BNP Paribas turned cautious on India’s markets after the crude spike, cutting its 2026 Nifty target to 25,500 and warning of fiscal and earnings pressure. Still, the brokerage sees opportunities in defensives and strong private-sector lenders, naming nine stocks—including M&M, Infosys, Titan and HDFC Bank—as likely outperformers.
Microfinance lending dips as uneven monsoon alters the landscape
India’s microfinance sector contracted in the first quarter after a previous rebound. Uneven monsoon progress weighed on rural demand and lender caution grew. The sector’s