The Close

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The Close · The Open · The Long Desk · Archive · Research · Top Stocks
Mon, 28 Sep 2026
1428 companies · 1449 sector slots · 21 sectors · 21 below Rs1000cr and not scanned · long-term lens

Trend Spotlight

Trump's rejection of an Iran Hormuz proposal lifted oil and the dollar overnight, sharpening the hawkish-Fed, high-inflation backdrop already in place.

Brent crude rose 2.46% to $106.89/bbl and WTI settled near $92.60 on 28 Sept as markets read the rejection as reducing near-term odds of Hormuz de-escalation; gold fell roughly 3.8% and the dollar firmed in the same move. This lands on top of the Fed's 16 Sept 25bp hike to 3.75-4.00% (the first since 2023, driven by Iran-war energy inflation, with one more hike signalled for 2026) and India's CPI climbing to 4.82% in August, a tenth straight monthly rise — together narrowing room for any RBI dovish pivot and adding pressure to INR and EM flows.

Sources: cnbc.com · cnbc.com · cnbc.com

Market Overview

IndexClosePoints ChangeP/EP/B
Nifty 50 22,780.25 ▼ -360.25 ▼ -1.56% 19.26 2.75
Nifty Next 50 70,309.50 ▼ -1,469.15 ▼ -2.05% 18.59 3.13
Nifty 500 22,232.15 ▼ -371.35 ▼ -1.64% 21.54 3.08
Nifty Bank 54,471.65 ▼ -1,108.75 ▼ -1.99% 12.89 1.63
NIFTY Midcap 100 59,914.20 ▼ -991.80 ▼ -1.63% 28.88 4.06
▲ 438 advancing ■ 29 unchanged ▼ 2186 declining of 2653 equities, vs the 2026-09-25 close
Cash market, ₹ crore
FII / FPI net
▼ -5,353.22
bought 9,048 · sold 14,401
DII net
▲ +5,189.02
bought 15,918 · sold 10,729
FII / FPI DII
FII / DII daily net cash flow · ₹ crore · scroll to zoom, drag to pan

Source: NSE ind_close_all_20260928 (levels, index P/E and P/B) and the full-market bhavcopy (breadth).

Index P/E from NSE's official daily index file.

Sector performance

This session's index move, next to the desk's standing stance. The stance is a valuation-and-quality reading over years — it does not move because an index had a good day. Sectors with no listed NSE index show — for the session columns; the stance still applies.

SectorIndexSession Idx P/EStance
Information Technology Nifty IT · 17 researched 28,086.50 ▼ -0.26% 17.9 WATCH
Healthcare & Hospitals Nifty Healthcare Index · 8 researched 16,537.15 ▼ -0.85% 43.3 WATCH
Pharmaceuticals Nifty Pharma · 20 researched 26,761.65 ▼ -0.89% 41.4 WATCH
FMCG Nifty FMCG · 8 researched 45,264.35 ▼ -1.47% 31.4 WATCH
Automobiles Nifty Auto · 35 researched 26,525.05 ▼ -1.64% 30.8 WATCH
Financial Services Nifty Financial Services · 11 researched 24,671.65 ▼ -1.69% 15.1 WATCH
Metals & Mining Nifty Metal · 19 researched 12,854.40 ▼ -1.78% 15.7 WATCH
Hospitality & Tourism Nifty India Tourism · 8 researched 7,639.95 ▼ -1.92% 86.2 ACCUMULATE
Banks Nifty Bank · 13 researched 54,471.65 ▼ -1.99% 12.9 WATCH
Energy & Power Nifty Energy · 18 researched 36,693.20 ▼ -2.00% 14.2 WATCH
Realty Nifty Realty · 4 researched 850.90 ▼ -2.12% 36.1 WATCH
Construction & Materials no listed index · 10 researched — — — ACCUMULATE
Capital Goods no listed index · 15 researched — — — WATCH
Chemicals no listed index · 8 researched — — — WATCH
Commercial Services no listed index · 6 researched — — — WATCH
Diversified & Other no listed index · 1 researched — — — WATCH
Logistics & Transport no listed index · 6 researched — — — WATCH
Packaging & Plastics no listed index · 2 researched — — — WATCH
Retail & Consumer no listed index · 4 researched — — — WATCH
Telecom & Media no listed index · 5 researched — — — WATCH
Textiles & Apparel no listed index · 5 researched — — — WATCH

Movers in the universe

Largest moves among the 1424 tracked names this session, against the 2026-09-25 close.

CompanyCallPrev CloseMove
R Systems International Ltd RSYSTEMS HOLD ₹235.62 ₹275.21 ▲ +16.80%
Dam Capital Advisors Ltd DAMCAPITAL HOLD ₹138.18 ₹158.66 ▲ +14.82%
SMC Global Securities Ltd SMCGLOBAL AVOID ₹85.60 ₹97.23 ▲ +13.59%
Syncom Formulations (India) Ltd SYNCOMF HOLD ₹20.05 ₹22.20 ▲ +10.72%
Sunflag Iron & Steel Company Ltd SUNFLAG QUALITY-WAIT ₹410.65 ₹449.20 ▲ +9.39%
Paisalo Digital Ltd PAISALO HOLD ₹89.02 ₹79.60 ▼ -10.58%
Arman Financial Services Ltd ARMANFIN HOLD ₹1,885.60 ₹1,700.10 ▼ -9.84%
Network People Services Technologies Ltd NPST AVOID ₹1,796.30 ₹1,635.00 ▼ -8.98%
Rajputana Stainless Ltd RSL HOLD ₹183.46 ₹167.41 ▼ -8.75%
Antelopus Selan Energy Ltd ANTELOPUS QUALITY-WAIT ₹1,261.70 ₹1,159.45 ▼ -8.10%

Calls this session

A change to anything but AVOID publishes only after two consecutive sessions say the same thing; AVOID publishes at once.

Sector stance changed (2)

Published this session (19)

new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.36/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: price, sector
Unconfirmed: price, sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.23/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.2/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.14/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.38/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.22/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 3.98/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: price, sector
Unconfirmed: price, sector not checked — Weighted average rating 4.48/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 3.91/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
unconfirmed: sector
Unconfirmed: sector not checked — Weighted average rating 3.87/5 including quality and value — the rare combination.
new
Good business, bad price today (Value 2/5) — PEG 0.83; P/E cheaper than 43% of sector peers (P/E 36.93); EV/EBITDA 25.7, B/M 0.142. Watch for a better entry.
new
Good business, bad price today (Value 2/5) — PEG 0.66; P/E cheaper than 57% of sector peers (P/E 29.05); EV/EBITDA 25.7, B/M 0.16. Watch for a better entry.

and 7 more — full list on the site.

Awaiting a second session (23)

TickerClosePublished PendingNote
ADANIPORTS ₹1,743.70 BUY → HOLD if next session holds
AEGISLOG ₹1,308.10 QUALITY-WAIT → HOLD if next session holds
CENTUM ₹4,571.20 QUALITY-WAIT → HOLD if next session holds
CONCOR ₹450.00 BUY → HOLD if next session holds
EMCURE ₹1,927.80 HOLD → BUY if next session holds
GESHIP ₹1,533.40 BUY → HOLD if next session holds
GLENMARK ₹2,325.70 QUALITY-WAIT → BUY if next session holds
GPIL ₹225.46 QUALITY-WAIT → HOLD if next session holds
GPPL ₹159.88 BUY → HOLD if next session holds
IPCALAB ₹1,919.30 QUALITY-WAIT → HOLD if next session holds
JUBLINGREA ₹654.80 HOLD → BUY if next session holds
KALYANKJIL ₹564.00 HOLD → QUALITY-WAIT if next session holds
LENSKART ₹655.20 QUALITY-WAIT → HOLD if next session holds
LUPIN ₹2,062.00 HOLD → BUY if next session holds
NAVA ₹547.00 BUY → HOLD if next session holds
NH ₹1,820.10 HOLD → BUY if next session holds
ORIENTELEC ₹160.00 QUALITY-WAIT → HOLD if next session holds
SANOFICONR ₹3,976.20 HOLD → BUY if next session holds
STAR ₹1,151.40 HOLD → BUY if next session holds
SUNCLAY ₹1,229.90 AVOID → HOLD if next session holds
TCI ₹864.85 BUY → HOLD if next session holds
THELEELA ₹547.90 HOLD → QUALITY-WAIT if next session holds
VRLLOG ₹287.00 BUY → HOLD if next session holds

Top Stories

IRDAI's commission-cap consultation confirmed on track, no dilution yet Financial Services

IRDAI's Sept 23 consultation paper ('Recalibrating Economics of Insurance Distribution') remains open for comment until Oct 25, 2026, confirming first-year commission caps of 20% (distribution entities) / 25% (agents) on long-tenor individual products, stepping down to 12.5% within five years, plus a requirement for life insurers to bring Expense of Management to 15% of GDPI within two years. No sign yet of the proposal being watered down ahead of formal notification.

MFSL · LTF · HDFCLIFE

REC-PFC merger on track for April 2027, though guided loan growth reads lower than the standing claim Financial Services

PFC's FY26 investor meet guided ~10% FY27 loan growth for the combined entity, below the 11-12% figure cited in the existing open claim, with the REC-PFC merger still targeted for completion by April 1, 2027 into a ~Rs11.5 trillion combined loan book. REC's own Q1 FY27 showed Rs4,149cr standalone net profit and a Rs5.90 lakh crore loan book; no Q2 results yet to test whether growth holds at the guided pace.

RECLTD

DOMS's Q1 FY27 margin collapse reconfirmed, recovery still untested Retail & Consumer

Coverage this week reconfirmed DOMS's Q1 FY27 EBITDA margin fell to 12.3% from 17.6% on West Asia-linked input inflation, with only 4-5% pricing pass-through against 10-11% cost inflation. The company is commissioning a new 300,000 sq ft facility by Q2-end to support growth. Q2/Q3 FY27 results, due after the Sept 30 quarter-end, are the real test of management's guided margin recovery toward 16-17% by FY28.

DOMS

Engineers India's order inflow pace picks up, though still shy of full-year guidance Construction & Materials

EIL's FY27 order inflows have reached roughly Rs3,565cr as of late September (Rs2,492cr domestic + Rs1,073cr international), up from Rs2,750cr at end-Q1 — a pickup of ~Rs800cr in the September quarter alone. Management points to Q3/Q4 historically being stronger booking quarters, and the company separately signed a $450mn+ Dangote Group EPCM contract for a Kenya refinery project, though it's unclear whether that is included in the inflow figure. Pace is improving but still behind a linear run-rate to the Rs8,000cr full-year guide.

ENGINERSIN

Aegis Logistics in advanced talks to acquire Tristar Holdings for $1.5bn Energy & Power

Aegis Logistics is reported in advanced discussions to acquire UAE-based Tristar Holdings, the largest privately-owned liquid logistics company in West Asia, valuing it at roughly $1.5bn — a deal that would meaningfully expand Aegis's scale and geographic exposure if it closes. It follows a strong Q1 FY27 (212% profit growth, 184% EBITDA growth YoY) and guided capex of Rs10,000cr by FY27.

AEGISLOG
Sources: simplywall.st

Sector Scorecard

Entry score is 40% cheap-vs-history + 25% quality trend + 15% technicals, renormalised over those three — the 20% news catalyst is not counted because no research was written for this session. It is not treated as neutral; it is absent. ≥62 accumulate · 45–61 watch · <45 avoid.

SectorStanceEntryCheap QualityTechNews IndexIdx P/EB/W/H/A
Information Technology 75 scanned · 17 researched WATCH 61.2 62.6 78.5 28.4 — ▼ -0.26% 17.9 4/9/54/8
Banks 40 scanned · 13 researched WATCH 50.9 47.0 52.3 59.0 — ▼ -1.99% 12.9 1/0/30/9
Pharmaceuticals 85 scanned · 20 researched WATCH 45.4 19.8 72.0 69.2 — ▼ -0.89% 41.4 0/20/54/11
Automobiles 109 scanned · 35 researched WATCH 53.0 32.4 78.3 66.0 — ▼ -1.64% 30.8 14/22/62/11
FMCG 105 scanned · 8 researched WATCH 57.5 54.1 68.8 48.0 — ▼ -1.47% 31.4 4/19/65/17
Metals & Mining 83 scanned · 19 researched WATCH 51.7 38.0 67.9 61.2 — ▼ -1.78% 15.7 0/11/53/19
Realty 39 scanned · 4 researched WATCH 51.5 53.5 52.0 45.2 — ▼ -2.12% 36.1 1/2/15/21
Energy & Power 83 scanned · 18 researched WATCH 55.8 50.0 63.4 58.6 — ▼ -2.00% 14.2 5/9/37/32
Financial Services 148 scanned · 5 ranked elsewhere · 11 researched WATCH 55.9 66.0 43.6 49.7 — ▼ -1.69% 15.1 0/4/90/54
Healthcare & Hospitals 58 scanned · 16 ranked elsewhere · 8 researched WATCH 48.8 27.1 73.8 65.0 — ▼ -0.85% 43.3 4/16/33/5
Hospitality & Tourism 37 scanned · 8 researched ACCUMULATE 63.6 67.4 68.6 45.2 — ▼ -1.92% 86.2 0/6/21/10
Chemicals 98 scanned · 8 researched WATCH 57.4 52.5 68.5 52.0 — — — 2/12/61/23
Construction & Materials 123 scanned · 10 researched ACCUMULATE 62.8 73.3 61.8 36.6 — — — 3/11/69/40
Capital Goods 101 scanned · 15 researched WATCH 53.7 35.0 78.5 62.2 — — — 10/11/66/14
Textiles & Apparel 47 scanned · 5 researched WATCH 56.0 50.0 62.6 61.0 — — — 2/6/27/12
Retail & Consumer 67 scanned · 4 researched WATCH 59.1 55.3 68.4 53.8 — — — 2/9/37/19
Packaging & Plastics 34 scanned · 2 researched WATCH 53.9 40.9 64.7 70.6 — — — 2/4/20/8
Logistics & Transport 25 scanned · 6 researched WATCH 48.5 35.3 67.6 52.0 — — — 6/3/9/7
Telecom & Media 29 scanned · 5 researched WATCH 52.7 50.0 60.2 47.6 — — — 3/1/14/11
Commercial Services 31 scanned · 6 researched WATCH 59.9 64.0 52.8 61.0 — — — 2/2/14/13
Diversified & Other 32 scanned · 1 researched WATCH 47.7 34.3 59.7 63.2 — — — 0/3/18/11

Source: data/verdicts.json × NSE sector index closes.

Stocks to Watch

Split evenly across large/mid/small/micro cap so this list isn't one tier's picks — new calls first, then the highest long-term composites within each. Micro-cap names are boxed and flagged Highly Volatile — worth watching, not a call to buy — since their price swings run about twice every other tier's. Each card shows the figures that selected it — open the desk for the full six-lens panel.

new call this session
unconfirmed: price, sector
composite 75.7 on quality, timing, valuation
Composite 75.7 Mkt Cap 159,321 cr · Large P/E 21.51 ROCE 35.9% Piotroski 3/3
new call this session
unconfirmed: sector
P/E in the 64th percentile of its own 3-year range · ROCE 35.2% (up 11.2pt over 5y)
Composite 67.0 Mkt Cap 107,870 cr · Large P/E 19.46 ROCE 35.2% Piotroski 6/9
new call this session
unconfirmed: sector
P/E in the 3th percentile of its own 3-year range · ROCE 13.9% (up 4.9pt over 5y) · Piotroski 9/9
Composite 77.1 Mkt Cap 24,744 cr · Mid P/E 11.66 ROCE 13.9% Piotroski 9/9
new call this session
unconfirmed: price, sector
Piotroski 8/9
Composite 69.7 Mkt Cap 20,248 cr · Mid P/E 32.6 ROCE 60.8% Piotroski 8/9
new call this session
unconfirmed: sector
P/E in the 16th percentile of its own 3-year range · ROCE 14.8% (up 7.8pt over 5y)
Composite 81.8 Mkt Cap 8,657 cr · Small P/E 45.3 ROCE 14.8% Piotroski 5/9
new call this session
ROCE 7.71% (up 4.7pt over 5y)
Composite 79.5 Mkt Cap 5,368 cr · Small P/E 18.11 ROCE 7.71% Piotroski 6/9
new call this session
Highly Volatile
ROCE 40.4% (up 33.4pt over 5y) · Piotroski 7/8
Composite 74.9 Mkt Cap 3,328 cr · Micro P/E 33.5 ROCE 40.4% Piotroski 7/8
new call this session
Highly Volatile
P/E in the 98th percentile of its own 3-year range · ROCE 21.2% (up 23.2pt over 5y)
Composite 66.1 Mkt Cap 4,076 cr · Micro P/E 29.05 ROCE 21.2% Piotroski 5/8

How We Evaluate

MetricWhy it is in the frameworkSource
Return on capital, level and trendDurable high ROCE predicts future returns; the trend separates a moat from a good year Novy-Marx 2013 JFE
Gross profitability (GP/assets)As predictive as book-to-market, and less prone to the value trap Novy-Marx 2013 JFE
Piotroski F-scoreA nine-signal accounting checklist that separates real improvers from statistically cheap traps Piotroski 2000 JAR
Cash-flow-to-net-profitAccrual-heavy profit reverts; cash-backed profit persists Sloan 1996 TAR
P/E versus the stock's own historyCheap relative to itself, not to a peer set that may be expensive as a whole Basu 1977 JF
Book-to-marketThe value premium, in its original form Fama–French 1992 JF
EV/EBITDACapital-structure-neutral, so it compares a leveraged firm to an unleveraged one Practitioner standard
Altman Z and interest coverageDistressed firms have delivered lower, not higher, returns — screen them out rather than chase them Altman 1968 JF; Campbell/Hilscher/Szilagyi 2008 JF
52-week-high proximity, 200-DMANearness to the high has predicted continuation — but momentum crashes, so never alone George & Hwang 2004 JF; Daniel & Moskowitz 2016 JFE
Promoter pledgePledged promoter holding is a governance red flag ahead of a forced sale Not currently available from either source — no penalty is applied

Full derivation in METHODOLOGY.md.