Equity Alert
Bosch falls 5% to one-month low; higher expenses hit Q4 PAT
This story was originally published at 12:10 IST on 21 May 2026
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Equity Alert: Bosch falls 5% to one-month low; higher expenses hit Q4 PAT
MUMBAI--1133 IST--Shares of Bosch fell 5% to a one-month low of INR 34,965. The company after the market closed Wednesday detailed its March quarter earnings. The automotive company's net profit for the reporting quarter took a hit from higher expenses, particularly from an increase in cost of materials.
Bosch reported a nearly 3% on-year growth in its net profit to INR 5.69 billion. The revenue of the company grew over 13% on year to INR 55.66 billion. Total expenses rose over 12% to INR 49.13 billion. Of this, the cost of raw materials rose nearly 29% on year to INR 13.52 billion, which weighed on the bottom line. Moreover, the management of the company in a post-earnings conference call said that their growth outlook is careful and cautious due to the West Asia war.
At 1130 IST, shares of Bosch traded over 4% lower at INR 35,210. Over 63,000 shares of the company changed hands on the NSE, which is nearly five times higher than the number of shares traded till the same time Wednesday. The stock was the second-worst hit in both the Nifty 200 and Nifty 500 indices. (Adhithya Aji)
Equity Alert: ITC up 1% ahead of Jan-Mar earnings; Q4 PAT seen flat YoY
MUMBAI--1055 IST--Shares of ITC rose almost 1% to the day's high of INR 310.15 ahead of the company's Jan-Mar results, due later in the day. The stock was up for the sixth time in the last seven sessions. The volume of the shares traded so far was slightly higher than that traded till the same time Wednesday.
ITC's net profit for the March quarter is expected to be flat on year at nearly INR 49 billion. The company's revenue, however, is expected to increase almost 6% on year to nearly INR 183 billion. On a sequential basis, the net profit is likely to decline 8.8% and revenue is expected to increase 1.4%.
At 1051 IST, shares of the company were 0.4% higher at INR 308.85 on the NSE. So far in the day, nearly 3 million shares of the company have changed hands on the exchange, slightly higher than the shares traded till the same time Wednesday.
Of the 14 brokerage recommendations available with Informist on the company, five have a 'buy' recommendation with an average target price of INR 377. Of the remaining nine, five have a 'hold' recommendation with an average target price of INR 355 and four have a 'sell' recommendation with an average target price of INR 328. (Arundathi A R)
Equity Alert: Indices remain higher, most Nifty 50 constituents up
MUMBAI--1040 IST--Headline indices remained higher in early trade, with less than 15 constituents of the Nifty 50 in the red. With crude oil prices hovering around $105 per barrel, the 50-stock index was supported by gains in diverse stocks. Among the few laggards in the index were shares of fast-moving consumer goods and select information technology companies.
At 1035 IST, the Nifty 50 was at 23770.70, up 0.5%, while the BSE Sensex was at 75563.29, up 0.3%. Among broader market indices, the Nifty mid-cap indices rose 0.3-0.6%, while the Nifty small-cap indices rose around 1% each. Shares of Grasim Industries hit a 52-week at INR 3,103.50. The stock was up over 6?ter the company announced its earnings for the March quarter Wednesday. Brokerage Nuvama Institutional Equities upgraded the recommendation on the stock to "buy" and increased its target price over 6% to INR 3.546. For the March quarter, the company narrowed its consolidated loss to INR 1.64 billion from INR 2.88 billion in the year-ago quarter. The company also reported its highest ever consolidated revenue at INR 118 billion.
Tech Mahindra was the worst hit stock in the 50-stock index, shedding 1%. Peers Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys were down 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Shares of FMCG companies were also among the laggards, with Nestle, Hindustan Unilever and Tata Consumer Products down 0.4-0.7%.
Most sectoral indices were up, with the Nifty Realty and Nifty Energy indices being the highest gainers, up nearly 1?ch. The Nifty IT index was the worst hit among sectoral peers, down 0.4%.
In the Nifty 200 index, energy stocks were among the highest gainers. Shares of Adani Total Gas and Siemens Energy India, up 7% and 5%, respectively, were among the top gainers. Shares of Samvardhana Motherson were up 4% and were also among the top gainers in the Nifty 200. The company beat the Street's view for its March quarter earnings. Jubilant Foodworks was the worst hit stock in both the Nifty 200 and Nifty 500 indices. The stock shed over 7?ter the company missed consensus estimates for its net profit and sales for the March quarter. (Shruti Nair)
Equity Alert: Max Healthcare rises to three-month high ahead of Q4 earnings
MUMBAI--1035 IST--Shares of Max Healthcare Institute rose over 3% to a near-three-month high of INR 1,111 ahead of its March quarter earnings announcement later in the day. The stock was up for the seventh successive session. It has risen over 9% in this period. The volume of shares traded rose almost 3 times over the same period in the previous session.
Max Healthcare is expected to report a rise of nearly 38% on year in net profit and revenue for the quarter, driven primarily by volume growth, led by bed additions and a ramping up of newly commissioned facilities. Its consolidated net profit is seen at INR 4.39 billion and revenue at INR 26.33 billion.
At 1034 IST, shares of Max Healthcare were up nearly 2% at INR 1,092.75 on the NSE. So far, over 1.3 million shares of the company have changed hands on the exchange, against over 472,000 shares till the same time Wednesday.
Of the seven brokerage reports on the company available with Informist, six have a "buy" recommendation with an average target price of INR 1,268 while just one has a "sell" call. (Arundathi A R)
Equity Alert: Grasim Ind up 5%; brokerages bullish on co post Q4 results
MUMBAI--1033 IST--Shares of Grasim Industries rose nearly 5% to an all-time high of INR 3,116.90 after the company detailed its March quarter earnings on Wednesday. Brokerages took a bullish stance on the stock due to its improved performance in the paints business. The company narrowed its March quarter net loss, and revenue was sharply above analysts' estimate. The management of Grasim Industries, in a post-earnings conference call, said it aims to be the second-largest decorative paints company in India at the earliest.
For the March quarter, Grasim Industries reported a consolidated net loss of INR 1.64 billion, against analysts' view of a net loss of INR 1.42 billion. The company incurred a one-time cost of INR 818.6 million. Excluding this one-time cost, the company's net loss would have been INR 817 million, better than the Street's expectations. The top line of the company grew nearly 32% on year to INR 117.74 billion, above the estimate of INR 106.16 billion.
Nuvama Institutional Equities has upgraded Grasim Industries to 'buy' from 'hold' due to its improving operating performance amid sustained market share gains in its paint business. The brokerage raised the target price over 6% to INR 3,546. However, it has cut the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation estimate for 2026-27 (Apr-Mar) by 7?ter considering the likely volatility in raw material prices due to the West Asia war, Nuvama said.
"While cost pressure remains a near-term headwind, it expects margin improvement through operating leverage, procurement efficiencies, and scale benefits," Motilal Oswal said. The brokerage has raised the company's FY27 earnings per estimate 2.6 times on account of high dividend income from UltraTech Cement. Motial Oswal maintained a 'buy' rating on the stock with a target price of INR 3,440.
At 1029 IST, shares of Grasim Industries traded nearly 5% higher at INR 3,107.80. Over 1 million shares of the company changed hands on the NSE, over five times the number of shares traded till the same time Wednesday. The stock was among the top gainers in the Nifty 50. (Adhithya Aji)
Equity Alert: Rail Vikas shares up 2% ahead of Jan-Mar earnings
MUMBAI--1005 IST--Shares of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. rose 2% ahead of the company's March quarter earnings, to be announced later in the day. Prabhudas Lilladher Pvt. Ltd. expects the company's net profit to rise over 9% on year and 54% sequentially to INR 4.08 billion for the March quarter.
Its revenue is seen rising around 5% on year and nearly 48% sequentially to INR 66.59 billion. Rail Vikas' earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation are projected at INR 4 billion for the quarter, according to Prabhudas Lilladher.
"Order inflow for Q4 is INR 37 bn (billion) and the company has achieved ~87% of its guidance of INR 85 bn," the brokerage said. It expects an EBITDA margin of 6% for the quarter, flat from the year-ago period.
At 1000 IST, shares of the company were over 1% higher at INR 272.95 on the NSE. Of the two brokerage reports on the company available with Informist, Prabhudas Lilladher has a 'sell' recommendation on the stock with a target price of INR 183 and IDBI Capital Market & Securities Ltd. has a 'hold' recommendation with a target price of INR 334. (Ashutosh Pati)
Equity Alert: Markets open up after Trump says talks with Iran in final stage
MUMBAI--0930 IST--The benchmark indices opened on a positive note after US President Donald Trump said Washington is in the final stage of talks to strike a deal with Iran to end the war in West Asia. After Trump's comments, the July futures contract of Brent Crude Oil eased to $105.8 per barrel. All Asian markets also opened higher. At 0931 IST, the Nifty 50 was at 23769.60 points, up 110.60 points or 0.5%. The BSE Sensex was at 75598.55 points, up 280.16 points or 0.4%.
Grasim Industries was the top gainer among Nifty 50 constituents, up over 3%. Brokerages took a positive stance on the company after its March quarter earnings Wednesday. Nuvama upgraded Grasim Industries to "buy" because of the company gaining market share in the paints business. InterGlobe Aviation, Bharat Electronics, and Asian Paints rose around 2?ch. Eicher Motors, Shriram Finance, Tata Steel, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles were up around 1?ch.
Trent was the underperformer in the index, down 0.6%. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, SBI Life Insurance Co., and Titan Co. were down marginally.
All the broader market and sectoral indices were up at the market opening. The Nifty Midcap and Nifty Smallcap indices were up around 1?ch. Nifty Realty and Nifty Auto were the best-performing sectoral indices, up around 1?ch.
Grasim Idustries was the top gainer among Nifty 200 constituents as well. Energy companies Siemens Energy India and Hitachi Energy India rose nearly 3%. Jubilant FoodWorks was the worst-hit stock in both the Nifty 200 and Nifty 500 indices, down over 6%. Wednesday, the company reported its first fall in bottom line in four quarters. Sammaan Capital was the top gainer in the Nifty 500, up nearly 9%, while Ola Electric fell over 3%. (Adhithya Aji)
Equity Alert: Indices in Asia rise on US-Iran peace deal hopes, tech rally
MUMBAI--0830 IST--Stock markets in Asia were up, mirroring the rise on Wall Street overnight. Indices in the region were buoyed by President Donald Trump saying the US was in the final stage of talks with Iran. Brent crude oil futures slipped almost 6% from Wednesday's high to around $105 per barrel.
"If I can save war by waiting a couple of days or I can save people being killed by waiting a couple of days, I think it's a great thing to do," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Day was up almost 4% and TOPIX was up 2%. Shares of heavyweight Softbank Group Corp. soared almost 20%, boosted by chip giant Nvidia Corp.'s stellar earnings for the quarter ended April. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI outperformed peers in the region and was up 6%, supported by its dominant constituent, Samsung Electronics Co. Shares of the electronics giant surged over 6%. The company struck a tentative deal with its union to avert a strike planned over May 21 and Jun. 7, The Wall Street Journal reported.
In macroeconomic news, Japan's exports rose 14.8% on year, driven by semiconductor machinery. Imports, meanwhile, grew 9.7% on year. The Asian country's trade balance in April narrowed to 301.9 billion yen (INR 188.3 billion) in April, from 643 billion yen in March.
The following were the levels of major Asian indices at 0832 IST:
| Index | Level | Change in % |
| CSI 300 Index | 4900.8934 | 1.03 |
| Hang Seng Index | 25639.90 | (-)0.04 |
| Nikkei 225 Day | 61945.34 | 3.58 |
| TOPIX FIRST SECTION | 3875.34 | 2.21 |
| KOSPI | 7739.05 | 7.35 |
| FTSE Singapore Strait Times | 5058.68 | 0.27 |
| S&P/ASX 200 Index | 8639.90 | 1.69 |
(Ruchira Kagita)
Equity Alert: To open higher on Trump's positive comments, oil at $105/bbl
MUMBAI--0820 IST--Benchmark stock indices are likely to extend gains Thursday and open higher after US President Donald Trump said talks with Iran were in the final stages. Indices are also expected to track early gains in their Asian peers. Brent crude oil prices eased to $105 a barrel after Trump's comments. At 0812 IST, Brent crude oil July futures were 0.4% higher at $105.47 per barrel.
"We'll either have a deal or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty. But hopefully that won't happen," NDTV reported, quoting Trump as saying. "I'm in no hurry. I just, ideally, I'd like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot," he said.
At 0814 IST, the May futures contract of the GIFT Nifty was a tad lower at 23810.50 from its previous close. The movement of the GIFT Nifty suggested a higher opening for the benchmark indices and the spot level of the GIFT Nifty was over 150 points higher from the Nifty 50's previous close of 23659.
"The benchmark Nifty index is consolidating in a Symmetric Triangle formation on intraday charts having resistance in the 23700-23800 spot zone and supports at 23450-23300 spot zone," Vipin Kumar, derivatives and technical analyst at Globe Capital Market, said. "A break on either side of the formation will start a short term move in that direction. By the time it is trading within the mentioned range, we suggest traders to maintain stocks and sector specific trading approach."
Max Healthcare Institute and ITC will be in focus Thursday, as the companies will announce their March quarter earnings later in the day. Max Healthcare is likely to post a nearly 38% on-year rise in its net profit and revenue for the March quarter, driven primarily by volume growth, led by bed additions and a ramp-up of newly commissioned facilities. Its consolidated net profit is seen at INR 4.39 billion and revenue at INR 26.33 billion. The stock closed nearly 1% higher Wednesday at INR 1,075.70 on the National Stock Exchange.
ITC's net profit for the March quarter is expected to be flat on year at nearly INR 49 billion. The company's revenue, however, is expected to increase almost 6% on year to nearly INR 183 billion. On a sequential basis, the net profit is likely to decline 8.8% and revenue is expected to increase 1.4%. The stock closed almost 1% lower Wednesday at INR 307.55 on the NSE.
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise reported its March quarter earnings post market hours Wednesday. Its consolidated net profit for the quarter rose 36% on year to INR 5.29 billion and surpassed analysts' estimate of INR 4.75 billion. The top line of the company in Jan-Mar grew over 18% on year to INR 66.06 billion, and was above expectations of INR 64.52 billion. Shares of the company ended nearly 1% higher at INR 8.078.50 Wednesday on the NSE.
South Korea's KOSPI was the highest gainer among Asian equity indices and gained over 6% in early trade. All three US indices settled higher Wednesday, over 1% higher each. (Arundathi A R)
Equity Alert: US Indices end higher, supported by Nvidia's strong earnings
MUMBAI--0750 IST--Stock indices on Wall Street ended higher Wednesday, supported by chipmaker Nvidia Corp.'s stellar earnings for the quarter ended April. The NASDAQ Composite and the S&P 500 snapped their three-session losing streak, supported by technology stocks.
'AI Darling' Nvidia posted a strong set of earnings for the quarter. The company's revenue was 85% higher on year at $81.6 billion, beating the consensus forecast of $78.9 billion. Nvidia's net income, meanwhile, rose threefold to $58.3 billion. Analysts had forecast the chip company's net income at $42.9 billion.
Nvidia's revenue from data centre computing was up 77% on year at $60.4 billion while sales from its data centre networking were up almost three times on year at $14.8 billion. Shares of the chip giant closed 1.3% higher. "The buildout of AI factories — the largest infrastructure expansion in human history — is accelerating at extraordinary speed," said Jensen Huang, founder and chief executive officer of Nvidia.
Nvidia's robust earnings drove other technology stocks higher. Shares of Micron Tech closed almost 6% up, those of Advanced Micro Devices rose 8%, Qualcomm 3.5%, and Broadcom nearly 2%. Shares of Tesla and Amazon also closed 3% and 2% higher, respectively.
"The market is coming off a really strong earnings season that delivered positive revisions to earnings expectations, but concerns around inflation and demand destruction in the economy are proving persistent," Scott Helfstein, head of investment strategy at Global X ETFs, told CNBC.
On the macroeconomic front, war-led inflation fears sustain. Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee's Apr. 28-29 meeting showed the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates if inflation remained above the 2% target for longer, particularly as a fallout of the war in West Asia. Many participants suggested that an easing bias shouldn't be indicated.
"...the staff viewed the possibility that inflation would be more persistent than anticipated as a salient risk," according to the minutes. Inflation is expected to slow after the first half of this year and be closer to 2% by the end of next year. As for the health of the labour market, many believed that the recent low rates of job growth were not necessarily indicative of fragility.
Following were the closing levels of major US indices on Wednesday:
|
US Indices |
Levels |
Change in % |
|
Dow Jones Industrial Average |
50009.35 | 1.31 |
|
NASDAQ Composite |
26270.359 | 1.54 |
|
S&P 500 |
7432.97 | 1.08 |
(Ruchira Kagita)
US$1 = INR 96.33
IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT
Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury
All prices from National Stock Exchange, unless otherwise specified.
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