GST 2.0

Indian markets witnessed a sharp pause after a three-day rally, as both benchmark indices — Sensex and Nifty — declined nearly 1% each amid rising global concerns. The Nifty slipped below the crucial 25,600 mark, reflecting broad-based weakness across sectors. Except for pharma, all sectoral indices ended in the red, with realty and FMCG emerging as the worst-hit segments. Investor sentiment remained fragile following reports of a US military build-up in the Middle East, which heightened geopolitical tensions and triggered risk-off positioning. Market breadth also turned negative, with the advance-decline ratio at 1:2, indicating widespread selling pressure. Volatility spiked as India VIX surged 8%, underscoring growing uncertainty. On the stock-specific front, ONGC, Hindalco, and Infosys managed to buck the trend and close as top gainers within the Nifty 50, while IndiGo, Trent, and UltraTech Cement featured among the top laggards of the session.

Dhiraj Relli, MD & CEO of HDFC Securities, shares his perspective on the RBI’s decision to tighten lending norms for brokers effective April 1 and what it means for capital market players. With stricter bank financing and changes around cash collateral usage, the move is expected to impact trading activity, especially in the derivatives segment. Relli explains how higher funding costs and reduced leverage could make intra-day trading more expensive, potentially leading to a 15–20% decline in F&O volumes. Prop traders and highly leveraged participants may feel the pressure first, raising concerns over earnings visibility for brokerage firms and other capital market-linked stocks. The discussion also delves into whether the earnings hit will be short-term or structural, and how investors should approach capital market names amid evolving regulatory norms.

Are power stocks gearing up for a fresh rally? In this episode, Amit Anwani, Vice President – Research at PL Capital, decodes the big opportunity emerging from AI-led data centre expansion and its ripple effects on India’s power ecosystem. With grid expansion, transmission upgrades and the clean energy transition gathering pace, are power equipment makers entering a multi-year growth cycle? He also weighs in on whether the recent correction in power stocks is behind us, how India-US tariff cuts and a potential India-EU FTA could revive exports, and which power names look best placed for 2026. Don’t miss this deep dive into the sector’s next big triggers and stock ideas to watch.

At AI Summit 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called India the world’s largest tech talent pool and declared AI a transformational force just getting started. From open-source AI as a global common good to transparency, deepfake safeguards, and his MANAV vision—Moral, Accountable, National, Accessible, Verified—Modi laid out India’s roadmap for inclusive, human-centric AI shaping the future of work and civilisation.

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron says, "Namaste. Thank you very much for welcoming us to this magnificent city, in this magnificent country. It's great to be back after my 2024 state visit for this Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit hosted by you, Prime Minister..." French President Emmanuel Macron also hailed India's online payment system in his address to the India AI Impact Summit on Thursday. The French leader said, "India built something that no other country in the world has built. A digital identity for 1.4 billion people. A payment system that now processes 20 billion transactions every month. A health infrastructure that has issued 500 million digital health IDs. Here are the results. They call it the India Stack Open Interoperable Sovereign. That is what this summit is about. We are clearly at the beginning of a huge acceleration, and you perfectly described it during your interventions."

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani said that PM Modi's vision of AI powered Bharat is also a template for Global South. Artificial intelligence is not just another technology, humans are creating human-like systems. AI is the mantra which powers every yantra to enhance efficiency. AI is like Akshaypatra, which provides limitless efficiency. At the same time he also said that AI won't take away jobs but create new ones. No country can match India's strength in democracy, demography, digital. We are the world's largest data consumer, there is no difference in quality between Delhi and remotest villages, he further added.

At AI Summit 2026, Sundar Pichai announces a $15 billion infrastructure investment to build a full-stack AI hub, highlights bold AI innovation, and praises India’s rapid tech transformation. From AI-powered farmer forecasts to breakthroughs like Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold, Pichai says the world is on the cusp of hyper-progress.

Global markets trade higher after strong Wall Street cues, with Kospi at record highs and GIFT NIFTY signaling a positive start. Tech and financial stocks lifted US markets, while oil jumps 4% on fresh US-Iran tensions. Fed minutes show rate path uncertainty, US yields rise, and metals gain on dip-buying. Can Nifty reclaim 26,000? Catch Surabhi Upadhyay with market experts on Opening Bell.

Nifty recovers 100 points from the day’s low, extending gains for the third straight session above 25,750, while Sensex climbs over 100 points and India VIX cools off. Broader indices outperform as Metal, PSU Bank, and FMCG stocks lead the rally. Top gainers: Tata Steel, HDFC Life, ITC. Top losers: Eternal, Wipro, Tech Mahindra. Catch Lovisha Darad in conversation with Ashish Bahety of ProfitMart Securities and Kunal Valia, Founder of StatLane, for expert insights and market outlook.

On the sidelines of India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Jimmy Wales, Co-founder, Wikipedia intracted with Moneycontrol's Shweta Punj. Watch the full video to know more.

Asian markets inch up in thin holiday trade, with Japan and Australia higher while China and Hong Kong remain shut. Investors await the RBNZ policy decision and Fed minutes; US futures steady after a flat Wall Street close. Brent slips to $67, gold and silver ease, and GIFT Nifty singals a positive start for India. Japan plans $36 bn US investments under its trade pact. Watch Surabhi Upadhyay with Jatin Gedia, Gaurang H Shah, Jigar Mistry and Ajit Deshmukh for expert market insights.

At the Mutual Fund Summit (LIVE), Navneet Munot, Managing Director & CEO of HDFC Asset Management Company (HDFC AMC), shared a key insight on long-term investing. Munot said that wealth creation is driven more by patience and investor behaviour than by financial knowledge alone. He stressed that staying disciplined through market cycles, avoiding emotional decision-making, and maintaining long-term conviction are far more critical than trying to time markets or chase short-term trends.

Catch Lovisha Darad in conversation with Osho Krishan, Sr. Analyst - Technical & Derivative Research, Angel One Ltd and Anil Rego, Founder and Fund Manager at Right Horizons PMS

At Infosys Investor AI Day 2026, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh says AI work is underway with 90% of top clients and sees massive growth ahead despite industry concerns about IT services compression.

At Infosys Investor AI Day 2026, Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of Infosys, says AI is a “fundamental root-and-branch surgery” of business. He highlights the shift from coding to AI orchestration, major job changes, rising security risks, and how GenAI enables faster enterprise modernization

PM-KISAN 22nd instalment update is here. Farmers are expecting the next ₹2,000 payment between February and March 2026. In this video, we explain the expected payment date, who is eligible, why KYC is mandatory, and how you can check your PM-KISAN beneficiary status online. The 21st instalment was released on November 19, 2025. Make sure your Aadhaar, bank details, and KYC are updated to avoid payment delays. Watch till the end to know how to check your PM-KISAN status on pmkisan.gov.in.

Global cues remain mixed as investors track inflation signals, geopolitics and central bank commentary. U.S. markets were shut on Monday for Presidents Day, while several Asian markets including Korea, Singapore, China and Hong Kong remained closed for the Lunar New Year. Focus now shifts to U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations in Geneva, the Fed minutes due on Wednesday and the crucial Core PCE inflation reading on Friday. Treasury yields have slipped after a slightly softer CPI print, gold has surged over 2% on renewed rate-cut hopes, while oil remains steady as traders assess OPEC+ supply dynamics and the impact of U.S.–Iran talks. The dollar is flat, with the yen eyeing a strong weekly gain. Back home, Indian markets staged a recovery with the Nifty reclaiming 25,650, even as GIFT Nifty signals a cautious start. European markets closed higher after key takeaways from the Munich Security Conference, while Asian markets opened on a guarded note. Join us on Moneycontrol as our expert panel decodes the road ahead: Aishvarya Dadheech, Founder & CIO, Fident Asset Management Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities Ashutosh Sharma, Head of Forrester Research India Gautam Duggad, Head of Research, Institutional Equities, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Gulam Zia, International Partner & Senior Executive Director – Research, Advisory, Infrastructure & Valuation, Knight Frank India Stay tuned for sharp market insights, sectoral strategies, global macro trends and what it all means for investors today.

Catch Lovisha Darad in conversation with Anshul Saigal, Market Expert and Rajesh Bhosale, Senior Technical and Derivative Analyst, Angel One