Budget under pressure: 10 moves FM Sitharaman could use to calm stock market after a sustained sell-off

Indian stock markets head into Union Budget 2026 on a fragile footing. The Nifty is down over 2% in January and has fallen 1.5% in the fortnight leading up to the Budget. Sentiment is weak, the rupee has slid close to 92, and foreign investors have been steady sellers. Against this backdrop, expectations from the Budget are deliberately low. Analysts broadly agree that the Budget is unlikely to deliver big-bang announcements. Yet, in a market starved of confidence, even small, well-placed signals could matter.

Here are ten things analysts say Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman could do to steady nerves and keep equity markets engaged after a sustained sell-off.

1) Sticking to fiscal discipline without springing surprises.
Most brokerages expect the government to stay on the fiscal consolidation path, even if the pace slows slightly. Jefferies expects the FY27 deficit to be around 4.2%, while allowing for a scenario where it is held closer to 4.4% to support near-term growth. For markets, the key is predictability. A fiscally prudent budget, without aggressive tightening, would reassure investors that macro stability remains intact.2) Continuity on capital gains taxation and even a reduction.
One of the biggest fears priced into markets is the risk of adverse tax changes. Shruti Jain of Arihant Capital Markets said that avoiding negative surprises such as higher long-term capital gains tax or removal of buyback and dividend benefits would itself be seen as a relief. Even Jefferies notes that while capital gains relief for FPIs is not its base case, any such move would be positive for equities.

3) Visible capex numbers
Analysts are aligned that capital expenditure remains the Budget’s strongest lever. Jefferies and BofA both peg FY27 capex around Rs 12.5 lakh crore. Even if overall growth is in the 7-12% range, clear allocation and execution focus, especially in strategic areas, would support market sentiment. Motilal Oswal said equities are likely to support even a minor fiscal stretch if it is directed toward productive capex.
4) Defence spending
Defence is one area where expectations are high and consensus is strong. Jefferies expects defence capex growth of over 20%, while Emkay Global believes defence could see positive outcomes even in a low-impact Budget. Strong defence allocations would support defence PSUs and contractors, a pocket of relative strength in an otherwise cautious market.5) Clarity on pay commission provisioning.
The delayed Central Pay Commission remains a live issue. Jefferies pointed out that with key state elections due in 2027, the government may allocate part of the pay hike in this Budget. Even partial provisioning, with arrears spread over time, could support middle-class consumption and help sentiment in consumer-facing stocks without derailing fiscal math.

6) Selective Consumption support
With last year’s Rs 1 lakh crore personal income tax relief still flowing through the system, analysts do not expect sweeping consumption stimulus. Motilal Oswal said consumption support is likely to be selective, not broad-based. Still, targeted measures that benefit consumer durables or housing-linked segments could lift sentiment in beaten-down pockets of the market.

7) Avoiding negative capital market measures
Emkay Global expects equity capital gains tax rates to remain unchanged and sees little room for manoeuvring on personal or corporate taxes. For markets, the absence of disruptive measures may be more important than new incentives. Stoxkart said, a “quiet, shock-free Budget” could itself trigger relief rallies driven by short covering and improved risk appetite.

8) Reform signals
Several analysts stressed that reforms may not come as Budget headlines but could still be meaningful. Stoxkart highlighted the Electricity (Amendment) Act and IBC revamp as areas to watch. ArunaGiri of TrustLine Holdings said the Budget has increasingly become procedural, but ongoing reforms and trade diversification efforts are structurally positive for Indian equities over the long term.

9) Reassuring foreign investors on stability and growth
VK Vijayakumar of Geojit Investments noted that FPI selling slowed toward the end of January and that investors are now waiting for Budget signals. With the Economic Survey projecting strong GDP growth and benign inflation, a fiscally prudent and growth-oriented Budget could help markets turn resilient and possibly slow foreign outflows.

10) Expectations grounded while allowing for upside surprise.
Nuvama called the Budget likely “neutral” from a market standpoint. Yet, as Motilal Oswal observed, low expectations set the stage for positive surprise. Even modest positives, if well-communicated, could help markets stabilise in the short term and refocus attention on earnings and macro fundamentals.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)