Asian shares declined as AI's impact on profits and tariff uncertainty worried investors. Wall Street saw a significant drop, with tech stocks particularly affected by AI disruption fears. This follows a strong start to the year for Asian markets compared to the US.
A broad selloff sent all three major U.S. stock indexes more than 1% lower by the closing bell, as risk appetite was dampened by a combination of persistent fears over potential disruption due to emergent artificial intelligence technology and Trump's erratic statements on trade policy, which fueled much of the market volatility during the first year of the president's second term.
The recent US Supreme Court ruling that President Trump overstepped his powers when he imposed global tariffs paved the way for companies to seek a refund.
IDFC First Bank's stock plummeted 16% after a 590 crore fraud was discovered at its Chandigarh branch. This incident has significantly dented its valuation multiple, shrinking its price-book ratio to 1.3. The bank faces potential pressure on its CASA deposits as the Haryana government de-empanelled it, raising concerns for other smaller lenders.
Indian equity benchmarks rose on Monday, with the Nifty and Sensex gaining 0.6% amid mixed investor sentiment. While optimism surrounded lower US tariffs, renewed negotiation uncertainty loomed. Foreign portfolio investors were net buyers, contributing to the market's uptick, though the IT sector saw a decline.
Jefferies has downgraded several major Indian IT stocks, including Infosys and TCS, citing AI-related disruptions and greater downside risks. The brokerage shifted its preference to mid-sized IT firms, identifying Coforge, Sagility, and IKS as top picks with projected returns of 19-26%.
Investors are flocking to international mutual funds for higher returns. However, many overseas ETFs are trading at a 20-25% premium to their actual value. This is due to Reserve Bank of India's investment limits for mutual funds. Investors buying these ETFs on exchanges face a risk of significant capital loss if the RBI lifts these restrictions.
