Indian equities logged their weakest opening stretch to a calendar year in about a decade, with the Sensex down around 1.93% between 1 and 10 January 2026. Analysts attributed the slide to geopolitical risks, trade uncertainty and sustained foreign institutional selling, even as domestic institutions bought aggressively. The sell-off was broad-based, hitting cyclical sectors harder and reviving questions about volatility in early 2026.
Indian equities closed lower after the RBI policy, with traders citing lack of fresh triggers from the policy commentary, ongoing foreign fund outflows and mixed corporate earnings. Several heavyweights dragged, though select stocks gained on results-driven moves.
Vodafone Idea has amended an agreement with Vodafone Group to recover about ₹5,836 crore linked to legacy contingent liabilities from the 2017 merger. The structure includes cash releases and an arrangement involving earmarked shares, offering the telco a financial lifeline as it manages long-running legacy exposures.
India’s private sector activity improved in January, with a flash composite index rising from December’s 11-month low amid faster growth in new orders and output, according to a private survey. Business sentiment firmed up, hiring resumed, and input costs increased at the quickest pace in four months.
A funding roundup from India’s startup ecosystem highlights a fresh wave of capital into AI and deeptech. Emergent, an AI software creation platform focused on so-called “vibe coding” tools, has raised $70 million in a Series B led by Khosla Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from multiple global investors. Separately, Raana Semiconductors has raised a $3 million seed round backed by institutional and angel investors, aiming to accelerate indigenous semiconductor innovation and supply-chain capability. The deals point to sustained investor appetite for applied AI and strategic hardware technology.
Payments infrastructure firm Juspay has raised $50 million in fresh funding, pushing its valuation to about $1.2 billion and making it one of the earliest unicorns of 2026. The round includes primary and secondary components, providing growth capital as well as partial liquidity for existing holders.
Ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27, attention has turned to India’s fiscal position after data showed the fiscal deficit reached about 62% of the full-year target by November. Analysts are watching whether higher revenues and spending control in the final quarter can keep the FY26 deficit at 4.4% of GDP.
With Budget 2026–27 approaching, industry bodies from India’s gems and jewellery ecosystem are pushing for GST rationalisation, customs-duty tweaks and streamlined clearances to protect competitiveness amid shifting global trade conditions.
With Budget 2026-27 a week away, the electric-vehicle sector is pushing for measures that reduce costs and boost domestic manufacturing. Industry expectations include recalibrated PLI eligibility, targeted tax incentives for R&D and capital goods, and policy clarity to strengthen the full EV value chain.
Indian equities settled lower in a session marked by profit-taking and persistent foreign institutional selling after the RBI policy, as investors tracked mixed earnings, banking and FMCG weakness, and continuing outflows from overseas funds.
Ahead of Union Budget 2026, investor commentary is signalling demand for clearer tax rules, predictable enforcement, easier compliance and measures that unlock private capital for startups. Market participants are also watching for infrastructure spending, incentives for manufacturing, and policy signals that support long-term investment confidence.
Reliance Industries reported marginal year-on-year profit growth alongside stronger revenue momentum in its December-quarter results. Analysts said softer retail performance weighed on sentiment, while attention stayed on capex allocation across O2C, new energy, and telecom-led growth bets.