Why Small Caps Are Surging Again? India Market Sentiment 2026 | Govindraj Ethiraj | The Core Report

On Episode 864 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Ambareesh Baliga, Market Expert as well as an excerpt from our extended interview with Neha Agarwal, MD & Head – Equity Capital Markets at JM Financial Institutional Securities. Check out our Live Earnings tracker: https://earnings.thecore.in/ SHOW NOTES (00:00) Stories of the Day (01:00) Markets recover but oil prices are jittery once again. Looking back at the last two months. (02:04) Rupee hits fresh closing low (09:15) India’s petrol consumption has risen while gas has fallen in April (10:25) Emirates, Etihad announce they are returning to full capacity and flights (12:02) Why you may not get to see the World Cup Football in India this year (14:21) The IPO market in 2026 may outshine 2025, what could drive this? The Markets, The Rupee and State Election Results: We track oil prices as a key signal of investor sentiment shaping the India stock market and the rupee. Oil jumped nearly 5 percent after fresh tensions in the Strait of Hormuz pushed Brent crude near 113 dollars a barrel. Oil staying above 110 dollars raises inflation risks, current account pressure and concerns around India growth. Indian markets stayed resilient with Nifty 50 at 24119 and Sensex at 77269 while mid cap and small cap stocks gained around 0.6 to 0.7 percent, showing continued domestic liquidity support. The rupee hit a record low of 95.08 per US dollar as dollar demand rose and oil prices climbed. RBI is exploring dollar inflows including NRI deposits to boost forex reserves as foreign investors sold nearly 20 billion dollars of Indian equities and bonds in 2026. BJP is projected to lead in West Bengal and Assam while Vijay TVK surged in Tamil Nadu and Congress led UDF returned in Kerala. What do oil prices, rupee weakness and global risks mean for market sentiment ahead We speak with market expert Ambareesh Baliga on India stock market trends, capital flows and investor sentiment. Oil and Gas Consumption for April: India fuel demand shows mixed trends. Petrol rose 6.3 percent and diesel reached 8.3 million tonnes reflecting steady activity. LPG consumption fell 16 percent after Strait of Hormuz disruption with India importing about 60 percent of LPG from the Middle East. Jet fuel demand dipped as airlines passed higher fuel costs to consumers. Emirates and Etihad in Full Swing: International aviation recovery is gaining pace as UAE lifted airspace restrictions. Emirates restored 96 percent of its global network across 137 destinations and operates 167 daily flights between Dubai and Indian cities. Rising jet fuel prices will shape airline ticket pricing and travel demand. India and China Skip Football World Cup Broadcast: The FIFA World Cup 2026 may not be broadcast in India and China due to a major rights dispute. Reliance Disney reportedly offered 20 million dollars far below FIFA expectations while Sony stepped back. Late night match timings, advertising economics and cricket dominance may limit viewership, creating uncertainty around sports media rights and streaming economics. Outlook for IPOs in 2026: India IPO market outlook remains strong but more selective after record fundraise in 2025. In conversation with Neha Agarwal, Managing Director and Head of Equity Capital Markets, we explore the IPO pipeline, investor appetite and profitable growth. Data centres, REITs and advanced manufacturing could drive IPO Market 2026 as companies focus on predictable cash flows, disciplined valuations and quality listings. Stay ahead with The Core Report as Govindraj Ethiraj speaks with Ambareesh Baliga on recent India stock market movements, oil prices and rupee outlook, and with Neha Agarwal on the India IPO Market 2026 boom led by Data Centres, REITs and Manufacturing. #IPO2026 #IndianStockMarket #StockMarketNews #Rupee #DataCentres #REITs #TheCoreReport #TheCore Join The Core Insider to get access to perks:    / @thecore_in   Listeners! We await your feedback: https://tinyurl.com/TCR-Listener-Survey The Core & The Core Report is ad supported & FREE for all readers & listeners. Write in to [email protected] for sponsorships & brand studio requirements. For more of our coverage check out thecore.in (https://www.thecore.in/) Support the Core Report (https://tinyurl.com/Support-the-Core-...) Join & Interact anonymously on our WhatsApp channel (https://tinyurl.com/The-Core-WhatsApp...) Subscribe to our Newsletter (https://www.thecore.in/newsletters/th...) Follow Us on Social Media for More Updates: Twitter (  / the_core_in  ) Instagram (  / the.core.in  ) Facebook (  / thecore.biz  ) Linkedin (  / thecore-in  ) Youtube (   / @thecore_in  )