|
Issue #6 · Saturday, 31 October 2026
Your Saturday market roundup from Aniruddha Samdani Finserv
Week of 26 – 30 October 2026 · AMFI-registered Mutual Fund Distributor · ARN-66087
|
|
Hello,
Welcome to the sixth Chai & Charts. After last week's fall, markets bounced back: the Nifty rose 2.0%, helped by a big rally on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold.
Crude oil stayed high, the rupee ended where it started, and smaller companies slipped on Friday. With Dhanteras and Diwali next week, we've added a short festival note, and this week's "Learn one thing" explains what large, mid and small cap really mean. Let's get into it.
|
Number of the week
₹63,038 crore
of Indian shares bought (net) by domestic institutions such as mutual funds and insurers from 1 to 29 October, more than making up for the ₹48,760 crore that foreign investors sold over the same period.
Source: provisional exchange data (cash market), 19 sessions, via Kotak Neo and Tapetide.
|
|
|
This week at a glance
Nifty 50
23,053.10
▲ 2.00% this week
Sensex
74,459.53
▲ 1.83% this week
FIIs, Mon–Thu
+₹2,706 cr
Net bought (prov.)
US 10-yr yield
4.98%
Thu, 29 Oct
Brent crude
$113–114
Fri afternoon · per barrel
USD / INR
94.93
Fri, prov. · flat on week |
Index closes as of Friday, 30 Oct. FII figure: net buying in the cash market, Monday to Thursday, provisional exchange data (Friday's figure was not out when we finalised this issue). US yield as of Thursday, 29 Oct. Brent: Friday afternoon, India time. Rupee: provisional close, the same as a week earlier. Sources: NSE/BSE via 5paisa, Kotak Neo, HDFC Sky, ANI; Tapetide; CappNotes; Investrade; PTI.
|
|
① The week in 60 seconds
| Indicator |
23 Oct |
30 Oct |
Week |
| Nifty 50 |
22,600.00 |
23,053.10 |
+453.10 (+2.00%) |
| BSE Sensex |
73,123.83 |
74,459.53 |
+1,335.70 (+1.83%) |
Closing values, five trading days. Sources: NSE, BSE, as reported by 5paisa, Kotak Neo, HDFC Sky, ANI and Bajaj Broking; the daily changes add up to the weekly change.
Nifty 50, daily change (%)
| Mon 26 |
| |
+0.68% |
| Ended a four-day losing streak; metal and pharma shares rose, and mid and small caps gained more than 1% | | Tue 27 |
| |
−0.02% |
| A flat close after a volatile session; smaller companies did better than the Nifty | | Wed 28 |
| |
−0.22% |
| Brent rose above $115 after an attack on a Saudi refinery; IT index down about 2% | | Thu 29 |
| |
+1.05% |
| The US Fed kept rates on hold; broad rally, Sensex up 905 points | | Fri 30 |
| |
+0.51% |
| IT shares rose 2.3%, but the Midcap 100 fell 0.9% and the Smallcap 100 1.9% |
Green = up day (bar to the right), red = down day (bar to the left). Thursday was the strongest day (Sensex +905.01) and Wednesday the weakest (Sensex −352.64).
▲▼▼▲▲
A rebound week, but not quite all the way back. Last week the Nifty fell 2.36%; this week it rose 2.00%. That leaves it at 23,053.10, still 93.05 points (0.40%) below where it stood two weeks ago, on 16 October (23,146.15). It's the "maths of a fall" from our last issue at work: a rise of the same size doesn't quite make up for a fall. |
Global markets & metals
| Indicator |
Previous |
Latest |
Week |
Nasdaq 100
US$ · Thu 22 → Thu 29 Oct |
28,958.69 |
29,402.51 |
+443.82 (+1.53%) |
S&P 500
US$ · Thu 22 → Thu 29 Oct |
7,663.43 |
7,720.39 |
+56.96 (+0.74%) |
Gold
₹ per 10 g · IBJA 999 · Fri 23 → Fri 30 Oct |
₹1,41,448 |
₹1,40,891 |
−₹557 (−0.39%) |
Silver
₹ per kg · IBJA 999 · Fri 23 → Fri 30 Oct |
₹1,95,027 |
₹1,83,800 |
−₹11,227 (−5.76%) |
US indices: week to Thursday's close, in US dollars. For an Indian investor, the rupee's move against the dollar also affects returns. Gold and silver: IBJA 999 rates, AM session, Friday vs Friday (rates exclude GST and making charges). Sources: Nasdaq Global Indexes, MarketScreener, Teleborsa (Nasdaq 100); CappNotes, Armenpress, KuCoin News (S&P 500); IBJA rates via ibjarates.com and The United Indian, cross-checked with MCX futures via Kotak Neo and Upstox (metals).
|
|
② 3 things that moved markets
1. The US Fed held rates, and Indian shares rallied
On Wednesday night (India time) the US Federal Reserve kept its policy rate in the 3.75%–4.00% range. The vote was 10–2, and both members who disagreed wanted a rate rise, a sign that US inflation is still a worry. Indian markets took the pause well: on Thursday the Sensex jumped 905 points (+1.24%) and the Nifty 1.05%, with almost every sector rising. In the US, the week was mixed. Alphabet's shares fell more than 12% on Thursday after its results, pulling technology shares down, but the Nasdaq 100 still ended the week to Thursday 1.5% higher. The US 10-year yield eased to 4.98% on Thursday.
2. Oil stayed high; the rupee and bonds steadied
An attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia pushed Brent crude above $115 a barrel on Wednesday. It eased to about $113–114 by Friday afternoon, still close to where it was a week ago. India imports most of its oil, so high prices keep worries about inflation and the import bill alive. The rupee weakened to 95.26 per dollar on Thursday, then gained 33 paise on Friday to a provisional 94.93, the same level as a week earlier. PTI reported that a softer dollar, lower crude and RBI intervention helped. Indian government bond yields eased a little from their highest levels since March 2023 as US yields softened.
3. Foreign investors turned buyers for the week
After heavy selling earlier in the month, foreign investors bought a net ₹2,706 crore of Indian shares from Monday to Thursday: they bought on Tuesday (₹4,240 crore) and Wednesday and sold on Monday and Thursday (provisional exchange data). For October so far they are still net sellers, at about ₹48,760 crore. Domestic institutions bought ₹3,927 crore over the same four days and about ₹63,038 crore so far this month. Friday's figures were not out when we finalised this issue. The latest AMFI data, for September, show monthly SIP contributions at a record ₹32,490 crore; October's figures are due next month.
| Domestic institutions bought (1–29 October 2026, 19 sessions, provisional) |
|
+₹63,038 cr |
| Foreign investors sold (1–29 October 2026, 19 sessions, provisional) |
|
−₹48,760 cr |
| Monthly SIP contributions (September 2026, latest AMFI data) |
|
+₹32,490 cr |
Different periods, shown side by side for scale. SIP does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss in declining markets. Sources: provisional exchange data via Kotak Neo and Tapetide; AMFI via Zee Business, The Statesman.
|
|
📌 Also this week: Shares of Jio Platforms, from India's largest-ever IPO, began trading on Wednesday at ₹1,358, about 21% above the issue price of ₹1,119. On Friday IT shares led the market (Nifty IT +2.3%), while mid and small caps fell, a reminder that different parts of the market can move in opposite directions on the same day.
|
|
|
③ Perspective: two weeks, two very different moods
Last Saturday the headlines were about a fall in every sector. This Saturday they are about a rebound. Yet over the two weeks together, the Nifty has moved by less than half a percent. Some thoughts on living with that kind of swing:
- A week is a very short time for long-term money. Weekly moves feel big when we read about them, but goals such as a child's education or retirement are years away. Judging a long-term plan by one week is like judging a cricket season by one over.
- Acting on every swing has a cost. Anyone who sold in fear last week and waited for "things to settle" would have missed this week's rise. Nobody can reliably tell which week will be good and which bad.
- Let the plan do the deciding. A mix chosen for your goals and risk profile, regular investing and a review at set times keep emotions out of the decisions. SIP does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.
- Check in at fixed times, not on headlines. A review every six or twelve months, or when your life changes, is usually more useful than watching the market daily. We're always happy to do that review with you.
|
|
④ Learn one thing: large, mid and small caps
|
Last week's quiz answer: (b) ₹99,000. A 10% fall takes ₹1,00,000 to ₹90,000, and a 10% rise on ₹90,000 adds ₹9,000, giving ₹99,000.
|
"Cap" is short for market capitalisation: a company's share price multiplied by the number of its shares, or what the whole company is worth on the stock market. A company with 10 crore shares at ₹500 each has a market cap of ₹5,000 crore. Sort all listed companies from biggest to smallest, and SEBI's rules for mutual funds divide the list into three groups:
Large cap Ranks 1 to 100 |
The 100 biggest listed companies by full market value: usually well-established businesses. |
|
Mid cap Ranks 101 to 250 |
The next 150 companies: often growing businesses, and their share prices tend to move more. |
|
Small cap Rank 251 onwards |
Every company below the top 250: smaller businesses, with the widest price swings. |
|
Ranking by full market capitalisation, as set out in SEBI's 2017 circular on categorising mutual fund schemes. AMFI publishes the updated list every six months, so a company can move between groups. The worked market cap example uses assumed figures.
You saw the difference on Friday: the Nifty 50, made up of large companies, rose 0.5%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 fell 1.9%. Share prices of smaller companies usually swing more, in both directions, than those of larger ones.
|
Why it matters to you: When you read that "mid caps fell" or "small caps rallied", it tells you which part of the market moved, and why your own portfolio may have done better or worse than the Nifty. The labels describe a company's size, not its quality. How much of each suits you depends on your goals, how long you can stay invested and how comfortable you are with ups and downs, which is exactly what we look at together when we review your plan.
|
|
🧠 Quick quiz
A company is the 180th largest listed company in India by market capitalisation. Under SEBI's rules, it is a…
Reply to this email with your guess. The answer comes in next week's issue.
|
|
|
⑤ On the calendar
| Tue, 3 Nov | US midterm elections. Results come in from Wednesday morning, India time. |
| Fri, 6 Nov | Dhanteras. |
| Sun, 8 Nov | Diwali. Muhurat trading this year is in the afternoon, 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm. |
| Tue, 10 Nov | Market holiday (Diwali Balipratipada). Mutual fund transactions submitted that day will be processed on the next business day. |
| Sat, 21 Nov | Extended income tax return deadline for taxpayers whose accounts are audited. |
| 2–4 Dec | The next RBI Monetary Policy Committee meeting. |
|
🪔 Festival note: a money-wise Diwali
| 1. | Buying jewellery or coins on Dhanteras? Look for the BIS hallmark with its 6-digit HUID code, and ask for the price of the metal, the making charges and GST to be shown separately on the bill. |
| 2. | Plan the Diwali bonus before it arrives. Decide in advance how much goes to celebrations, how much to your emergency fund and how much towards your goals. |
| 3. | Use the festive clean-up for paperwork too. Check that nominees, mobile numbers and email addresses are up to date on your bank, insurance and investment accounts. |
General tips only, not a suggestion to buy any product.
|
|
|
That's all for this week, and a very happy Dhanteras and Diwali in advance to you and your family. If you'd like to talk about anything here, just reply to this email or message us on WhatsApp. And if a friend or family member would find this useful, please forward it to them.
Warm regards,
Aniruddha Samdani
AMFI-registered Mutual Fund Distributor · ARN-66087
www.asfinserv.co
|
|
Data sources: NSE and BSE closing data, 23–30 Oct 2026 (via 5paisa, Kotak Neo, HDFC Sky, ANI, Bajaj Broking via Investment Guru India, Oquilia); sector and broader-market moves (5paisa, Kotak Neo, HDFC Sky, ANI, 26–30 Oct 2026); Nasdaq 100 closes, 22 and 29 Oct 2026 (Nasdaq Global Indexes; MarketScreener; Teleborsa); S&P 500 closes, 22 and 29 Oct 2026 (CappNotes; Armenpress; KuCoin News; Investrade); US 10-year yield, 29 Oct 2026 (CappNotes; Investrade); IBJA 999 gold and silver AM rates, 23 and 30 Oct 2026 (ibjarates.com; The United Indian; 5paisa), cross-checked with MCX futures (Kotak Neo; Upstox, 30 Oct 2026); US Federal Reserve decision, 28 Oct 2026 (Admiral Markets; Raisin; 5paisa; ANI); Alphabet share move and US market news (StockTitan; Yahoo Finance, 29 Oct 2026); Brent crude (HDFC Sky; Kotak Neo; 5paisa; PTI via Telangana Today, 28–30 Oct 2026); rupee closing rates (PTI via HDFC Sky, Telangana Today, Deccan Herald, 28–30 Oct 2026); Indian bond yields (Trading Economics; NewsBytes, 26–30 Oct 2026); FII and DII daily data (provisional exchange data via Kotak Neo and Tapetide, 1–29 Oct 2026); AMFI monthly data (September 2026, via Zee Business, The Statesman); Jio Platforms listing (HDFC Sky; 5paisa; Angel One, 28 Oct 2026); CBDT ITR deadline extension (29 Sep 2026, via Angel One, Oneindia); Dhanteras and Diwali dates (Upstox; IBTimes India); Muhurat trading timings (NSE notice via Outlook Money, Business Today); NSE holiday list; RBI MPC schedule. All figures are as of the dates mentioned and may be revised by the source.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for general information and investor education only. It is not investment, tax or legal advice, and it does not recommend buying, selling or holding any security, mutual fund scheme, gold or silver product, overseas investment or insurance product. Views on markets are general and do not take into account any individual's objectives, financial situation or needs. Illustrations use assumed figures and are not forecasts. Aniruddha Samdani Finserv is an AMFI-registered Mutual Fund Distributor (ARN-66087) and may earn commission on mutual fund investments made through it. Please consult your tax consultant/CA on tax matters.
SIP does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.
Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
You are receiving this because you are a client or contact of Aniruddha Samdani Finserv. To stop receiving these emails, reply STOP or unsubscribe.
|
|