Diwali Muhurat Trading Today: Kotak Securities’ Stock Picks And Target Prices For Samvat 2083

As investors prepare for the annual Muhurat Trading session on Diwali, Kotak Securities has outlined its preferred stocks for Samvat 2083, with recommendations spanning infrastructure, quick commerce, defence, chemicals, IT, jewellery and banking.

The brokerage's picks include Apollo Tubes, Eternal, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), Jubilant Ingrevia, Persistent Systems, Titan Company and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank. The recommendations carry a 12-month investment horizon, with ratings of 'Buy' or 'Add' based on the brokerage's return expectations.

The stock selections come against a backdrop of global uncertainty, changing investor preferences and domestic economic resilience. In its review of Samvat 2082, Kotak Securities said Indian equity markets had undergone a period of correction and reassessment, with foreign investor selling, elevated crude oil prices and higher US bond yields weighing on sentiment.

Indian benchmark indices, including the Nifty-50 and Sensex-30, faced pressure during Samvat 2082. Foreign institutional investor outflows were driven by factors including the Middle East conflict and its impact on crude oil prices, as well as capital moving towards higher-yielding US bonds.

However, domestic liquidity, supported by mutual fund systematic investment plans (SIPs), helped absorb a significant part of the foreign selling, according to Kotak Securities. The brokerage also pointed to corporate balance sheets, infrastructure capital expenditure and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes as factors supporting India's underlying economic position.

The brokerage noted that select mid-cap and small-cap stocks performed relatively better than traditional large-cap blue-chip stocks during the period. Also Read : Muhurat Trading Today: Why Dalal Street Is Open On Sunday, Check NSE, BSE Timings Global equity markets delivered mixed returns as investors weighed macroeconomic pressures against the continued expansion of artificial intelligence-related investment.

Large technology companies supported gains in major US indices, but the Middle East conflict contributed to energy price shocks and persistent inflation. Kotak Securities said this environment led major central banks to move away from expected rate cuts towards hikes, while bond yields also rose.

The brokerage cited International Monetary Fund projections of global growth at 3.1% in CY26 and 3.4% in CY27. Headline inflation is expected to ease from 4.7% to 4.1%. Meanwhile, the AI investment theme is facing closer scrutiny.

Kotak Securities said investors are increasingly assessing whether companies can convert AI-related spending into near-term revenue and profitability, rather than relying only on expectations of future growth. This shift has made markets more selective, with companies that have pricing power and structural growth drivers being favoured over those exposed to higher input costs or weaker demand.

Kotak Securities said India continued to be the fastest-growing major economy, supported by domestic demand, manufacturing expansion and reforms. The brokerage cited GDP growth of 7.7% in FY26 and Q1FY27, with growth estimated at 7.2% in FY27 and 6.5% in FY28.

It also noted that rising inflation had prompted the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee to adopt a 'calibrated tightening' stance and raise the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.5%, with further increases anticipated as inflation remained elevated.

Trade agreements with the UK, Australia and EFTA, alongside initiatives such as Semicon 2.0, were identified as measures supporting trade access and domestic supply chains. Kotak Securities also referred to steps to attract FCNR deposits and tighten systemic liquidity, aimed at supporting the rupee and managing risks associated with sustained foreign investor outflows.

The brokerage's recommendations include seven stocks across different sectors. Here are the key details, including the current market price (CMP), 12-month target and rating shared in its report. Apollo Tubes: Infrastructure And Value-Added Products Kotak Securities has a 'Buy' rating on Apollo Tubes, with a 12-month target price of Rs 2,594 against a CMP of Rs 2,165.