- As per market grapevine, several blue-chip companies including Reliance, HDFC Bank, TCS, HUL, Infosys, ITC, ONGC, Nestlé and many others have delivered little or no returns over extended periods despite strong underlying businesses. The key takeaway is that investing in a good company alone is not enough. Proper entry and exit timing, along with regular technical and fundamental reviews, are equally important for generating superior returns.
- Indian Stock Market: Leverage is the New Squid Game. Key takeaway: Nithin Kamath (Zerodha) and Andy Mukherjee (Bloomberg) have raised concerns over the rapid rise in leverage. India’s MTF book has surged nearly 6x since 2023, with over 50% exposure in Non-F&O stocks, unlike Korea where leverage was largely concentrated in liquid large-cap stocks. India’s MTF book has grown sharply: Mar 2023: Rs.25,000 crore, Mar 2025: Rs.68,000 crore, Jun 2025: Rs.85,000 crore, Aug 2025: Rs.96,000 crore, Oct 2025: Rs.1 lakh cror, Dec 2025: Rs.1.16 lakh crore, Jan 2026: Rs.1.16 lakh crore, Feb 2026: Rs.1.15 lakh crore (first monthly decline in one year), Mar 2026: Rs.1.06 lakh crore (Iran conflict, crude spike and FII selling), Apr 2026: Rs.1.16 lakh crore, May 2026: Rs.1.27 lakh crore, Jun 2026: Rs.1.33 lakh crore, Jul 2026: Rs.1.44 lakh crore. Korea’s market crash is a warning. Following massive leveraged losses, authorities introduced suicide prevention hotlines, AI bridge surveillance and enhanced psychiatric support, highlighting the devastating impact of excessive leverage. For retail investors, the lesson is simple: Avoid leverage, avoid margin trading and avoid excessive borrowing for stock investments. SEBI’s June 2026 consultation paper highlighted that the MTF book is growing at nearly 50% YoY, reflecting rising leverage in the Indian market. Although India’s MTF book is only 0.3% of total market capitalization versus 0.8% in South Korea, the quality of leverage is a bigger concern as 51% of MTF exposure is in Non-F&O small and mid-cap stocks, where liquidity is limited. Unlike Korea’s AI-led bull market, India’s leverage has built up during a largely sideways-to-weak market over the last two years. If leverage continues rising without a corresponding increase in market capitalization, it could become a significant risk for retail investors.
- TGV SRAAC is expected to report strong Q1 results following robust performances by Gujarat Alkali and Lords Chloro. Promoters have purchased 4.77 lakh shares over the last two quarters, reflecting confidence in the company’s prospects. The stock trades at a P/E of just 8, offers a 10% dividend yield, and appears attractive compared with its all-time high of Rs.182.
- HFCL is emerging as a key beneficiary of the rising demand for fibre-optic drones, which are expected to require 70–100 million fibre kilo-metres of A2 fibre. As countries increasingly shift from radio-controlled drones to optical drones to prevent signal jamming, HFCL remains a stock to keep on the radar.
- Paytm has launched the ‘Split Bills’ feature, enabling users to split and settle shared expenses directly through the app. The addition strengthens Paytm’s digital payments ecosystem by integrating expense management with UPI-based settlements, enhancing user engagement.
- Talbros Engineering has acquired a 40,000 sq. m. industrial premises at Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, for Rs.25 crore to support future expansion and new projects. The development strengthens its long-term growth outlook, and the stock may surpass its 52-week high of Rs.766.
