Indian equity markets extended gains on Monday, taking cues from a rebound in global markets, particularly Wall Street. Both the Nifty and broader market indices traded in positive territory, reflecting improved global sentiment and steady domestic participation.

Despite the positive tone, the Nifty remained largely range-bound during the session. Market participants are watching closely to assess whether the ongoing rally has further legs or if the index is likely to consolidate at current levels. Technical experts say that while momentum remains positive, near-term movements could stay choppy due to overbought conditions.

Commenting on the market structure, Rajesh Bhosale from Angel One highlighted that last week’s sharp gap-up move set the tone for the current trend. He said, “So, last Tuesday we saw a strong gap-up opening of more than around 1,200 points and post that, as you highlighted, the index has been trading in a range. But Nifty held onto its key moving averages and if we see last week’s candlestick formation, it was a very strong engulfing pattern.”

He added that Monday’s action further reinforced the bullish undertone. “And today we are seeing a follow-up with a strong bullish gap. So, the direction of the gap itself indicates that the market is in a strong uptrend, but due to indicators being in an overbought zone, we are seeing choppy upside.”

According to Bhosale, the broader strategy should remain tilted towards buying on declines. “So, our strategy will remain to maintain a buy approach where any dip should be considered as a buying opportunity.”

He identified immediate technical levels for traders to monitor closely. “Today’s bullish gap left around 25,700 seems to be the immediate support and in the coming session, that is tomorrow for the weekly expiry, we expect Nifty to move towards the levels of 26,000 to 26,100.”
Summing up his outlook, Bhosale maintained a positive bias for the index. “So, bias is positive. Consider dips towards 25,700 as a buying opportunity, expecting levels of around 26,000 to 26,100 levels.”Market participants will now watch global cues and weekly expiry dynamics for further direction, with technical indicators suggesting that while the trend remains upward, short-term volatility could persist.

The news comes as the regional authority looks to build more stations across the South West

More frequent trains on a number of lines from Bristol Temple Meads station will continue following an agreement with the government.

The West of England Combined Authority (Weca) said that since introducing half-hourly services on certain lines, there had been more than three million more train journeys on those routes.

The routes that will continue to offer more frequent services are:

• Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury (part of the Heart of Wessex Line), also stopping at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Freshford, Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, and Westbury;
• Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester, via Yate, also stopping at Filton Abbey Wood and Bristol Parkway – and will also serve every hour the new Charfield station currently under construction;
• Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach (the Severn Beach Line), also stopping at Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier, Redland, Clifton Down, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Portway Park and Ride, Avonmouth, St Andrews Road (hourly), and Severn Beach (hourly).

Weca said its “longer-term ambition” is to have four trains per hour serving stations across the network, after the region secured £752m investment for transport infrastructure improvements from the government last year.

The announcement comes as Weca prepares to unveil a new ‘Transport Vision for the West of England’ this week, setting out more details about the authority’s goals for the future.

Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said: “Half-hourly services between Westbury, Gloucester via Yate, Severn Beach, and Bristol Temple Meads are important for local commuters, giving people more options to travel on our growing regional rail network.

“Our new agreement to protect these regular services is welcome news for passengers across the West Country. As we build five new train stations, and look to increase the frequency of services across the board, this is another vote of confidence in the West of England.”

Claire Young, MP for Thornbury and Yate, said she was “thrilled” with the news that train services in Yate would run on a half-hour frequency permanently.

“This is something I have campaigned hard for alongside local councillors and I raised the issue five times in Parliament,” she said.

“It also means that the new Charfield station will be able to run hourly trains. The half-hour service will support jobs in Yate and also help students to access colleges in the area.”

GWR Wales and West of England commercial development manager Hannah Shackleford added: “These aren’t just trains – they’re vital economic lifelines connecting communities and businesses across the region. The decision validates our belief that reliable rail services are essential for local and national growth.”

Two new railway stations have opened in the region in recent years: Portway Park and Ride, and Ashley Down.

Five more are being delivered as part of a wider £400m regional investment: Charfield, Henbury, North Filton, Pill, and Portishead.

Virtual private networks remain essential tools in 2026 for protecting online privacy, bypassing geo-restrictions, securing public Wi-Fi connections and accessing streaming content worldwide. With cyber threats evolving and governments increasing surveillance, consumers seek VPNs that balance speed, strong encryption, no-logs policies and reliable performance.

Independent reviews from PCMag, CNET, TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, Security.org and others in early February 2026 show a competitive field led by established names. Rankings vary by priorities — privacy purists favor audited no-logs providers, streamers prioritize unblocking Netflix and Hulu, budget users seek value, and speed enthusiasts demand minimal slowdowns.

Experts tested dozens of services on factors including connection speeds, server networks, encryption standards (AES-256, WireGuard protocols), kill switches, leak protection, independent audits, jurisdiction and real-world streaming/torrenting performance. Here’s the consensus top 10 VPNs for 2026, drawn from aggregated expert evaluations.

1. NordVPN — Best Overall VPN NordVPN consistently ranks No. 1 across many 2026 reviews for its blend of blazing speeds (via NordLynx protocol), massive server network (over 8,000 servers in 100+ countries), audited no-logs policy and extras like Threat Protection, Double VPN and Meshnet. It excels at unblocking streaming services, supports 10 simultaneous connections and offers competitive pricing (often under $4/month on long-term plans). Drawbacks include occasional app complexity for beginners.
2. ExpressVPN — Best for Streaming and Ease of Use CNET and Top10VPN frequently crown ExpressVPN the best overall due to intuitive apps, lightning-fast servers, excellent streaming unblocking (Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer) and top-tier privacy (independent audits, British Virgin Islands jurisdiction). Lightway protocol delivers near-native speeds with strong encryption. It supports unlimited devices on some plans but costs more than competitors.
3. Proton VPN — Best for Privacy and Free Tier PCMag awards Proton VPN Editors’ Choice for unmatched privacy, thanks to Switzerland’s strong laws, open-source apps, Secure Core routing and repeated no-logs audits. Its free plan offers unlimited data (rare in the industry), while paid tiers add speed and servers. Excellent for privacy-focused users, though speeds trail leaders in some tests.
4. Surfshark — Best Value and Unlimited Devices Surfshark stands out for unlimited simultaneous connections, low long-term prices (often under $3/month) and solid performance. It features CleanWeb ad/malware blocking, RAM-only servers and strong streaming support. Unlimited devices make it ideal for families or multi-device households, though server count lags behind NordVPN.
5. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Best for Customization and Torrenting PIA earns praise for deep customization (port forwarding, split tunneling), proven no-logs policy (court-tested) and anonymous torrenting. Affordable with strong U.S. server coverage, it suits power users. Apps feel dated to some reviewers, but functionality remains excellent.
6. Mullvad — Best for Anonymous Accounts and Privacy Purists RTINGS and privacy advocates rank Mullvad highly for exceptional business practices: cash/crypto payments, no email required, audited no-logs and WireGuard focus. Fixed pricing (€5/month) and transparency appeal to those prioritizing anonymity over features.
7. CyberGhost — Best for Beginners and Dedicated Streaming Servers CyberGhost offers user-friendly apps, dedicated streaming-optimized servers (Netflix, Hulu) and solid speeds. Affordable long-term plans and 45-day money-back guarantee make it beginner-friendly, though advanced features trail top competitors.
8. IPVanish — Best for Unlimited Devices on a Budget IPVanish provides unlimited connections, strong speeds and good U.S. coverage. It suits streaming and torrenting, with no-logs audits. Ownership by Ziff Davis (PCMag parent) raises some privacy questions for skeptics.
9. Mullvad (repeated emphasis in privacy rankings) — Often listed alongside Proton for strict no-logs and ethical stance. Some sources highlight Mullvad’s refusal to log even minimal data, making it a go-to for high-privacy needs.
10. Atlas VPN or Windscribe — Emerging or niche picks for free/premium balance. Windscribe offers generous free data with strong privacy; Atlas (now part of Nord) provides solid free access but paid tiers lag leaders.

The VPN landscape in 2026 favors audited, transparent providers avoiding Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes jurisdictions when possible. Speeds have improved industry-wide with WireGuard adoption, while streaming unblocking remains a key battleground. Free VPNs often compromise privacy or speed — experts recommend paid options with money-back guarantees.

When choosing, consider needs: privacy (Proton/Mullvad), streaming (ExpressVPN/NordVPN), budget (Surfshark/PIA) or ease (ExpressVPN). Always review current audits and test with trials, as performance varies by location and ISP.

Pankaj Pandey, Head Research, ICICIdirect.com said PSU banks continue to look attractive, even as he refrained from commenting directly on SBI due to compliance reasons. He said Bank of Baroda remains his top pick in the space, with a target price of ₹340. According to him, the second half of the financial year is expected to be significantly better than the first half, and recent volatility in performance is likely to subside.

“PSU banks overall look very attractive to us. What we have in terms of our top pick is Bank of Baroda, there we have a target price of 340. Overall sense is that H2 is expected to be a lot better compared to H1 and whatever volatility we have seen in the past in terms of performance should do better and this bank also should do well from the perspective of potential M&As or potential consolidation in the PSU space,” Pandey said.

He added that broader policy changes could further support PSU banks. “There are other factors which might also help if the government reviews the potential voting rights plus FDI guidelines. I think PSU banks will probably continue to outperform private sector counterparts,” he said.

On Kotak Mahindra Bank, Pandey said he remains constructive on the stock, highlighting improving growth visibility and easing concerns around potential involvement in the IDBI Bank acquisition. “Kotak on a standalone basis, we have been liking this bank because now they are guiding for one-and-a-half to two times nominal GDP growth rate in terms of advances. Credit cost has been a challenge for them, which they are expecting to trend lower,” he said.

He added, “So, we see this bank as growing at say 15-odd percent and ROAs at about 2.1-odd percent. So, we like this bank. And whatever overhang was there because they were one of the potential bidders for IDBI has been sort of put to rest. So, from that perspective we are very constructive on Kotak Bank.” He said IDBI Bank is not under his coverage.

On Tata Steel, Pandey said he remains positive and prefers the stock over JSW Steel. “We have a pretty constructive stance. Previously, we had a buy rating. This particular quarter, we have seen realisation being down by about Rs 3,300 per tonne, whereas impact on EBITDA was relatively less at about Rs 1,800 per tonne,” he said.
He expects margins to improve in the coming quarter. “Our sense is that with 12% kind of a safeguard duty coming in, in Q4 we would expect overall EBITDA per tonne to improve by or net realisation to improve by 2,300. And the good part is that going forward you will see bulk of the EBITDA growth is going to be driven by Indian operations, which means that this company will do some catch-up in terms of EV/EBITDA multiple compared to JSW. So, between the two we like Tata Steel more compared to JSW,” Pandey said.On the potential merger of power sector NBFCs, Pandey said his preference is for PFC over REC, citing long-term funding opportunities in renewable and nuclear energy. “In both these entities, preference is towards PFC and both of the companies carry advance book in excess of five lakh crores,” he said.

He highlighted the long-term opportunity size in nuclear power financing. “The broader perspective is that if we were to do a lot more in terms of financing in terms of renewable energy or nuclear power, nuclear power itself is a 20 lakh crore kind of an opportunity which could unfold and the potential merger there will create or you need bigger NBFCs to fund,” he said.

While near-term numbers may not be a strong trigger, Pandey said the longer-term outlook remains positive. “So, from a near-term number perspective, we may not be really sort of that constructive, but our sense is that from a bigger scheme of things this NBFC looks a lot more good to us.”