Nifty fell over 5% weekly amid Iran-Israel/US tensions, with Bank Nifty and Auto leading declines. Sudeep Shah highlights key support-resistance levels, sector rotation strategies, and defensive plays in FMCG, Pharma, and CPSEs to navigate high volatility. Investors are advised to avoid bottom-fishing and wait for stabilisation signals.
Indian housing sales saw a slight dip in units last year but a significant rise in value. Demand for homes above Rs 1 crore drove this growth. Tier-2 cities are becoming key growth areas. Improved connectivity and job opportunities are boosting housing markets. Metro cities continue to lead, but smaller cities are gaining importance.
Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey reassured investors that market volatility, fueled by geopolitical tensions like the Iran-Israel/US conflict, is temporary. He emphasized that the true test of financial markets lies in their ability to function smoothly, fairly, and efficiently despite uncertainty, drawing parallels to past disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Mutual funds reduced exposure to IT stocks in February, with the sectors weight in portfolios falling to an eight-year low of 6.9%, according to a Motilal Oswal report. The decline follows a sharp fall in tech stock values, even as some fund houses selectively increased holdings in key companies like Infosys and TCS.
Smallcap stocks have corrected sharply but are still not cheap, says Sonam Srivastava of Wright Research, urging investors to stay selective. She highlights opportunities in private banks, pharma, and capital goods while recommending staggered deployment of cash and balanced allocation across equities, gold, silver, and debt amid volatile markets.
Sadanand Date, a 2007-batch IPS officer, has taken charge as Executive Director at Sebi, heading the investigations department. Previously, Date served in key roles at the CBI, including Superintendent of Police in various branches. He also held significant positions within the Uttarakhand Police before his appointment at the market regulator.
