*Snippets from very popular Money Times Talk -
*As per astrology view,* some important turning dates are 19, 22, 27th and 30th January 2026.
*Volatility in 2026 is inevitable,* with rising inflation, geopolitical risks, policy surprises and sudden global cues creating sharp swings, but long-term wealth will still be built through patience, discipline and consistency, staying invested despite noise, avoiding emotional reactions, and trusting strong fundamentals over short-term price movements, because real compounding rewards those who endure.
*A strong Budget appeal is emerging for rationalising* LTCG from 12% to 10% and STCG from 20% to 15% to restore confidence in small, mid and micro-caps, as prolonged declines, *higher taxes and uncertainty are diverting retail money toward FDs, gold, silver and ETFs, which have delivered strong gains in recent months* as per market grapevine, risking long-term equity participation if relief is not provided.
*The bitter truth of the Indian stock market* is that when the market is flat, portfolios fall, when the market goes up, portfolios remain flat, and when the market falls, portfolios collapse. Sensex, Nifty and Bank Nifty may be near all-time highs, but most portfolios are deep in the red, *with nearly two-thirds of stocks negative* and median drawdowns severe. It feels like a taxi standing still while the meter keeps running, frustration is natural.
As per market grapevine, *indices appear managed to maintain a bullish illusion so SIP flows continue,* while 80-85% of stocks are down 20-80% from their highs. *This divergence has pushed many investors to exit equities and mutual funds over the last few months and shift to gold and silver, where they have earned fast and satisfying returns,* adding to the frustration in cash equities.
*Alert for Investors,* only a handful of large-cap and mid-cap funds managed to beat their benchmarks in 2025, raising serious questions on blind faith in mutual funds. As per market grapevine, aggressive chasing of high-PE IPOs and promoter exits has hurt portfolios of nearly 95% investors with drawdowns of 20% to 80%.
*If Budget relief on dividend tax, LTCG, STCG or STT does not come, capital may continue shifting from equities and mutual funds toward bank FDs and precious metals, and SIP flows could also weaken sharply.*
*As per market grapevine, over the last 3-4 months prudent investors shifted money from equities and mutual funds to gold, silver and ETFs and earned bumper gains, while others remain frustrated.
If Budget offers no relief on STT, LTCG or STCG, more funds may move to bank FDs and precious metals.*
*Money Times Talk is a part of oldest, reputed & very popular financial weekly Money Times.*
*Do your due diligence before taking any investment/ trading decision.*
