29/07/26, Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) agreed to pay an estimated $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits that claimed its baby powder and other talc-based products caused ovarian cancer. The agreement could bring an end to one of the biggest and longest-running legal battles in the healthcare company’s history, reported Reuters.

The proposed settlement covers about 76,000 existing ovarian cancer claims filed in state and federal courts across the United States. It comes after years of courtroom battles, multiple bankruptcy attempts and conflicting legal rulings over whether J&J’s talc products caused cancer.

Although the company agreed to the settlement, it claimed that the allegations lack merit and it decided to resolve the cases to finally close the dispute.

What does $5.5 billion settlement include?

Under the agreement, Johnson & Johnson will resolve nearly all of the remaining lawsuits that accuse its talc-based products of causing ovarian cancer.

The settlement includes claims consolidated in federal court in New Jersey as well as related lawsuits filed in state courts. According to the company, the agreement will only become final if 95% of eligible ovarian cancer claimants accept its terms, reported Reuters.

J&J said it expects to pay $3 billion in 2027, with additional payments scheduled for 2028. However, the final amount could rise depending on how many people join the settlement.

Chris Seeger, one of the attorneys who helped negotiate the agreement and represents about 2,500 claimants, said the company’s total payout could eventually exceed $7 billion because the settlement does not place a cap on the total compensation.

“We got a fair settlement, and our clients are going to be happy with it,” Seeger said, as reported by Reuters.

Unlike Johnson & Johnson’s earlier bankruptcy proposals, the latest agreement applies only to people who have already filed lawsuits. It does not cover future claims.

According to Seeger, excluding future lawsuits allows more money to go to current claimants and speeds up compensation. Eligible plaintiffs could receive payments within 18 months, instead of waiting more than a decade under previous proposals, reported Reuters.

Why did Johnson & Johnson decide to settle now?

The settlement follows a series of legal victories for Johnson & Johnson in recent months.Last week, a federal judge questioned whether individual plaintiffs could prove that talc specifically caused their ovarian cancer. The company had also secured favourable outcomes in several individual trials and succeeded in challenging some of the expert testimony used by plaintiffs, reported Reuters.

Despite those courtroom wins, J&J chose to settle rather than continue years of litigation.

Erik Haas, the company’s Vice President of Litigation, said the claims lacked merit but added that reaching an agreement would allow the company to move forward. “While we are confident the company would have ultimately prevailed with further litigation, as it has in the vast majority of cases tried to date, this resolution allows the company to put this matter behind it and remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives,” Haas said, as reported by Reuters.

Johnson & Johnson has consistently denied that its talc products caused cancer or contained asbestos. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States in 2020 and replaced it with a cornstarch-based product, reported Reuters.

J&J previously tried to resolve the lawsuits through a legal strategy commonly known as the “Texas two-step,” which involved placing the liabilities into a subsidiary that later filed for bankruptcy. Courts dismissed each of those bankruptcy filings, allowing the lawsuits to continue.

Before those bankruptcy efforts, Johnson & Johnson won several trials but also faced major verdicts against it, including a multibillion-dollar award to 22 women who claimed the company’s baby powder caused their ovarian cancer, reported Reuters.

Written by Dimple Singh

Source: Financial Express

29/07/26, Hindustan Unilever Ltd

There’s a particular kind of anxiety that grips a shareholder when a stock they’ve held for years suddenly starts flirting with its 52-week low. That’s exactly where Hindustan Unilever finds itself right now.

The FMCG giant, a stock many Indian households have owned for decades is trading uncomfortably close to its 52-week low of Rs 2,016, and a long way down from its 52-week high of Rs 2,715.44. For a company synonymous with soaps, shampoos, and steady compounding, that’s a fall that gets noticed. The question on everyone’s mind is simple: is this a rare chance to buy a quality stock cheap, or is there more pain ahead?

To make sense of it, we spoke to analysts across the spectrum – from technical chartists to fundamental researchers. Here is a detailed analysis of the share price movement and fundamental drivers. 

HUL: What are the technical charts indicating? 

Start with the price chart, and the mood turns cautious.

Jigar S. Patel, Senior Manager of Equity Technical Research at Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers, believes investors should remain cautious despite the recent recovery.

He said, “Hindustan Unilever continues to trade below its 200-day EMA, indicating that the broader trend remains weak despite the recent recovery. The stock has been moving in a broad sideways range, reflecting the absence of strong buying momentum.”

He further added, “Technical indicators also suggest caution, with MACD hovering in negative territory, RSI near the neutral 45–50 zone, and DMI showing sellers still holding a slight edge.”

According to Patel, investors should avoid rushing into fresh positions. “Unless the stock sustains above the key resistance zone, upside is likely to remain limited. Traders should avoid aggressive fresh buying at current levels and wait for either a decisive breakout or a meaningful correction toward support,” Patel noted.

He recommended existing shareholders,to stay invested with proper risk management. “Existing investors can continue to hold with strict stop-loss levels while closely monitoring price action.”

According to him, the important support levels are “Rs 2,080–2,050, followed by Rs 2,000, while resistance is seen around Rs 2,180–2,220 and then Rs 2,300.”

HUL: Behind the Q1 numbers

Despite the weak share price performance, analysts believe the June quarter was operationally stable.

Thomas V. Abraham, Research Analyst at Mirae Asset Sharekhan, said the company’s growth was broad-based across several categories.

Abraham explained, “Hindustan Unilever’s Q1 revenue increase of 10% was evenly split between pricing and actual volume gains. Home Care and Beauty & Wellbeing were the standout performers, riding strong demand for premium skin care, hair care, and household products, while Personal Care lagged — its volumes shrank and revenue rose only because of price hikes.”

However, profitability remained under pressure.

“On the profitability front, input costs, particularly palm oil and crude-based packaging materials, rose faster than the company could recover through pricing, and elevated marketing spend added further strain. EBITDA margin slipped 40 basis points sequentially to 23%. And EBITDA climbed a solid 8% year-on-year,” added Abraham.

What could drive growth ahead?

According to Thomas Abraham, commodity prices will remain the biggest near-term factor.

He said, “The immediate challenge remains commodity costs. With palm oil prices still elevated, management is treading carefully on further price increases, wary of denting demand among cost-conscious buyers, so cost pass-through will likely stay incomplete for now.”

He believes urban demand has been stronger than rural demand so far, adding “This dynamic explains why urban and premium categories carried the quarter while mass-market and rural-facing lines stayed subdued.”

Looking ahead, he expects broader demand recovery. “Going forward, performance should broaden as input costs cool and rural buying picks up — pulling the lagging categories back into growth alongside the urban segments already performing well.”

The Bull Case? Is the correction worth buying into

JM Financial has upgraded the stock to ‘Buy’ with a revised target price of Rs 2,425, implying nearly 20% upside from current levels.

According to the brokerage report, “HUL’s Q1FY27 revenue performance (USG/UVG of 10%/5%) and margin delivery (EBITDA margin of 23%) were in line with JM Financial.”

The brokerage highlighted several positives.

According to JM Financial, Hindustan Unilever’s June quarter performance was supported by strong volume-led growth in its Home Care and Beauty & Wellbeing segments. The brokerage highlighted resilient margins despite raw material inflation, with high-single-digit volume growth in Home Care and continued momentum in premium beauty products.

It also believes the new management initiatives are beginning to show results.

“We believe initiatives led by the new CEO – sharper portfolio interventions, investment behind categories and intensified omni-channel execution – are in the right direction, and benefits are visible from acceleration in sales growth over past few quarters,” added JM Financial in its report. 

JM Financial also believes inflation could work in HUL’s favour over time. “We believe inflationary scenario augurs well for HUL as it accelerates share gains from unorganised/regional players, and has adequate levers to navigate the current volatile environment.”

The brokerage said earnings visibility remains strong despite the near-term challenges. It also noted that after the recent correction, the stock is trading at around 39 times its estimated FY28 earnings, which is below its long-term average valuation and could limit the downside risk.

The Bear’ Case: HUL – Wait, don’t rush in

HDFC Securities has maintained a ‘Reduce’ rating with a June 2027 target price of Rs 2,100, which is close to the current market price.

According to the brokerage house, HUL will need to strengthen its competitive position.

“With expectations of a stable management team, we expect HUL to realign its strategy more closely with shaping consumer trends for relevance and growth. At the same time, the company will have to focus on developing newer moats, which in our view would be crucial to support valuations,” added HDFC Securities in its report.

HDFC Securities expects Hindustan Unilever to deliver around 7% revenue growth and 8% earnings growth going forward. However, it believes valuations remain demanding despite the recent correction, noting that the stock is trading at about 41 times forward earnings, although this is around a 21% discount to its long-term average valuation.

Its recommendation remains cautious. “We have given a call to reduce the holdings as we are expecting the HUL stock to be around 2,100 by June 2027.”

Technical indicators suggest investors should wait for stronger confirmation before making fresh entries. On the other hand, some brokerages believe the recent correction has improved the stock’s valuation and continue to see upside over the long-term.

Written by Olivia Kunjumoon 

Source: FinancialExpress

29/07/26, SENSEX. NIFTY50, NIFTYBSNK & IDFC First Bank

 

29/07/26, Let's catch up on the latest news from the stock market. From significant investments to major deals, quarterly earnings, order wins, and appointments, here's a quick look at which stocks will be in focus in today's trade:

Asian Paints, Eicher Motors, Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Colgate Palmolive (India), ACME Solar Holdings, Aequs, Bajaj Housing Finance, Black Buck, CarTrade Tech, Dabur India, Hexaware Technologies, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, KPIT Technologies, Karnataka Bank, MTAR Technologies, Piramal Pharma, Prestige Estates Projects, Syngene International, Vedanta Power, Vedanta Iron and Steel, Vedanta Oil and Gas, and Waaree Energies will release their quarterly earnings today.

Quarterly Earnings

Larsen and Toubro Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit grows 14% to Rs 4,123 crore Vs Rs 3,617 crore

Revenue rises 7% to Rs 67,942 crore Vs Rs 63,679 crore

EBITDA falls 3% to Rs 6,116 crore Vs Rs 6,318 crore

Margin declines 90 bps to 9% Vs 9.9%

Group order inflows surge 14% to Rs 1.08 lakh crore Vs Rs 94,453 crore

Company has consolidated order book of Rs 7.79 lakh crore, up 5% since March 2026

Tata Capital Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit soars 56% to Rs 1,547 crore Vs Rs 990 crore

Total income grows 23% to Rs 4,455 crore Vs Rs 3,626 crore

AUM surges 22% to Rs 2.90 lakh crore Vs Rs 2.37 lakh crore

Phoenix Mills Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit jumps 23.3% to Rs 296.9 crore Vs Rs 240.7 crore

Revenue increases 12.8% to Rs 1,074.9 crore Vs Rs 953 crore

Paradeep Phosphates Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit zooms 23.9% to Rs 392.5 crore Vs Rs 316.8 crore

Revenue spikes 36% to Rs 6,124.3 crore Vs Rs 4,503.5 crore

Board approves investment of around Rs 250 crore for setting up Aluminium Fluoride (AlF3) plant at Paradeep

Birlasoft Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit surges 51.3% to Rs 161 crore Vs Rs 106.4 crore

Revenue grows 7.4% to Rs 1,379.4 crore Vs Rs 1,284.9 crore

DCM Shriram Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit zooms over 6-fold to Rs 692.8 crore Vs Rs 113.4 crore

Revenue increases 9.5% to Rs 3,784.7 crore Vs Rs 3,455.2 crore

Exceptional gains of Rs 79.42 crore Vs Nil

Tax write-back at Rs 418.02 crore Vs tax expenses of Rs 56.34 crore

VST Industries Q1 (YoY)

Profit falls 24.4% to Rs 42.4 crore Vs Rs 56.1 crore

Revenue declines 13.9% to Rs 256.5 crore Vs Rs 297.9 crore

RPG Life Sciences Q1 (Consolidated YoY)

Profit grows 17% to Rs 30.8 crore Vs Rs 26.3 crore

Revenue soars 15.8% to Rs 195.7 crore Vs Rs 168.9 crore

Sanofi Consumer Healthcare India Q2 (YoY)

Profit increases 13.3% to Rs 68.8 crore Vs Rs 60.7 crore

Revenue rises 6.7% to Rs 235.7 crore Vs Rs 220.9 crore

Stocks to Watch

Graphite India

Following its preliminary affirmative determinations in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigations, the US Department of Commerce has preliminarily imposed a 3.68 percent countervailing duty on exports of large-diameter graphite electrodes from the company.

Rail Vikas Nigam

The company has received a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from East Central Railway for the construction of doubling works for 25T Indian Railway Standard Loading, from Kundawa Chainpur to Raxaul, in connection with the doubling of the Sitamarhi-Raxaul section in the Samastipur Division of East Central Railway. The EPC project is valued at Rs 358.97 crore.

Life Insurance Corporation of India

The board has appointed Shatmanyu Shrivastava, Executive Director (Finance & Accounts), as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the corporation, effective July 28.

NTPC

The President of India has extended the re-employment of Gurdeep Singh as Chairman & Managing Director of NTPC on a contract basis for a further period of six months beyond the completion of his current tenure on July 31, 2026. The extension will take effect from August 1, 2026.

Euro Panel Products

EUROBOND, the flagship brand of Euro Panel Products, has officially commenced operations at its new 2.2 MW grid-connected solar facility in Surat. The commissioning marks the completion of the third phase of a multi-year energy expansion programme, taking the company's total operational solar capacity to 3.6 MW.

The new facility enables EUROBOND to meet 50 percent of its factory's total power requirements through captive solar energy, a significant increase from its earlier 20 percent offset capability.

Bulk Deals

Gandhar Oil Refinery India

European lender Societe Generale sold 5.22 lakh shares, representing a 0.53 percent stake in Gandhar Oil Refinery India, for Rs 12.62 crore at an average price of Rs 241.88 per share.

The sale comes days after Societe Generale acquired a 1.59 percent stake in the company on July 23-24, following the company's strong June-quarter earnings.

Aqylon Nexus

Mauritius-based arbitrage fund Pine Oak Global Fund acquired an additional 25 lakh shares, representing a 0.98 percent stake in Aqylon Nexus, for Rs 6.29 crore at Rs 25.19 per share.

Meanwhile, Sera Investments & Finance India sold 18.63 lakh shares, or a 0.73 percent stake, in Aqylon Nexus for Rs 4.69 crore at Rs 25.20 per share.

As of June 2026, Pine Oak Global Fund held a 3.94 percent stake in Aqylon Nexus, while Sera Investments & Finance India owned 14.2 percent, according to the latest shareholding pattern.

Asian Granito India

Nova Global Opportunities Fund PCC – Touchstone purchased 20 lakh shares, representing a 0.67 percent stake in Asian Granito India, at Rs 60 per share in a transaction worth Rs 12 crore.

Raajmarg Infra Investment

Axis Bank sold 34.33 lakh units of Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust at Rs 116.50 per unit in a transaction worth Rs 40 crore.

Source: Moneycontrol 

29/07/26, IT index rose 3% on July 28, defying a wider Asian technology selloff driven by concerns about the heavy capital needs of the AI boom. Indian IT is seen as relatively insulated because it has few pure-play artificial intelligence companies.

The sub-index has risen 6% over two sessions after Jefferies upgraded the sector to "neutral" from "underweight".

The gains come ahead of the Fed's policy decision on Wednesday, when it is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged.

"The retreat in the AI frenzy globally creates room for India's battered IT sector to find its footing," said Gaurav Kulshreshtha, chief investment officer at Nexedge Capital.

"However, fundamental headwinds remain for large-cap IT and global tech spends need to materially improve for any sustained recovery."

Is the worst over for the beaten down index and its constituents?

Amid a sharp sell-off across East Asian technology hubs driven by escalating fears over debt-fueled artificial intelligence (AI) capital expenditure and uncertain return-on-investment timelines, India's technology services sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience. While semiconductor giants and hardware suppliers across South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan faced heavy selling pressure, major Indian IT exporters led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and HCLTech. This divergence underscores a structural decoupling between hardware-centric AI speculation and service-oriented software implementation, said Mayank Jain, Market Analyst, Share.Market by PhonePe.

"The primary catalyst behind this insulation stems from Indian IT's minimal exposure to heavy capital expenditure. Unlike global chipmakers and hyperscalers bearing the multi-billion-dollar burden of AI data center buildouts, Indian IT firms operate on an asset-light, cash-generative services model. Having already undergone a multi-quarter valuation de-rating that wiped out substantial market capitalization, the Nifty IT index reached attractive risk-reward levels. Domestic and foreign institutional investors consequently executed a tactical rotation, treating Indian IT as a defensive value proxy while trimming exposure to high-multiple Asian hardware counters," added Jain.

Near-term momentum for Indian IT will ultimately depend on macro easing in the West, particularly the US Federal Reserve's rate path. With North American BFSI clients serving as the sector's primary growth engine, lower interest rates are required to release pent-up discretionary tech spending. Easing global inflation further stabilises client operating margins, laying the groundwork for budget expansion. Although immediate stock performance hinges on management commentary surrounding TCV deal execution, the sector's low capital intensity and cash generation have effectively set a firm floor under its valuations, the analyst further said.

Jain gave trading levels for those who want to trade in the index and four frontline IT stocks -- Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra.

IT index

The Nifty IT Index registered a sharp upward move during the latest trading session, rising over 3.5% to close near the 30,500 mark. This gains momentum following a severe multi-month downturn where the index dropped from its peak around the 46,000 level down to a key support zone near 25,600. The strong single-day rally was backed by higher trading volume, indicating active buying and short-covering at lower levels.

From a technical standpoint, the index has successfully reclaimed its short-term moving averages, specifically the 20-day and 50-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), which currently hover around the 28,600 to 28,700 range. This dynamic area now acts as an immediate support floor for the market. However, the overall long-term trend remains cautious, as the index is still trading below its 200-day EMA, located near 31,800. Market observers view the 31,800 to 32,000 zone as a crucial hurdle that the index must cross to confirm a broader trend reversal. In the near term, price movement suggests strong recovery momentum, though ongoing volatility could see testing around previous support zones, said Jain

TCS

Technically, at Rs 2,407, TCS trades above its short-to-medium-term 20 DMA (Rs 2,295) and 50 DMA (Rs 2,250), pointing to an active short-term recovery, though it remains below its long-term 200 DMA (Rs 2,624).

The high value and quality metrics, coupled with robust dividend yields (4.8%), favour accumulation for patient, value-oriented investors, while technical momentum traders may seek a decisive breakout above the 200 DMA before expanding exposure, said the analyst.

Infosys

Technically, trading at Rs 1,112, Infosys exhibits a short-term bounce above its 20 DMA, but continues to trade below its 50 DMA and 200 DMA, reflecting a broader consolidated chart pattern.

Strong cash generation, a 4.3% dividend yield, and attractive valuation multiples present a solid defensive play, though upside moves may remain constrained until revenue guidance re-accelerates and leadership transition clears, said Jain.

HCL Technologies

On the charts, at Rs 1,338, HCL Tech maintains the strongest technical layout among large-caps—trading comfortably above its 20 DMA and 50 DMA as it tests overhead resistance near its 200 DMA.

Technically, with the stock maintaining a firm posture above its 20 DMA and 50 DMA, the current consolidation near the 200 DMA (Rs 1,338) represents a crucial pivot point. A volume-backed technical breakout above this 200 DMA hurdle could increase the chances of an upward movement, said Jain.

Tech Mahindra

From a price standpoint, at Rs 1,635, the stock sits above its 20 DMA and 50 DMA, with operational metrics gradually translating into price recovery below long-term 200 DMA hurdles.

Tech Mahindra presents a high-conviction turnaround story where internal efficiency measures are successfully driving operational alpha. Technically, the stock is building constructive momentum above its 20 DMA and 50 DMA at Rs 1,635. For investors focused on margin expansion and earnings acceleration, any minor pullbacks ahead of its 200 DMA (Rs 1,700 zone) offer a favourable risk-reward window to participate, the analyst said.

Report by J. Jagannath 

Source:moneycontrol

28/07/26, Indian benchmark indices are likely to see a flat to negative start on July 28, as GIFT Nifty is trading lower around 23,996.50 in early trade.

Indian benchmark indices ended sharply higher on July 27, snapping a five-session losing streak, supported by broad-based buying across sectors amid easing geopolitical tensions and a sharp decline in crude oil prices.

A pause in military strikes between the US and Iran helped the market open on a strong note, with the Nifty climbing above 23,900. However, the benchmarks traded in a narrow range for most of the session before witnessing strong buying in the final hour, lifting the Nifty above the 24,000 mark and helping to close near day's high

At close, the Sensex was up 776.01 points or 1.02 percent at 76,835.78, and the Nifty was up 228.50 points or 0.96 percent at 23,995.95.

Here is how financial markets across the globe fared overnight:

GIFT Nifty (Down)

GIFT Nifty was trading marginally lower at around 23,996.50 in early trade, indicating a negative start for the domestic equity markets.

Asian Equities (Down)

Asian equities declined as renewed concerns over artificial-intelligence spending fueled another selloff in chipmakers.

US Equities (Mixed)

Wall Street ended mixed on Monday, as investors awaited guidance from major technology companies in a busy week for ​quarterly earnings, while also worrying that stubbornly high oil prices could force the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.

The S&P 500 edged up 0.02% ‌to end ⁠the session at 7,413.18 points. The Nasdaq declined 0.18% to 24,932.08 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.51% to 52,210.08 points.

Dollar Index (Down)

The U.S. dollar held at a one-month high on Tuesday as traders weighed a slim but lingering chance of a rate hike at the Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting, even as falling oil prices eased some concerns over inflation.

US Bond Yield (Down)

The yields on 10-year Treasury and 2-year Treasury declined nearly 2 basis points each at4.63% and 4.30%, respectively.

Asian Currencies (Down)

Asian currencies traded mostly weaker against the US dollar, with seven of the nine major regional currencies ending in the red. The South Korean won was the biggest loser, declining 0.341%, followed by the Taiwan dollar, which fell 0.306%, and the Indonesian rupiah, down 0.255%. The Thai baht, Singapore dollar, Philippine peso and Japanese yen also posted modest losses. In contrast, the Chinese renminbi outperformed the region, rising 0.112%, while the Malaysian ringgit edged up 0.012%, making them the only Asian currencies to strengthen against the US dollar.

Crude (Slips)

Oil prices tumbled on Monday as the U.S. and Iran swapped attacks on each other for dialogue, while Wall Street and Treasuries traded in much narrower ranges as investors looked ahead to a raft of big tech earnings reports and the Federal Reserve's policy decision later this week.

Gold (Falls)

Gold prices edged lower on Tuesday, pressured by a stronger dollar, while markets looked to the Federal Reserve's upcoming policy decision for clues on the interest rate outlook.

Fund Flow Action

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) extended their selling streak to a fourth consecutive session on July 27, offloading equities worth ₹1,688 crore. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) remained net buyers for the third straight session, purchasing equities worth ₹2,329 crore.

Hope you're all set for today's trade. We wish you a profitable day ahead.

Written by Rakesh Patil

Source:Network18