The Indian stock market staged a strong recovery with Sensex advancing 609.45 points (0.79%) to settle at 77,496.36 and Nifty rising 181.95 points (0.76%) to close at 24,177.65. According to Business Today, ITC emerged as the top gainer, rising 3.86% to ₹316.20, followed by Tech Mahindra with a 3.14% jump. Five stocks - Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, ITC, M&M and L&T - contributed largely to the Sensex's rise. The BSE FMCG index surged 1.57% to 19,105.76, while BSE Auto index climbed 1.02% to 57,553.38. As per SBI Securities, immediate resistance for Nifty is placed in the 24,300-24,330 zone, with any sustainable move above this zone potentially extending the pullback towards 24,500, followed by 24,650 in the short term.
Hindustan Unilever is expected to report March quarter revenue of ₹16,100 crore and net profit of ₹2,600 crore, with estimates tightly clustered based on consensus of brokerage estimates including Elara Securities, Motilal Oswal, Nomura, Kotak and Nuvama. As per The Hindu BusinessLine, EBITDA estimates range from ₹3,550 crore to ₹3,880 crore, reflecting contrasting views on how effectively pricing can offset rising input costs. Revenue estimates are tightly clustered in the ₹15,600–16,700 crore range with profit between ₹2,500–2,700 crore, suggesting limited uncertainty around headline earnings. However, volume growth estimates vary significantly with Nirmal Bang and Systematix building in a more cautious 3% volume growth, while Motilal Oswal and channel checks suggest a stronger 4–5% trajectory on a like-for-like basis.
Bajaj Finance reported robust performance with net profit rising 22% year-on-year to ₹5,465 crore for the March quarter, up from ₹4,480 crore in the same period last year, according to Hindustan Times. IIFL Finance delivered exceptional results with net profit surging to ₹586.8 crore from ₹207.7 crore in the corresponding period last year, as per exchange filings reported by Hindustan Times. Navin Fluorine International posted strong quarterly results with fourth-quarter net profit of ₹213 crore, marking a more than twofold increase compared to ₹95 crore in the same period last year.
HUL has raised prices of its soap portfolio by 5–10% in response to higher palm oil and packaging costs, with further increases expected across detergents and face washes. As per The Hindu BusinessLine, brokerages see this as the start of a broader pricing cycle across the FMCG sector, supporting margins but also introducing near-term volume risk. The first full quarter without the Kwality Wall's ice cream business will suppress reported growth and distort year-on-year comparisons, making underlying volumes and segment-level trends more reliable indicators of performance. Rural demand remains a key variable with early signs of improvement by healthy rabi crop, government transfers and easing food inflation, though unseasonal weather during the quarter has weighed on seasonal categories such as beverages and summer personal care.
Axis Securities models revenue at ₹68,618 crore in FY27 and ₹73,857 crore in FY28, with margins and return ratios expected to improve, though delivery remains contingent on execution. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, Unilever's reported discussions around a possible global foods divestment have raised questions, though HUL has clarified that its India foods portfolio, including Knorr and Horlicks, which account for roughly 22% of revenue, is not part of any deal. HUL shares closed at ₹2,317 on Wednesday, up 1.21% on the day, but remain below historical averages after a weak year. The board is also expected to announce a final dividend with last year's total payout being about ₹53 per share.
