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Railway and defence stocks staged a rebound in Tuesday’s trade, sparking debate over whether the bounce was sustainable or merely a technical blip. Market experts noted that valuations in these pockets remain elevated, but recent corrections have opened selective opportunities.Narendra Solanki, Head of Equity Research at Anand Rathi Shares & Stock Brokers, told ET Now that the long-term investment story in sectors such as defence, electronics manufacturing, renewable energy, and the emerging battery energy storage (BESS) space remains robust.“Over the next 5–10 years, the growth runway for these sectors is very strong. Corrections only make stock-specific opportunities more attractive. Investors can use such phases to accumulate quality names,” Solanki said.Banking Pack Shows ResilienceMeanwhile, the banking and financial space also drew investor interest. The Nifty Bank index held steady, while PSU banks saw a 1% uptick with Union Bank, Indian Bank and IOB among the notable gainers.According to Solanki, the sector’s strength will be driven largely by retail-focused franchises. “In the second half of the financial year, the two key themes are rural growth and consumption revival. Rural demand is already strong and urban consumption is also improving gradually. Retail-oriented banks and NBFCs are well placed to capture this trend,” he explained.Within the banking basket, Solanki expressed a preference for PSU lenders over private peers, citing attractive valuations and improving balance sheets. In the non-banking space, he highlighted names such as Bajaj Finance and Cholamandalam as well-positioned plays on the retail credit cycle.The Road AheadWith global uncertainties still weighing on sentiment, investors appear to be shifting focus back to domestic growth drivers. Sectors aligned with government spending—such as defence and railways—alongside rural demand and consumption-led financial plays, are emerging as favored bets for the months ahead.

Bitcoin surged nearly 3% to trade near $110,203 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ethereum extended losses to trade at $4,383.“Bitcoin remains poised for a potential rally as market structure strengthens and spot demand builds. After a brief consolidation phase, liquidity indicators suggest renewed upward momentum. With institutional inflows picking up and volatility compressing, this dip is viewed as an attractive accumulation opportunity. We maintain a bullish mid-term outlook, expecting BTC to break higher as buying pressure accelerates,” according to Parth Srivastava, Head of Quant, 9Point Capital’s Research Team.Also Read | Top 10 mutual funds to invest in September 2025Another analyst says that BTC moved between $107,200 and $109,900, consolidating after the recent dip and the $105,000–108,000 zone is acting as a crucial support, while $110K remains the key resistance to reclaim. “With September historically soft for BTC, a sustained move above $110K could open room toward $115K, while a breakdown below support risks a deeper slide toward $100K. A Bitcoin whale has been accumulating billions of dollars’ worth of ETH, surpassing the second-largest corporate treasury firm. A Bitcoin whale worth over $11 billion sold another $215 million worth of Bitcoin to buy $216 million worth of spot ETH on the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid,” CoinSwitch Markets Desk said.At 10:26 AM IST, Bitcoin was trading at $110,242, up by 2.62% over the past 24 hours and by nearly 0.15% over the past week. Ethereum, on the other hand, was trading at $4,383, down by 0.12% in the past 24 hours and by 1.23% over the last seven days.According to CoinMarketCap data, the crypto sector’s overall market capitalisation stood at around $3.81 trillion on Tuesday.According to CoinSwitch Markets Desk, the growing whale demand for ETH is signaling the market’s natural rotation into ETH and other altcoins with more upside potential. In acquisition news, Metaplanet acquired 1,009 BTC for approximately $112 million, bringing the Japanese firm’s total holdings to 20,000 BTC.What other experts sayAvinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Pi42Bitcoin is holding near $110K, but the footing looks fragile as whales shuffle positions and on-chain flows raise caution. Yet beneath the surface, institutional appetite remains resilient U.S. spot ETFs saw fresh net inflows, and Japan’s Metaplanet lifted its holdings past 20,000 BTC, reinforcing long-term conviction. While markets warn of a potential ‘Red September,’ these structural signals suggest the bull case is far from over, with room for Bitcoin to challenge previous highs once demand steadies. Ethereum has ceded some ground in recent sessions, while Solana and Dogecoin are quietly gaining traction. Meanwhile, XRP’s muted consolidation could be the calm before a breakout, with on-chain data hinting at a possible march toward double-digit levels.Also Read | 13 smallcap mutual funds never posted negative returns in last 5 calendar yearsVikram Subburaj, CEO, Giottus.comBitcoin is holding near $109,000 in a fragile consolidation after last week’s sell-off. Flow and options signals show fading conviction, with puts priced ~7% over calls. Roughly $390M in leveraged longs will turn vulnerable if price slips below $107,000.Safe-haven demand is spilling on-chain as tokenized gold has hit a record ~$2.57B market cap. This is led by XAUT’s ~$437M August mint and PAXG’s ~$141M addition since June, while spot gold trades near $3,500.

The shares of Vikran Engineering will debut on the bourses tomorrow after its Rs 772 crore IPO was completed successfully with strong subscription. While the issue attracted robust demand across all investor categories, the grey market premium (GMP) signals only a modest listing gain of around 4%. Notably, the GMP has been steadily declining since the IPO opened for subscription, contrary to expectations.Priced at around Rs 97 per share, the issue was subscribed nearly 25 times. Post-issue, the company will command a market capitalization of approximately Rs 2,500 crore. The IPO comprised a fresh issue worth Rs 721 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 51 crore.Investor Interest and Subscription Momentum Investor interest was robust, with bids flowing in across QIBs, NIIs, and retail investors. Analysts note that the strong subscription momentum reflected the company’s proven track record in executing large-scale EPC projects and its sizable order book, which provides clear revenue visibility for the next two years.Vikran Engineering Backed by Marquee Investors The company is backed by The Wealth Company (via India Inflection Opportunity Fund) and prominent investors Ashish Kacholia and Mukul Aggarwal through a pre-IPO placement.Business Snapshot Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Thane, Vikran Engineering specializes in turnkey EPC projects in power transmission, water supply, and railway electrification.The company has successfully executed projects including high-voltage substations up to 765 kV, railway traction substations, and water systems under the government’s Jal Jeevan Mission.As of June 2025, it had completed 45 projects across 14 states with a total contract value of Rs 1,919 crore and was executing 44 ongoing projects worth Rs 5,120 crore. Its unexecuted order book stood at Rs 2,442 crore, spread across 16 states.Financially, revenue grew at a CAGR of 32% from FY23 to FY25, reaching Rs 916 crore in FY25. Net profit for FY25 stood at Rs 78 crore, up from Rs 43 crore in FY23. The company operates an asset-light model, leasing equipment for projects, which enhances efficiency and return ratios.Valuation and Concerns At the upper price band, the IPO was valued at a P/E of 22x FY25 earnings, compared with 31–39x for listed peers such as KEC International and Techno Electric. Analysts noted that while the pricing appeared fair, concerns remain around working capital requirements and a regulatory ban imposed by the Railway Board last year, which could impact sentiment.Listing OutlookDespite heavy oversubscription, the 4% GMP suggests investors should expect only a modest listing gain. This indicates that while fundamentals and growth visibility remain strong, much of the optimism may already be priced in.Vikran Engineering’s post-listing performance will likely depend on the execution of its large order book, effective working capital management, and its ability to diversify beyond its current verticals.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Starting today, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) has shifted the weekly expiry for Nifty contracts from Thursday to Tuesday, a move that reshapes trading dynamics that have remained unchanged for over two decades. Effective August 28, 2025, the change impacts how millions of retail and institutional participants approach weekly strategies, risk management, and time decay.For 25 years, Thursday was ingrained in the market’s DNA as “expiry day,” a weekly ritual shaping volumes, volatility, and trader psychology. By moving the Nifty expiry forward by two days, the NSE is not just altering a schedule, it's redistributing volatility, compressing positioning windows, and unlocking new strategic opportunities.The change also reflects a broader effort to optimize market efficiency and balance trading activity between NSE and BSE.While the transition may disrupt established routines in the short term, market experts believe it will lead to more efficient price discovery and greater flexibility for traders. Here are 10 key things to know about this historic shift and what it means for options trading in India:1. Tuesday is the new expiry day for NiftyStarting today, all Nifty weekly F&O contracts will now expire on Tuesdays, replacing the long-standing Thursday schedule. This change applies to Nifty Weekly, Bank Nifty, Fin Nifty, Midcap Nifty, Nifty Next 50, and all single-stock weekly derivatives.2. Why the shift?The move aims to reshape trading dynamics and decompress weekly trading pressure. Thursday's experiences had led to crowded trade setups. By moving Nifty expiry to Tuesday, the NSE clears Thursday for BSE’s Sensex contracts, creating a dual-expiry week that offers more flexibility to market participants.3. Sharper time decay between Friday and MondayThe shift brings a major change in how traders approach weekends. With expiry now on Tuesday, time decay (theta) will accelerate between Friday and Monday, rather than midweek.“Option premiums will now face their sharpest time decay between Friday and Monday, making Mondays far more dynamic,” said Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities.4. Mondays become high-stakesPreviously, traders had a cushion on Mondays to assess weekend news and build positions. Not anymore.“Monday is now sandwiched between the weekend and expiry,” said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit. “There is always optimism… but with expiry falling on Tuesday, such vibes will be restrained.”5. Strategies need to be recalibratedThe new structure forces traders—especially option sellers—to rethink entry and exit timelines.“Premium expansion and directional entry-exits will be front-loaded, with the opportunity to escape theta decay post Thursday,” added James.6. Monthly and quarterly contracts remain on ThursdaysOnly weekly Nifty and stock derivatives have moved to Tuesday. Monthly, quarterly, and half-yearly contracts will still expire on Thursdays, maintaining partial continuity in the system.7. Sensex takes over ThursdaysAs Nifty vacates the Thursday slot, Sensex derivatives now enjoy exclusive focus midweek. BSE is expected to benefit from increased volumes.“Post-policy-day moves could be better captured through BSE options… making BSE’s Thursday expiry more strategically aligned for such plays,” said De.8. Impact on volume and volatilityWhile the initial weeks may involve adjustment stress, analysts expect long-term participation to increase.“Tuesday, being the new expiry day, is expected to see heightened volatility—offering more opportunities for intraday traders,” De noted.9. Historic shift after 25 yearsThis is the first major expiry change since the NSE launched derivatives trading in June 2000. The Thursday expiry had become a cornerstone of Indian market behavior—this marks the start of a new era.10. Ripple effects between exchangesAnalysts believe this move could redistribute expiry-related activity between NSE and BSE.“Market participants are expected to move towards BSE contracts on Wednesdays and Thursdays for expiry-related strategies,” De pointed out.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will pay a three-day official visit to India from Tuesday, reaffirming the commitment to strengthen bilateral ties, his office announced here. Wong's introductory visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The visit also reaffirms Singapore and India's mutual commitment to enhance ties, it said. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Wong will call on President Droupadi Murmu and meet Prime Minister Modi, who will host a banquet lunch for the Singaporean leader. Wong, also the Finance Minister of the city-state, will meet several leaders, including Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the statement said. He will also visit the Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. PM Wong will also meet overseas Singaporeans in New Delhi at a reception to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Singapore-India diplomatic relations and Singapore's 60th year of independence (SG60). He will also engage a group of Indian business leaders in a closed-door roundtable. PTI