Oil shock looms: Middle East tensions put Indian markets on edge
₹22,615 crore in Indian equities after selling for three months in a row, showed NSDL data. Strengthening of the Indian rupee (improves returns in dollar terms) and reducing trade uncertainties with India-European Union deal and other trade agreements were the likely catalysts.But geopolitics could interrupt that revival.The latest new series gross domestic product (GDP) data for the December quarter (Q3FY26), using 2022-23 as the base year, showed growth at 7.8% despite tariff troubles.
FY26 GDP growth estimate was revised to 7.6% from 7.4%.However, foreign investors tend to focus more on earnings growth and relative valuations than headline GDP.To be sure, the quantum of earnings downgrades post Q3FY26 results has been lower, but upgrades were selective given the limited positive surprises amid pricey valuations. India trades at a premium one-year forward multiple of around 19x even though it is still underperforming peers after a dismal 2025.So far in 2026, the MSCI India Index is down 11.5% versus positive returns by MSCI Asia Ex-Japan and MSCI Emerging Market indices, showed Bloomberg data.Increased AI traction has raised concerns on deflationary pressures on IT companies, dragging the index down.
India (seen as reverse AI trade) valuation is not cheap like other Asian peers which are seen as AI trades, say, South Korea and Taiwan, said Shrikant Chouhan, head of equity research at Kotak Securities.Current geopolitical tensions will keep investors closely tracking crude prices and the level of retaliation from Iran. In the near term, markets are likely to move from earnings-driven to oil-driven trading, reckons JM Financial.“Upstream energy and defence may see relative support, while oil-sensitive sectors such as
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