to Rs 11,542.4 crore during the quarter. It shows up in a screener of stocks with low Piotroski scores.

  • Intellect Design Arena's Q1FY26 net profit falls 30.2% QoQ to Rs 94.4 crore due to higher employee benefit expenses. Revenue declines 1.9% QoQ to Rs 734.3 crore, driven by lower contract wins. The firm appears in a screener of stocks where foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are increasing their shareholding.

  • Cipla is rising as its net profit grows 10.2% YoY to Rs 1,297.6 crore in Q1FY26, helped by inventory destocking. Revenue increases 3.9% YoY to Rs 6,957.5 crore, driven by higher sales from the pharmaceuticals and new ventures segments during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds increased their shareholding in the past month.

  • Stakeholders from India’s dairy sector are urging the government to reduce GST on ghee and butter to 5% at the upcoming 56th GST Council meeting. RS Sodhi, President of the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), says the current 12% GST on ghee is impacting both the industry and public health. He adds that it squeezes margins for organized players, while untaxed, often adulterated, informal products continue to flourish.

  • Bharat Dynamics receives an order worth Rs 809 crore from Armoured Vehicles Nigam (AVNL) to supply anti-tank guided missiles.

  • Emkay Global initiates coverage on CESC with a ‘Buy’ rating and a target price of Rs 225. The brokerage expects the company's capacity expansion in renewable energy and electricity tariff hikes to boost cash flow. It projects a net profit CAGR of 11% over FY26–28.

  • MphasiS falls as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 3.1% after falling 1.1% QoQ to Rs 441.7 crore due to higher employee benefits, finance and tax expenses. However, revenue grows 1.2% QoQ to Rs 3,813.4 crore, driven by improvements in the banking & financial services, technology, media & telecom, and insurance segments. It shows up in a screener of stocks with RSI indicating price weakness.

  • RBI Governor, Sanjay Malhotra notes that the February repo rate cut is beginning to reflect in lower loan interest rates, benefiting borrowers. He emphasizes that curbing inflation remains the RBI’s top priority. Malhotra also mentions that RBI regulations will be reviewed every 5–7 years to ensure they stay relevant, promote innovation, and uphold financial stability.

  • Redtape rises sharply after the India–UK FTA removes 10–12% export tariffs on textiles. The move puts Indian exporters at par with rivals like Bangladesh and Cambodia in the UK market.

  • Trident rises sharply as its net profit surges 89.8% YoY to Rs 140 crore in Q1FY26, helped by lower raw material costs and inventory destocking. However, revenue falls 2.1% YoY to Rs 1,706.9 crore due to weaker sales in the yarn, bedsheets and towel segments during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks with improving book value per share over the past two years.

  • Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) rises sharply as its Q1FY26 net profit grows 25.2% YoY to Rs 120.7 crore, driven by lower finance costs and a deferred tax credit of Rs 5.4 crore. Revenue increases 19.2% YoY to Rs 184.2 crore, led by improvements in electricity volumes and renewable energy certificates (RECs) traded. It features in a screener of stocks with improving cash flow from operations over the past two years.

  • At ITC’s AGM, Chairman Sanjiv Puri announces plans to invest Rs 20,000 crore in the medium term to expand manufacturing across sectors. He notes challenges from weak external demand, import dumping, and inflation. Emphasizing strategic supply chain moves and value addition, he highlights that 65% of ITC’s revenue now comes from its non-cigarette businesses.

  • Cyient's Q1 net profit falls 9.7% QoQ to Rs 153.8 crore. Revenue declines 8.6% QoQ to Rs 1,781.5 crore, due to delays in project execution and higher marketing expenses. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding in the past month.

  • REC's Q1FY26 net profit grows 29.1% YoY to Rs 4,465.7, helped by a Rs 609.8 crore return from reversal of provisions. Revenue jumps 13.2% YoY to Rs 14,824 crore, helped by improvements in loan assets and disbursements. It appears in a screener of stocks with high trailing twelve-month (TTM) EPS growth.

  • GR Infraprojects secures an order worth Rs 290.2 crore from the State Highway Authority of Jharkhand to construct a 26.6 km bypass road.

  • Sona BLW Precision Forgings falls over 2% after Rani Kapur, mother of the late businessman Sunjay Kapur, writes to the board requesting a postponement of the July 25 AGM. In her letter, she raises concerns regarding company governance, including issues related to document handling and family interests following her son's passing.
  • Hexaware Tech's Q2CY25 net profit rises 16.1% QoQ to Rs 379.9 crore. Revenue jumps 6.4% QoQ to Rs 3,420.7 crore, driven by strong growth in the financial services and travel & transportation segments. The company features in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding over the past month.

  • Anant Raj is rising as its net profit grows 38.3% YoY to Rs 125.9 crore in Q1FY26, helped by lower finance costs. Revenue increases 25.6% YoY to Rs 592.4 crore, driven by new launches and strong demand during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks outperforming their industry price change in the quarter.

  • Enviro Infra Engineers is rising as it secures an order worth Rs 221.2 crore from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to construct a sewage treatment plant.

  • Amar Kaul, MD & CEO of CG Power and Industrial Solutions highlights that Axiro Semiconductor acquisition has been completed by the company and he anticipates Axiro to generate revenue of Rs 400 crore in FY26. He believes that revenue growth momentum will be maintained in FY26 with margins coming in at 14-15% for the same period.

  • SBI Life Insurance is rising as its Q1FY26 net profit grows 14.4% YoY to Rs 594.4 crore, helped by lower provisions. Revenue increases 12.5% YoY to Rs 38,988.8 crore, led by improvements in premiums from the life insurance segment. It appears in a screener of stocks with increasing book value per share over the past two years.

  • KFIN Technologies is falling sharply as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 3.7% despite growing 13.5% YoY to Rs 77.3 crore. Revenue rises 15.6% YoY to Rs 284.1 crore, driven by improvements in the domestic mutual fund investor solutions and issuer solutions segments. It shows up in a screener of stocks where promoters decrease their shareholding by more than 2% QoQ.

  • Phoenix Mills is rising as its net profit grows 3.5% YoY to Rs 240.7 crore in Q1FY26. Revenue increases 5.4% YoY to Rs 953 crore, driven by higher sales from the property services and hospitality segments during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding in the past month.

  • Bajaj Finance falls sharply as its Q1FY26 net interest income (NII) misses Forecaster estimates by 18.9% despite growing 22% YoY to Rs 10,227 crore. Net profit jumps 20.1% YoY to Rs 4,699.6 crore. Revenue increases 21.3% YoY to Rs 19,527.7 crore, helped by improvements in new loans booked and assets under management (AUM). It features in a screener of stocks with increasing revenue for the past eight quarters.

  • Nifty 50 was trading at 24,934.50 (-127.6, -0.5%), BSE Sensex was trading at 82 065.76 (-118.4, -0.1%) while the broader Nifty 500 was trading at 23,185.55 (-115.6, -0.5%).

  • Market breadth is moving down. Of the 1,978 stocks traded today, 543 were on the uptrend, and 1,364 went down.

Riding High:

Largecap and midcap gainers today include Phoenix Mills Ltd. (1,525.90, 5.4%), Cipla Ltd. (1,532.50, 3%) and Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (3,603.80, 2.4%).

Downers:

Largecap and midcap losers today include APL Apollo Tubes Ltd. (1,543.10, -8.5%), Union Bank of India (136.22, -6.0%) and Bajaj Finance Ltd. (913.75, -4.7%).

Volume Shockers

27 stocks in BSE 500 are trading on high volumes today.

Top high volume gainers on BSE included Indian Energy Exchange Ltd. (145.02, 9.6%), Phoenix Mills Ltd. (1,525.90, 5.4%) and Home First Finance Company India Ltd. (1,479, 4.5%).

Top high volume losers on BSE were Intellect Design Arena Ltd. (1,036.40, -9.3%), APL Apollo Tubes Ltd. (1,543.10, -8.5%) and Grindwell Norton Ltd. (1,643.10, -6.7%).

Trident Ltd. (31.49, -0.1%) was trading at 17.6 times of weekly average. Metro Brands Ltd. (1,217.60, 1.0%) and eClerx Services Ltd. (3,646.80, -0.3%) were trading with volumes 16.7 and 14.6 times weekly average respectively on BSE at the time of posting this article.

BSE 500: highs, lows and moving averages

7 stocks overperformed with 52 week highs, while 2 stocks tanked below their 52 week lows.

Stocks touching their year highs included - eClerx Services Ltd. (3,646.80, -0.3%), ICICI Bank Ltd. (1,477.10, -0.4%) and Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (3,603.80, 2.4%).

Stocks making new 52 weeks lows included - Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. (2,215.90, -1.9%) and Tejas Networks Ltd. (601.30, -3.3%).

7 stocks climbed above their 200 day SMA including Cipla Ltd. (1,532.50, 3%) and Supreme Industries Ltd. (4,311.70, 1.6%). 33 stocks slipped below their 200 SMA including APL Apollo Tubes Ltd. (1,543.10, -8.5%) and Latent View Analytics Ltd. (412.65, -4.0%).

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The Baseline
24 Jul 2025, 04:57PM
By Abdullah Shah


Foreign investors took a step back from Indian markets in the second half of 2024, spooked by weak earnings, high valuations and global conflicts. Rising US yields also pulled money out of emerging markets. In the months that followed, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) became increasingly selective in their exposure to Indian markets.

That caution has only grown in 2025 with Donald Trump's return to the White House. This is despite falling inflation, the Reserve Bank of India's repo rate cuts and signs of economic recovery. Investors have to weigh these positives against Trump’s unpredictable moves, including aggressive tariffs. His threats, followed by walkbacks of the same threats, have kept global markets nervous and investors on their toes.

In India, FII flows have turned sharply sector-specific. Since July 2024, FIIs have sold equities worth Rs 82,121 crore overall. But they have selectively increased their bets in sectors that benefit from domestic demand, policy visibility, or structural reforms, while exiting those exposed to global risks.

VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, remarked, “Whenever valuations go beyond a particular level, FIIs turn sellers, and they sell aggressively. In March and April, the markets declined and valuations became reasonably attractive. So FIIs started buying in April, May, and June.”

This week’s Chart of the Week looks at how FIIs are shifting their bets across sectors. They are now making domestic-focused bets in telecom, financial services and overall services, while cautiously returning to power and oil & gas. Meanwhile, they continue to exit the FMCG, healthcare, and IT sectors. Amid global uncertainty, the tilt toward domestic growth is clear.

From global to local: FIIs pivot to the domestic market

FIIs have turned their attention to the telecom sector since the start of 2025, investing Rs 26,919 crore, compared to a Rs 270 crore divestment in the second half of 2024.

Favourable conditions in the sector, including rate hikes by telecom companies, strong 5G rollout, and a government push, have attracted investors. The telecom sector generates the majority of its revenue from the domestic market, making it less exposed to global uncertainties, like the impending import tariffs being proposed by President Trump.

After a prolonged period of increased competition and low tariffs, telecom service providers introduced rate hikes in 2024, which helped improve the average revenue per user (ARPU). 

Reports also suggest another 10-12% hike later in 2025, showing further potential for growth in ARPU. Under the National Telecom Policy 2025, the Indian government aims to double telecom exports and achieve 100% 4G and 90% 5G coverage by 2030. This is expected to attract investments of up to Rs 1.5 lakh crore in telecom infrastructure. 

Financial services is another domestic sector benefiting from FII interest, with FII investments turning bullish in 2025. After divesting Rs 31,940 in January and February, FIIs invested Rs 46,477 crore in the sector during March-July. 

Investor confidence in domestic lending growth and consumption-linked banking activity drove these investments. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut the repo rate three times in 2025 so far, bringing it down to 5.5%, prompting FIIs to favour Indian equities over debt instruments. 

Services is another sector that derives the majority of its revenue from the domestic market. FIIs have turned positive on this sector in 2025, investing Rs 10,027 crore so far compared to a net sales of Rs 447 crore in the second half of 2024.

Oil & gas and healthcare see mixed FII sentiment due to global uncertainties

After an eight-month selling streak in the oil & gas sector, FIIs turned net buyers in May-July 2025. FIIs have made a net investment of Rs 836 crore in the sector so far in 2025. 

Global oil prices fluctuated in 2024 due to geopolitical tensions and supply-demand imbalances. US sanctions on Russian crude oil and domestic policy adjustments, including changes in subsidies and taxation, added to uncertainty. However, Brent crude oil prices hovering around $70 per barrel, and reports suggesting a Rs 35,000 crore compensation from the government to oil marketing companies (OMCs) have led FIIs to resume investments in the sector in 2025. 

FII sentiment on the healthcare sector shifted to bearish in 2025. FIIs infused Rs 21,716 crore during the second half of 2024, compared to Rs 10,247 crore in divestments so far in 2025. The sell-off started after President Donald Trump threatened the Indian healthcare companies with import tariffs earlier in the year. 

Recently, President Trump threatened to impose a 200% import tariff on Indian pharmaceutical companies on July 9, after giving them 12-18 months to set up manufacturing facilities in the US. The Indian healthcare industry generated $9 billion (~ Rs 76,831 crore) in sales from the US in FY25. 

Amit Kumar, Research Analyst at HDFC Institutional Equities, said, “Indian healthcare peers, already operating on thin margins in the US generics, may struggle to absorb costs without passing them on to US consumers or insurers and face heightened risks of margin compression.”

FIIs eye India again amid cooling inflation, but tech still out of favour

Foreign investors often view the auto, consumer services, and IT sectors as a barometer of India’s economic prospects. These segments are closely tied to both domestic consumption and global trends, so they quickly reflect shifts in foreign investment sentiment. 

FIIs remained net sellers in the auto and consumer services sectors from September 2024. Their pullback reflected concerns about high inflation and rising interest rates, which typically reduce demand for non-essential goods like vehicles and services.

That trend now appears to be reversing. FIIs have started returning to these sectors due to easing inflation and recent rate cuts by the RBI, which could boost consumer spending.

Tech stocks, however, continue to face pressure. FIIs have been selling consistently amid weak global demand and tighter tech budgets in key markets like the US and Europe. 

Investors also shifted capital to Chinese stocks during September and October 2024, which had shown signs of recovery, supported by government stimulus and more attractive valuations. An IT sector analyst said, “If the revenue and earnings growth are in single digits, it is difficult to justify higher valuations in the IT sector. This is the reason for higher outflows by FIIs from the sector.”

Are FIIs shifting defensive bets from FMCG to power?

Foreign investors have continued to reduce their exposure to the FMCG and power sectors over the last two quarters of FY25, despite both being traditionally viewed as defensive plays during uncertain times. This suggests that FIIs are now focusing more on growth opportunities than on sticking solely to safe and stable sectors.

FII sentiment toward the power sector remained weak until March 2025 due to the poor financial health of power distribution companies, which often delay payments because of persistent losses. But now, there's a shift in mood.

FIIs turned buyers in July 2025, encouraged by signs of quicker policy action and faster execution of large projects. The ongoing rollout of smart meters has also lifted sentiment, as it promises better billing efficiency and improved cash flow for discoms (distribution companies). Analysts believe these changes could bring more predictability to the sector, making it more appealing for long-term investors.

High food inflation continues to weigh on the FMCG sector during Q3 and Q4 of FY24, particularly by eroding rural demand, which accounts for nearly 35-40% of total sales for many companies. At the same time, rising input costs have squeezed profit margins, as firms have struggled to pass on the burden to consumers fully. Commenting on the recent trends, Saugata Gupta, MD & CEO of Marico, said, “During the quarter, consumer sentiment stayed mostly stable, with some improvement in rural demand and mixed trends in urban areas. However, margins remained under pressure from input costs. Cooling inflation offers some hope for better consumption ahead.”

Market closes lower, ACC's net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 25.1% in Q1,
By Trendlyne Analysis

Nifty 50 closed at 25,062.10 (-157.8, -0.6%), BSE Sensex closed at 82,184.17 (-542.5, -0.7%) while the broader Nifty 500 closed at 23,301.10 (-127.3, -0.5%). Market breadth is in the red. Of the 2,480 stocks traded today, 916 were gainers and 1,522 were losers.

Indian indices closed in the red amid delay in the US-India trade deal & FPI outflows. The Indian volatility index, Nifty VIX, rose 1.9% and closed at 10.7 points. India and the UK signed a Free Trade Agreement today during PM Modi’s visit. The deal aims to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion (approx. Rs 2.8 lakh crore) annually.

Nifty Midcap 100 & Nifty Smallcap 100 closed in the red, following the benchmark index. Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty MidSmall Healthcare were among the top index gainers today. According to Trendlyne’s Sector dashboard, Fertilizers emerged as the best-performing sector of the day, with a rise of 2.2%.

Asian indices closed mixed, while European indices are trading in the green except Russia’s MOEX & RTSI indices. US index futures traded mixed amid mixed Q2 earnings from giants like Alphabet, Tesla & IBM. Alphabet (Google’s parent company) posted Q2 revenue of $96.4 billion, exceeding the analysts estimate of $94 billion, driven by strong growth in core segments such as YouTube Advertising and Google Cloud.

  • Relative strength index (RSI) indicates that stocks like Anand Rathi Wealth, One97 Communications, Patanjali Foods, and Schneider Electric are in the overbought zone.

  • ACC is falling as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 25.1% despite rising 4.4% YoY to Rs 375.4 crore, helped by inventory destocking. Revenue increases 18.1% YoY to Rs 6,036.1 crore, driven by higher sales from the cement and ready mix concrete segments during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks with improving RoCE over the past two years.

  • B L Kashyap & Sons secures a Rs 152 crore order from Embassy Development for civil and structural work in Bengaluru.

  • Canara Bank rises to its 5% upper limit as its net profit rises 21.7% YoY to Rs 4,752 crore in Q1FY26. Revenue increases 8% YoY to Rs 31,002.8 crore, driven by improvements in the treasury, retail and wholesale banking segments during the quarter. The bank's asset quality improves as its gross and net NPAs declines by 145 bps and 61 bps YoY, respectively.

  • Manoj Verma, COO of Bikaji Foods, expects Hazelnut Factory, the recently acquired sweet brand, to generate Rs 100 crore in revenue this year, with margins rising to 10–12% as the business scales. He notes that exports currently contribute around 4% to Bikaji’s revenue and could reach Rs 125–130 crore this year. He also anticipates receiving Rs 50 crore annually under the government's Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

  • Indian Bank rises sharply as its net profit rises 23.7% YoY to Rs 2,972.8 crore in Q1FY26. Revenue increases 8.3% YoY to Rs 16,282.7 crore, driven by improvements in the treasury, retail and wholesale banking segments during the quarter. The bank's asset quality improves as its gross and net NPAs declines by 76 bps and 21 bps YoY, respectively.

  • Larsen & Toubro's Buildings & Factories vertical secures an order worth Rs 2,500–5,000 crore from the Andhra Pradesh State Secretariat for construction of residential towers in Amaravati.

  • Nestle India is falling as its net profit declines 13.4% YoY to Rs 646.6 crore in Q1FY26, impacted by higher prices of core commodities such as cocoa, coffee, and milk. However, revenue increases 5.9% YoY to Rs 5,096.2 crore during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks underperforming their industry price change in the quarter.

  • Sudhir Singh, CEO of Coforge, targets EBIT margins of 14% for FY26, up from 13.2% in Q1. He remains confident that the company will outperform in H2CY25 as compared to its first half. Singh adds that the previously guided $85 million in capex will primarily go toward acquisitions and establishing an AI data center. He also clarifies that the company has no plans to acquire R Systems International.

  • Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Power fall sharply after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids 40–50 locations linked to Anil Ambani. The searches are part of an investigation into suspected laundering of Rs 3,000 crore in Yes Bank loans.

  • Zydus Lifesciences is rising as it receives tentative approval from US FDA for Ibrutinib tablets. The drug is used for the treatment of Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. According to IQVIA, the drug had a market size of $2.1 billion as of May 2025.

  • Coforge plunges as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 6.2% despite rising 21.5% QoQ to Rs 317.4 crore, helped by a 70.2 crore gain from discontinued operations. Revenue jumps 8.2% QoQ to Rs 3,688.6 crore, driven by improvements in the Americas, Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Indian markets. It features in a screener of stocks with declining RoE over the past two years.

  • India and the UK are set to sign a Free Trade Agreement today during PM Modi’s visit, aiming to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion (approx. Rs 2.8 lakh crore) annually. The deal, described as India’s most comprehensive and the UK’s most significant post-Brexit, includes zero-duty access for 99% of Indian goods, benefiting MSMEs and labor-intensive sectors. Tariff reductions will make British goods like whisky, gin, cars, cosmetics, and medical devices more affordable in India.

  • Bikaji Foods International's Q1FY26 net profit grows 2.3% YoY to Rs 59.9 crore. Revenue jumps 14.4% YoY to Rs 662.6 crore, driven by higher demand in its ethnic snacks and packaged sweets segments. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding over the past month.

  • Lupin is rising as it receives US FDA approval for its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for Liraglutide and Glucagon injectable vials. The drug is a bioequivalent of Novo Nordisk's Victoza injection and is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. According to IQVIA, the drug had a market size of $458 million as of May 2025.

  • IEX falls sharply as the electricity regulator CERC approves the implementation of market coupling with the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) from January 2026. Market coupling merges electricity bids from all power exchanges to determine a single clearing price.

  • The Rs 4,000 crore IPO of National Securities Depository (NSDL) is set to open on July 30 and close on August 1, featuring an offer for sale of 5 crore shares by key shareholders including NSE, Union Bank, SBI, HDFC Bank and IDBI Bank. The company is targeting a Rs 16,000 crore valuation.

  • Force Motors' Q1FY26 net profit grows 52.4% YoY to Rs 176.3 crore. Revenue jumps 22.2% YoY to Rs 2,322.3 crore, driven by higher sales in the commercial and passenger vehicle segments. The firm appears in a screener of stocks where foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are increasing their shareholding.

  • Supreme Petrochem is falling as its net profit declines 33.6% YoY to Rs 80.9 crore in Q1FY26, impacted by higher employee benefits and depreciation & amortisation expenses. Revenue decreases 11.9% YoY to Rs 1,386.5 crore due to lower exports during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks with PE ratio higher than the Industry average.

  • Natco Pharma’s board approves acquisition of a 35.7% stake in South Africa-based Adcock Ingram Holdings for Rs 2,000 crore. The deal will give Natco Pharma entry into the Southern African market.

  • India’s Composite PMI rises to 60.7 in July from 58.4 in June, driven by growth in total sales, export orders, and output. Meanwhile, the Services PMI eases to 59.8 from 60.4, indicating continued expansion, though at a slightly slower pace and still strong by historical standards.

  • Tilaknagar Industries is rising after entering a definitive agreement to acquire the Imperial Blue whisky brand from Pernod Ricard India for Rs 4,150 crore. Imperial Blue is the third-largest whisky brand in India by volume and reported revenue of Rs 3,067 crore in FY25.

  • Dr Reddy's Laboratories is rising as its Q1FY26 net profit grows 1.8% YoY to Rs 1,418.1 crore. Revenue increases 12.4% YoY to Rs 8,862.4 crore, driven by improvements in the Indian and European markets. It features in a screener of stocks with the highest FII holdings.

  • BEML is rising as it secures an order worth Rs 293.8 crore from the Ministry of Defence to supply 150 units of 6x6 heavy mobility vehicles (HMVs).

  • Infosys' Q1FY26 net profit falls 1.6% QoQ to Rs 6,921 crore due to higher employee benefit expenses. However, revenue rises 3.3% QoQ to Rs 42,279 crore, driven by higher sales from Europe during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding in the past quarter.

  • Nifty 50 was trading at 25,204.90 (-15, -0.1%), BSE Sensex was trading at 82,779.95 (53.3, 0.1%) while the broader Nifty 500 was trading at 23,428.10 (-0.3, 0%).

  • Market breadth is ticking up strongly. Of the 1,965 stocks traded today, 1,311 were gainers and 591 were losers.

Riding High:

Largecap and midcap gainers today include Ipca Laboratories Ltd. (1,540.80, 5.5%), Canara Bank (113.51, 5.3%) and Indian Bank (652.15, 4.4%).

Downers:

Largecap and midcap losers today include Coforge Ltd. (1676, -9.4%), Persistent Systems Ltd. (5,174, -7.7%) and Nestle India Ltd. (2,322.10, -5.3%).

Volume Rockets

27 stocks in BSE 500 are trading on high volumes today.

Top high volume gainers on BSE included Olectra Greentech Ltd. (1,532.40, 15.5%), Rainbow Childrens Medicare Ltd. (1,623.90, 5.8%) and Ipca Laboratories Ltd. (1,540.80, 5.5%).

Top high volume losers on BSE were Indian Energy Exchange Ltd. (132.32, -29.6%), Coforge Ltd. (1,676, -9.4%) and Persistent Systems Ltd. (5,174, -7.7%).

JBM Auto Ltd. (674.05, 4.5%) was trading at 13.2 times of weekly average. G R Infraprojects Ltd. (1,282, 1.6%) and Supreme Petrochem Ltd. (810, -1.0%) were trading with volumes 12.2 and 8.3 times weekly average respectively on BSE at the time of posting this article.

BSE 500: highs, lows and moving averages

17 stocks took off, crossing 52 week highs, while 2 stocks were underachievers and hit their 52 week lows.

Stocks touching their year highs included - DCM Shriram Ltd. (1,432, -0.7%), EID Parry (India) Ltd. (1,186.40, 0.2%) and Fortis Healthcare Ltd. (846.55, 2.8%).

Stocks making new 52 weeks lows included - Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. (2,259.50, -1.1%) and Indian Energy Exchange Ltd. (132.32, -29.6%).

14 stocks climbed above their 200 day SMA including Olectra Greentech Ltd. (1,532.40, 15.5%) and Ipca Laboratories Ltd. (1,540.80, 5.5%). 15 stocks slipped below their 200 SMA including Indian Energy Exchange Ltd. (132.32, -29.6%) and MphasiS Ltd. (2,653.50, -3.0%).

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The Baseline
24 Jul 2025, 03:38PM
Five stocks to buy from analysts this week - July 24, 2025
By Divyansh Pokharna

1. Polycab India:

Sharekhan reiterates its ‘Buy’ rating on this cables and wires (C&W) manufacturer with a target price of Rs 8,000, a 16.9% upside. In Q1FY26, the company posted a 26% YoY revenue growth, driven by strong performance in both the C&W and fast-moving electrical goods (FMEG) segments. Exports rose 24% and made up 5.2% of total revenue, with the management aiming to grow this to 10% by 2030. Net profit grew 49% YoY during the quarter. Both revenue and profit exceeded Forecaster estimates.

Analysts highlight that the management is optimistic about domestic demand, supported by ongoing infrastructure projects and growth in the real estate sector. They expect real estate projects to play a key role in boosting wire sales, as it accounts for about 70% of demand in that segment.

Polycab’s order book stands at Rs 10,000 crore, with Rs 8,000 crore linked to the Bharat Net project (a government drive to expand broadband in rural areas). Analysts are optimistic as the company plans to bid for more such projects and has stated it faces no working capital concerns for executing them. During the quarter, Polycab spent Rs 410 crore on capex and plans to invest over Rs 6,000 crore in the next five years. It expects these investments to generate returns worth 4 to 5 times the amount spent.

2. Marico:

Emkay maintains a ‘Buy’ rating on this personal products company with a target price of Rs 810, indicating a 14.6% upside. Analyst Nitin Gupta notes that the company’s short-term performance may be affected by rising copra prices in both India and Indonesia. Over the past six months, copra prices have gone up by about 35% in Indonesia and around 70% in India due to the early arrival of the monsoon.

Gupta expects current cost pressures to ease as market supplies improve in the coming months, which is in line with the company’s view. He believes margins will recover in H2, helped by stronger volumes and better cost control. This, in turn, is likely to support double-digit growth in earnings.

For its India business, analysts expect Marico to slightly reduce volumes as copra prices ease in the coming months. The company is expected to stay cautious, since dealing with high-cost inventory in the supply chain is difficult. While Marico usually keeps its prices steady during inflation, the recent sharp rise in copra prices has led to monthly price hikes—adding up to a total increase of about 55% in the last six months.

3. Astral:

Axis Direct maintains a ‘Buy’ rating on this plastic pipes maker with a target price of Rs 1,680, a 14.1% upside. Analyst Eesha Shah notes that Astral is actively expanding both in India and overseas to tap into new growth opportunities. The company has opened marketing offices in Dubai to target the African and Middle Eastern markets with value-added products. It also plans to launch 12–14 new products from its overseas plants. For FY26, Astral has set a capex target of Rs 250–300 crore.

Astral’s pipes business saw only single-digit volume growth in FY25, mainly due to fluctuating polymer prices, which fell by 18% during the year, and lower government spending. Its adhesive segment reported a 12% EBITDA margin, down by 120 bps, because of volatility in raw material prices and high operating costs. Looking ahead, the company expects EBITDA margins to improve to around 17–18%.

Hiranand Savlani, Director & CFO, said, “We’re focused on adding more value-added products—these may not boost volumes much, but they deliver higher margins.”

Shah expects Astral’s revenue and net profit to grow at a CAGR of 16.7% and 25.9%, respectively, over FY26–FY27.

4. Fine Organic Industries:

Anand Rathi initiates a ‘Buy’ rating on this specialty chemical company, with a target price of Rs 6,400, a 18.7% upside. In FY25, revenue increased by 7.8%, supported by higher exports and strong demand for its chemicals.

Analyst Nitesh Dhoot notes that in Q3 FY25, the management signed an agreement with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) to establish a 70 kilo tonnes per annum (ktpa) manufacturing facility in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Maharashtra to increase exports. The company also plans to establish a unit in South Carolina, US.

Analysts write that the company's international expansion will strengthen its presence and create new growth opportunities once facilities become operational. They expect the company to generate Rs 900 crore in cash by FY27 and project Fine Organic’s revenue and net profit to grow by 11.6% and 15.6%, respectively, over FY26–28.

Mukesh Shah, Chairman, notes, “Domestic demand for chemicals is growing at 8–10% CAGR. We expect the Patalganga facility, with a capacity of 10 ktpa, to reach full utilisation by the first half of FY27. We also plan to increase the facility’s capacity over the next 6 to 8 months to meet the rising demand.”

5. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company:

Motilal Oswal reiterates its ‘Buy’ rating on this general insurance company with a target price of Rs 2,400, a 25.9% upside. In Q1FY26, the company's revenue rose 14.3% YoY to Rs 6,408 crore, driven by higher growth in auto and health segment premiums. Net profit grew 28.7% to Rs 747 crore, supported by strong investment income.

Management is prioritising profitability over volume in the auto, business insurance, and retail health insurance segments, and avoiding aggressive pricing. Analysts Prayesh Jain and Nitin Aggarwal note that the company is not expanding in the auto insurance segment due to intense competition. They expect margins to improve in third-party auto insurance if the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) approves the proposed rate hike.

Analysts note that ICICI Lombard is gaining traction in the retail health segment, supported by product innovation and expanding distribution. They expect the industry to gradually recover in FY26, supported by infrastructure spending and a rebound in auto sales, which could support growth. 

Management aims to reduce the retail health loss ratio (claims paid to premiums earned) to below 70% this fiscal year, compared to 74.3% in FY25, through improved pricing and product mix. Analysts believe this focus on retail health, along with recovery in the business insurance segment and improved industry pricing, will support growth. They expect 23% profit growth in FY26.

Note: These recommendations are from various analysts and are not recommendations by Trendlyne.

(You can find all analyst picks here)

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The Baseline
24 Jul 2025, 11:47AM
China's electric tech is building James Bond cars, and entering new industries
By Swapnil Karkare

On July 11, the Chinese company Moonshot AI launched a new, cutting-edge AI model, Kimi K2. The scientific journal Naturecalled it ‘another DeepSeek moment’. But it did not get the DeepSeek buzz, and barely anyone in the general public noticed. 

Many recent China news stories, in fact, haven’t caught much media attention. ByteDance for instance, the makers of TikTok, has quietly beaten Meta to become the world’s largest social media company by revenue in the first quarter of this year. China has also announced that it will spend $8.5 billion to boost new start-ups in AI.

Governments are watching -- and they are worried. At the G7 summit earlier this month, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbell said that they are looking at how to limit China's economic power. "There are concerns that the G-7 countries are losing influence," he said.

As China becomes increasingly dominant in tech innovation and trade, countries see their domestic economy and industry is under threat. They may have good reasons to worry. Many sci-fi films - from Bladerunner to Terminator - are based in the US. But the future may very well be Chinese.

China is getting closer to building a James Bond car

Remember the cars of the fictional British spy? James Bond has cars with missile launchers and ejector seats, that can even run underwater.

The new launches at the Shanghai Auto Show this year felt like something out of a Bond flick. For instance, the Nio ET9 can turn into a full-fledged 5D theatre, with shaking seats, moving suspension, and AC that syncs with movie action scenes. I would be very interested to find out what happens to that car while playing a Rohit Shetty film.

BYD is attracting travel vloggers with inbuilt drone cameras for its cars. Nio’s Onvo L60 has a fridge, while Ora has added thoughtful touches for women like menstrual pain relief and a built-in emergency alert.

As driving and car-charging tech became standard, automakers are in a race to be different by adding other software with more capabilities. The advantage now is all in the software, which is why such cars are called Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). 

Software-first approach gives Chinese cars the edge

Consider Xiaomi. It has launched an electric car in 2024 that runs on HyperOS — the same system used in its phones and gadgets. The car becomes just another machine in the company's Mi ecosystem, which also includes robot mops, smart watches and lamps.

Xiaomi cars pack premium features like a Tesla — LiDAR, 800V charging, air suspension — but keeps prices low by cutting margins. AI tech powers everything from self-driving to real-time defect detection. It’s a software-first car compared to Tesla, which is a car with a tech edge. 

While Tesla still leads the EV category in the Wards Intelligence rankings for both 2023 and 2024, the leaderboard is shifting fast. In 2023, Tesla was followed by Lucid (US), Rivian (US), Nio (China), and Polestar (Sweden).

But in 2024, Chinese players Nio, Xiaomi and Xpeng occupied second, third and fourth positions, respectively, pushing Rivian down to fifth. Xiaomi grabbed the third place in its first year making electric vehicles. This is a competitor to fear.

The Squid Game - survival of the fittest - in the auto sector

State support and smart engineers have played a big role in China's tech rise. But competition is the X factor here.

The pressure in China's market is brutal.  Out of nearly 500 new electric vehicle makers in 2018, over 90% have failed, and another 80% are expected to disappear in the next five years. This Darwinian race has left only the most innovative and financially smart companies still standing.

This approach has killed many entrepreneurial dreams in China, but it has helped the economy and people. China became a net exporter of cars in the last few years, from being a net importer in 2020. And average EV prices in China are down by 14% since 2023. 

One company, many different industries

Right now, BYD is busy building the world’s largest battery storage facility of 12.5GWh in Saudi Arabia. It is applying all its EV knowhow to other industries. It is using its signature blade battery across industries to make energy storage systems, and borrowing the lithium iron phosphate chemistry and ceramic insulation tech from its cars.

Many components used in EVs — like batteries, motors, power electronics, and software — are also used in drones, robots, and home appliances. This modular approach to manufacturing is known as the “Lego block” structure. The knowledge from making smartphones and cars is now being used in drones and AI-driven gadgets. 

China's electric tech stack is powering new products across the economy

Electric batteries, motors, power electronics and computing are the main drivers of innovation in China right now. It's being called China’s ‘electric tech stack’.

Two main aspects have helped them develop this stack. The first is domestic control over the full value chain. From mining lithium, cobalt, and rare earths to refining, battery production, and final assembly, Chinese firms can develop vertical integration faster, fix supply chain bottlenecks, reduce costs and launch products quickly.

Second is the location. In places like Shenzhen, suppliers, engineers, and factories operate next to each other. Engineers can walk from the design studio to the assembly line, solving problems quickly. Similarly, an EV maker in Shanghai can get all its components in just four hours from Changzhou, a place that handles 31 of the 32 steps in battery production, covering 97% of the value chain.

It's a bird...it's a car? China's push for a flying economy

If you can build a car, why not a flying one? Backed by a mature EV supply chain, Chinese companies like Ehang, XPeng, Autoflight, and Geely’s AeroFugia are building eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) using the same battery and technology. 

China is pushing for a low-altitude flying economy, with air taxis, drone deliveries, etc., with a roadmap that includes pilot licenses, aerial tolls, and eVTOL test zones.

At the centre of it all is DJI, which commands over 70% of the global drone market. With over 2.2 million civilian drones flying across China, their use in warfare has drawn scrutiny. Beijing is also ramping up drone production for defence, including a mosquito-sized surveillance drone that’s light, silent, and controlled via smartphone.

Are robots going mainstream?

Unitree's G1 robot, available for online purchase, has recently gone viral online and nicknamed 'Uncle Bot' for its natural movement and behavior. Many Chinese tech players including car makers are leaning into robotics.

Robotics and electric cars share deep technological overlap — both rely on sensors, batteries, motors, and advanced algorithms. Around 70% of components are interchangeable between these sectors. That’s why automakers like BYD, Xiaomi, SAIC, GAC, XPeng, and Huawei are entering robotics.

XPeng’s Iron Robot, for instance, uses the navigation systems of autonomous vehicles. GAC Group’s GoMate robot runs on EV battery packs. 

China has over 230,000 robotics firms, supported by a roadmap to mass-produce humanoid robots and build a $43 billion industry by 2035. XPeng’s chairman urged an EV-style policy support for robots, predicting similar explosive growth. 

AI investment is much lower in China compared to the US

AI is poised to be the main computing agent in all applications, products, and services. The government is driving AI investments through labs, data centres, and partnerships with firms like Alibaba and ByteDance. It is going to invest $56 billion out of a total $84–98 billion projected in 2025.

This is opposite of the US, where almost all investment is private sector-driven. For instance, AI capex by US tech Big 4 (Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta) is estimated to be $302 billion in 2025, whereas for China’s Big 4 (Alibaba, Baidu, ByteDance, and Tencent) it is at $51 billion. Absolute spending in the US is almost six times higher than China. 

Will this tech stack help China dominate the world?

China’s manufacturing scale is reshaping global markets. It’s a leader in many areas like batteries, solar panels, rare earth production, drones and robotics. Its dominance gives it geopolitical leverage, as recently seen in the case of rare earths. 

China-made products are no longer inferior to their Western counterparts in terms of quality and functionality. They are also usually 20–40% cheaper. That forces countries to impose tariffs and curb trade. But that has not stopped innovation in China. 

For instance, Nvidia was asked not to export chips to China by the US government, creating a shortage of chips in China. Nio, which relied on Nvidia chips earlier, now uses its own ET9 chips. “It’s precisely the shortage of semiconductors that is leading China to develop their own faster,” says Frank Bournois, dean of the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai.

Still, challenges remain. Global firms are diversifying supply chains, while China faces a slowing economy, youth unemployment, ageing demographics, and a post-Covid trust deficit — making global dominance harder. But the Chinese government is ambitious, and so far, its efforts have been paying off.



Market closes higher, Welspun Specialty's Q1 revenue grows 25.6% YoY to Rs 211 crore
By Trendlyne Analysis

Nifty 50 closed at 25,219.90 (159, 0.6%), BSE Sensex closed at 82,726.64 (539.8, 0.7%) while the broader Nifty 500 closed at 23,428.40 (107.5, 0.5%). Market breadth is in the red. Of the 2,491 stocks traded today, 1,119 were on the uptick, and 1,312 were down.

Indian indices closed in the green, tracking Asian market gains after the US-Japan trade deal boosted hopes of more agreements. The Indian volatility index, Nifty VIX, declined 2.2% and closed at 10.5 points. Dixon Technologies closed 2.8% higher as its Q1FY26 revenue surged 94.9% YoY to Rs 12,837.3 crore, driven by improvements in the mobiles & other electronic manufacturing services (EMS) and home appliances segments.

Nifty Midcap 100 closed in the green, while Nifty Smallcap 100 closed flat. S&P BSE Telecom and BSE Auto were among the top index gainers today. According to Trendlyne’s Sector dashboard, Telecom Services emerged as the best-performing sector of the day, with a rise of 1.9%.

Asian indices closed higher, while European indices are trading in the green. US index futures traded in the green followed by a Japan-US trade deal and positive earnings expectations. US President Donald Trump announced a new trade deal with the Philippines, setting a 19% tariff on Philippine goods and zero tariffs on US exports. The agreement followed President Marcos Jr.'s visit to the White House and was slightly below the previously threatened 20%, but above the 17% reciprocal tariff rate set in April.

  • Money flow index (MFI) indicates that stocks like UTI Asset Management, Anand Rathi Wealth, Balkrishna Industries, and Thermax are in the overbought zone.

  • SpiceJet rises sharply as the Supreme Court dismisses a long-standing Rs 1,323 crore damages claim by KAL Airways and Kalanithi Maran. The case stemmed from a 2015 share transfer dispute after Maran sold his 58.5% stake in the airline to Chairman Ajay Singh.

  • Welspun Specialty's revenue grows 25.6% YoY to Rs 211 crore, driven by higher sales volume of stainless steel products; however, the company reported a loss of Rs 0.7 crore, compared to a profit in the same quarter last year, due to higher material costs. The company appears in a screener of firms reducing their debt.

  • Sapphire Foods reports a net loss of Rs 1.8 crore in Q1FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 8.5 crore in Q1FY25, due to higher raw material and employee benefits expenses. However, revenue increases 8.1% YoY to Rs 777 crore during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have decreased their shareholding in the past quarter.

  • Avendus Spark downgrades Mahindra Logistics to a 'Sell' rating with a target price of Rs 300. The brokerage expects the company's profitability to remain under pressure due to delays in scaling up express operations and a slowdown in freight forwarding. However, it anticipates Mahindra Logistics will benefit from steady third-party-led growth, driven by new contract ramp-ups and rising e-commerce demand.

  • Surya Roshni is rising as it bags an order worth Rs 175 crore to supply mild steel spiral-coated pipes to a construction company.

  • Aditya Birla Real Estate falls sharply as it posts a Q1FY26 net loss of Rs 25.5 crore compared to a net profit of Rs 7.8 crore in Q1FY25. Revenue plunges 56.9% YoY to Rs 157.4 crore during the quarter. It appears in a screener of stocks with high interest payments compared to earnings.

  • Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki rise as global auto stocks rally after a US–Japan deal cuts tariffs on Japanese car exports from 25% to 15%. The move sparks hopes of a similar India–US agreement, lifting interest in Indian automakers.

  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) lowers India’s FY26 growth forecast to 6.5% from 6.7% in its recent report, citing the impact of US tariffs. However, it also revises India’s inflation forecast downward to 3.8%, reflecting a faster-than-expected decline in food prices due to improved agricultural output.

  • Shyam Metalics and Energy's Q1FY26 net profit grows 5.8% YoY to Rs 292 crore, helped by inventory destocking. Revenue rises 22.4% YoY to Rs 4,419 crore, driven by 32% volume growth across core steel and aluminum product segments during the quarter. The board approves raising up to Rs 4,500 crore through equity shares or other securities via qualified institutional placement (QIP), preferential issue, or other modes.

  • Cyient DLM is falling as its Q1FY26 net profit declines 29.6% YoY to Rs 7.4 crore due to higher employee benefits, finance, and depreciation & amortisation expenses. However, revenue grows 5.9% YoY to Rs 282.6 crore during the quarter. It shows up in a screener of stocks where promoters are decreasing their shareholdings.

  • KEI Industries' Q1FY26 net profit grows 30.3% YoY to Rs 195.8 crore. Revenue increases 25.7% YoY to Rs 2,590.3 crore, driven by higher sales from the cables & wires segment during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks with improving cash flow from operations over the past two years.

  • India’s port sector is set for strong growth, driven by rising consumption and government infrastructure push, according to a recent report by PL Capital. Non-major ports are experiencing significant growth in cargo volumes, primarily driven by the adoption of multimodal logistics. India currently has 12 major ports and over 200 non-major ports, with a total capacity of around 2,700 million metric tonnes (MMT).

  • Dalmia Bharat falls sharply as its Q1FY26 revenue misses Forecaster estimates by 1.4% after growing marginally YoY to Rs 3,685 crore. However, net profit surges 178.7% YoY to Rs 393 crore, driven by lower raw materials, power & fuel, and freight expenses. It shows up in a screener of stocks with declining net cash flow.

  • United Breweries' net profit grows 5.9% YoY to Rs 184 crore in Q1FY26, driven by a sharp growth in premium segment. Net sales increase 16% YoY to Rs 2,862 crore, supported by an 11% volume growth. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds increased their shareholding in the last quarter.

  • Lodha Developers falls as 1% stake worth approximately Rs 1,380 crore change hands via a block deal at an average price of Rs 1,384.6 per share.

  • GMDC shares surge nearly 25% over the past five sessions, hitting a 52-week high of Rs 472.4, fueled by strong volumes and rising interest in rare earth stocks. The rally is driven by policy speculation, China’s export rebound, and buzz around a high-level meeting on rare earths chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  • Tejas Networks falls as Vijay Kedia sells a 1% stake during Q1FY26. He held 18 lakh shares (1.02% stake) in the company at the end of Q4FY25.

  • Alpex Solar is rising as it secures an order worth Rs 230 crore to supply solar modules.

  • Oberoi Realty falls as 1.1 crore shares (3.1% stake) worth approximately Rs 1,956 crore change hands via a block deal at an average price of Rs 1,762 per share.

  • JP Morgan maintains an 'Overweight' rating on Colgate Palmolive with a lower target price of Rs 2,625. The brokerage notes that Colgate faced a challenging first half, and expects a recovery in the second half. Price growth remained muted in Q1 due to trade promotions. However, they anticipate a positive turnaround in the second half, driven by a more stable competitive landscape, the phasing out of past promotions, and accelerated growth in the premium segment.

  • Jana Small Finance Bank falls sharply as its net profit plunges 40.2% YoY to Rs 101.9 crore in Q1FY26 due to higher employee and interest expenses. However, revenue rises 7.1% YoY to Rs 1,250.2 crore, driven by improvements in the treasury, retail and wholesale banking segments during the quarter. The bank's asset quality deteriorates as its gross NPA expands by 29 bps YoY.

  • Dixon Technologies is rising as its Q1FY26 net profit jumps 68.3% YoY to Rs 225 crore, owing to inventory destocking. Revenue surges 94.9% YoY to Rs 12,837.3 crore, driven by improvements in the mobiles & other electronic manufacturing services (EMS) and home appliances segments. It appears in a screener of newly affordable stocks with good financials and durability.

  • JSW Infrastructure is rising as its net profit grows 31.5% YoY to Rs 384.7 crore in Q1FY26, helped by lower employee benefit expenses. Revenue increases 21.2% YoY to Rs 1,223.9 crore, driven by higher sales from the ports and logistics segments during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding in the past two months.

  • One97 Communications (Paytm) posts a net profit of Rs 122.5 crore in Q1FY26 compared to a net loss of Rs 838.9 crore in Q1FY25, helped by lower marketing, employee benefits, data centre, and depreciation & amortisation expenses. Revenue jumps 31.7% YoY to Rs 2,158.9 crore during the quarter. It features in a screener of stocks with improving returns on equity (RoE) over the past two years.

  • Nifty 50 was trading at 25,132.60 (71.7, 0.3%), BSE Sensex was trading at 82,451.87 (265.1, 0.3%) while the broader Nifty 500 was trading at 23,367.85 (47.0, 0.2%).

  • Market breadth is in the green. Of the 1,996 stocks traded today, 1,249 were on the uptick, and 694 were down.

Riding High:

Largecap and midcap gainers today include Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd. (489, 3.4%), Kalyan Jewellers India Ltd. (611.80, 3.2%) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd. (134.85, 3.1%).

Downers:

Largecap and midcap losers today include Lodha Developers Ltd. (1,334, -7.5%), Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. (2,285.30, -4.0%) and Oberoi Realty Ltd. (1,769.60, -3.1%).

Volume Rockets

28 stocks in BSE 500 are trading on high volumes today.

Top high volume gainers on BSE included KIOCL Ltd. (358.80, 15.5%), Mangalore Refinery And Petrochemicals Ltd. (155.89, 7.7%) and Elgi Equipments Ltd. (589.75, 6.4%).

Top high volume losers on BSE were Lodha Developers Ltd. (1,334, -7.5%), Aditya Birla Real Estate Ltd. (2,018.30, -5.6%) and Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. (2,285.30, -4.0%).

CreditAccess Grameen Ltd. (1,354.90, 5.9%) was trading at 21.0 times of weekly average. Oberoi Realty Ltd. (1,769.60, -3.1%) and Westlife Foodworld Ltd. (772.10, 1.6%) were trading with volumes 8.8 and 8.4 times weekly average respectively on BSE at the time of posting this article.

BSE 500: highs, lows and moving averages

15 stocks overperformed with 52 week highs, while 2 stocks were underachievers and hit their 52 week lows.

Stocks touching their year highs included - Fortis Healthcare Ltd. (823.70, 1.8%), HDFC Bank Ltd. (2,024.30, 0.9%) and ICICI Bank Ltd. (1,488.60, 1.0%).

Stocks making new 52 weeks lows included - Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. (2,285.30, -4.0%) and Tejas Networks Ltd. (615.55, -1.6%).

14 stocks climbed above their 200 day SMA including KIOCL Ltd. (358.80, 15.5%) and Mangalore Refinery And Petrochemicals Ltd. (155.89, 7.7%). 16 stocks slipped below their 200 SMA including Triveni Turbine Ltd. (629, -4.8%) and Mastek Ltd. (2,549.30, -4.1%).

Market closes flat, Zee Entertainment's net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 30% in Q1
By Trendlyne Analysis

Nifty 50 closed at 25,060.90 (-29.8, -0.1%), BSE Sensex closed at 82,186.81 (-13.5, 0.0%) while the broader Nifty 500 closed at 23,320.90 (-57.6, -0.3%). Market breadth is in the red. Of the 2,486 stocks traded today, 988 showed gains, and 1,450 showed losses.

Indian indices closed flat after switching between losses and gains throughout the day. The Indian volatility index, Nifty VIX, fell 4% and closed at 10.8 points. Eternal (Zomato) closed 10.3% higher after its Q1FY26 revenue beat Forecaster estimates by 6.6%. This growth was led by Blinkit, which reported a 127% surge in net order value. 

Nifty Smallcap 100 and Nifty Midcap 100 closed lower. Nifty Media and Nifty PSU Bank were among the top index losers today. According to Trendlyne’s sector dashboard, Media emerged as the worst-performing sector of the day, with a fall of 1.7%.

Asian indices closed mixed. European indices are trading lower, except for Portugal’s PSI, which is trading higher. US index futures are trading flat or lower as investors await earnings from companies like General Motors, Philip Morris, Raytheon Tech and Coca Cola. Focus also remains on US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech scheduled today, amid renewed political pressure and speculation around his future. Brent crude futures are trading lower after falling 0.2% on Monday.

  • Relative strength index (RSI) indicates that stocks like Laurus Labs, Syrma SGS Technology, Patanjali Foods, and Anand Rathi Wealth are in the overbought zone.

  • Mahanagar Gas' Q1FY26 net profit grows 10.1% YoY to Rs 317.9 crore. Revenue jumps 24.3% YoY to Rs 2,115.2 crore, driven by improvements in the compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG) segments. It features in a screener of stocks with high FII holdings.

  • Zee Entertainment is falling as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 30.1% despite growing 21.7% YoY to Rs 143.7 crore. However, revenue decreases 14.3% YoY to Rs 1,824.8 crore due to lower sales from the advertisement segment during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks with improving ROE over the past two years.

  • Kajaria Ceramics is falling as its Q1FY26 revenue misses Forecaster estimates by 3.4% despite growing 0.9% YoY to Rs 1,116 crore. Net profit jumps 19.5% YoY to Rs 110.3 crore during the quarter. It appears in a screener of stocks with growing costs YoY for long-term projects.

  • Milky Mist Dairy Food, a dairy company based in Erode, Tamil Nadu, files its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with SEBI to raise Rs 2,035 crore through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), marking the largest IPO in India’s dairy sector to date. The offering includes a fresh issue of shares worth up to Rs 1,785 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to Rs 250 crore.

  • SML Isuzu surges to its all-time high of Rs 3,685.1 as its net profit rises 44.4% YoY to Rs 67 crore in Q1FY26. Revenue grows 13.4% YoY to Rs 845.9 crore, driven by increase in sales of cargo vehicles during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks with improving RoCE over the past two years.

  • Blue Jet Healthcare plunges as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 10.7% despite surging 141.3% YoY to Rs 91.2 crore. Revenue jumps 111.5% YoY to Rs 363 crore during the quarter. It appears in a screener of high volume and top losing stocks.

  • Colgate-Palmolive (India) falls as its Q1FY26 net profit declines 11.9% YoY to Rs 320.6 crore, caused by higher inventory, employee benefits and finance costs. Revenue decreases 4.5% YoY to Rs 1,452 crore due to subdued urban demand. It shows up in a screener of stocks with medium to low Trendlyne momentum scores.

  • India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, confirms that the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), finalized on May 6, 2025, is currently undergoing legal scrubbing—a detailed review to ensure legal accuracy and clarity. The process will take about three months, followed by up to a year for ratification by the UK Parliament and approval by India's Union Cabinet.

  • AGI Greenpac surges as its net profit rises 40.5% YoY to Rs 88.9 crore in Q1FY26. Revenue increases 21.4% YoY to Rs 687.7 crore, driven by higher sales from the packaging products segment during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds have increased their shareholding in the past two months.

  • Godavari Biorefineries hits its 5% upper circuit after its biotech arm Sathgen Therapeutics receives a Chinese patent for a new anticancer compound. The drug shows positive lab results against several types of cancer cells.

  • Brigade Enterprises acquires a 20.2-acre land parcel in Whitefield, Bengaluru, for Rs 588.3 crore. The company plans a mixed-use development with an estimated development potential of 4.2 million square feet and a gross development value (GDV) of Rs 5,200 crore.

  • Motilal Oswal initiates a 'Buy' rating on Va Tech Wabag with a target price of Rs 1,900. The brokerage sees strong growth ahead for the company, supported by a solid order book, improving margins, healthy free cash flow, and strong return ratios. It notes the company remains selective in bidding for large global projects, focusing on margins and cash flow, with a win ratio of 25–30%.

  • Awfis Space Solutions falls as Ashish Kacholia sells a 1% stake during Q1FY26. He now holds a 1.6% stake in the company.

  • Titan is rising as it enters an agreement with UAE's Damas International to acquire a 67% stake in Damas Jewellery for AED 1,038 million (~ Rs 2,438.2 crore). The acquisition will help the company to expand its jewellery business in the UAE.

  • B L Kashyap & Sons rises as it secures a Rs 910 crore order from Business Park Town Planners (BPTP) to construct a residential building.

  • Tilaknagar Industries jumps over 7% amid reports that it is leading the race to acquire Pernod Ricard’s "Imperial Blue" brand, estimated to be worth around Rs 4,000 crore. The acquisition is expected to be financed through a mix of debt and equity. The company's board is set to meet on July 23 to discuss a potential fundraise.

  • Afcons Infrastructure is rising as it secures an order worth Rs 6,800 crore from HZ Infrastructure to rehabilitate and construct a railway line in the Republic of Croatia.

  • 360 One Wam falls as 1.9 crore shares (5% stake) worth approximately Rs 2,273 crore reportedly change hands in a block deal at an average price of Rs 1,160per share. Bain Capital and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board are likely the sellers in the transaction.

  • Eternal (Zomato) surges to its all-time high of Rs 311.3 as its Q1FY26 revenue beats Forecaster estimates by 6.6% after growing 69.3% YoY to Rs 7,521 crore. Improvements in the food ordering & delivery, hyperpure supplies (B2B business), and quick commerce segments drive revenue growth. However, net profit plunges 90.1% YoY to Rs 25 crore due to higher inventory, employee benefits, finance, advertisement, and delivery & related expenses. It appears in a screener of stocks with increasing revenue for the past eight quarters.

  • Ambarish Kenghe, Group CEO of Angel One, notes a partial recovery in volumes following the Jane Street episode. He states that adjusted EBITDA margins stood at 34% in Q1FY26 and could improve to 40% by the end of FY26. Employee costs in Q1 saw a 47% QoQ increase, as Q4FY25 expenses were lower due to a reversal of variable pay.

  • CIE Automotive India is rising as its Q1FY26 revenue beats Forecaster estimates by 4.7% after growing 2.9% YoY to Rs 2,391.1 crore, driven by higher demand in the domestic market. However, net profit declines 6.1% YoY to Rs 203.5 crore due to higher raw materials, employee benefits and depreciation & amortisation expenses. It features in a screener of stocks with improving net cash flow over the past two years.

  • Bajaj Finance is falling as its Managing Director (MD), Anup Kumar Saha, tenders his resignation due to personal reasons, effective July 21. The board appoints Vice Chairman Rajeev Jain as the new MD.

  • Oberoi Realty is falling as its net profit declines 27.9% YoY to Rs 421.3 crore in Q1FY26, led by higher land acquisition cost, development rights, and construction expenses. Revenue decreases 29.7% YoY to Rs 987.6 crore due to lower sales from the real estate segment during the quarter. The company appears in a screener of stocks underperforming their industry price change in the quarter.

  • Havells India's Q1FY26 net profit declines 14.8% YoY to Rs 347.7 crore due to higher employee benefits, finance, and depreciation & amortisation expenses. Revenue decreases 6.1% YoY to Rs 5,524.5 crore, caused by reductions in the lighting & fixtures, electrical consumer durables and Lloyd Consumer segments. It shows up in a screener of stocks where promoters are reducing their shareholdings.

  • Nifty 50 was trading at 25,131.75 (41.1, 0.2%), BSE Sensex was trading at 82,527.43 (327.1, 0.4%) while the broader Nifty 500 was trading at 23,429.15 (50.7, 0.2%).

  • Market breadth is highly positive. Of the 1,978 stocks traded today, 1,543 were on the uptick, and 397 were down.

Riding High:

Largecap and midcap gainers today include Eternal Ltd. (299.80, 10.3%), Swiggy Ltd. (417.15, 5.7%) and Hitachi Energy India Ltd. (20,115, 4.4%).

Downers:

Largecap and midcap losers today include Au Small Finance Bank Ltd. (725.80, -3.6%), Canara Bank (108.05, -3.6%) and Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd. (97.24, -3.5%).

Crowd Puller Stocks

25 stocks in BSE 500 are trading on high volumes today.

Top high volume gainers on BSE included Eternal Ltd. (299.80, 10.3%), India Cements Ltd. (370.95, 8.0%) and RHI Magnesita India Ltd. (514.80, 6.7%).

Top high volume losers on BSE were 360 One Wam Ltd. (1,144.10, -6.3%), Aarti Industries Ltd. (422.95, -4.3%) and Supreme Industries Ltd. (4,088.10, -2.7%).

Birla Corporation Ltd. (1,465.60, 5.5%) was trading at 12.8 times of weekly average. Latent View Analytics Ltd. (445, 2.9%) and Swiggy Ltd. (417.15, 5.7%) were trading with volumes 10.1 and 7.2 times weekly average respectively on BSE at the time of posting this article.

BSE 500: highs, lows and moving averages

16 stocks made 52 week highs, while 1 stock were underachiever and hit their 52 week lows.

Stocks touching their year highs included - EID Parry (India) Ltd. (1,167.60, 0.5%), Fortis Healthcare Ltd. (809.10, 0.9%) and ICICI Bank Ltd. (1,473.60, 0.5%).

Stock making new 52 weeks lows included - Tejas Networks Ltd. (625.80, -0.7%).

12 stocks climbed above their 200 day SMA including RHI Magnesita India Ltd. (514.80, 6.7%) and NLC India Ltd. (241.16, 4.8%). 12 stocks slipped below their 200 SMA including Trident Ltd. (30.37, -3.7%) and Supreme Industries Ltd. (4,088.10, -2.7%).

Market closes higher, JSW Steel's Q1FY26 revenue misses Forecaster estimates by 1.7%
By Trendlyne Analysis

Nifty 50 closed at 25,090.70 (122.3, 0.5%), BSE Sensex closed at 82,200.34 (442.6, 0.5%) while the broader Nifty 500 closed at 23,378.45 (103.3, 0.4%). Market breadth is in the red. Of the 2,505 stocks traded today, 1,114 were in the positive territory and 1,341 were negative.

Indian indices closed higher after extending gains in the afternoon session. The Indian volatility index, Nifty VIX, fell 1.7% and closed at 11.2 points. HDFC Bank closed in the green as its Q1FY26 net profit grew 12.2% YoY to Rs 18,155.2 crore. Revenue jumped 6.1% YoY to Rs 77,470.2 crore.

Nifty Smallcap 100 closed flat, while Nifty Midcap 100 closed in the green, tracking the benchmark index. Nifty Financial Services and BSE Capital Goods were among the best-performing indices of the day. According to Trendlyne’s sector dashboard, Fertilizers emerged as the best-performing sector of the day, with a rise of 1.4%.

European indices are trading lower, except Russia’s RSTI and MOEX indices, which are trading 1.3% higher each. Major Asian indices closed in the green, except Australia’s S&P ASX 200 and Japan’s Nikkei 225 indices, which closed 1% and 0.2% in the red, respectively. US index futures are trading higher, indicating a positive start to the session, despite reports that President Donald Trump plans to impose a minimum tariff of 15-20% above the baseline rate of 10% on the European Union.

  • Money flow index (MFI) indicates that stocks like Syrma SGS Technology, Balkrishna Industries, Anand Rathi Wealth, and DCM Shriram are in the overbought zone.

  • Waaree Renewable Technologies falls sharply after a report says US solar manufacturers have petitioned for tariffs on panel imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos. The petition alleges these countries export at below-cost prices with unfair subsidies.

  • JSW Steel is falling as its Q1FY26 revenue misses Forecaster estimates by 1.7% despite growing 0.9% YoY to Rs 43,497 crore. Net profit surges 158.5% YoY to Rs 2,184 crore, led by inventory destocking and lower raw materials, and mining premium expenses. It shows up in a screener of stocks with increasing trend in non-core income.

  • Bajaj Consumer's board of directors schedules a meeting on July 24 to consider a proposal for a buyback of equity shares.

  • GMR Airports is reportedly looking to raise Rs 4,000–6,000 crore to refinance its existing debt. The company is working with investment bank Morgan Stanley to secure fresh funding, which will be used to repay higher-cost borrowings. GMR Airports is expected to tap mutual funds for a significant portion of the new debt.

  • Titagarh Rail is rising as it secures an order worth Rs 312.6 crore from the Ministry of Railways to manufacture and supply 780 BVCM-C wagons.

  • IndiaMART InterMESH's Q1FY26 net profit grows 34.6% YoY to Rs 153.5 crore owing to lower finance and depreciation & amortisation expenses. Revenue rises 20.8% YoY to Rs 464.5 crore, driven by improvements in the web & related services and accounting software services segments. It features in a screener of stocks with high trailing twelve-month (TTM) EPS growth.

  • Mastek's Q1FY26 net profit rises 13.5% QoQ to Rs 92.1 crore as last quarter had an exceptional loss of Rs 8.1 crore. Revenue increases 1% QoQ to Rs 914.7 crore, driven by higher sales from operations in the UK and Europe. The company appears in a screener of stocks where mutual funds increased their shareholding in the past two months.

  • Kotak Securities expects Infosys to post a 1.6% QoQ revenue growth in Q1FY26, supported by increased billing days and sustained momentum in the financial services segment. EBIT margins are expected to remain stable both QoQ and YoY.

  • AU Small Finance Bank falls sharply as its Q1FY26 gross and net NPAs grow 169 bps and 25 bps YoY, respectively. However, the bank's net profit grows 15.6% YoY to Rs 580.9 crore. Revenue jumps 20.3% YoY, led by improvements in the treasury operations, retail and corporate banking segments.

  • Tilaknagar Industries is rising as its board schedules a meeting on July 23 to consider raising funds through a rights issue, Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP), or other methods.

  • Vijay Kedia sells a 1% stake in Precision Camshafts in Q1FY26. He now holds a 1.1% stake in the company.

  • BSE gains over 3% following reports that SEBI has officially lifted restrictions on Jane Street’s access to Indian securities markets. The clearance came after Jane Street complied with SEBI’s directive to deposit Rs 4,844 crore in alleged “unlawful gains” into an escrow account by the July 14 deadline. Despite the approval, exchanges are expected to closely monitor the firm's market activities.

  • B L Kashyap & Sons rises as it secures an order worth Rs 157.2 crore from Embassy Manyata business park promoters in Bengaluru to construct an office building.

  • Ircon International is rising as it secures an order worth Rs 1,113 crore from the Mumbai Metro Authority. The project involves the design and commissioning of power supply and traction systems for Metro lines 5 and 6.

  • Anthem Biosciences’ shares debut on the bourses at a 26.9% premium to the issue price of Rs 570. The Rs 3,395 crore IPO received bids for 63.9 times the total shares on offer.

  • Jeet Adani, Director of the Adani Airports Division, states that the Adani Group will invest Rs 96,000 crore in its airport operations over the next five years, focusing heavily on infrastructure enhancements and real estate development. A significant portion of this investment will go toward the Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airport projects, reinforcing the group's commitment to expanding its domestic aviation footprint.

  • Sona BLW is rising as it signs a joint venture (JV) with Chinese company Jinnaite Machinery (JNT). The JV will manufacture and supply driveline systems and components to automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in China and globally. Sona BLW will invest $12 million, while JNT will contribute $8 million in assets and business to the joint venture in the first phase.

  • Bandhan Bank is falling as its net profit plunges 65% YoY to Rs 372 crore in Q1FY26 due to rise in provisions and contingencies. However, revenue increases 2.3% YoY to Rs 5,475.6 crore, driven by improvements in the treasury, retail and wholesale banking segments during the quarter. The bank's asset quality deteriorate as its gross and net NPAs expands by 73 bps and 21 bps YoY, respectively.

  • Reliance Power's Q1FY26 revenue falls 5.3% YoY to Rs 1,885.5 crore due to lower revenue realisation from power sales. The company reported a net profit of Rs 44.7 crore, compared to a loss in the same quarter last year, driven by lower interest expense. The company appears in a screener of stocks where foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are increasing their stake.

  • Arun Misra, CEO & Whole-Time Director of Hindustan Zinc, cites tariff uncertainty and weak Chinese demand as key pressures on zinc prices, which he expects to stay around $2,650–2,850/tonne. He forecasts silver prices to reach $41–42/oz by February 2026. The company will outline plans to scale up to 2 MT capacity by September and is exploring rare earth mineral blocks, with revenue anticipated in 4–5 years.

  • Union Bank of India is falling as its Q1FY26 net profit misses Forecaster estimates by 5.3% despite growing 21.6% YoY to Rs 4,427.9 crore, driven by a 39.6% decrease in provisions. Revenue grows 3.3% YoY to Rs 32,343.9 crore, helped by improvements in the treasury operations and retail banking segments. The bank's asset quality improves as its gross and net NPAs decline 102 bps and 28 bps YoY, respectively.

  • Reliance Industries' Q1FY26 net profit grows 78.3% YoY to Rs 26,994 crore, led by lower raw materials costs. Revenue jumps 9.7% YoY to Rs 2.6 lakh crore, driven by improvements in the retail and digital services segments. It features in a screener of stocks with increasing profits for the past four quarters.

  • ICICI Bank is rising as its net profit grows 15.5% YoY to Rs 12,768.2 crore in Q1FY26. Revenue increases 10.1% YoY to Rs 42,946.9 crore, driven by improvements in the treasury and wholesale banking segments during the quarter. The bank's asset quality improves as its gross and net NPAs declines by 48 bps and 2 bps YoY, respectively.

  • HDFC Bank's Q1FY26 net profit rises 12.2% YoY to Rs 18,155.2 crore. Revenue increases 6.1% YoY to Rs 77,470.2 crore, driven by improvements in the treasury and wholesale banking segments during the quarter. The bank's asset quality deteriorates as its gross and net NPAs expands by 7 bps and 8 bps YoY, respectively.

  • Nifty 50 was trading at 24,956.45 (-12.0, -0.1%), BSE Sensex was trading at 81,892.62 (134.9, 0.2%) while the broader Nifty 500 was trading at 23,248.05 (-27.1, -0.1%).

  • Market breadth is horizontal. Of the 2,060 stocks traded today, 968 were in the positive territory and 1,000 were negative.

Riding High:

Largecap and midcap gainers today include Eternal Ltd. (271.70, 5.6%), Persistent Systems Ltd. (5,779, 4.2%) and UPL Ltd. (713.75, 3.9%).

Downers:

Largecap and midcap losers today include Au Small Finance Bank Ltd. (752.90, -5.3%), Reliance Industries Ltd. (1,428.60, -3.2%) and Union Bank of India (142.64, -2.6%).

Volume Shockers

18 stocks in BSE 500 are trading on high volumes today.

Top high volume gainers on BSE included Mastek Ltd. (2,669.80, 7.1%), KIOCL Ltd. (306.50, 5.4%) and Jyoti CNC Automation Ltd. (1,075.20, 5.3%).

Top high volume losers on BSE were Au Small Finance Bank Ltd. (752.90, -5.3%), Latent View Analytics Ltd. (432.45, -1.7%) and India Cements Ltd. (343.45, -1.1%).

Tata Investment Corporation Ltd. (6,759.50, 3.3%) was trading at 27.7 times of weekly average. Hatsun Agro Products Ltd. (973.25, 2.6%) and MMTC Ltd. (70.68, 3.8%) were trading with volumes 20.7 and 8.9 times weekly average respectively on BSE at the time of posting this article.

BSE 500: highs, lows and moving averages

13 stocks hit their 52 week highs,

Stocks touching their year highs included - EID Parry (India) Ltd. (1,162.10, 0.9%), L&T Finance Ltd. (210.58, 3.7%) and Muthoot Finance Ltd. (2683.20, 0.9%).

12 stocks climbed above their 200 day SMA including Mastek Ltd. (2,669.80, 7.1%) and KIOCL Ltd. (306.50, 5.4%). 18 stocks slipped below their 200 SMA including Mangalore Refinery And Petrochemicals Ltd. (139.15, -6.7%) and Clean Science & Technology Ltd. (1,276.10, -3.2%).

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The Baseline
18 Jul 2025
Five Interesting Stocks Today - July 18, 2025
By Trendlyne Analysis

1. AWL Agri Business:

This FMCG company, formerly known as Adani Wilmar, jumped 6% on Thursday after the Adani Group announced the sale of a 20% stake in the company to Wilmar International. With this stake purchase, Singapore-based Wilmar becomes the majority shareholder in the company. Adani Group plans to exit entirely by selling its remaining 10% stake to “a set of pre-identified” investors.

In Q1 FY26, the company reported YoY revenue growth of 20%, led by strong pricing in the edible oils segment. However, it missed Forecaster estimates by 5%, mainly due to lower volumes and exit from the government rice export business.

Higher input costs, especially for palm oil, weighed on profitability. Net profit declined 24% YoY in Q1, and EBITDA margin dropped to 2.1%. Addressing this, MD & CEO Angshu Mallick said, “We expect some improvement in demand starting July, with the onset of the festive season and easing raw material cost pressures, especially in palm.”

The company operates across three key segments—Edible Oils, Industry Essentials, and Food & FMCG. Although the edible oil segment brings in 80% of revenue, it contributed only 50% to total profit, highlighting its low-margin nature. In contrast, the Industry Essentials segment, which includes castor oil and oleochemicals, delivered 28% of profits from just 13% of sales, aided by near-full capacity utilisation. The Food & FMCG segment also added 21% to profits, despite accounting for only 8% of sales in Q1.

AWL Agri reported fairly substantial retail expansion, directly reaching customers via 8.7 lakh outlets. It saw 26% YoY growth in rural areas and 11% in urban markets. Mallick expects the Food & FMCG segment to “continue to grow in double digits given the expansion in product pipeline and distribution.” He adds that the company aims to generate Rs 10,000 crore in revenue from this segment by FY27, with rural growth playing a key role. 

ICICI Securities maintains a ‘Buy’ rating on the stock with a higher target price of Rs 360. The brokerage is optimistic about the company’s transition from a commodity-driven business to a more stable and profitable FMCG model. However, it also flags volatility in raw material prices and execution risks in scaling the branded food portfolio as potential headwinds.

2. Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD):

This breweries & distilleries company rose by 8.1% over the past week. This surge followed the Maharashtra government's July 15th announcement of plans to issue 328 new wine shop licenses, a move set to increase licensed liquor outlets by 19% (from 1,713). This policy shift, which aims to boost state revenue, is expected to generate an additional Rs 14,000 crore annually in excise revenue. Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), having opened its second Maharashtra distillery in January and as India's third-largest Indian made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) company, is set to significantly benefit.

Despite Maharashtra's growing population, the number of licensed liquor outlets has remained static since the 1970s, leading to just 1.5 shops per lakh people—far below the national average of six. However, implementing changes faces significant challenges due to cultural opposition and bar association protests over hiked excise duties, creating an intense situation for these policy reforms.

For FY25, the company reported a 6.2% increase in revenue, driven by growth in its Prestige & Above (luxury) portfolio. Trendlyne Forecaster projects a 12.3% revenue growth in FY26, attributing it to the company's focus on expanding reach to other countries and premiumization efforts. The stock has also appeared on a screener of stocks which have outperformed their industry over the past month.

Alok Gupta, the Managing Director of ABD, expressed confidence in the company's future, stating, "FY26 will be a year of momentum, backed by positive consumer sentiment, stable input costs, and a supportive policy landscape. Growth in the super premium to luxury segment will be driven by rising disposable incomes and demand for experience-based consumption.” The anticipated UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may also reduce Scotch import duties.

According to Trendlyne’s Forecaster, 5 analysts have a consensus recommendation of “Strong Buy”, with an average target price of Rs 516.6. ICICI Securities projects moderate volume growth of about 3% CAGR for the company's mass premium segment from FY26-27. Realization growth, however, is expected to come from price increases.

3. Computer Age Management Services (CAMS):

Thismutual fund services company rose 2.9% on July 15 after Motilal Oswalraised its target price to Rs 5,000 and reiterated its ‘buy’ rating. CAMS is a prominent tech services player in the finance space – it handles the back-end operations for mutual funds and also offers digital services in insurance, payments, and investor verification (KYC).

India’s mutual fund industry hasgrown rapidly, from around Rs 25 lakh crore in mid-2020 to over Rs 74 lakh crore by June 2025, and is projected to cross Rs 130 lakh crore by FY30. As the main registrar that handles about 68% of industry assets, CAMS is likely to benefit from this growth. Higher mutual fund volumes means more transactions, investor accounts, and servicing needs, which would support steady revenue growth across CAMS’ core and allied services.

InFY25, its revenue grew 25.3% to 1,475.1 crore, while its net profit surged 33% to 470.2 crore. Strong growthcame from its continued leadership in the mutual fund registrar and transfer agent (RTA) segment, a 29% rise in equity assets under management (AUM), and a 51% jump in SIP registrations. CAMS alsoadded three new AMC mandates and its first international MF client, CeyBank Asset Management Company, a Sri Lankan AMC. Non-MF businesses, which contributed 14% of revenue, grew nearly 25%, led by CAMS KRA and CAMSPay.

While the core RTA business accounts for approximately 87% of its revenue, CAMS continues todiversify into non-MF segments to mitigate concentration risk.

One of the keychallenges for CAMS is a pricing reset with a major mutual fund client. The company reduced its service fees earlier than planned, as older pricing models based on physical processes no longer made sense in the digital age. This changecaused a Rs 14 crore revenue hit in the Q4 and a 4% drop in the fees CAMS earns from servicing mutual funds.

Anuj Kumar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer,said, “About half the pricing impact is already in the books (Q4). The remaining will flow through Q1 and Q2. After that, we expect to return to growth.”

Motilal Oswal remains positive on the stock, citing strong positioning and steady non-MF growth, but also flagged near-term margin pressure from the repricing impact. The brokerage expects non-MF revenue to grow 21% and MF revenue 9% annually over FY25-27.

4. Tata Technologies:

This IT software firm rose over 2% on July 15 as its Q1 FY26 revenue and net profit came in well above Forecaster estimates, despite a QoQ decline. Net profit dropped 9.8% and revenue declined 2.6%, mainly due to slower activity in core services as project ramp-ups were delayed and clients held back on spending. The product segment also saw weak growth because of the typical seasonal slowdown in the first quarter.

Tata Technologies’ core auto segment was affected by delays in project ramp-ups, especially from North American carmakers. These companies held back on R&D spending after the US announced higher tariffs on auto imports in April. They are now looking at shifting manufacturing operations to the US to avoid the tariffs. Since over 60% of Tata Tech’s revenue comes from the auto sector, this had a notable impact. However, the company saw signs of recovery in the second half of the quarter by closing six new deals, four worth over $10 million (~Rs 86 crore) each and two over $5 million.

Analysts believe the management's positive outlook comes from a stronger order book at the end of Q1 compared to last year. However, slowing global demand amid rising tariffs remains a concern for the auto segment's growth. Additional pressure from export restrictions of rare earth metal by China is weighing down growth.

Warren Harris, MD & CEO, said that tariff announcements in April created uncertainty, causing many clients to pause or delay their orders. He mentioned that while customer decisions were initially expected in April, they only came through by late June. This delay makes the company more confident about better performance in Q2 and the rest of the year. However, he added, “We don't anticipate a V-shaped recovery (quick and sharp rebound), in part because of uncertainty due to trade tensions.”

ICICI Securities has a ‘Sell’ rating on Tata Technologies with a price target of Rs 510. The brokerage expects revenue to decline by 1.5% in FY26, which is in contrast to the management’s aim of double-digit growth. It also pointed out that the stock’s high valuation amid slow recovery in the auto segment remains a key concern.

5. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals:

This pharmaceutical company rose 20% to a 52-week high of Rs 2,286.1 on July 11. The rally came after its subsidiary, Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI), signed a licensing agreement with AbbVie for exclusive rights to commercialise its blood cancer drug ISB 2001 (myeloma), with a global market size of $27.5 billion in 2024.

The drug is currently in phase I trials. AbbVie will further develop, manufacture and market the drug worldwide. IGI will receive an upfront payment of $700 million (Rs 5,850 crore) from AbbVie following regulatory approvals. The company is also eligible to earn up to $1.2 billion (Rs 10,000 crore) from FY27 onwards as the drug reaches sales milestones. IGI will also receive double-digit royalties on sales generated by AbbVie.

Managing Director, Glenn Saldanha,said, “We plan to transition to an innovation-led business over the next five years in dermatology, respiratory, and oncology segments.” He emphasises that this deal with AbbVie supports the goal of increasing patented medicines revenue to 70% by 2030, up from 60%.

The company’s revenue rose 6.1% to Rs 13,435.4 crore in FY25, driven by growth in India and the European market, new product launches, and regulatory approvals. The net profit turned positive at Rs 1,047 crore, driven by lower raw material costs and a decline in tax expense, compared to a loss in the previous year.

Glenmark’s US revenue declined 5.4% in FY25 due to delays in regulatory approvals. Senior General Manager Utkarsh Gandhi expects an uptick in US sales, driven by the launch of respiratory and injectable products. The company expects revenue growth of up to 12% in FY26, supported by product rollouts in Russia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and Southeast Asia regions.

Post the deal, Motilal Oswalreiterated a ‘Buy’ rating on Glenmark with a target price of Rs 2,430. The brokerage expects that the partnership with AbbVie will drive earnings for Glenmark in domestic and international markets. Over the past two years, Glenmark has strengthened its portfolio in the higher-margin oncology portfolio, which is supporting sales growth. The brokerage projects net profit to grow at a CAGR of 20% over FY26-27.

Trendlyne's analysts identify stocks that are seeing interesting price movements, analyst calls, or new developments. These are not buy recommendations