1) Reliance Industries (RIL) Q3 Results: RIL reported a consolidated net profit of ₹18,645 crore for the third quarter, showing a marginal 0.56% year-on-year growth. Revenue rose 11% to ₹2.69 lakh crore, supported by strong performance in its Jio (user base crossed 515 million) and Retail segments (revenue up 8% YoY).
Segment Performance
Oil-to-Chemicals (O2C): This segment was a key driver of earnings growth, with EBITDA surging 15% YoY to ₹16,507 crore, aided by sharp increases in transportation fuel cracks (margins).
Digital Services (Jio): The telecom arm’s net profit jumped 11.2% YoY to ₹7,629 crore, with average revenue per user (ARPU) increasing to ₹213.7. It added 8.9 million subscribers during the quarter.
Retail: The retail business reported muted profit growth of 2.7% YoY to ₹3,551 crore, impacted by GST rate rationalization and investments in quick commerce. Revenue, however, increased by 9.2% to ₹86,951 crore.
Strategic Investments: RIL’s capital expenditure stood at ₹33,826 crore ($3.8 billion) for the quarter, primarily driven by investments in new energy, 5G network expansion, and retail infrastructure.
2) IT Sector Surge Post-Infosys Guidance: Benchmark indices settled higher today, led by a 3.3% jump in the Nifty IT index. Infosys shares surged over 5% after the company raised its FY26 revenue growth guidance following strong Q3 results, lifting other tech majors like Tech Mahindra and HCLTech.
3) Wipro Declares Dividend Amid Mixed Earnings: Wipro’s board declared an interim dividend of ₹6 per share despite a 7% YoY decline in net profit to ₹3,119 crore. The company also revised its fresher hiring target downward for FY26 to 8,000 from the previous 10,000.
4) Special Sunday Trading for Budget 2026: Stock exchanges (NSE and BSE) have confirmed that the markets will remain open for a full trading session on Sunday, February 1, 2026, to coincide with the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
5) SEBI’s New “SWAGAT–FI” Framework: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced a unified registration process for foreign investors to ease entry into Indian markets. Additionally, SEBI proposed trade netting for large foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to reduce funding costs and enhance operational efficiency.
Market Summary
Sensex: 83,570.35 (+187.64 pts)
Nifty 50: 25,694.35 (+28.75 pts)
Top Gainer: Federal Bank shares zoomed 11% to a record high following robust Q3 profit growth.
Rupee: Weakened to settle near an all-time low of 90.87 against the U.S. dollar.
