Market Bizzz

Wall Street faced drama with headlines on tariffs, inflation, and the Federal Reserve, yet markets remained resilient. Despite initial swings, stocks closed near all-time highs, and Treasury yields rallied. Investors are adapting to avoid past mistakes, focusing on Trump’s tariff decisions and economic data. This dynamic reflects strong buying power and cautious optimism in the market.

Yields across government bonds slipped for a second straight day after data showed U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in January, dropping 0.9% last month after an upwardly revised 0.7% increase in December.

The Reserve Bank of India fined Shriram Finance, Nainital Bank, and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank for not adhering to regulatory guidelines. Nainital Bank was fined Rs 61.40 lakh for issues with interest rates and customer service, Ujjivan received a Rs 6.70 lakh fine for not issuing loan agreements, and Shriram Finance was penalized Rs 5.

In 2025, despite market challenges, 13 stocks in the Nifty 500 index outperformed gold, which saw an 11% return. Key performers included SRF, Navin Fluorine International, and Bajaj Finance, among others. The market faced pressure from FII sell-offs and domestic factors like GDP projections and rupee depreciation. Gold’s rise was driven by geopolitical tensions and central bank buying.

JM Financial has issued a buy call for Devyani International, setting a revised target price of Rs 195. While KFC and Pizza Hut’s performance was suboptimal, better margins in international and Costa Coffee segments aided growth. The management aims to drive Same Store Sales Growth and marketing cost reduction. Promoters hold 62.72% stake, FIIs 11.17%.

Manappuram Finance’s Q3FY25 results show a 13.7% YoY increase in net interest income (NII) to Rs 1,161 crore and a 5.8% YoY rise in PAT to Rs 453 crore. The company declared an interim dividend of Re 1, with a record date of February 21. The gold loan segment saw strong growth, while microfinance revenue declined.

Readymix Construction’s shares are set to debut on the NSE SME platform. The company offered its IPO shares at Rs 123 each, with a modest 4 times subscription led by institutional investors. Readymix provides engineering solutions and aims for cost-saving through in-house development of machine components.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell advised caution regarding the latest Consumer Price Index data, citing it as substantially higher than expected. Powell emphasized the need to consider long-term trends over single data points and highlighted the importance of the Producer Price Index and Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) for a more accurate inflation measure.

Rajat Sharma, CEO of Sana Securities, believes that the Indian market is currently oversold despite improved earnings. He cites strong financial performance in sectors like healthcare and technology, with only metals and materials showing weakness. Sharma is optimistic about consumption stocks and advises cautious investment, highlighting opportunities in companies like Asian Paints and Hindustan Unilever.