Author: Supriya Jena

HDFC Bank has been making a big comeback! After facing some jokes and doubts due to a merger with its parent company, HDFC, its shares have soared by ₹3 lakh crore in just six months.

Once overshadowed by ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank is now outperforming its rival in recent months. Analysts believe that the bank is stronger after the merger and is set for steady growth. In the past six months, HDFC Bank’s stock price has increased by about 19%, making it the best-performing large private bank in India. Its stock even hit a new high of ₹1,880 recently, and its market value reached an impressive ₹14 lakh crore!

Many experts are optimistic, giving price targets as high as ₹2,550. Out of 40 analysts, none suggest selling the stock, and 28 recommend buying it strongly. For BNP Paribas, HDFC Bank is the top pick in the banking sector, even better than ICICI Bank.

In the September quarter, foreign investors bought a lot of HDFC Bank shares, increasing their stake by 0.85%. They spent about ₹11,000 crore on the bank. Retail investors, however, seem to have missed out, as they were selling their shares during the same period.

Recently, there has been more interest in HDFC Bank, especially after its increased index weight due to MSCI’s November changes. This attracted around $1.88 billion from passive investments.

HDFC Bank expects its loan growth for this year to be slower than the overall market but plans to grow faster in the following years. The bank’s loans are performing well despite some issues faced by smaller banks, making it a safe choice for investors. Market expert Sandip Sabharwal explains that when smaller banks struggle, people flock to quality banks like HDFC Bank.

Investors are also watching for good news with the upcoming IPO of HDB Financial Services, a subsidiary of HDFC Bank.

(Disclaimer: The opinions shared by experts are their own and do not represent the views of Niftystat

Tata Motors is in the spotlight this Tuesday! The car company just announced that starting January 2025, it will raise the prices of its cars, including electric ones, by up to 3%. This price hike is happening because many car makers are dealing with rising costs.

Tata Motors said they need to increase prices due to higher expenses for materials and inflation. They explained that rising global commodity prices, high import duties on raw materials, and problems in the supply chain are making it harder for them.

Famous for their small SUVs like the ‘Nexon’ and ‘Punch’, Tata Motors has already increased car prices twice this year. Many car manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki, JSW MG Motor, and Hyundai Motor India, also announced they would raise their prices starting in January. Maruti Suzuki plans to add up to 4% to their prices, while JSW MG Motor will increase its prices by 3%. Hyundai will add up to Rs 25,000 to its cars. Even Kia, which sells popular models like Seltos and Sonet, will raise its prices by 2%.

On Monday, Tata Motors’ shares fell by 2%, closing at Rs 798 on the BSE. However, in the last year, their stock has gone up by 11%, and over the past five years, it has amazed investors with a whopping 352% return!

Most stocks in Asia went up today because China’s leaders promised to give more help to the economy next year. Shares in Japan and South Korea increased, and the Hang Seng Index is expected to jump by more than 3% when it opens. The price of iron ore went up too, as China is a big buyer of metal.

The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index, which includes major Chinese companies trading in the US, soared by 8.5%, the most since September. In a recent meeting, China’s leaders said they will use a “moderately loose” approach for money matters in 2025, changing their strategy for the first time since 2011. They promised to take stronger actions to boost spending and stabilize the property and stock markets.

“We are optimistic about spending by families,” said Geoffrey Yu, a strategist at BNY, in an interview. He also noted that China’s 10-year bond yields have fallen, which may encourage leaders to raise expectations for the economy.

In other news, Chinese companies have started to limit sales of important parts for drones to the US and Europe. This is expected to lead to stricter export rules in the new year.

Traders will pay close attention to South Korean markets because President Yoon Suk Yeol is not allowed to travel overseas. The Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to keep interest rates the same today, but everyone is watching for hints about what might happen next.

In the US, the S&P 500 index dropped after hitting almost record highs as traders wait for important inflation data that could affect Federal Reserve decisions. Nvidia Corp. shares fell as China investigates whether the company broke competition laws related to a 2020 deal.

Key inflation data will be released on Wednesday, giving the Federal Reserve a final look at price changes before their upcoming meeting. If prices surge, it could slow down plans for a rate cut.

In commodities, gold prices were supported as China’s central bank increased its reserves for the first time in seven months, and worries about the Middle East kept interest in safe investments high. Oil prices remained mostly unchanged as China’s demand might be balanced by troubles in Syria.