The combined market valuation of eight of the top-10 most-valued firms eroded by Rs 2,81,581.53 crore last week, with the State Bank of India taking the biggest hit, in tandem with a weak trend in equities.

Last week, the BSE benchmark tanked 2,368.29 points, or 2.91 per cent.

“Markets ended the holiday-shortened week with steep losses as escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia and a sharp spike in crude oil prices weighed heavily on investor sentiment,” Ajit Mishra, SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said.

From the top-10 pack, Reliance Industries and Infosys were the only gainers.

The market valuation of State Bank of India tumbled Rs 53,952.96 crore to Rs 10,55,567.27 crore.

ICICI Bank‘s valuation eroded by Rs 46,936.82 crore to Rs 9,40,049.82 crore and that of HDFC Bank dived Rs 46,552.3 crore to Rs 13,19,107.08 crore.
The valuation of Larsen & Toubro tanked Rs 45,629.03 crore to Rs 5,43,208.36 crore.The market capitalisation (mcap) of Bajaj Finance dropped by Rs 28,934.56 crore to Rs 5,91,136.03 crore and that of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) diminished by Rs 28,492.44 crore to Rs 9,25,380.15 crore.

Hindustan Unilever‘s mcap declined by 26,350.67 crore to Rs 5,23,042.51 crore and that of Bharti Airtel edged lower by Rs 4,732.75 crore to Rs 10,67,120.50 crore.

However, the market valuation of Reliance Industries jumped Rs 14,750.39 crore to Rs 19,01,583.05 crore.

The mcap of Infosys climbed Rs 3,459.99 crore to Rs 5,30,546.54 crore.

Reliance Industries remained the most valued domestic firm followed by HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, TCS, Bajaj Finance, Larsen & Toubro, Infosys, and Hindustan Unilever.

A federal trade-court judge this week told the Trump administration to begin the process of

returning the approximately $166 billion it collected in tariffs that were voided by the Supreme Court. The order raised hopes of refunds flowing instantly to hundreds of thousands of businesses and people who paid them. But the Trump administration later told the judge that isn’t going to happen and he quickly scaled back his own directive.

Here is what to know about where the legal fight stands and the lengthy process that lies ahead before money hits anyone’s bank account.

Saks Fifth Avenue is shrinking to about half its size as it closes stores in a bid to emerge from bankruptcy. 

Twelve Saks Fifth Avenue stores will be closed by the end of May, its parent company, Saks Global, said on Friday. The disclosure follows an initial review in February in which the company said it would close eight Saks stores.

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The old investing adage, “you get what you deserve, not what you want”, is worth revisiting in the context of today’s volatile market environment. This insight, popularised by investment writer Morgan Housel, in an address to #IndiaInvConf a few years back (whose video is available on YouTube), isn’t just philosophical, it’s practical.

In essence, it reminds investors that markets don’t cater to expectations; they reward discipline and behaviour that withstands uncertainty. Housel is a former columnist at the Motley Fool and the Wall Street Journal.

1. Emotional Investing vs. Market Reality

Indian indices have been sharply impacted by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Major indices such as the Nifty and Sensex plunged as risk appetite evaporated and crude prices surged pushing stock prices down and prompting fear-driven selling.This is exactly the kind of environment where behaviour trumps forecast. Investors often want reassurance that markets will be stable and upward-bound, but the market’s behaviour, driven by oil price shocks and geopolitical risk, doesn’t care about those wishes. What matters is whether investors stick to a well-thought plan or panic and sell at the lows.

2. Risk Perception: Personal vs. Market

Housel explains that risk is perceived differently by each investor and this personal bias often leads to poor timing decisions.
In the current environment, risk isn’t just theoretical, rising crude prices, a weakening rupee, and nervous foreign flows (FIIs) are real forces affecting valuations. Investors who desire certainty may sell impulsively during volatility, but successful outcomes come from understanding risk and planning for it.3. Behavioural Discipline Matters More Than Prediction

Predicting where markets go next is nearly impossible, especially in times of geopolitical upheaval like now. Indian markets saw sharp sell-offs driven by fear rather than fundamentals, and many traders were caught off guard by the swift moves.

This underscores Housel’s point: behaviour, not prediction, dictates investing success. Sticking to asset allocation, maintaining a margin of safety, and resisting panic-selling are behaviours that produce lasting returns, even when short-term results disappoint.

4. Long-Term Compounding vs. Short-Term Noise

Another key idea is the power of compounding, returns accrue significantly over time as long as you stay invested.

Amid today’s volatility, where headlines are dominated by crashes and geopolitical risk, it’s tempting to believe that the market has permanently changed. But markets historically recover and reward patient, calm investors over the long term. Getting “what you deserve” means weathering the downturn without abandoning your strategy.

5. The Broader Market Context in March 2026

To understand why behaviour matters now, look at what’s driving sentiment:

Markets are trading sideways to cautious amid geopolitical tensions.
Crude oil concerns are spiking inflation and risk aversion.
External factors like AI-tech sell-offs and foreign selling pressures add to volatility.

These forces create unpredictable price movements, not necessarily based on fundamentals but on emotional and macro drivers.

What You Deserve in Investing Today

In today’s stock market turmoil, markets won’t rise just because investors want them to. They respond to fundamentals, risk, and collective behaviour.

Investors who resist emotional reactions, focus on long-term strategy and manage risk realistically are the ones likely to be rewarded over time.

Those chasing quick gains, timing the market, or reacting to headlines will often get what they want, fear and losses, not what they deserve: long-term compounded returns.

It is invitation only, made of actual platinum and might weigh more than the rest of your wallet. Robinhood Markets HOOD -4.31%decrease; red down pointing triangle is rolling out a premium credit card with a new generation of big spenders in mind.

The new card is part of Robinhood’s effort to transform itself from a trading firm with meme-stock origins into a “financial super-app” that offers all kinds of services, from prediction-market bets to retirement accounts. In short: It is trying to grow alongside its customers, many of whom are now well into their 30s.

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India’s stock market indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled over 1% on Friday after a day’s breather as the conflict in the Middle East entered its seventh day, driving crude oil prices higher.

“Indian equity markets extended their decline following the prior session’s relief rally, as escalating US-Iran tensions disrupted key Middle Eastern oil and gas supplies, driving crude prices higher. A sustained rise in oil prices could weigh on investor sentiment and adversely affect India’s twin deficits, inflation trajectory, and the RBI’s monetary stance,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments, said.

Here are two recommendations for Monday:

Data Patterns | Buy: Rs 3,350-3,360 | Stop loss: Rs 3,150 | Target: Rs 3,500

Data Patterns has witnessed a strong breakout above the Rs 3,250 resistance zone, supported by sustained buying momentum. The stock is trading above its key moving averages, indicating a positive trend structure. RSI remains
in bullish territory near 70, suggesting strength. As long as Rs 3,150 holds, the stock may extend gains toward the Rs 3,450–3,500 levels.(Kunal Kamble, Sr Technical Research Analyst, Bonanza Portfolio)

NALCO | Buy: Rs 394–396 | Stop loss: Rs 380 | Target: Rs 425

National Aluminium has formed a classic flag and pole continuation pattern on the weekly chart following a strong prior upmove. The recent breakout from the consolidation phase signals renewed bullish momentum. The stock is trading above key moving averages, while RSI remains in the bullish zone, indicating strength and potential continuation of the prevailing uptrend.

(Kunal Kamble, Sr Technical Research Analyst, Bonanza Portfolio)

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

Foreign institutional investors are unlikely to return to Indian equities anytime soon after nearly $2 billion of outflows in March, as escalating geopolitical tensions and rising crude prices continue to weigh on risk appetite, market experts said.

The renewed selling pressure from foreign investors has coincided with a sharp bout of volatility in domestic equities. The Nifty 50 has already fallen nearly 6% so far this year, while investors on Dalal Street have seen about Rs 19 lakh crore wiped out in market cap in just last five trading sessions amid rising global uncertainty.

The sell-off has been triggered largely by escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly the conflict involving Iran and the United States, which has rattled global markets and pushed oil prices higher.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have been steady sellers in Indian equities in recent weeks. According to market data, FPIs sold nearly Rs 16,000 crore worth of equities in the first week of March, while the first four trading sessions of the month alone saw net outflows of around Rs 21,829 crore.

VK Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist at Geojit Investments, said the brief period of foreign buying seen earlier in the year has reversed sharply due to the geopolitical backdrop.

“The net FPI buying witnessed in February has reversed due to the Middle East conflict. Uncertainty surrounding the conflict, the steady decline in the market, the vulnerability of the Indian economy to a sharp crude spike and the depreciation of the rupee have contributed to sustained FII selling in the cash market,” Vijayakumar said.
He added that foreign investors are unlikely to return as buyers anytime soon until there is clarity on how the conflict evolves and crude prices cool. “FPIs are unlikely to return to the market as buyers until there is some clarity on the outcome of the conflict and a decline in crude prices. Brent crude trading above $90 is bad news for the Indian economy and markets,” he said.The rising oil prices are particularly worrying for India, which imports the majority of its crude requirements. A sustained spike in oil prices can widen the current account deficit, put pressure on the rupee and stoke inflation, all factors that tend to deter foreign investors.

Analysts say the current environment has led to a broader de-risking across emerging markets. Vinit Bolinjkar, head of research at Ventura Securities said the short-term outlook for equities remains cautious due to rupee volatility and the inflationary impact of higher crude prices.

He expects heightened volatility to continue in the near term, with investors likely to favour domestically insulated sectors.

“In this environment, sectors such as capital goods and consumer durables may outperform because they are less exposed to global macro risks, while globally linked sectors may face headwinds until uncertainty subsides,” he said.

Despite the persistent foreign selling, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have helped stabilise the market.

The benchmark index has so far managed to defend the 24,300 support level, largely due to domestic buying absorbing foreign outflows. However, global risk sentiment remains fragile.

Justin Khoo, senior market analyst for Asia-Pacific at VT Markets, said rising geopolitical tensions are triggering a shift in global liquidity as investors move away from risk assets.

“Escalating tensions in the Middle East are prompting a noticeable shift in global liquidity, with investors rotating away from risk assets and increasing allocations to safe havens such as the US dollar and government bonds,” Khoo said.

Such shifts typically tighten liquidity in equities and other risk-sensitive markets as investors prioritise capital preservation.

For Indian markets, analysts say a sustained recovery in foreign flows will likely depend on two key factors: easing geopolitical tensions and a decline in crude prices. Until then, the market may continue to rely heavily on domestic liquidity to counter foreign outflows, even as volatility remains elevated in the near term.

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

A not-so-quiet personal finance change is underway in India, and in no place is it more evident than in mutual fund investing.

More households have women at the centre of financial planning, and data support this transition, which is evidenced over the last five years. One in four mutual fund investors in the country is a woman investor.

The narrative is not just about increasing women’s participation in investing, but one about how women are approaching investing in their choice of asset classes and scheme categories.

If you are a woman making your own investment decisions, you are more likely to be thorough and diligent about the framework you use to invest. You would like to set down your investing goals, understand the market to map the investment options that are available to meet your goals and your risk appetite, and, where needed, not hesitate to approach a trusted advisor to guide you through your investment journey.

While this may appear complex and time-consuming, you would also like to participate in the markets even as you refine your investment choices.

That is where passive investing, that is, investing in index funds and ETFs, is a practical starting point.
Low cost, rules-based, makes passive investing a suitable vehicle, not just for building the core part of one’s investment portfolio, but also to participate in narrow themes like sector or theme-based investing. According to recent AMFI data, passive funds now manage close to ₹15 lakh crore in assets, with investor interest in this kind of low-cost, rules-based passive investing only growing month after month.

This growth is not confined to any one category, like say the Nifty 100 index. Investors are allocating to sector-specific indices, across commodity indices like Gold and Silver and to theme-based drivers of returns like value or quality.

From investing to financial planning – how the definition of empowerment has changed

India’s digital public infrastructure, the unique digital identifier to the Unified Payments Interface, combined with the emergence of various fintech platforms, has empowered women to make investment decisions.

But access alone is not a marker of the empowered woman investor in India today. Empowerment is demonstrated in her ability to allocate money in a manner that best meets her financial goals. Those goals could span the spectrum from funding a much dreamt-about holiday, buying that new EV, putting away money to fund that postgraduate course, children’s education, or health and retirement security. The objective is to provide cash flows for living her dreams and funding life stages.

In passive funds, across various index funds and ETFs, a woman would find this avenue attractive because it is rules‑based in portfolio construction and low‑cost in portfolio access.

Passive Strategies for Women Investors

A broad-based equity index fund or ETF, tracking the Nifty 100 Index or the Nifty 50 index (investing in the bluechip, largecap stocks), can serve as a foundational layer for participating in the economic growth story of India. This can form a stable core aligned with long-term financial goals.

Factor-based passive strategies, that is, investment in indices or benchmarks that focus on a specific return driver of stocks, may be worth considering for pursuing preferred styles of investing. These Indices are built around characteristics such as value, quality, low volatility or momentum. For example, if you think the Indian markets are overvalued, you may choose your preference to value by investing in a scheme tracking the Nifty 500 Value 50 Index. If you would like to participate in the popular trends that are underway, you could choose the Nifty 500 Momentum 50 index. The factor-based strategies help you add your own style preference when you build your investment portfolio.

Gold and silver have the same place in our hearts as they did for the generations of women before us. In your investment portfolio, you can find a place through gold or silver ETFs or a fund of funds. Invested in the right proportion, they serve as an effective hedge to the volatility that equity as an asset class can bring to your portfolio in uncertain times.

There are index funds with only fixed-income instruments like bonds as the underlying. Some of these indices have a predefined maturity date, akin to the maturity date of a bank fixed deposit that you may be familiar with. These funds help us meet our near term financial goals, where one can choose funds which have a maturity period matching our investment horizon to meet our near term goals.

Finally, systematic allocation into passive funds, via the SIP route, drives home discipline, rupee cost averaging and consistency in the investment journey are advantages for any investor. Regular investments through SIPs into index funds or ETFs allow investors to build exposure gradually, reducing the noise around timing and encashing of investments in response to everyday news flow.

Conclusion

Women in India are already controlling more wealth, investing in more equity, and owning a larger share per folio of mutual fund investment than ever in the past. The change is visible not just in published data but in sharper allocation choices, greater cost awareness and a clearer focus on long-term resilience. Investing by women is more deliberate and structured.

Index funds offer women investors a simple way to translate those unique strengths into intelligent investment choices. They provide a foundation that can adapt as goals evolve and responsibilities expand. As more women shape their financial futures with clarity and discipline, the investment choices that women make become a reflection of independence.

(The author is Vandana Trivedi, Head – Institutional Sales & Passives Axis AMC)

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