Indian bond yields surged in August, particularly for long-term and state government securities, driven by demand-supply issues and fiscal concerns. Despite a sovereign rating upgrade from S&P, worries about GST rationalization and fiscal deficits persist.

Indian markets held gains Wednesday, with Nifty near 25,000, amid trade optimism and festive demand. Analysts say a favourable trade deal could boost sentiment, while corporate earnings remain key. The auto sector, including Hero MotoCorp and M&M, may benefit from GST resets and rising volumes.

BSE shares fell for two days in a row ahead of Sebi’s board meet amid reports of a plan to curb weekly F&O expiries. Analysts caution that regulatory changes, including expiry shifts and open interest norms, may impact derivatives trading volumes and BSE’s earnings outlook.

Larry Ellison s wealth surged by $88.5 billion on Wednesday, marking the largest single-day increase ever recorded by Bloomberg s Billionaires Index, driven by Oracle s stock rally. This surge, fueled by optimistic forecasts for cloud infrastructure revenue growth and significant AI-related contracts, briefly propelled Ellison past Elon Musk as the world s richest person. Oracle s market value soared, nearing the $1 trillion mark.

OFSS shares saw early gains following Oracle Corp’s historic 36% rally, but later gave up all profits after the company clarified no material developments impact its business. While Oracle’s AI-driven cloud growth sets a positive backdrop, OFSS’s performance remains tied to its own financial software operations and deal pipeline.

Lupin shares trade at Rs 1,979.70, showing early reversal signs and poised to break the falling trend line above Rs 2,000. Momentum indicators and options data support bullish momentum. Analysts suggest a Bull Call Ladder Spread strategy to capitalize on potential upside toward Rs 2,100–2,150, with strong support at Rs 1,900.

​Equity mutual fund inflows fell 22% in August to Rs 33,430 crore, with flexi-cap funds leading and small-cap, sectoral/thematic, and large & mid-cap categories seeing sharp declines.​

​ETMarkets identified stocks uniquely held by a single mutual fund scheme, narrowing the list to those with significant holdings. Most delivered negative returns this year, while a few outperformed. The analysis highlights fund-specific investments and their year-to-date performance across small, mid, and multi-cap stocks.​

Waaree Energies’ market cap crossed ₹1 lakh crore after an 8% surge to a 52-week high, supported by strong buying and rising volumes. The stock has delivered 147% returns, outperforming broader market and industry indices.

Other key items on the agenda included simplifying compliance for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), relaxing the regulation for accredited investors in certain alternative investment funds (AIFs), expanding the scope of rating agencies activities, and granting equity status to REITs and InvITs, they added.