Prashant Nair

HDFC Securities CEO Dhiraj Relli said midcap and smallcap stocks have faced sharp selling pressure, with retail investors and HNIs driving much of the activity.

Strong order inflows and healthy near-term prospects are supporting power and industrial companies, but valuations remain a concern for Mirae Asset Mutual Fund. Senior fund manager Ankit Jain flags potential delays in global AI investments and capital expenditure, while a sharp market correction could create fresh investment opportunities.

Ankit Agarwal, Managing Director of Sterlite Technologies Ltd, said the company is focused on strengthening its product portfolio across the data centre and telecom segments, with North America driving a significant share of its growth. He added that the company is well positioned and confident of achieving its FY29 targets.

BlackRock remains structurally overweight on India and expects foreign investor flows to return after the US midterm elections as geopolitical uncertainty eases. The asset manager believes India's growing household participation in financial markets will become a key source of capital to finance long-term economic growth.

IIFL’s Renu Baid Pugalia expects ABB India’s order inflows to grow 35% year on year, supported by improving regional demand, with the potential for an upside surprise.

IndusInd Bank CEO Rajiv Anand says the lender plans to grow its microfinance business while calibrating lending based on evolving rural conditions.

IndusInd Bank CEO Rajiv Anand expects vehicle financing growth to remain strong, while the lender recalibrates its two-wheeler business amid credit risk concerns and remains cautious on microfinance.

Pension funds are gaining prominence in India's equity markets, with purchases of large-cap stocks surpassing those by mutual funds over the past 12 months, according to Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC's Harish Krishnan. However, limited allocation headroom in dynamic asset allocation funds and uncertainty over crude oil prices and West Asia could weigh on the near-term outlook.

Neeraj Seth, Founder and CIO of 3R Investment Management discusses US Treasury yields, election risks, crude oil prices and the outlook for AI investment and Indian markets.

Vivek Vikram Singh, Managing Director and Group CEO of Sona Comstar, said the company is maintaining its 23–25% margin guidance, subject to stable external conditions, while geopolitical risks and commodity prices remain key factors.