Rajeev Agrawal of DoorDarshi India Fund expresses concern over the lack of progress in India-US trade negotiations, especially compared to deals with the EU and UK. He anticipates India might settle for a 15% tariff reduction, requiring top-level leadership engagement. Agrawal also notes struggles in the EV auto sector and expects market reactions to trade deal outcomes and earnings reports.

CarTrade Tech s shares surged, reaching a 52-week high, following a significant increase in quarterly profit and revenue. The company s strong performance was driven by growth across its Consumer, Remarketing, and Classifieds segments, along with higher other income. Technically, the stock exhibits a bullish trend, trading above key moving averages and showing positive momentum indicators.

Japan s Nikkei experienced a reversal, closing lower at 40,998.27 due to profit-taking after a recent surge and concerns about corporate earnings justifying current equity levels. Chip-related shares significantly declined, with Advantest and Screen Holdings leading the losses. Conversely, Fanuc stood out, gaining 5% following a nearly 30% jump in quarterly operating profit.

Cryptocurrency markets surged, with Bitcoin nearing $120,000 and Ethereum leading altcoin gains, fueled by substantial ETF inflows. Ethereum s impressive performance has sparked talks of an "Ethereum season," potentially triggering broader altcoin rallies. Bitcoin is consolidating below resistance, while analysts eye macroeconomic factors and technical patterns for further upward momentum.

European shares surged to a four-month high following the EU-U.S. trade deal, which averted a wider trade war. Auto and pharmaceutical stocks led the gains, with Porsche, Volkswagen, Novo Nordisk and Roche rising significantly. The STOXX 600 index is now within 1.8% of its all-time high, fueled by expectations of further trade agreements.

Gold prices saw a dip, reaching a two-week low at Rs 98052 per 10 grams. Silver futures also experienced a slight increase, trading at Rs 1,13,330 per kg. Market watchers are awaiting the Federal Reserve s policy decision. Profit-taking occurred last week due to a stronger dollar and trade deal optimism.

The Q1 earning season is largely disappointing. Only a few banks performed well. Demand trends and stress on MSMEs are evident. Consumer companies are unlikely to beat estimates. Select capital goods and commodity companies show promise. Financials are underperforming, keeping markets in a narrow range. Pharma segment is doing better.

Veteran investor Dolly Khanna s portfolio delivered stellar returns in FY26 so far, rising 42% to Rs 555 crore. Mangalore Chemicals turned multibagger, while new additions like Sarla Performance Fibers and Coffee Day posted strong gains. Several existing holdings also rallied, reinforcing Khanna’s reputation for early identification of high-potential stocks.