Idea-Vodafone merger: What it means for telecom stocks and who gains most

Analysts expect heightened competitiion as operators align their strategies to compete with RJio

Idea Cellular – Vodafone merger news on Monday morning brought telecom stocks back in focus, with the BSE Telecom index outperforming the markets by rising 0.8% as compared to 0.4% fall in the S&P BSE Sensex.
 
The rally in individual stocks was much sharper, with Idea Cellular rallying over 3% to Rs 111 levels in early morning trade. The stock had rallied nearly 5% in opening moves to hit a high of Rs 123.75 on the BSE, but pared gains as trade progressed. By 10:15am, Idea Cellular was trading at Rs 100 levels, down nearly