The stock markets gained for a fifth consecutive session on Thursday. The big winners were earnings driven and included Axis Bank and Nestle India and SBI hit a fresh all-time high

In another sign of demand compression and stiff competition particularly regional, Hindustan Unilever reported a bigger-than-expected fall in fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday

With markets having recovered from or adjusted to the twin factors of middle east tensions and shifts in capital flows because of high US interest rates, small caps are back on the run.

Oil prices have receded and so have gold prices which are moving somewhat in tandem now, driven as they are by similar factors as well, for example the middle east tensions

Foreign institutional investors are continuing to sell India. FIIs net sold Rs 11,867 crore worth of  stocks in the cash segment last week, taking the total monthly outflow to Rs 22,229 crore thus far in April

The stock markets started giving into selling pressure, due to the overhang of high interest rates, funds moving back to bonds and tensions in the middle east.

Uncertainty in the Middle East is a factor that will drive stock markets down and other commodity prices from oil to gold up. It appears, going by some reports, that Israel will retaliate against Iran for its missile attack on Israel

With the Indian general elections starting in a few days, tune in to this Special Edition which features a discussion on technology, Identity and aspiration in relation to voter behaviour.

Markets lost ground on Monday thanks to increased tensions in the middle east where Israel and Iran faced off against each other and world powers scrambling to contain an Israeli retaliation to Iran’s firing 200 missiles and drones into Israel.

Tensions in the middle east have risen to fresh levels after Iran let loose a barrage of missiles towards Israel which appeared more to demonstrate it would not sit quiet after its embassy in Syria was bombed by Israel