Stocks to Watch: Jio Platforms, Meesho, Hero MotoCorp, PNB Housing, Ola

Earnings and a Choppy Global Backdrop Put These Shares in Focus

Company results are setting the agenda as elevated oil prices and uneven global cues weigh on the market’s opening outlook.

Oil and overseas markets set a cautious tone

GIFT Nifty futures were down 55 points, or 0.24 per cent, at 22,678, signalling a tepid start for Indian equities on Thursday. Elevated crude prices remain a concern for investors, particularly as traders weigh the risk that an escalating Middle East conflict could disrupt energy supplies. Brent traded at $114.80 a barrel and US WTI at $102, despite modest declines in both benchmarks.

Overnight, US stocks edged higher after the Federal Reserve kept its key policy rate unchanged. Asian markets were mixed: South Korea’s KOSPI fell 2.8 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei was nearly flat and Australia’s ASX 200 rose 0.36 per cent. Technology shares faced pressure as earnings from major companies revived questions over whether heavy artificial-intelligence spending can generate returns quickly enough to support high valuations. For Indian investors, these cross-currents suggest that company-specific results may matter more than a single global market signal.

Results give investors distinct company-level signals

Hero MotoCorp reported a 42 per cent year-on-year increase in consolidated profit after tax to ₹1,861 crore, compared with ₹1,308 crore a year earlier. The result puts the two-wheeler maker’s earnings performance in focus, although the supplied figures alone do not explain what drove the increase or indicate how it may continue.

PNB Housing Finance reported a 6 per cent rise in second-quarter net profit to ₹617 crore, while net interest income grew 15 per cent to ₹878 crore. The faster increase in NII than in profit is a point investors may examine alongside the rest of the company’s disclosures; the figures provided do not establish the reasons for that difference.

Meesho’s net loss narrowed to ₹132.4 crore in Q2 FY27 from ₹411.4 crore in the year-earlier period. That is a substantial improvement in the reported loss, but it is not the same as turning profitable. Investors will need to assess the broader financial disclosures to judge whether the change reflects a durable improvement in the business.

Jio’s debut and Ola’s fundraising bring different risks

Jio Platforms will remain in focus after its shares rose as much as 23 per cent on their first trading day. Such a sharp debut can draw attention to the stock, but the initial move by itself does not establish a sustainable valuation or future returns. Investors may look beyond the listing-day performance when assessing the shares.

Ola Electric’s ₹1,000 crore rights issue was fully subscribed by Wednesday evening. Investors subscribed for 37,13,59,420 shares against an issue size of 37,02,72,665 shares. The subscription indicates that applications covered the number of shares on offer, but it does not, on its own, settle questions about the company’s financial outlook or the risks of investing in its shares.

Key Highlights

• GIFT Nifty indicated a cautious start, while Brent crude traded at $114.80 a barrel.
• Hero MotoCorp’s consolidated profit after tax rose 42 per cent year on year to ₹1,861 crore.
• PNB Housing Finance posted higher second-quarter net profit and net interest income.
• Meesho narrowed its Q2 FY27 net loss to ₹132.4 crore from ₹411.4 crore.
• Ola Electric’s ₹1,000 crore rights issue was fully subscribed; Jio Platforms gained as much as 23 per cent on debut.

Investor Note: These stocks have different catalysts, from earnings and a new listing to a rights issue. Investors should distinguish reported results and subscription data from evidence of longer-term business performance, while accounting for volatile crude prices and mixed global signals.