In an extraordinary case that captured investor attention, Gajanan Rajguru, a trader from a small town, earned about ₹1.75 crore in less than two hours by exploiting a technical glitch in his broker’s system that credited excess margin funds to his trading account. What makes the story remarkable is not just the raw profit but the legal battle that followed with Kotak Securities — one of India’s major brokerage firms.

Many investors expect that strong GDP growth will automatically boost stock markets, but the reality shows a weak link between economic growth rates and stock market returns — even when growth seems robust. Several key reasons explain this disconnect:

The U.S. dollar remained largely steady on Thursday as investors weighed a mix of economic indicators while positioning for a crucial jobs report due Friday that could shape expectations around the Federal Reserve’s interest rate path.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) significantly reduced their exposure to Indian equities in the second half of December 2025, with heavy selling in defensive and traditional sectors even as tech stocks began attracting fresh capital.

As preparations intensify ahead of the Union Budget 2026, market expert Gurmeet Chadha has put forward a set of proposals aimed at improving investor sentiment, supporting household finance and boosting economic activity. His recommendations include cutting long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax, enabling cheaper loans against gold and silver, and expanding affordable housing incentives.

India’s benchmark equity index Nifty 50 has achieved a rare milestone, registering a tenth consecutive year of positive returns after closing 2025 with about a 10.5% gain — despite several economic and geopolitical challenges faced during the year.

India’s equity markets — National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) — will observe a total of 15 official trading holidays in 2026, creating seven long weekends for investors and traders to plan around. Markets will remain open on New Year’s Day (January 1, 2026).

Broader Market Sentiment
Indian markets ended lower for the third straight session, with both the Sensex and Nifty closing weaker as selling pressure in heavyweight stocks, geopolitical tensions and weak global cues weighed on investor confidence.

Gold prices eased on Tuesday, retreating slightly after climbing to a one-week high in the previous session, as a steady U.S. dollar made bullion more expensive for buyers using other currencies. This caught some investors in profit-taking mode after recent gains in precious metals.

Indian information technology (IT) stocks came under pressure on Monday as traders increased bearish positions ahead of the impending third-quarter earnings season and amid recent broker downgrades, driving the sector lower on the market.