Max Healthcare, Aster DM Healthcare shares outperform post Union Budget

Max Healthcare Institute, Aster DM Healthcare, and Apollo Hospitals Enterprises shares managed to end higher post Union Budget on Sunday amid weakness in markets

Max Healthcare Institute, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, and Narayana Hrudayalaya share prices gained in trade on Sunday, February 1, 2026, despite an steep correction in the stock markets after the Union Budget announcement. 

Max Healthcare Institute and Aster DM Healthcare shares ended 1.82 per cent and 3.04 per cent higher, respectively on Sunday, while Narayana Hrudayalaya ended 1.82 per cent higher. Apollo Hospital Enterprises share price, however, erased all intraday gains and settled 1.03 per cent lower. 

By comparison, the Nifty 50 and the Sensex ended lower by 2.33 per cent, and 2.23 per cent, respectively, as the Union Budget proposed to increase the securities transaction tax (STT) on futures and options. 

In the intraday trade, shares of Max Healthcare Institute rose as much as 4.14 per cent to the day's high of ₹996.40 on the National Stock Exhange (NSE).  Aster DM Healthcare, meanwhile, gained 3.78 per cent to ₹573, and Narayana Hrudayalaya rose 3.01 per cent to the day's high of ₹1,821.20.

 

  Apollo Hospitals Enterprises share price rose 1.45 per cent to the day’s high of ₹7,062 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) so far.

Why did healthcare and hospital stocks rise today?

Hospital stocks gained in the special trading session on Sunday as the healthcare sector received significant attention in the Union Budget for the financial year 2027 (FY27).

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Government proposes to allocate ₹1.05 trillion for the healthcare sector in the Union Budget 2026.

The budget also proposed to establish five medical tourism hubs in partnership with the private sector. This, analysts expect, will give hospitals like Max Healthcare Institute, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Apollo Hospital Enterprises, and Aster DM Healthcare an opportunity to expand their operations in collaboration with the central government.

The Government has also proposed to set up a new institution for allied healthcare professionals (AHP) in 10 disciplines. They are planning to train 1.5 lakh caregivers. This is positive, given large private hospitals faces shortage of skilled allied health professionals.  "Budget 2026–27 is one of the most structured and future-ready healthcare budgets we have seen in recent years, with a clear line of sight from vision to execution," said Gaurav Aggarwal Co-Chair PHDCCI Medical Devices Committee. The government has thoughtfully stitched together health education, healthcare infrastructure, cancer and non-communicable disease (NCD) care, skilling, Ayush and medical tourism into one coherent Viksit Bharat health strategy, rather than a set of isolated schemes. For the medical technology ecosystem, the expansion of Allied Health Professional institutions and training of 1 lakh professional in this space, and 1.5 lakh caregivers, which will directly improve utilisation of medical and assistive devices at the last mile; the creation of five Regional Medical Hubs for medical value tourism with integrated facilities for diagnostics, post-care and rehabilitation."

Apart from these key announcements, the Union Budget has also proposed to set up three All India Insitute of Ayurveda. The Government planned to upgrade Ayush pharmacies and drug testing labs for higher standard of certification and ecosystem. They also proposed to upgrade the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre.