Nifty financial service index stocks: Are headwinds slowing down?

As other sectors dominated by PSU companies come into limelight, defence stocks which ignited the re-rating of PSU stocks have moved into consolidation mode for some time. The question is whether the business is in consolidation mode or not, the answer is tilting toward no. It appears the underlying developments in the sector continue to be going at the same pace or rather even more. Allowing 100 % FDI in space related industries, is probably an indication that focus on defence and related sectors continues. As things are shaping up, it appears the exports would also become a focus area.

One or the other thing keeps the financial financial services sector stocks in news. Right from regulatory changes to global developments impacting the cost of capital, the financial service sector tends to deal with multiple headwinds at the same time. But over the long term the demand is so high that despite all the accidents and headwinds which companies in this sector face, the overall trajectory of the sector is upward. Yes, the rate of growth in the different sub segments are very different and so are the returns in the short term. As a sector, it has been going through structural changes. Right from the entry of the new age fintech players in every subsegment to whose target is to get business by reducing the cost of transactions to mega mergers.

On days when global markets are under pressure, nifty is showing signs of out performance. After opening lower, it is able to inch upward and market breadth also improves gradually. A number of times this up move is led by financial service and bank stocks which are announcing their Q4 result. We take a look at what analysts are saying for select financial service stocks.

Every industry has different operating conditions which have high correlation with the kind of ROE companies in the industry generate. The bigger question is how sustainable that number is. Of all the stocks, which our algorithms come up with, we took companies from, FMCG, software, financial services and speciality chemical. ET screener powered by Refinitiv’s Stock Report Plus lists down stocks with high upside potential over the next 12 months, having an average recommendation rating of “buy” or strong buy .

Whether it is upward or southward movement of Nifty or Sensex, it is largely led by financial services stocks which include banks, both private and public sector and other heavy weights which essentially are part of the financial services. The reason, high ownership of foreign portfolio investors ( FPI ) in the majority of financial services and banking stocks. The big difference this time has been the fact that while private banks are correcting, PSU banks have been able to outperform and have provided a counter to bears. If the PSU banks start to correct, will it lead to correction in overall markets ?

It is not very common to see tailwinds emerging for an industry at a time when it is ideal to own stocks from that space. But in the case of pharmaceutical companies, tailwinds have emerged at a time when valuations of the overall market are expensive and it makes sense to look at pharma stocks as they tend to act as defensive stocks in volatile times with bearish bias. However they should not be clubbed together; each company has its own operating matrix. A company which has a strong domestic brand in the generic drugs segment, will not be getting impacted by what is happening in the US pharma market or what USFDA does. But yes, if it might be impacted by what happens in China.

At a time when worrying about what will happen to the global financial markets is the norm, it is better to stay focussed on long term wealth creation and companies which have the right combination to make it. Of all the stocks, which our algorithms come up with, we took companies from four sectors: defence, FMCG, agrochemical and natural resources. ET screener powered by Refinitiv’s Stock Report Plus lists down stocks with high upside potential over the next 12 months, having an average recommendation rating of “buy” or strong buy .

However if one looks at the history of financial markets, there are phases where multiple challenges have come up for the sector at the sametime. But given the savings matrix which Indian’s have, despite all that may have happened, on an overall basis the financial services industry has grown and some select stocks have given decent returns to their shareholders.

With some strength in the US dollar coming back, there is global trade which is getting started, metal prices have come down and sectors, which benefit from weaker local currencies have seen a recent bump up. The question is whether the domestic IT companies, which have been witnessing a phase of underperformance, especially the largecaps, will have any recovery due to the rupee factor? Stock Reports Plus, powered by Refinitiv, is a comprehensive research report that evaluates five key components of 4,000+ listed stocks - earnings, fundamentals, relative valuation, risk and price momentum to generate standardized scores.

At a time when everything on the street appears good and green, there is a case of being selective. The reason, if it is in a raging bull market, the street never stays in this all good and green mode forever.when the street starts to become selective, it is stocks where there are some improvement in the business operating matrix tend to weather the storm better. So as an investor, one needs to look at every sector and company and their operating and valuation matrix separately. These selected stocks depict a strong upward trajectory in their overall average score which is based on five key pillars i.e. earnings, fundamentals, relative valuation, risk and price momentum. This implies that there has been a significant improvement in their market outlook in the given time frame.