{
  "id": 15542175,
  "title": "Indian shares seen muted; lenders' earnings take centre stage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/indian-shares-seen-muted-lenders-earnings-take-centre-stage",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-19T02:37:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40444884/indian-shares-seen-muted-lenders-earnings-take-centre-stage"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indian shares are expected to open unchanged on Monday as investors closely examine the earnings of major private lenders HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, while crude prices hovering above $108 a barrel dampen risk appetite. The Nifty 50 futures were trading at 23,131 at 7:49 a.m. IST, suggesting a subdued opening for the benchmark index, which closed at 23,146.15 on Friday. Despite a 3% gain last week, the Nifty and Sensex have not seen such strong weekly performances in six months, driven by IT stocks that gained traction after robust earnings and a retreat in AI markets, prompting value-oriented investments. September-quarter results will be the primary focus during this trading session. HDFC Bank reported a second-quarter profit that fell short of analyst projections, as higher bad loan provisions and lower treasury income counterbalanced impressive lending growth. In contrast, ICICI Bank reported a profit that surpassed expectations, driven by increased loan growth and reduced bad loan provisions. As the two lenders are the largest constituents of the Nifty 50, their share price movements will significantly impact the overall market sentiment. Hariselvan Radhakrishnan, founder and CEO of HST Wealth, noted that a favorable response to private bank earnings could aid the market in absorbing higher oil prices. However, the index faces immediate resistance at the 23,150 level. Brent crude prices, which declined from the $110-a-barrel peak reached on Friday, continue to stay elevated at around $108 a barrel. Although US President Donald Trump waived sanctions and tariffs on Russia, a step that could bolster Russian fuel exports and alleviate supply concerns, ongoing Middle East tensions continue to support crude prices. Radhakrishnan highlighted that a modest price pullback from $110 to $108 is unlikely to substantially enhance India's macroeconomic outlook. Foreign portfolio investors turned net buyers after 15 sessions on Friday, with inflows totaling 11.66 billion rupees ($122.79 million). However, domestic institutional investors saw outflows amounting to a net 36.61 billion rupees, according to provisional data from the National Stock Exchange (NSE).",
  "summary": "Indian shares are likely to open little changed on Monday , with investors assessing the results of top private lenders HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, while crude prices above $108 a barrel weigh on risk sentiment. GIFT Nifty futures were at 23,131 at 7:49 a.m. IST, indicating a muted start for the benchmark Nifty 50, which closed at 23,146.15 on Friday. The benchmarks Nifty and Sensex rose about 3%…",
  "key_points": [
    "Indian shares expected to open unchanged on Monday",
    "Lenders' earnings, especially HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, under scrutiny",
    "Crude prices above $108 a barrel dampen risk appetite"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The divergent earnings results of India's largest private lenders place the benchmark index at a crossroads, where banking performance must offset the persistent pressure of elevated global crude oil prices.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}