Market Lens

Here's how leading brokerages have interpreted the recent developments in West Asia and their likely impact on stock markets and crude oil prices.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.9 per cent to put it up 7.3 per cent for the week, the most since November 2022

Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE 100)-listed stocks can be a good trading bet, according to Christopher Wood, global head of equity strategy at Jefferies, especially around the IMF bailout periods.

Nifty Bank index has fallen 8 per cent since the start of the Iran war at the end of February, underperforming the benchmark Nifty 50, which is down 4.7 per cent over the same period

Indian markets have rebounded in April, with Nifty50 rising nearly 3 per cent this month. Analysts, however, say sentiment remains cautious. Here's why it's not yet a broad-based buy-on-dips phase

India's valuation premium over emerging markets, according to MOFSL, has narrowed to 27 per cent, well below the 10-year average of 73 per cent

With the geopolitical premium fading, analysts believe the next trend will hinge on three factors: the US dollar and bond yields, geopolitical developments, and demand dynamics

The total above ground stock of gold is large in both physical and financial terms: almost 220,000 tonnes of gold have been mined ever, WGC estimates, valued at nearly $31 trillion at the end of 2025.

Asian markets that were open for trading mostly rose Monday, as investors continued to closely watch the war in Iran, soaring oil prices and what President Donald Trump might say next. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose nearly 1.1 per cent to 53,692.42 in morning trading. South Korea's Kospi gained 1.5 per cent to 5,460.24. Trading was closed in Australia for Easter, and in Hong Kong and Shanghai for a traditional Chinese holiday. The Tuesday deadline Trump has given for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz is looming. Some analyst fear the war may escalate after that. Over the weekend Trump made more threats against Iran, even as the bombing continued in the region. The United States rescued two aviators whose fighter jet was shot down by Iran. The key market focus continues to be on oil prices. Benchmark US crude gained 38 cents to USD 111.92 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added USD 1.71 to USD 110.74 a barrel. Energy markets were closed Friday, but the prices ha

Global investors withdrew a record ₹32,700 crore from the shares of financial services companies in the first two weeks of March, according to National Securities Depository data

The median fall across key global events since 2003-including the Lebanon War, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Israel-Hamas war-stands at around 7 per cent

Higher STT, RBI rule tightening may continue to weigh on volumes this fiscal; higher STT seen further boosting options trading

One of the most important factors that will determine market's trajectory in the weeks ahead, according to analysts, remains crude oil prices.

Data shows that FDs beat stock market returns in FY26. Analysts, however, expect equities to outperform most asset classes in FY27 despite the ongoing geopolitical conflict in West Asia.

Going ahead, analysts believe the probability of another year of relative underperformance remains high, unless earnings improve meaningfully, crude stabilises, and foreign flows return

Improving valuations and a projected earnings recovery of 13-15 per cent, analysts believe, are expected to sustain the long-term investment case

Elara said the Nifty50 is currently trading at around 17.3 times one-year forward earnings, nearly 7 per cent below its 10-year average of 18.6 times, placing it in a historical 'bounce zone'

Active smallcap schemes had the highest median alpha of over 2 per cent. The rest of the categories exhibited between 0.8 per cent and 1.3 per cent alpha on a median basis

Retail fuel price hike is unavoidable with crude above $110/bbl, suggest analysts at Elara Capital. At $125 crude, even after the excise cut, the retail price needs to rise by Rs 8-14/liter, they add.

Soaring energy costs have hurt oil-importing Asian peers, but the scale of outflows from India points to already bearish global sentiment