equity valuations

Anthropic employees refused to sell their shares at the $350 billion tender offer earlier this year, and now we know why. The Claude maker has agreed a fresh $30 billion funding round at a $900 billion valuation, the Financial Times reported, nearly tripling its worth in three months. With revenue at $30 billion and an IPO expected by October, staff are sitting on a payday.

Investment part of broader $730 million round; valuation up 30% since last secondary transaction.

OpenAI has enabled over 600 employees to sell shares worth $6.6 billion, with some cashing out up to $30 million. This significant wealth creation is fueled by the intense AI talent war, particularly after Meta's substantial compensation offers, prompting OpenAI to boost salaries and equity packages to retain its workforce.

Despite the bullish undertone in equities, several risk factors continue to keep investors on edge. The rupee touched a fresh record low after breaching the 95.8 mark against the US dollar for the first time.

Jefferies raised Bharti Airtel's target price to Rs 2,350 on strong Q4FY26 performance, while JP Morgan upgraded Cipla to overweight citing improved earnings visibility and attractive valuations. Morgan Stanley maintained an underweight rating on Dixon Technologies due to revenue and EBITDA misses, and HDFC Securities upgraded Hyundai Motor India to add, noting management's renewed focus on domestic growth and exports.

Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Tuesday after a late sell-off in heavyweight stocks like HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries erased early gains. Concerns over the rupee hitting a fresh record low and elevated crude oil prices also weighed on investor sentiment, though IT stocks provided some support.

Billionaire investors Bill Ackman and Sir Christopher Hohn are at odds over Microsoft's future, specifically concerning AI's impact. While Hohn sees AI as a threat to Microsoft's core products, Ackman views the company as central to the AI revolution and has initiated a significant investment, believing its current valuation is attractive for long-term growth.

Persistent foreign fund outflows and the rupee sliding to record lows have further dampened sentiment, prompting investors to stay cautious and intensify selling across equity markets.

Selling abates, foreign funds in no rush to buy: Goldman Sachs

Kotak Securities maintains an add rating on PNB with a revised target of Rs 125, citing steady profitability despite weaker core earnings than peers. Jefferies reiterates a buy on Marico, raising its target to Rs 960, with management confident in strong EBITDA growth.

Morgan Stanley maintained an equal-weight rating on Dr Reddy’s Labs, citing missed Q4FY26 estimates and a slight delay in Semaglutide ramp-up. Kotak Institutional Equities recommended buying Dixon Technologies, driven by strong consumer electronics performance. Citigroup reiterated its buy on Max Financial, highlighting margin improvements and sustained growth. Macquarie rated Berger Paints underperform, despite a constructive outlook.

Indian Hotels saw strong Q4FY26 results with revenue up 14% and profit by 15%, driven by robust hotel operations. UPL's Q4FY26 revenue grew 18%, but earnings were impacted by provisions. Oberoi Realty's Mumbai market shows promise, while PVR reported a 24% revenue jump. Nuvama's wealth and asset servicing segments are performing well.

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