Market leaders share their outlook for new Samvat at ‘NDTV Profit Ignite’ event
Mumbai, Oct 29 (IANS) The ‘NDTV Profit Ignite: Diwali Edition’ brought together a constellation of leading voices from capital markets, investing, business and policymaking in Mumbai, offering investors perspectives on navigating uncertainty and identifying opportunities in the new ‘Samvat’.
The event opened with a ceremonial bell ringing by Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD and CEO, NSE, and actress Tamannaah, setting the stage for conversations on markets, investing and wealth creation.
The gathering featured SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey; Ashish kumar Chauhan; veteran investor Ramesh Damani; S. Naren of ICICI Prudential AMC; Motilal Oswal co-founder Raamdeo Agrawal; Sandeep Tandon, founder of quant Mutual Fund; investor Vijay Kedia; Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati; and actress and entrepreneur Tamannaah Bhatia.
Attended by more than 150 industry leaders, policymakers and institutional investors, the event took place against a backdrop of an 11.8 per cent decline in the Nifty during the Samvat, global macroeconomic uncertainty and foreign capital outflows.
Discussions examined the implications of the global artificial intelligence investment boom, weakness in the rupee and the outlook for corporate earnings, with speakers expressing cautious optimism about India’s long-term wealth creation potential, according to a statement.
“As more Indians participate in the country’s capital markets, the need for credible information and informed scrutiny becomes even greater. NDTV Profit Ignite brings our audience closer to the people shaping policy, building businesses and making investment decisions. Our purpose is to ask the questions that matter, examine the opportunities and risks, and help investors approach their financial future with greater clarity,” said Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, NDTV.
Delivering the keynote address, Tuhin Kanta Pandey outlined a vision for deeper and more accessible capital markets. He highlighted the potential for approximately 2,000 companies to be prepared for listing, emphasising the importance of lowering compliance costs and simplifying foreign investor onboarding. Addressing the growth in retail participation, he underscored the need for investor protection, greater awareness of derivatives’ trading risks and action against misleading financial influencers.
Ashish Kumar Chauhan examined how the global AI investment cycle is influencing capital flows. He observed that while India may currently lack a prominent domestic AI investment narrative, its markets could benefit significantly if the global AI trade begins to unwind.
Navigating the consolidation in Indian equities after the strong run from 2020 to 2024 emerged as a central theme.
Ramesh Damani acknowledged the prospect of near-term volatility arising from US midterm elections and geopolitical developments while reinforcing his long-term conviction in India. Pointing to the Indian market’s historical rise of approximately fivefold every decade, he reminded investors that returns do not follow a straight line and that periods of underperformance can precede stronger gains.
S. Naren explored the case for contrarian investing, suggesting that investors could consider reducing exposure to the US AI theme and examining underperforming markets such as India. He identified financial services, insurance, FMCG, and IT as sectors presenting distinct contrarian opportunities.
Raamdeo Agrawal placed corporate earnings at the centre of the investment outlook, emphasising that continued earnings growth would ultimately need to be reflected in market performance. His observations reinforced the importance of business fundamentals amid the wider macroeconomic debate.
Sandeep Tandon suggested that the worst of the market correction could be behind investors. Both Tandon and Vijay Kedia, however, stressed the need for selectivity, cautioning that an improving broader outlook does not automatically make every stock an attractive investment.
Tamanna Inamdar, Managing Editor, NDTV Profit, said, “NDTV Profit Ignite Diwali Edition has become the marquee event of the season in just three years. This year, our conversations with market veterans, battle-hardened by boom-and-bust cycles, were even more relevant. As we enter the new Samvat, the message was clear: it is time to double down on the India story, even when the global outlook looks bleak.”
The programme also explored entrepreneurship through Tamannaah Bhatia’s journey with Tamannaah Fine Jewellery. In a conversation with Inamdar, she spoke about her business family background, her passion for jewellery and the gap she had identified in the market. Asked whether she saw herself as the venture’s CEO, CFO or CMO, she described her role as that of a creative director, reflecting her close involvement in the design process.
Ranjay Gulati brought a leadership perspective to the discussions, examining how individuals and organisations can prepare to act courageously in the face of disruption, including AI. Distinguishing measurable risk from uncertainty, he explored how people can equip themselves to take action despite fear.
–IANS
na/
