Sugar, Smallcaps Rally As Traders Bet On High-Beta, Low-Priced Stocks; Tariff Deadline Looms

Markets enter Q1 earnings season at 9-month highs, with Nifty taking a breather after a strong 4-month rally. Traders are now eyeing beaten-down counters while large caps take a backseat. Analysts expect Nifty to consolidate around the 25,500–25,600 zone, with 25,200 acting as a key support. Sectoral rotation is likely to steer momentum on Dalal Street, with value emerging in select IT and auto ancillary stocks. PSU names remain in demand, and broader markets—especially midcaps and smallcaps—are expected to outperform. The overall sentiment: stay selective, and buy the dip where value still exists. Catch Market commentary with Shailendra Bhatnagar tracking the volume buzzers on D-Street