Mumbai, Jan 31: The Indian equity benchmarks gained around 1 per cent during the week, though the trading sessions were volatile but with a cautiously constructive tone amid mixed global cues and rising geopolitical tensions.

Risk appetite weakened toward the end of the week ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27, with volatility resurfacing amid sustained FII outflows and rupee depreciation leading to losses in the last trading session.

Nifty added 1.09 per cent during the week and dipped 0.39 per cent on the last trading day to 25,320. At close, Sensex was down 296 points or 0.36 percent at 81,537. It added 0.90 per cent during the week.

Sectoral indices traded mixed this week with diversified consumer services stocks and hardware tech stocks logging the worst-performance, dipping 2.5 to 3.7 per cent. FMCG, media and software stocks slide over 1 per cent.

Metal stocks as well as oil and gas were the top weekly gainers up over 2 per cent, however Nifty metal index plummeted over 5 per cent on the last trading session. Profit booking also intensified in IT amid a firmer dollar and global liquidity concerns, and caution over incoming Fed Chair, analysts said.

Select pockets of weakness were observed in autos and beverages amid intensifying competitive pressures.

Broader indices posted stronger gains during the week, with the Nifty Midcap100 up 2.25 per cent, while Nifty Smallcap100 gained 3.2 per cent.

The markets opened the week with a subdued sentiment due to renewed tariff-related concerns and mixed corporate earnings, although optimism surrounding the India–EU trade agreement lent support, particularly to trade-oriented sectors.

Market sentiment improved mid-week following a favourable economic survey that reinforced expectations of robust FY27 growth and a benign inflation outlook.

Analysts said that markets remain wary that a potentially stronger inflation focus could prolong tight financial conditions and weigh on emerging markets.

Looking ahead, markets are expected to remain largely event-driven, with the Union Budget acting as the key domestic trigger, they said.

Cyclical sectors may continue to show relative resilience if supported by policy measures, while IT and export-oriented stocks are likely to remain sensitive to global macro cues, analysts added.

New Delhi, Jan 30: Fertiliser movement from the Centre to the states on Indian Railways, during the first nine months (April-December) of the financial year 2025-26, reached an all-time high with total supplies crossing 530.16 lakh metric tons to surpass the 500 lakh metric ton mark for the first time during this period, an official statement said on Friday.

This represents a 12.2 per cent increase over the corresponding period of FY 2024–25 and is 8.5 per cent higher than the previous record of FY 2023–24, it said.

The Centre has ensured sufficient availability of all major fertilisers across states, including the supply of 350.45 lakh metric tons of urea, against a requirement of 312.40 lakh metric tons in the first nine months (April-December) of the financial year 2025-26. Similarly, in the case of major P&K (phosphorous and potassium) fertilizers including DAP, MOP & NPKS, the total supply reached 287.69 lakh metric tonnes against the requirement of 252.81 lakh metric tonnes, consistently exceeding the assessed requirement and ensuring uninterrupted availability, the statement said.

Faster and smoother movement of fertiliser rakes enabled timely supplies to states, ensuring that farmers did not face any shortages during the critical stages of cultivation. Department of Fertilisers worked in close cooperation with the Ministry of Railways and stated that such coordinated efforts have helped ensure adequate availability of fertilisers across the country, the statement added.

During this period, average rake loading on Indian Railways increased to 72 rakes per day in July 2025, rose to 78 rakes per day in August 2025 and reached 80 rakes per day in September 2025, according to the official figures.

Urea rake movement rose to 10,841 rakes, registering an 8 per cent increase over last year, while P&K fertilisers recorded 8,806 rakes, marking an 18 per cent growth. Enhanced coordination with the Ministry of Railways, ports, state governments, and fertiliser companies ensured seamless and timely supply to states during peak agricultural seasons, the statement said.

Ensuring the timely availability of fertilisers to farmers has remained one of the government’s highest priorities. In this direction, the improved coordination between the Ministry of Railways and the Department of Fertilisers during Kharif 2025 and the ongoing Rabi season was clearly visible at the ground level. The states also took concerted measures to ensure last-mile availability to farmers, the statement added.

Ahmedabad, Jan 30: In a significant milestone for the Adani Group’s global credit journey, Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCRA) has initiated ratings of three Portfolio companies — Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ), Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL) and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd. (AESL) — assigning long-term foreign currency credit ratings with a ‘Stable’ outlook to all three companies, it was announced on Friday.

Japan’s leading rating agency assigned Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) a A- (Stable) rating, representing a rare breach of the sovereign threshold by an Indian corporate by an international rating agency.

Moreover, Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL) and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd. (AESL) have each been rated BBB+ (Stable). These ratings are at par with India’s sovereign rating of BBB+.

“These landmark ratings reflect the Adani Group’s commitment to disciplined financial management, strengthening balance sheet fundamentals, and world-class execution across our diversified infrastructure platform,” said Jugeshinder Singh, Group CFO, Adani Group.

“They reaffirm the depth and resilience of our business model and reflect the confidence global lenders, institutional investors, and capital markets place in our long-term strategy. This endorsement further strengthens our position as a leading partner in India’s infrastructure buildout and reinforces our commitment to delivering sustainable, high-quality growth,” Singh added.

Adani Ports’ strong rating underlines its strong credit profile, diversified asset base, and resilient cash-flow generation, and places it among a select group of Indian infrastructure companies to achieve an above-sovereign rating from a leading international rating agency.

The ratings also mark one of the first instances of Indian infrastructure platforms being assessed by JCRA at these levels, highlighting the Adani Group’s growing engagement with global rating agencies and its increasing alignment with international credit benchmarks.

APSEZ’s creditworthiness is at par with its subsidiary group, said the ratings agency, citing its superior infrastructure capabilities, consistently strong profitability, stable long-term cash flows, and prudent financial management — positioning the company above India’s sovereign foreign-currency rating, though capped by the country ceiling.

It continues to reinforce its leadership through a diversified portfolio of 15 domestic and 4 international ports, handling nearly 30 per cent of India’s cargo and 50 per cent of container volumes, supported by a comprehensive four-segment integrated logistics platform spanning ports, SEZs, logistics, and marine services.

Adani Ports delivered rapid EBITDA expansion — from Rs 7,566 crore in FY20 to Rs 19,025 crore in FY25, and Rs 11,046 crore in H1 FY26 — while maintaining a conservative 1.8x net-debt-to-EBITDA, long-tenor funding structure, and strong liquidity position.

On the other hand, AESL continues to strengthen India’s energy backbone through rapid expansion in transmission, distribution, smart metering, and cooling solutions — backed by stable, regulated cash flows and strong governance that support its consolidated credit profile, said the ratings agency.

“With a fast-growing network of 26,705 ckm of transmission lines, 97,236 MVA capacity, award-winning distribution reliability, and a rapidly expanding 7.37 million-meter smart metering portfolio, AESL is delivering far superior growth to the sector and redefining benchmarks in efficiency, customer service, and operational performance,” it noted.

With over 16.7 GW of operational capacity as of September 2025 and more than 90 per cent of EBITDA generated from renewables, AGEL has rapidly expanded from just 2.5 GW in FY20 — supported by best-in-class development, superior plant load factors, cost efficiency, and advanced ENOC-driven operations.

“EBITDA growth from Rs 1,855 crore (FY20) to Rs 10,532 crore (FY25) and Rs 6,324 crore in H1 FY26, coupled with improved equity levels, diversified global funding access, and extended 9.4-year average debt maturity, positions AGEL to sustain its ambitious growth pipeline while maintaining financial stability,” said JCRA.