IPL Portfolio: Make consumer stocks your top-order in dream 11 team, says smallcase manager Robin Arya

Time of India

03-05-2025

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Edited excerpts from a chat on investing in IPL-style.
How should investors handle the unpredictable and fast-paced bowling by Trump?
While aggressive batsmen rule T20s, grounded all-rounders bring balance. Which defensive stocks bring stability amid volatility?
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Which industries—tech, FMCG, bank, or EV—are leaving a huge mark like the most runaway IPL teams?
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If markets were a T20 match, where are we in the innings currently – early overs, slog overs, or a mid-innings slowdown?
Which sector (franchise) will be the biggest winner (wealth creator) this year?
If you were to construct a Dream 11 portfolio today, which stocks or sectors would find a place in your team?
A solid Dream 11 portfolio today needs the right balance of big hitters, reliable anchors, and all-rounders with consumer-facing sectors leading the top order, says Robin Arya smallcase Manager and Founder, GoalFi.Trump's decisions can shake global markets overnight—just like a surprise yorker in cricket. But as investors, we don't need to predict every ball. At GoalFi, we believe in staying prepared, not panicking. My advice: keep a solid base with steady sectors like FMCG , healthcare, and consumer goods that don't get affected easily. At the same time, have some exposure to fast-moving themes like banks and Indian manufacturing. Using GoalFi's real-time research, we track these moves closely and rebalance when needed. This way, you're not reacting to every headline—you're playing with a clear strategy. In today's markets, discipline beats drama.In markets, like in T20 cricket, you need dependable all-rounders—those who don't always hit sixes but hold the innings together. At GoalFi, we see sectors like FMCG, healthcare, and large NBFCs as the true stabilisers. These sectors are backed by steady demand, predictable earnings, and strong fundamentals. Even in choppy markets, they stay calm under pressure. Financials—especially select NBFCs—may not always be flashy, but their strong risk controls and retail lending strength make them reliable over the long term. For us, these are the middle-order players in a portfolio—balancing risk, offering stability, and setting up the innings for big finishers to come in later.In every IPL season, a few teams dominate with clarity, consistency, and confidence. In the market right now, that role is being played by financials and consumer sectors. At GoalFi, we see private banks and NBFCs leading from the front—strong credit growth, improving asset quality, and solid demand from Bharat. Alongside, FMCG continues to deliver—urban premiumisation and rural recovery are both picking up pace. On the other hand, tech and EV-related plays are seeing mixed signals due to global uncertainty and delayed capex cycles. So while the buzz is often around the flashy themes, the real scoreboard impact is coming from sectors with deep economic linkages. In our view, that's where the smart, sustainable alpha is being built.Right now, we're in the middle overs—that phase where momentum builds quietly, and smart rotation matters more than big hits. At GoalFi, we're seeing selective optimism: macro data is steady, earnings are stabilising, and domestic demand is holding strong. But global uncertainty still keeps the big shots in check. This is not the time to swing blindly—it's the time for smart sector rotation, tight risk control, and disciplined investing. Just like a good middle-order batter, you build a base now so that when the slog overs come—maybe later this year—you're well-positioned to accelerate. That's the mindset we bring to portfolio strategy today.If we had to pick one franchise to back for the rest of the season, it would be financials—especially NBFCs and private banks. This space is benefiting from strong credit demand, clean balance sheets, and digital transformation at scale. At GoalFi, we're also closely watching India's manufacturing and capital goods revival—a multi-year structural story gaining pace with government capex, PLI schemes, and supply chain shifts. These aren't just short-term trades—they're long innings with compounding potential. We believe sectors that serve Bharat, enable consumption, and build physical infrastructure are where the real wealth creation will happen. And we're positioning for it.A solid Dream 11 portfolio today needs the right balance of big hitters, reliable anchors, and all-rounders—just like your favourite IPL squad. At GoalFi, we'd load up with financials (both private banks and NBFCs) as our core—playing the anchor role with strong credit growth and economic linkage. Our top-order would include consumer-facing sectors—FMCG, discretionary, and retail—which are showing signs of a demand revival. For mid-overs acceleration, manufacturing and capital goods bring structural momentum. And in the slog overs, we'd keep a tactical eye on select digital and tourism themes—they may not fire every match, but can deliver match-winning returns when conditions are right. That's how we build—not just a portfolio, but a team built to play across all formats of the market.