The Indian stock market is poised for a flat to negative opening on Monday. Ongoing geopolitical tensions and mixed global signals are weighing on investor sentiment. Asian markets mostly traded lower earlier today. The US stock market ended flat on Friday after former President Trump commented on economic appointments.
Market Outlook and Early Indicators
Early trends from Gift Nifty pointed towards a negative start. It was trading down by 143 points or 0.57% at 25,598. Analysts expect Indian equity markets to open with a mild positive bias. This support comes from continued strength in IT stocks. Infosys' upgraded earnings guidance is boosting the sector. The banking sector also shows steady resilience.
However, upside potential remains limited. Persistent FII outflows are a key concern. Global tariff uncertainties add to the pressure. Geopolitical worries keep overall risk appetite cautious. Volatility is likely to stay elevated. Third-quarter earnings announcements coincide with global macro and geopolitical headlines.
Steady DII inflows could cushion any declines. But the near-term direction will remain highly sensitive to FII flows and external cues. Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, shared these insights.
Previous Session Recap
On Friday, benchmark equity indices ended their two-session losing streak. The Sensex and Nifty 50 closed higher on January 16. Gains in IT majors like Infosys, TCS, and Tech Mahindra led the recovery.
The Sensex finished 188 points, or 0.23%, higher at 83,570.35. The Nifty 50 closed at 25,694.35, up 29 points, or 0.11%.
Stocks to Watch Today
Against this backdrop, several stocks may attract investor interest and are likely to move today.
Companies Declaring Q3 Results
Shares of Bharat Heavy Electricals, Tata Capital, Hindustan Zinc, and Indian Railway Finance Corporation will remain in focus. These companies will declare their third-quarter results today.
Key Earnings Announcements
Reliance Industries: RIL reported a Q3 net profit of ₹18,645 crore. Its Digital Services and Oil-to-Chemicals businesses drove this performance. Revenue climbed to ₹2.65 lakh crore. EBITDA stood at ₹46,018 crore.
HDFC Bank: HDFC Bank posted a net profit of ₹18,653 crore for Q3. Net interest income increased 6.4% year-on-year to ₹32,615 crore. Asset quality stayed steady. Gross NPAs stood at 1.24%, while net NPAs were at 0.42%.
ICICI Bank: India’s second-largest private sector lender posted a 4% decline in standalone net profit for the December quarter. Profit came in at ₹11,318 crore compared with ₹11,792 crore in the same period last year.
Tata Technologies: Tata Technologies saw its bottom line almost vanish in the third quarter. Consolidated net profit plunged 96% year-on-year to ₹6.6 crore. This compares with around ₹169 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.
Wipro: The IT services firm posted a 7% year-on-year drop in consolidated net profit. Profit stood at ₹3,119 crore for the third quarter.
RBL Bank: The private sector lender posted a sharp 555% jump in net profit to ₹214 crore for Q3 of FY26. This compares with ₹33 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.
Tech Mahindra: Tech Mahindra reported a Q3 net profit of ₹1,122 crore. Revenue increased 2.8% quarter-on-quarter to ₹14,393 crore. EBIT climbed 11.3% to ₹1,891.6 crore. Margins expanded to 13.1%.
Other Notable Developments
Maruti Suzuki: Maruti Suzuki India plans to invest ₹35,000 crore. It will set up a new manufacturing facility at Khoraj in Gujarat. The targeted annual production capacity is 10 lakh vehicles.
CG Power and Industrial Solutions: The company has won a ₹900 crore contract. It will supply power transformers to Tallgrass Integrated Logistics Solutions LLC in the US. This is for a major data centre project.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. Please consult with an investment advisor before making any investment decisions.
