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Brokerages remain bullish on key stocks. CLSA upgrades Muthoot Finance to "Outperform" (Target: Rs 2,400) on gold loan growth. HSBC maintains "Buy" on M&M (Target: Rs 3,520) citing strong SUV demand. Morgan Stanley stays "Overweight" on Varun Beverages (Target: Rs 674), highlighting expansion potential. Experts foresee continued sectoral growth.

Morgan Stanley adds Bajaj Finance to its focus list, replacing Reliance, citing strong growth in unsecured consumer lending. The firm projects over 25% EPS growth for FY26, aided by low credit costs, rising middle-class disposable income, and potential rate cuts. Bajaj Finance’s valuation remains attractive, with shares gaining 24.55% over the past year.

JM Financial recommends buying Bajaj Electricals with a target price of Rs 815 within a year, up from its current Rs 717.35. The firm expects strong revenue visibility and margin expansion due to product expansion, R&D, and corporate restructuring. Bajaj Electricals reported a Q3 FY24 income of Rs 1302.51 Crore with a net profit of Rs 33.36 Crore.

Several brokerage firms have recommended investments in Bharti Airtel, LIC, Somany Ceramics, Ola Electric, and Mahindra & Mahindra, projecting potential upsides ranging from 17% to 54% within the next 12 months. Top recommendations include LIC with a 34% potential gain and Somany Ceramics with a 54% upside.

The rupee appreciated by 61 paise to 86.84 against the US dollar on Tuesday, following RBI intervention to counter the currency s recent slide towards the 88-level amid trade war fears. Meanwhile, the US dollar index rose due to escalating trade tensions. Domestic equity markets declined, with FIIs offloading equities worth Rs 2,463.72 crore.

EIH Associated Hotels shares fell 5.1% amid a broader market selloff despite a 5.4% rise in Q3 net profit to Rs 39.91 crore. Revenue grew 5% to Rs 133 crore, but margins slipped to 40.5%. The stock remains under pressure, down 18.8% in six months.

And other than that, in this earnings season, look for gems, companies which have surprised on the positive side and look at buying them at reasonable valuation, that should be the strategy.

Deepak Shenoy of Capital Mind predicts further market volatility due to US policy uncertainty but sees potential for picking undervalued stocks. He highlights LIC as a strong performer with promising growth. Despite short-term turbulence, he advises long-term investors to capitalize on market dips, emphasizing LIC s solid financial position and growth prospects.

Rajesh Jejurikar, CEO of Mahindra & Mahindra s Auto & Farm Sector, highlights their focus on selling electric SUVs as lifestyle vehicles, emphasizing design, tech, performance, and premium interiors. M&M aims for 20-30% of their SUV portfolio to be EVs within two years, balancing electric and internal combustion engine vehicles to offer customer choice.

Deepak Shenoy, Founder of Capital Mind, emphasizes investing in sectors like defence, manufacturing, consumer durables, and financialisation for India s growth. He advises shifting focus from expensive FMCG companies to durable goods, which show higher growth potential. Private banks and NBFCs also offer opportunities, with a positive outlook on mid to long-term investments.