Stock market recommendations: According to Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, the top stock picks for the trading week (starting January 27, 2026) are ICICI Bank, and Tata Steel. Let’s take a look:
ICICI BankICICIBC continues to leverage its strong retail and corporate franchise, disciplined risk management, and superior operating metrics. With leadership continuity under Mr. Sandeep Bakhshi, the bank is well positioned to sustain healthy loan growth momentum and deliver best-in-class profitability across cycles. 3QFY26 PAT declined 4% YoY to INR113.2b, missing estimates due to one-off INR12.8b agri-related provisions.Core performance was steady, with NII, PPoP, margins, and asset quality in line, while credit trends in unsecured portfolios showed improvement. Despite one-off provisions, ICICIBC is on track to deliver ~2.2% RoA in FY26E, improving to ~2.3% over FY27–28E. We fine-tune estimates and model FY27E RoA/RoE of 2.3%/16.1%, reiterating ICICIBC as a top BUY.Tata SteelTata Steel is well placed to benefit from improving steel realizations, operating efficiencies, and robust domestic demand. While global tariff-related uncertainties may weigh in the near term, sustained strength in India and improving Europe performance support long-term earnings visibility. The acquisition of a 50.01% stake in Thriveni Pellets provides Tata Steel access to 4mtpa pellet capacity and a 212km slurry pipeline. This strengthens backward integration, supports upcoming expansions, and mitigates risks from expiring iron-ore leases by FY30. Tata Steel is entering a multi-year expansion across long, flat, and downstream products. Capex will rise in a phased manner, maintaining balance sheet comfort. The LMEL MoU and Odisha footprint enhance feedstock security and future capacity optionality.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
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