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Stock Market LIVE: GIFT Nifty flat; Asian mixed; Axis Bank, Wipro Q1 eyed
7:14 AM
Stock Market LIVE Updates: Corporate margins, earnings soar as mkt concentration rises across sectors
Stock Market LIVE Updates: Corporate India has exhibited strong pricing power in recent years, resulting in a steady rise in profit margins across many sectors despite fluctuations in raw material and energy prices, and a persistent slowdown in revenue growth. The margin expansion has been most pronounced in the post-pandemic period.
This improvement in corporate margins has coincided with a steady rise in market concentration in key domestic sectors, as larger players have captured greater market share, either through mergers and acquisitions or through organic growth. READ MORE
7:11 AM
Stock Market LIVE Updates: SBI eyes ₹25,000 crore via record QIP, sets floor at 2.5% discount
Stock Market LIVE Updates: State Bank of India (SBI), the largest lender in the country, has launched a share sale to institutional investors to raise upto ₹25,000 crore, the biggest qualified institutional placement (QIP) so far by an Indian firm, and has set a floor price of ₹811.05, which is at a 2.5 per cent discount on Wednesday's closing price.
Separately, the bank's board approved another ₹20,000 crore fund raise by issuing bonds.
Life Insurance Corporation, Singapore's GIC, Capital International, and ICICI Prudential AMC are some of the investors in the share sale, investment-banking sources said.
This is the first QIP by the banking major since 2017, when it had raked in ₹15,000 crore. READ MORE
7:07 AM
Stock Market LIVE Updates: Gold prices can rise up to 15% by December-end in bull-case scenario: WGC
Stock Market LIVE Updates: Gold prices can rise up to 15 per cent in a bull-case scenario from the current levels, reaching $3,839 an ounce levels by December 2025-end, translating into an annual return 40 per cent, suggests a recent note by the World Gold Council (WGC).
'Should economic and financial conditions deteriorate, exacerbating stagflationary pressures and geoeconomic tensions, safe haven demand could significantly increase pushing gold 10 per cent – 15 per cent higher from here,' WGC said.
In their base case scenario, WGC expects gold to remain range-bound in the second half of calendar year 2025 (H2-CY25), closing roughly 0 per cent–5 per cent higher than current levels, equivalent to a 25 per cent – 30 per cent annual return. The second half of the year, it believes, will keep investors on edge on account of geoeconomic uncertainty. READ MORE
7:05 AM
Stock Market LIVE Updates: Donald Trump signals over 10% tariffs in India-US trade deal framework
Stock Market LIVE Updates: United States (US) President Donald Trump has said that a trade deal with India would be on the 'same line' as that with Indonesia, which will face a 19 per cent tariff – thus suggesting that India, too, may have to brace for tariffs exceeding the 10 per cent threshold under the proposed interim agreement.
'We have another deal coming up, maybe with India,' Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. 'We have some pretty good deals to announce.'
Earlier on Tuesday, providing contours of the deal with Indonesia, Trump said the bilateral trade pact with Jakarta would result in tariff- and non-tariff-barrier-free access for American goods to the Indonesian market. In exchange, Indonesia will face a 19 per cent tariff on its exports to the US, down from the 32 per cent initially proposed last week. READ MORE
7:04 AM
Stock Market LIVE Updates: Bernstein expects markets to consolidate; sees Nifty at 26,500 by 2025-end
Stock Market LIVE Updates: After a sharp run from April lows that saw the Nifty 50 index rise nearly 13 per cent till date, analysts at Bernstein expect the markets to undergo a consolidation phase amid mixed macro-economic signals.
They maintain a calendar year-end target of 26,500 for the Nifty 50, which is a modest 5.1 per cent higher from the current levels.
'It will not be heading directly to that level - we expect a bit of consolidation before the next move. From a sector perspective, we shift some weights from utilities to staples - moving into a tactical overweight for a short period,' wrote Venugopal Garre, managing director and India head of research at Bernstein in a coauthored note with Nikhil Arela.
7:00 AM
Stock Market LIVE Updates: US markets settle mixed on Wednesday
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Mint
7 minutes ago
- Mint
Festivals are around the corner, and there's a scramble for temp staff
An early onset of festivals, unsold stocks from a short summer, and some extra cash in shoppers' pockets - A set of factors have conspired to trigger a robust hiring season of temporary workers, just before the year's bumper shopping season. Consumer, e-commerce, and logistics firms are putting together a platoon of temporary and last-mile delivery workforce, hoping to meet the surge in demand in the upcoming season of festivals. A short summer that led to an inventory pile-up in the season-special white goods, an early onset of the festival season, wider access to online shopping, and the assumption that consumers will have a little more cash in hand due to tax savings are all leading to a 20% year-on-year rise in temporary workforce hiring. 'As we approach the festive season—typically commencing early September—we proactively scale up hiring across our supply chain network to meet the anticipated surge in demand," said Aakriti Chandra, vice-president (human resources) at e-commerce firm Flipkart. The senior executive said the firm will hire for 'seasonal roles" in their fulfillment centres, sortation hubs, and delivery facilities, which will especially impact employment in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Like last year, Flipkart will lock horns with rival Amazon this season too. Both had targeted hiring more than 100,000 workers during the festive season that typically marks their largest sale period. In India, the festive season starts with Ganesh Chaturthi that was celebrated in September last year, but starts in the last week of August this time. The period, which includes the peak festive sale time Diwali, dials down towards the end of December. Sujay Pidara, founder of MyJobee, a blue-collar recruitment platform, said that firms' interest in roles such as warehouse staff and delivery partners is up 80%, compared with the April-June quarter this year. 'Quick commerce platforms are able to provide better pay and flexibility to workers, as they try to capture the market. But as cash burn increases, they may look at reducing labour costs or increasing customer pricing," Pidara said. In recruitment parlance, temporary workers will be hired by a third-party vendor and deployed on client sites for three to six months. Gig workers, on the other hand, could be employed by multiple companies, and are typically in the delivery space. 'After a slower growth phase in 2024, India's e-commerce sector is set for a stronger festive season in 2025, with order volumes expected to grow in the high teens year-on-year," said Irwin Anand, chief executive officer (CEO) at Nimbuspost, a warehouse and last-mile delivery service provider. 'This surge is driven by renewed consumer demand, rising traction in high-value categories, and increased participation from Tier-2 and -3 cities." Anand sees its courier partners also scaling up operations and hiring seasonal workforce to ensure seamless deliveries during the festival season rush. Early celebrations pan-India According to recruiters, an additional runway of a few weeks for festivals this year will also increase sales and, therefore, hiring. 'We estimate a 20% increase in hiring versus last year. There are over two lakh open requirements in the market," said Sunil C., country manager for staffing firm Adecco India. Over the years, one of the major boosts to hiring during the festival season has come from e-commerce firms. They have progressively bulked up hiring of temporary workforce, as online shopping becomes more prevalent in India. Nearly all pin codes in India are now serviceable by at least one major e-commerce retailer, with Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions driving volumes, according to a 2023 study by ISB Institute of Data Science and Ecom Express. Weather dampener Weather also has a role to play in the plan for online retail push this season. The summer was brief this year, with spells of unseasonal rains hurting the demand for summer demand goods such as air-conditioners and refrigerators and leading to an inventory pile-up. Industry executives say India's overall air-conditioner sales in April-May fell 10–15% year-on-year, reversing the early-season optimism that was driven by forecasts of a harsh summer. Companies are now pinning their hopes on the festive season in the second half of the year to liquidate their excess inventory. Retail chains that sell large cooling appliances expect to liquidate air-conditioner stocks over the coming 2-3 months, or by October. Fatter wallets Balasubramanian A, senior vice president (SVP) and business head at TeamLease Services estimates a 15% uptick in hiring this season from a year ago. 'Discretionary sales will go up and that will add to sales. We also expect customers to spend more after the tax rebates that were announced during the Budget," noted the SVP. Earlier in the year, the government announced relief on personal income tax for those with an annual income of up to ₹12 lakh. The move is set to put additional money in the hands of consumers, potentially boosting consumption. The festival season is widely considered auspicious for big ticket purchases in India. Although temporary and gig hiring may see an uptick, permanent recruitment will remain muted. 'We are preparing for a 15-20% rise in the mandate in the temporary workforce versus last year," said Aditya Narayan Mishra, managing director of CIEL HR Service, adding that the hiring of permanent staff would be flat from the year ago level.
Mint
7 minutes ago
- Mint
Stocks to trade today: Trade Brains Portal recommends two stocks for 22 July
Strong gains in banking heavyweights such as HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank helped Indian market benchmarks rebound on Monday, 21 July, snapping a two-day losing streak amid mixed global cues. The Sensex climbed 443 points, or 0.54%, to close at 82,200.34, while the Nifty 50 rose 122 points, or 0.49%, to settle at 25,090.70. The BSE Midcap index advanced 0.55%, broadly in line with the benchmarks, while the BSE Smallcap index ended flat. Against this backdrop, Trade Brains Portal has picked two stocks—one from the railway sector and another from the FMCG sector. Stocks to trade today, recommended by Trade Brains Portal for 21 July: Current price: ₹378.60 Target price: ₹480 in 16 - 24 Months Stop-loss: ₹325 Why it is recommended: RVNL was founded in 2003 to revolutionize the railway landscape in India with a focus on project implementation and the development of transportation infrastructure, such as railway lines, electrification, bridges, and more. The Department of Public Sector Enterprises (PSE) had awarded the company the title of Navratna, which denotes a large, profitable, and strategically significant PSU. To carry out projects in their respective regions, RVNL has 30 project implementation units spread across 25 locations in India. Additionally, two project units have been formed outside of India: one in Dubai and one in the Maldives. In FY25, the company's revenue was ₹19,923 crore, down 8.9% on year from ₹21,878.5 crore. Net profit fell 17.3%, from ₹1,550.87 crore to ₹1,281.5 crore. This decline was due to a delay in funding by the Ministry of Railways. They anticipate higher margins in FY26, and the turnover would be the same as the FY25 projection of ₹21,000 crore. As the company expands into new areas, such as metro maintenance, small-scale manufacturing, and international projects, the margins are expected to improve. The company is actively diversifying into long-term revenue visibility outside of the fiercely competitive EPC market. Utilizing the increasing number of metro projects around India, key priority areas are railway infrastructure and metro system operation and maintenance (O&M). Furthermore, the company has one of the key joint ventures in the development of Vande Bharat, which will begin production in June FY26, and the company anticipates positive cash inflows starting the following year. On the order book part, the company anticipates that Bharat Net orders will rise from the present order of ₹14,000 crore to ₹17,000 to ₹18,000 crore in FY26, a 20% to 25% increase. The company currently has a ₹1 lakh crore order book, of which ₹45,000 crore comes from Indian Railways and around ₹55,000 crore comes from projects that were put out to bid. Risk factors: Since RVNL is not designated as a Zonal Railway, it does not have the authority to approve plans, drawings, and other materials. As a result, delays in obtaining approval from Zonal Railways for plans, traffic blockages, etc., could affect RVNL's project development. Additionally, delays may occur due to modifications made to the Railways' approved plans during project execution. Current price: ₹ 489 Target price: ₹ 630 in 12 Months Stop-loss: ₹ 406 Why it's recommended: VBL's revenue from operations grew by 28.9% YoY to ₹5,566.9 crore in Q1 CY2025 from ₹4,317.3 crore in Q1 CY2024. Their sales volume also increased by 30.1% to reach 312.4 million cases, driven by strong organic volume growth of 15.5% in India and inorganic volume contributions from South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. VBL's EBITDA increased by 27.8% in Q1 CY 2025 to Rs. 1,263.96 crore. PAT increased by 33.5% to Rs. 731.4 crore in Q1 CY2025, driven by robust volume growth and lower finance costs. (Note: The company follows a January-December calendar year format.). The company has commissioned new production facilities at Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) and Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) and also set up backward integration facilities at the Prayagraj plant, as well as at the DRC plant in the international region. Acquired BevCo along with its wholly owned subsidiaries and SBC Beverages Ghana Limited (SBCG) in West Africa. VBL has recently entered into binding agreements to acquire a 100% stake in Tanzania and Ghana, further enhancing its African market presence. The company has also secured exclusive snacks franchising rights for PepsiCo's brands in Morocco, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, set to commence by October 2025. VBL successfully raised ₹7,500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) for strategic acquisitions and expansions. Currently, the company's net debt stands at ₹6,000 crore, with plans to utilize the proceeds for debt reduction for is adding about 10-12% additional outlets (400,000-500,000 outlets) every year, bolstering its growth. The company owns 130+ depots, 2800+ primary distributors, and 10,000+ vehicles, and also has franchise rights in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. VBL is the world's second-largest PepsiCo franchisee with a market share of 72% in the carbonated segment, holding exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute PepsiCo's carbonated and non-carbonated beverages across 27 Indian states and 7 union territories. The company has 50 state-of-the-art production facilities, 38 in India & 12 international territories. Risk factors: Consistent growth in revenue and sales volumes may be affected due to fluctuations in seasonal sales that might pose a risk to the company's overall financial performance throughout the year. Further, regulations like plastic bottle bans, high sugar taxes, and FDI restrictions pose risks for Varun Beverages. Market Recap | 21 July Indian equities rebounded on Monday, led by strong gains in banking stocks after robust quarterly earnings from private sector lenders. The Nifty 50 opened at 24,999, up 31 points from Friday's close of 24,968, and steadily climbed through the day to hit an intraday high of 25,111. On the daily chart, the index traded below the 20-day EMA but held above the 50-, 100-, and 200-day EMAs. Its Relative Strength Index (RSI) stood at 47.63—well below the overbought threshold of 70. The BSE Sensex mirrored the Nifty's strength, opening at 81,918—up 160 points from the previous close of 81,758. Gains in HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, both rising around 2.8% after posting better-than-expected earnings, helped drive market sentiment. The Bank Nifty surged 669.75 points, or 1.2%, to close at 56,952.75. Most sectoral indices ended higher. The Nifty Finance Index led the rally, closing at 26,990, up 434.75 points or 1.64%, boosted by financial names such as: ICICI Bank (+2.8%) HDFC Bank (+2.2%) ICICI Lombard General Insurance (+2.0%) The Nifty Private Bank Index also ended strong, climbing 354.45 points, or 1.3%, to 27,888. The Nifty Services Index gained 368.10 points, or 1.1%, to settle at 33,129. Among individual stocks, InfoEdge, ICICI Bank, and Eternal rose up to 4%. On the downside, the Nifty Oil & Gas Index fell 128.80 points, or 1.09%, to close at 11,643. Reliance Industries dropped 3.14%, dragging the index lower along with Gujarat State Petronet and Gujarat Gas. The decline followed the European Union's decision to lower the price cap on Russian oil and tighten sanctions on the shadow fleet transporting it. The Nifty PSU Bank Index also underperformed, shedding 41.35 points, or 0.58%, to end at 7,121.15. Asian markets were broadly positive on Monday: Hang Seng (Hong Kong): +168.48 pts (0.67%) to 24,994.14; Kospi (South Korea): +22.74 pts (0.71%) to 3,210.81; Shanghai Composite: +25.31 pts (0.71%) to 3,559.79 As of 0440pm (India time), Dow Jones Futures were up 87.9 points, or 0.2%, trading at 44,430.09 on the US exchange. Trade Brains Portal is a stock analysis platform. Its trade name is Dailyraven Technologies Pvt. Ltd, and its Sebi-registered research analyst registration number is INH000015729. Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Mint
7 minutes ago
- Mint
Recommended stocks to buy today, 22 July, by India's leading market experts
On Monday, India's benchmark indices staged a strong turnaround after an early slip. The Sensex rebounded from a morning low of 81,609 to finish about 378 points (0.46%) higher at 82,136 points, while the Nifty clawed back from 24,900 to trade near 25,066 (up 0.39%) by late morning. Here are the best stock picks for today, 22 July, as recommended by leading market experts. Three stocks to buy today, recommended by NeoTrader's Raja Venkatraman SCHAEFFLER: Buy CMP and dips to ₹4,190 | Stop: ₹4,160 | Target: ₹4,625-4,775 UTIAMC: Buy CMP and dips to 1431 stop 1405 target 1580-1640 APTUS : Buy CMP and dips to ₹340 | Stop: ₹335 | Target: ₹385-398 Top 3 stocks to buy, recommended by Ankush Bajaj for 22 July Adding to the bullish case, the stock has broken out of a triangle pattern on lower timeframes, projecting an upside target of ₹940+. This technical breakout, combined with strong momentum indicators, suggests continuation of the current rally. This technical breakout aligns with strengthening momentum indicators, suggesting that the stock is gearing up for a fresh leg of upside. The structure looks poised for continuation, especially if broader sentiment remains stable. This breakout from a flag formation confirms the resumption of the prior uptrend. With momentum and price action aligned, the stock appears well-positioned for further upside. Stocks to trade today, recommended by Trade Brains Portal for 21 July Current price: ₹378.60 Target price: ₹480 in 16 - 24 Months Stop-loss: ₹325 Why it is recommended: RVNL was founded in 2003 to revolutionize the railway landscape in India with a focus on project implementation and the development of transportation infrastructure, such as railway lines, electrification, bridges, and more. The Department of Public Sector Enterprises (PSE) had awarded the company the title of Navratna, which denotes a large, profitable, and strategically significant PSU. To carry out projects in their respective regions, RVNL has 30 project implementation units spread across 25 locations in India. Additionally, two project units have been formed outside of India: one in Dubai and one in the Maldives. In FY25, the company's revenue was ₹19,923 crore, down 8.9% on year from ₹21,878.5 crore. Net profit fell 17.3%, from ₹1,550.87 crore to ₹1,281.5 crore. This decline was due to a delay in funding by the Ministry of Railways. They anticipate higher margins in FY26, and the turnover would be the same as the FY25 projection of ₹21,000 crore. As the company expands into new areas, such as metro maintenance, small-scale manufacturing, and international projects, the margins are expected to improve. The company is actively diversifying into long-term revenue visibility outside of the fiercely competitive EPC market. Utilizing the increasing number of metro projects around India, key priority areas are railway infrastructure and metro system operation and maintenance (O&M). Furthermore, the company has one of the key joint ventures in the development of Vande Bharat, which will begin production in June FY26, and the company anticipates positive cash inflows starting the following year. On the order book part, the company anticipates that Bharat Net orders will rise from the present order of ₹14,000 crore to ₹17,000 to ₹18,000 crore in FY26, a 20% to 25% increase. The company currently has a ₹1 lakh crore order book, of which ₹45,000 crore comes from Indian Railways and around ₹55,000 crore comes from projects that were put out to bid. Risk factors: Since RVNL is not designated as a Zonal Railway, it does not have the authority to approve plans, drawings, and other materials. As a result, delays in obtaining approval from Zonal Railways for plans, traffic blockages, etc., could affect RVNL's project development. Additionally, delays may occur due to modifications made to the Railways' approved plans during project execution. Current price: ₹ 489 Target price: ₹ 630 in 12 Months Stop-loss: ₹ 406 Why it's recommended: VBL's revenue from operations grew by 28.9% YoY to ₹5,566.9 crore in Q1 CY2025 from ₹4,317.3 crore in Q1 CY2024. Their sales volume also increased by 30.1% to reach 312.4 million cases, driven by strong organic volume growth of 15.5% in India and inorganic volume contributions from South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. VBL's EBITDA increased by 27.8% in Q1 CY 2025 to Rs. 1,263.96 crore. PAT increased by 33.5% to Rs. 731.4 crore in Q1 CY2025, driven by robust volume growth and lower finance costs. (Note: The company follows a January-December calendar year format.). The company has commissioned new production facilities at Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) and Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) and also set up backward integration facilities at the Prayagraj plant, as well as at the DRC plant in the international region. Acquired BevCo along with its wholly owned subsidiaries and SBC Beverages Ghana Limited (SBCG) in West Africa. VBL has recently entered into binding agreements to acquire a 100% stake in Tanzania and Ghana, further enhancing its African market presence. The company has also secured exclusive snacks franchising rights for PepsiCo's brands in Morocco, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, set to commence by October 2025. VBL successfully raised ₹7,500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) for strategic acquisitions and expansions. Currently, the company's net debt stands at ₹6,000 crore, with plans to utilize the proceeds for debt reduction for is adding about 10-12% additional outlets (400,000-500,000 outlets) every year, bolstering its growth. The company owns 130+ depots, 2800+ primary distributors, and 10,000+ vehicles, and also has franchise rights in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. VBL is the world's second-largest PepsiCo franchisee with a market share of 72% in the carbonated segment, holding exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute PepsiCo's carbonated and non-carbonated beverages across 27 Indian states and 7 union territories. The company has 50 state-of-the-art production facilities, 38 in India & 12 international territories. Risk factors: Consistent growth in revenue and sales volumes may be affected due to fluctuations in seasonal sales that might pose a risk to the company's overall financial performance throughout the year. Further, regulations like plastic bottle bans, high sugar taxes, and FDI restrictions pose risks for Varun Beverages. Two stock recommendations for today by MarketSmith India Trade Brains Portal is a stock analysis platform. Its trade name is Dailyraven Technologies Pvt. Ltd, and its Sebi-registered research analyst registration number is INH000015729. Ankush Bajaj is a Sebi-registered research analyst. His registration number is INH000010441. Raja Venkatraman is the co-founder of NeoTrader. His Sebi-registered research analyst registration no. is INH000016223. MarketSmith India is a stock research platform and advisory service focused on the Indian stock market. Its trade name is William O'Neil India Pvt. Ltd, and its Sebi registration number is INH000015543. Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
