US-Israel-Iran War Updates, April 21, 2026

 Iran is considering attending peace talks with the United States in Pakistan, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday, following moves by Islamabad to end a US blockade of Iran’s ports, a significant obstacle to Tehran rejoining peace efforts as the end of a two-week ceasefire approaches.

However, the official stressed that no decision had been made and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that “continued violations of the ceasefire” by the US are a major obstacle to continuing the diplomatic process.

Meanwhile, US vice president JD Vance is set to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday for the peace talks.

Stay with News9Live.com for latest updates on the ongoing US-Israel vs Iran war.

21/04/26, Stocks to Watch Today, the EconomicTimes Report

 Indian equities are expected to see stock-specific action on April 21, driven by fourth-quarter earnings announcements and key corporate developments.

Companies including PNB Housing Finance, NELCO, HCLTech, and Vedanta Limited remain in focus amid financial performance updates and strategic announcements.

Here's the list of stocks to watch in today's trading session:

Q4 Update

Company Name	Why in Focus
PNB Housing Finance	Profit rises 14.4%;
NELCO	Swings to profit; revenue up 17.3%
Indosolar	Profit inches up; revenue plunges sharply
SML Isuzu	Profit edges higher; revenue sees strong growth

PNB Housing Finance

Profit rises 14.4 per cent

PNB Housing Finance reported a steady performance, with profit rising 14.4 per cent to Rs 648.7 crore compared to Rs 567.1 crore. Net interest income increased 8.2 per cent to Rs 796 crore from Rs 735.8 crore. The board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 8 per share for FY26.

NELCO

Revenue up 17.3 per cent

NELCO posted a turnaround, reporting a profit of Rs 1.09 crore against a loss of Rs 4.08 crore. Revenue grew 17.3 per cent to Rs 79.2 crore from Rs 67.5 crore.

Indosolar

Profit inches up; revenue plunges sharply

Indosolar saw profit increase 4.9 per cent to Rs 42 crore from Rs 40 crore, though revenue declined sharply by 56.7 per cent to Rs 83.1 crore from Rs 192 crore.

SML Isuzu

Revenue sees strong growth

SML Isuzu (referred to as SML Mahindra) reported a 2.4 per cent rise in profit to Rs 54.2 crore versus Rs 52.95 crore, while revenue climbed 16.4 per cent to Rs 897.65 crore from Rs 771.4 crore.

Corporate Update

Company	Why in Focus
HCLTech	Appoints Kimsuka Narsimhan as independent director
Thomas Cook India	Launches visa rejection trip cover with ICICI Lombard
TVS Motor Company	Enters Zambia market with Zamoto as distributor
Tata Consultancy Services	Signs MoU with NAVER for map services collaboration
Suzlon Energy	Partners with GS E&C for renewable energy solutions
BSE Ltd	Launches Housing Finance Index via subsidiary
JSW Steel	Forms JV with POSCO for Odisha steel plant
Vedanta Limited	Sets May 1, 2026 as demerger effective date
Hyundai Motor Company	Partners with TVS Motor for electric three-wheelers in India

HCLTech

Appoints Kimsuka Narsimhan as an independent director

Technologies (HCLTech) on Monday announced the appointment of Kimsuka Narsimhan as an independent director with immediate effect.

Thomas Cook

Launches visa rejection trip cover with ICICI Lombard

Thomas Cook (India) and its group company SOTC Travel on Monday announced the launch of trip cancellation due to visa rejection cover, in collaboration with ICICI Lombard.

TVS Motor

Enters Zambia market with Zamoto as distributor

TVS Motor Company on Monday announced its foray into the Zambian market, appointing Zamoto Manufacturing Ltd as its official distributor.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Signs MoU with NAVER

South Korean tech giant NAVER Corp and India's largest IT company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding for mutual cooperation in map services.

Suzlon Energy

Partners with GS E&C

Suzlon Energy and Korean firm GS E&C on Monday exchanged initial pact for a partnership in India's renewable energy business and the optimisation of related solutions.

BSE

Launches Housing Finance Index

BSE Index Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BSE Ltd, on Monday announced the launch of the BSE Housing Finance Index, aimed at tracking the performance of companies engaged in the housing finance segment.

JSW Steel

Forms JV with POSCO

JSW Steel has entered into a joint venture agreement with South Korean steel major POSCO to set up a 6 million tonnes per annum steel plant in Odisha, a statement said on Monday.

Vedanta

Sets May 1, 2026 as demerger effective date

Mining major Vedanta on Monday said its board has approved May 1, 2026, as the effective date for the demerger of its aluminium, merchant power, oil and gas and iron ore verticals into separate listed entities.

Hyundai Motor Company

Partners with TVS Motor

Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company on Monday said they have signed a joint development agreement to advance the development and commercialisation of electric three-wheeler solutions designed specifically to address India's last-mile mobility needs.

21/05/26, Oil Prices Rise

Oil prices rose on Monday, driven by escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, although the increase was less pronounced compared to earlier in the conflict.

Concurrently, U.S. stocks experienced a slight retreat from their recent record highs.

The S&P 500 index fell by 0.2% from its all-time peak, marking only its second decline in 14 days, following the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship accused of attempting to bypass the blockade on Iranian ports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 4 points, or less than 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite dropped by 0.3%.

Oil Price Dynamics

The price of Brent crude oil, which serves as the international benchmark, surged by 5.6%, settling at $95.48. This rise is attributed to concerns that Iran might continue to restrict petroleum shipments in the Persian Gulf, particularly if it maintains its blockade of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

This marks a reversal from the previous trading day when stock prices soared and oil prices declined after Iran announced its intention to reopen the strait to commercial vessels. However, optimism quickly diminished when Iran re-closed the strait on Saturday following the U.S. decision to continue its blockade of Iranian ports.

Upcoming Ceasefire Deadline

A critical deadline is approaching on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. Eastern time, coinciding with early Wednesday in Tehran, when a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran is set to expire.

Despite recent fluctuations, oil prices remain significantly lower than the peaks reached during the conflict, with Brent crude previously exceeding $119 per barrel amid heightened fears. The S&P 500 index continues to trade above its pre-war levels.

Market Reactions

Monday's modest market movements indicate that investors still perceive a potential for a U.S.-Iran agreement that could restore oil supplies from the Middle East to global markets. Ending the conflict would likely benefit both nations economically.

Companies heavily reliant on fuel saw some of the largest declines on Wall Street following the rise in crude prices. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings fell by 3.5%, and Royal Caribbean Group decreased by 1.1%.

In the airline sector, United Airlines dropped by 2.8%, and American Airlines fell by 4.2% after American Airlines expressed disinterest in a merger with United. Airline stocks had surged the previous week after reports indicated United's interest in merging with its competitor.

Stock Performance Highlights

On a positive note, TopBuild, a distributor of insulation and building products, saw its stock rise by 19.4% following news of a $17 billion acquisition by QXO. In contrast, QXO's stock fell by 3.1% after the announcement.

Overall, the S&P 500 declined by 16.92 points to close at 7,109.14. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 4.87 points to finish at 49,442.56, while the Nasdaq composite fell by 64.09 points to end at 24,404.39.

Corporate Earnings Outlook

The U.S. stock market's recent strength can be attributed to robust profit reports from U.S. companies during the first quarter of 2026, coupled with expectations for sustained growth. Several major banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, reported stronger-than-expected profits, indicating a resilient U.S. economy fueled by solid consumer spending.

Morgan Stanley strategists, led by Michael Wilson, noted, 'Despite geopolitical risks, the earnings recovery remains intact.' Analysts have even increased profit expectations for the spring of 2026 since the onset of the war.

Approximately 10% of S&P 500 companies have reported their results for the beginning of 2026, with nearly 90% exceeding analysts' profit forecasts, according to FactSet. If other companies follow suit, overall earnings per share for S&P 500 firms could rise by 13% compared to the previous year.

Upcoming earnings reports from notable companies, including UnitedHealth Group, Tesla, and Procter & Gamble, are expected this week.

International Market Trends

In global markets, European indexes declined following a stronger finish in Asia. Germany's DAX index fell by 1.2%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.8%, reflecting some of the more significant movements across international markets.

Source: Dailyhunt 

21/04/26, Gold&Silver

Gold prices on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) of India, lost around 1.1% during the morning market session on Monday, April 20, amid a higher US dollar demand weighing down on precious metals due to recent developments in the West Asia conflict.

Experts said that investors were driving down the precious metals with their trading sentiment fuelled by sustained bearish cues wiping out the previous week's gains due to the escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz between the United States and Iran.

US President Donald Trump announced that the US Navy attacked an Iranian-flagged vessel attempting to cross the key trading route amid the US blockade and the ceasefire deal between the two nations which is set to expire on Wednesday this week.

MCX gold prices dropped 1.17% or ₹1,810 per 10 grams its intraday low level of ₹152,799 per 10 grams during the morning market session on Monday, compared to ₹1,54,609 per 10 grams at the previous market close, according to the official data.

As of 12:47 pm, the MCX gold prices were trading 0.74% or ₹1,144 per 10 grams lower at ₹1,53,465 per 10 grams on April 20, compared to the previous market close levels, according to the exchange data.

Silver price today

The exchange data also showed that the MCX silver prices also remained under pressure with investors booking their profits amid an elevated dollar rate.

Silver prices dropped 2.36% or ₹6,071 per kilogram (kg) to hit the day's low of ₹2,51,071 kg on Monday, compared to ₹257,142 per kg at the previous commodity market close levels, according to MCX data.

As of 12:54 pm, the MCX silver prices were trading 1.59% or ₹4,082 per 10 grams lower at ₹2,53,060 per 10 grams on April 20, compared to the previous market close levels, according to the exchange data.

The news portal PTI reported that commodity analysts attributed Monday's falling prices to the weak global cues in the market, sell-off pressure from investors and a falling spot demand for precious metals.

US dollar rate today

Data collected from the Bloomberg US dollar spot index (DYX) showed that the greenback was trading 0.12% higher at ₹98.216 as of 3:18 am (EDT) on April 20, compared to the previous currency market close levels.

The elevated dollar rate in the market was imposing pressure on the demand for gold and silver as traders will be able to purchase lower quantity of the assets with a higher US dollar price, hence marking an inverse relation between the commodity price and the benchmark currency rate.

Source:Upstox, Dailyhunt 

Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes and should not be considered investment advice. Please consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

21/04/26, Godavari Power & Ispat Ltd..680% rally in 5 years

 Shares of the multibagger stock Godawari Power and Ispat Limited are likely to remain in focus on Tuesday, April 21, after the company announced the allotment of equity shares following the conversion of warrants by a key investor.

In an exchange filing today, the company said its Stakeholders' Relationship Committee has approved the allotment of 13.61 lakh equity shares of Re 1 each at a premium of ₹244 per share, pursuant to the conversion of warrants.

The allotment comes after Meridien Realtech Private Limited exercised its option to convert an equal number of warrants into equity shares upon payment of the remaining 75% of the issue price. The company received ₹183.75 per warrant on conversion, aggregating to approximately ₹25 crore.

Earlier, the company had allotted over 2.04 crore convertible warrants at an issue price of ₹245 per warrant on a preferential basis to promoters and non-promoter investors. Of this, 25% of the issue price had already been received at the time of allotment, as per the company's regulatory filing.

"Out of the above seven warrant holders, one warrant holder, namely Meridien Realtech Private Limited (MRPL), has exercised the option for conversion of 1,361,000 warrants into an equal number of equity shares of the company upon payment of the balance 75% of the issue price of the warrants," the company said in its regulatory filing.

Recent developments

The company has been in the headlines in recent weeks following major announcements.

The company last week said it has increased its investment in its wholly owned subsidiary, Godawari New Energy Private Limited (GNEPL), through a fresh equity infusion of ₹50 crore. The funds will be utilised by GNEPL to meet its proposed capex and working capital requirements for setting up a battery energy storage plant.

In late March, the company's board approved a proposal to set up an integrated steel plant with a capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of iron and steel finished products.

The proposed facility will be located in the village of Sarora in the Raipur district, Chhattisgarh, with an estimated investment of ₹7,000 crore. The project will be funded through a mix of debt and equity (internal accruals) in a 1:1 ratio.

Godawari Power and Ispat share price trend

The company's shares have witnessed a solid turnaround in recent weeks as sentiment improved. Even when the broader market was struggling to find momentum, the stock hit multi-month highs. From its March lows of ₹237.70 apiece, the shares have recovered 26%.

Last week, the stock reached a fresh record high of ₹310apiece. The recovery rally has also contributed to a 13% surge in 2026 so far. Impressively, the stock has delivered positive returns over the last six years, with 2023 being the biggest annual gain of 133%, followed by 103% in 2022.

In terms of cumulative gains, the stock has delivered a whopping 2,193%, rising from ₹11.60 apiece to ₹266 apiece. Over the last five years it has gained 680%.

Disclaimer: We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

20/04/26, FinancialMarket this week

 Indian equity benchmarks continued their uptrend, forming a higher high–higher low pattern for the second consecutive week ended April 17, despite volatility driven by West Asia tensions, fluctuations in oil prices, and March quarter earnings. Falling oil prices below $100 per barrel, amid hopes of a resolution to the Iran conflict and emerging ceasefire frameworks, supported the equity markets.

The strengthening rupee against the US dollar, valuation comfort, and a recovery in FII flows also boosted market sentiment. Encouragingly, the IMF raised India's FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.5 percent from the previously projected 6.4 percent, even as it flagged global recession risks, highlighting India's macroeconomic resilience.

On Monday, the market will first react to HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank's quarterly numbers, as well as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and hope of second round of peace talks before ceasefire deadline of April 22. Going ahead, market direction in the coming week is expected to be driven by progress in peace talks, developments in the Strait of Hormuz, crude oil prices, FII sentiment, and March quarter earnings. The overall trend is likely to remain positive, despite expected volatility linked to a potential US-Iran deal.

In the past week, the Nifty 50 soared 303 points (1.26 percent) to 24,354, while the BSE Sensex surged 943 points (1.22 percent) to 78,494, in addition to the nearly 6 percent rally seen in the previous week.

The broader markets outperformed the benchmark indices, with the Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 indices gaining 3.55 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments, the near-term market direction hinges on progress in Middle East peace efforts, crude oil stability below $100, and the trajectory of foreign inflows.

He added that sustained de-escalation could ease inflation and currency pressures, thereby improving risk appetite for import-sensitive markets like India. He also noted that Q4 earnings and FY27 management guidance will shape sectoral leadership.

He believes that sentiment remains constructive, but markets will stay selective amid lingering global uncertainties.

According to Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Research (Wealth Management) at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, equities are likely to consolidate at higher levels next week after a sharp 10 percent rally over the past ten trading sessions.

Broader markets are expected to continue outperforming, aided by sector-specific news flows and Q4 earnings driving stock-specific action, he said.

Here are 10 key factors to watch current  week:

Strait of Hormuz, Peace Talks Progress, Crude Oil Prices

The Strait of Hormuz and ongoing peace talks, along with the approaching ceasefire deadline on April 22, will be important factors for global investors to watch, particularly for their impact on oil prices. Equity markets have shown a healthy recovery over the last couple of weeks, with the Nifty 50 surging nearly 10 percent from its April low and US markets hitting record highs amid rising hopes of a resolution to the Iran conflict.

After failing to reach an agreement in the first round of peace talks between US and Iran negotiators on April 12, market participants are now awaiting the second round of discussions. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations.” While CNN reported that Iranian sources say they are sending a team too.

The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway that handles around 20 percent of the global oil supply, remains the most critical factor in any potential US-Iran deal. On Friday, Iran reopened the waterway for commercial ships, triggering a relief rally in US markets and pushing oil prices down by 10 percent intraday. However, on Saturday, Tehran reimposed restrictions on the Strait, citing US “breaches of trust.” Additionally, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboats fired on a transiting tanker (though the tanker and crew were safe), prompting several vessels to turn back.

With the situation in the Strait of Hormuz still unresolved and the US blockade of Iranian ports continuing, attention will remain focused on how global markets and crude oil prices react in the coming week.

Brent crude prices, the international oil benchmark, corrected by more than 12 percent intraday to $86.09 per barrel on Friday before recovering slightly to close at $92.41, down 5.9 percent for the day. For the week, prices declined by 1.95 percent, following a 13.71 percent drop in the previous week, but still remained above all key moving averages. Therefore, volatility is likely to persist in the coming week. However, prices need to fall below and sustain under $75 per barrel to provide meaningful relief to oil-importing nations such as India.

Global Economic Data

On the global front, US retail sales, pending home sales, weekly jobless claims and Michigan inflation expectations will be closely tracked by the market participants globally for further signals on consumer resilience, alongside flash PMI readings from major global economies.

Fed Chair Congressional Testimony

Apart from economic releases, market participants across asset classes will also watch the incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's congressional testimony scheduled on April 21, for early signals on the direction of US monetary policy. This is his first testimony since nomination as Fed Chair by the President Donald Trump.

March Quarter Earnings 

Back home, the focus will remain on further set of quarterly earnings scheduled next week. More than 90 companies will release their quarterly numbers in the next six days including Nifty 50 names like Reliance Industries, Infosys, HCL Technologies, Axis Bank, Nestle India, SBI Life Insurance Company, Tech Mahindra, Trent, and Shriram Finance which have more than 22 percent weightage in the benchmark index.

Among others, IndusInd Bank, Billionbrains Garage Ventures Groww, Tata Elxsi, L&T Technology Services, Bank of Maharashtra, PNB Housing Finance, Central Mine Planning & Design Institute, Persistent Systems, Powerica, Bharat Coking Coal, Havells India, Tata Communications, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC, Adani Energy Solutions, Cyient, Indian Energy Exchange, Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy, Tata Capital, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra), UTI Asset Management Company, Adani Green Energy, L&T Finance, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services, IDFC First Bank, and India Cements will also announce their quarterly earnings scorecard in the coming week.

Domestic Economic Data

Economic releases like infrastructure output for March scheduled on April 20, HSBC Manufacturing & Services PMI Flash numbers for current month on April 23, and foreign exchange reserves for week ended April 17 will also be watched. Minutes of RBI monetary policy held in earlier this month will also be released next week on April 22.

Manufacturing PMI dropped to 53.9 in March from 56.9 in February due to slow growth in factory output and new orders, while the services PMI during the same period also fell to 57.5 from 58.1.

Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves continued to trend higher for second consecutive week ended April 10 at US$700.95 billion from US$697.12 billion in previous week, especially after consistently falling for a month following the beginning of Iran war.

FII Flow

The focus will also be on the mood at the Foreign Institutional Investors' (FIIs) desk as they provided sigh of relief in the recent week due to buying in last three straight sessions, though they turned net sellers to the tune of around Rs 251 crore worth shares for the week, the lowest selling after several weeks. They sold more than Rs 1.61 lakh crore worth shares since March, and over Rs 2.09 lakh crore in current year in the cash segment.

FIIs buying in last three days amid the hope of potential West Asia war resolution, stability in rupee, and falling oil prices may be an indication of change in their mood. Follow-up buying interest from them is necessary for strengthening healthy trend in the market.

On other side, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) turned net sellers after a long time, offloading shares worth nearly Rs 6,300 crore in the passing week, which may be due to profit booking. They had bought Rs 2.8 lakh crore worth shares in current year and nearly Rs 30,000 crore in current month, providing strong support to the market in every fall.

Indian Rupee

The movement in the Indian rupee will also be watched as the currency remained range-bound for last couple of weeks, especially after hitting record low of 95.22 against the US dollar and strengthening by 2.2 percent in the week ended April 2. In the recent week, it gained 0.51 percent to finish at 92.57 against the US dollar but has not breached all key moving averages yet.

US dollar index softened for third straight week to 98.22 from 100.64 as improving sentiment around US–Iran de-escalation talks reduced safe-haven demand for the dollar, which along with the recent FIIs buying interest and cooling oil prices (that eased pressure on India's import bill) supported the rupee.

"Overall, the rupee remains supported in the near term, but sustainability will depend on the outcome of geopolitical developments and crude price stability," Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency at LKP Securities said.

IPO Action 

The IPO action has not seen strong revival action yet though the market sentiment has been improving for last couple of weeks. Leapfrog Engineering Services, from the SME segment, will be the only IPO hitting Dalal Street next week on April 23. The company is raising Rs 88.5 crore via IPO at the upper end of price band of Rs 21-23 per share.

Citius Transnet Investment Trust, and Mehul Telecom will close their public issues on April 21, while Property Share Investment Trust's Propshare Celestia and Mehul Telecom will make their debut on the BSE on April 24.

Technical View, F&O Cues, VIX

Technically, the momentum in the near term remains in favour of bulls with the RSI climbing to over 57 and the MACD reaching closer to zero line with expansion in histogram green bar, while the index sustained well-above short term moving averages which both trended upward. Now, the Nifty 50 needs to convincingly break above 24,400, the recent week's high, for sharp upmove toward 24,700-24,800 as above it 25,000 is the level watch going ahead, while the immediate support is placed at the 24,200-24,100, followed by 23,900 as a crucial support.

The weekly options data indicated that the Nifty 50 is expected to be in the 24,000-24,800 range in the upcoming sessions, while the broader range could be 23,800-25,000. The maximum Call open interest was placed at the 25,000 strike followed by the 24,800 and 24,500 strikes, with the maximum Call writing at the 25,000, 25,050 and 24,600 strikes. On the Put side, the 24,000 strike holds the maximum open interest followed by the 24,200 and 23,800 strikes, with the maximum Put writing at the 24,000, 24,300 and 24,200 strikes.

Meanwhile, the fear index India VIX fell 8.73 percent to 17.2, extending downtrend for third consecutive week from more than 21-month high of 28.9, signalling comfort for bulls. Falling further toward 14 zone can provide more support to the bulls.

Corporate Action

Here are key corporate actions taking place in the coming week:

Report prepared by Mr Sunil Sankar Matkar of Network18 

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts are their own. We advise readers and Investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

20/04/26, Banking stocks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank will remain in focus on Monday after reporting their financial results for the quarter ending on March 31, 2026.

On Friday, shares of HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Yes Bank all closed in positive territory. HDFC Bank share price rose 0.57% to settle at ₹800, while ICICI Bank and Yes Bank shares gained 0.54% and 2.31%, respectively, by the end of the trading session.

HDFC Bank vs ICICI Bank vs Yes Bank: Q4 results highlights

According to Seema Srivastava, Senior Research Analyst at SMC Global Securities, based on Q4 FY26 performance, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Yes Bank show clear differences in operating strength when compared on key metrics like NII, NIMs, asset quality, and growth.

HDFC Bank Q4 results 2026

India's largest private lender reported a standalone net profit of ₹19,221.05 crore for Q4 FY26, marking a 9.11% increase compared to ₹17,616.14 crore in the same period last year.

Net Interest Income (NII) for the quarter rose 3.8% year-on-year to ₹33,281.5 crore from ₹32,066 crore. The bank's net interest margin stood at 3.38% based on total assets and 3.53% on interest-earning assets.

On the asset quality front, the bank showed sequential improvement, with Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) declining by 3.17% to ₹34,061.19 crore in the March quarter from ₹35,178.98 crore in the preceding quarter.

ICICI Bank Q4 results 2026

ICICI Bank reported an 8.5% year-on-year rise in its standalone profit for Q4FY26, reaching ₹13,701.68 crore, up from ₹12,629.58 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. On a sequential basis, profit grew 21% from ₹11,317.86 crore in Q3FY26.

The bank's net interest income (NII) also saw an 8.4% annual increase, climbing to ₹22,979 crore in Q4FY26 from ₹21,193 crore a year earlier.

Net interest margin (NIM) came in at 4.32% during the reported quarter, slightly up from 4.30% in Q3FY26. For the full fiscal year FY26, NIM remained steady at 4.32%, unchanged from FY25.

Yes Bank Q4 results 2026

Srivastava further added that Yes Bank showed the fastest growth but from a lower base. NII rose sharply by 20%+, while NIMs improved to 2.5-2.7%, still below larger peers.

Advances growth was strong at 12-14%, and asset quality improved significantly, with gross NPAs declining to 2.0% range. However, despite visible progress, its margins and overall return profile remain weaker, reflecting an ongoing turnaround phase.

The asset quality of Yes Bank showed sequential improvement in the March quarter. Gross non-performing assets (NPAs) for Q4FY26 fell 10.2% to ₹3,604.93 crore from ₹4,014.56 crore in the preceding quarter. Net NPAs also declined 2.7% quarter-on-quarter to ₹653 crore, compared to ₹671.19 crore earlier.

HDFC Bank vs ICICI Bank vs Yes Bank: Which banking stock to buy after Q4 results?

Sugandha Sachdeva, Founder of SS WealthStreet, believes that ICICI Bank continues to stand out as a high-quality compounding story, rather than a cyclical turnaround or a scale-led growth play.

Sachdeva noted that the stock has seen a strong rebound from the ₹1,180 zone, establishing a solid base on weekly charts and indicating a constructive medium-term trend. However, given the sharp rally witnessed over the past couple of weeks, some near-term consolidation or retracement cannot be ruled out.

"Any dips towards the ₹1,275-1250 zone should be utilised as buying opportunities, with a stop loss placed at ₹1,175 on a closing basis. On the upside, the stock has the potential to move towards ₹1,450 initially, with further extension towards ₹1,480 likely over the next few quarters," she added.

Sachdeva further recommended that investors adopt a buy-on-dips strategy as a prudent approach in the current volatile environment.

Meanwhile, Srivastava also said that ICICI Bank stands out for superior NIMs, strong growth, and improving asset quality from a long-term perspective.

"HDFC Bank remains the most stable with best-in-class NPAs but slightly slower growth. Yes Bank, although improving, still lags in profitability metrics and carries higher execution risk," she added.

Report by Mint 

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

19/04/26, Crisil's share price jumped 6.2%

 

S&P Global subsidiary, Crisil's share price jumped 6.2% to hit the intraday high of ₹4,383 during the trading session on Friday, April 17, after the company announced a 46% rise in its Q4 net profits and an interim dividend of ₹9 per share for stock market investors, according to an exchange filing.

Crisil announced its January to March quarter results on Friday, where the firm recorded a 46% rise in its net profits to ₹233.26 crore, compared to ₹159.84 crore in the same period a year ago, according to the consolidated financial statements.

The data also showed that the rating agency's revenue from core operations rose by 30% to ₹1,057 crore in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended 2025-26, compared to ₹813.18 crore in the same period a year ago.

The revenue surge was primarily fuelled by the rise in income from research, analytics and solutions business, which recorded a 34% YoY rise in the March quarter. Crisil's earnings per share (EPS) improved to 31.90 as of the fourth quarter, compared to 21.86 in the same period last year.

Crisil dividend

Crisil's board of directors announced that the research and ratings company will issue an interim dividend of ₹9 per share with a face value of ₹1 each for investors in the year ended December 2026.

"The board of directors has also approved the payment of first interim dividend of Rs 9 per equity share of face value of ₹1 each, for the financial year ending December 31, 2026, which will be paid on May 8, 2026," according to the exchange filing.

This means every eligible shareholder will receive a dividend payment of ₹9 per share for every share they own in the company, and it will be paid out on May 8.

Crisil share price

Crisil shares closed 5% higher at ₹4,335 after Friday's market session, compared to ₹4,126.30 at the previous market close, according to the NSE data. The company announced its Q4 results during the afternoon market hours on April 17.

Shares of Crisil have gained 132% in five years, and over 23% in the last three years. However, the company's stock was down 4% in the last one year period, according to the exchange data.

On a year-to-date basis, Crisil shares were flat but have gained more than 8% in the last one month period. The company's stock was trading nearly 6% higher in the last five market sessions on the Indian stock market.

Crisil shares hit its 52-week high of ₹6,139 on June 27, 2025, while the 52-week low was at ₹3,686 on April 2, 2026, according to NSE data. The company's market capitalisation (M-cap) was around ₹31,717 crore as of Friday's stock market close.

Source: Upstox 

Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes and should not be considered investment advice from us. Please consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions

19/04/26, Shares of billionaire Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel rose as much as 2% to hit an intraday high of ₹1,240 on Friday, April 16, on National Stock Exchange (NSE) after the company announced a joint venture agreement with POSCO Group.

 Following the JV agreement, Saffron Resources Private Limited will become a 50:50 joint venture company between JSW Steel and POSCO and the company will set up a six million tonne per annum steel plant in Odisha.

"Board of Directors of JSW Steel Limited at its meeting held on April 17, 2026, has approved entering into a share subscription and joint venture agreement, with POSCO and POSCO India Private Limited through which Saffron Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company would become a 50:50 joint venture between the company and POSCO Group. The proposed joint venture would set up a greenfield 6 MTPA integrated steel plant at Odisha," JSW Steel said in an exchange filing.

JSW Steel said that Saffron Resources possesses 887 acres of land in Odisha which will be used to set up the proposed 6 MTPA steel plant.

As per the agreement POSCO will subscribe to shares of Saffron for a consideration of ₹50.8 crore and both the companies will have the right to appoint equal number of directors in Saffron.

JSW Steel added that issuance of equity shares by Saffron to POSCO Group would not fall within the ambit of the related party transactions.

"The Joint Venture will deepen strategic ties between the two steel producers. An association with POSCO Co., Ltd will enable the Company to form a strategic partnership for access to technology and manufacturing of high-grade steel products for automotive and other applications," JSW Steel said as the rationale behind forming the JV.

In a separate development, JSW Steel last week said that its crude steel production in financial year 2026 rose 8% to 30.14 million tonnes.

The company's Indian operations saw its production rise by 8% to 29.25 million tonnes and production in United States remained flat 0.83 million tonnes.

As of 2:21 pm, JSW Steel shares traded 1.83% higher at ₹1,237, outperforming the NIFTY50 index which was up 0.5%.

Source: Upstox 

Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes and should not be considered investment advice from us.  Please consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

19/04/26, POST MARKET REPORT :The Indian equity benchmarks moved higher in noon deals on Friday, April 17, powered by gains in index heavyweights like ITC, Hindustan Unilever, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Maruti Suzuki.

 The NIFTY50 index was trading close to its intraday high of 24,300 while the SENSEX rose over 350 points.

As of 11:52 am, the SENSEX was up 361 points at 78,350 and NIFTY50 index advanced 99 points to 24,296.

Here are stocks witnessing heavier than usual trading volumes

Gujarat State Petronet: Shares of the Gujarat government owned natural gas transmission company rose as much as 14% to hit an intraday high of ₹289.15. The stock came under buying interest after reports suggested that United States and Iran were in talks to hold a second meeting to end their seven-week war and reopen the transit of ships carrying crude oil, natural gas and LPG through the Strait of Hormuz.

Gujarat State Petronet shares were witnessing heavier than usual trading activity as trading volume spiked by 20 times to 1.82 crore shares compared with an average trading volume of 9 lakh shares on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

On the BSE, a total of 7.72 lakh shares were traded compared with a two-week average trading volume of 33,000 shares.

MMTC: Shares of the state-run trading company jumped as much as 16.25% to hit an intraday high of ₹71.90 amid very high trading volumes.

Trading volume in MMTC shares surged by 14 times to 4.52 crore shares compared with an average trading volume of 32.6 lakh shares.

On the BSE, as many as 17.58 lakh shares changed hands compared with an average of 2.3 lakh shares traded daily in the past two weeks.

Nava: Shares of the Hyderabad-based ferroalloys, power generation, and mining company jumped 14% to hit an intraday high of ₹715, mirroring prevailing positive trend in power and metal stocks.

The stock surged for a seventh straight session on Friday and posted its biggest single day gain in over a year, data from the National Stock Exchange showed.

Meanwhile, the stock was witnessing very trading activity as volumes spiked by 12.6 times to 66.56 lakh shares compared with a two-week average volume of 5.26 lakh shares on NSE.

On the BSE, a total of 4.77 lakh shares were traded compared with its two-week average of 31,000 shares.

IRCON International: Shares of the state-run railway company rose as much as 13% to hit high of ₹159.60 amid spike in trading volumes.

On the NSE, trading volume in IRCON shares spurted by 6 times to 2.99 crore shares compared with an average volume of 48.53 lakh shares.

RVNL: Shares of the state-rain railway construction company posted its biggest single-day gain since September 2 after the company said that it emerged as the lowest (L1) bidder for East Coast Railway's third and fourth lines between Nergundi-Barang (22Km) and Khurda Road-Vizianagaram (363Km) on Bhadrak- Vizianagaram section (385Km).

The work includes construction of three bridges on an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode on Mahanadi, Kathjori and Kuakhai rivers.

Trading volume in the stock tripled as 2.91 crore shares were traded on the NSE as against its average trading volume of 1.01 crore shares.

On the BSE, as many as 13 lakh shares changed hands compared with an average of 6.25 lakh shares traded daily in the past two weeks.

Source: Upstox 

Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes and should not be considered investment advice from us. Please consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

18/04/26, Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz again

 Iran has reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, with the country's joint military command warning that it would continue to block transit through the narrow waterway as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.

The "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces," it said.

The announcement came the morning after US President Donald Trump said the US blockade "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which 20-25 per cent of the world's oil trade takes place.

What Iran's military command said -

Spokesperson of the Central Headquarters of Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya (PBUH): The Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state. "The Islamic Republic of Iran, following previous agreements in negotiations, has in good faith agreed to the managed passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. However, unfortunately, the Americans, with repeated breaches of their commitments as they have a history of, continue piracy and maritime robbery under the so-called blockade," the spokesperson said.

"For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of the armed forces," the spokesperson said, adding, "It is announced that as long as the United States does not end the full freedom of passage of vessels from Iran to destination and from destination to origin, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled and remain as before."

source: Daily hunt 

18/04/26, PM Modi to address nation

18/04/26, Iran Slams Trump's False Claims

Iran Parliament's speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Friday sharply criticised US President Donald Trump, accusing him of making false claims about the ongoing standoff between Washington and Tehran and warning that continued pressure on Iran could have serious consequences for global shipping.

In a post on X, Ghalibaf said Trump had made “seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false,” adding that the United States had failed both in conflict and in negotiations and would not succeed through what he described as misinformation.

He also warned that the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for global oil shipments — would not remain freely open if the current blockade of Iranian ports continues. Ghalibaf said maritime movement would instead be subject to Iran's control, with routes determined by “field conditions” rather than political messaging. Echoing the stance, Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi said vessels passing through the strait must comply with a new system set by the Islamic Republic, underscoring Tehran's intent to assert authority over the waterway.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions and conflicting narratives over a potential diplomatic breakthrough. Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence that Iran is close to agreeing to a peace deal, claiming Tehran could suspend its nuclear programme and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen fully to commercial traffic. He has also insisted that any agreement would not involve releasing frozen Iranian funds, framing the negotiations as a firm U.S. position without concessions.

However, Iranian officials have pushed back on these assertions, signalling that key differences remain unresolved. The contrasting positions highlight the fragile and uncertain nature of talks, even as both sides signal openness to continued engagement.

source: social media, Network18