Raja Venkatraman, MarketSmith recommend five stocks for 15 May

Stocks to buy on 15 May: The Indian stock market on Thursday, 14 May, witnessed robust buying across nearly all sectors, mainly driven by short covering following recent declines.

The Sensex finished 790 points, or 1.06%, up at 75,398.72, while the Nifty 50 closed at 23,689.60, increasing by 277 points, or 1.18%.

The Nifty Midcap 150 index climbed by 1.18%, whereas the Smallcap 250 index remained nearly unchanged.

Investors saw gains of ₹5 lakh crore in just one session, with the total market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies rising to ₹463 lakh crore from ₹458 lakh crore in the previous day’s close.

The Indian stock market rose even as the Indian rupee hit new all-time lows and Brent Crude oil prices surpassed $105 per barrel.

What Gift Nifty live chart signals?

The Gift Nifty Live Chart shows a flat-to-muted start for the Indian stock market today. By 7:23 AM, the Gift Nifty was trading around the 23,677 level, a discount of 23.1 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close of 23,700.10.

Decoding the impact of Gift Nifty live chart and other triggers on Dalal Street, Hariprasad K, SEBI-registered Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said that the Indian equity markets are expected to open on a positive note today, supported by firm global cues and improving risk sentiment across international markets. Gift Nifty indicates a strong opening setup, following global equities' continued bullish momentum overnight.

Wall Street witnessed another record-breaking session, with the Dow Jones rallying more than 350 points to reclaim the historic 50,000 mark for the first time since February. The rally was largely driven by strong corporate earnings, especially from Cisco, which boosted confidence around the resilience of the global technology and enterprise spending cycle.

Asian markets are also trading firmly in the green. Japan’s Nikkei surged more than 400 points, while South Korea’s Kospi touched fresh record highs, reflecting improving investor confidence across regional markets. Optimism surrounding the ongoing Trump-Xi summit in Beijing is currently acting as a major global catalyst. Markets are interpreting the recent diplomatic tone as constructive, with both sides emphasising economic cooperation and stability despite ongoing geopolitical friction points.

However, investors remain cautious on the geopolitical front after Chinese President Xi warned that tensions over Taiwan could trigger larger conflicts between the US and China. While markets are currently focusing on the positive diplomatic developments, geopolitical headlines are likely to remain the biggest source of global volatility.

Stocks to buy today

Regarding stocks to buy today — Raja Venkatraman is Co-founder of NeoTrader, and stock research platform MarketSmith India, recommended buying these five shares - Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd, Zydus Lifesciences Ltd, Berger Paints India Ltd, Engineers India Ltd, and Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd.

Three stocks to trade, recommended by NeoTrader’s Raja Venkatraman

Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd (Cmp ₹1093)

Why it’s recommended: Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd (NAM-INDIA) is one of India's largest and fastest-growing private-sector asset management companies, serving as the investment manager for Nippon India Mutual Fund (NIMF). Since October 2025, the stock has had sufficient time to adapt to market conditions. The last few quarters, the numbers have been encouraging, leading to a strong breakout above the resistance zones around 1000. In the recent upmove, we can observe that the trends have been consistent and strong, with volumes suggesting the possibility of heading higher. Go long.

Key metrics:

P/E: 46.55

52-week high: ₹1117.90,

Volume: 1.31M

Technical analysis: Support at ₹991, resistance at ₹1,225.

Risk factors: Market volatility to regulatory changes.

Buy: above ₹1,093.

Stop loss: ₹1,055.

Target price: Rs 1,185 (2 Months)

Zydus Lifesciences Ltd (Cmp ₹991.70)

Why it’s recommended: Zydus Lifesciences Ltd. (formerly known as Cadila Healthcare Limited) is a leading, fully integrated, global healthcare provider that focuses on manufacturing generic drugs, vaccines, biologics, and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). After some consolidation over the last 6 months, the stock has shown a strong breakout on volume, indicating the onset of fresh upward movement. A major acquisition in the US could now accelerate the company’s progress. With aid from the momentum indicators, one can consider going long now.

Key metrics:

P/E: 21.45,

52-week high: ₹1,059.05,

Volume: 4.6M.

Technical analysis: Support at ₹470, resistance at ₹598.

Risk factors: Regulatory scrutiny, market competition, and integration challenges from acquisitions.

Buy : above ₹993

Stop loss: ₹955

Target price: ₹1,090 (2 Months)

Berger Paints India Ltd (Cmp ₹533.90)

Why it’s recommended: Berger Paints India Ltd is a prominent Indian multinational paints company and the second-largest paint manufacturer in India, having a significant presence in the decorative and industrial paint markets. The robust volumes seen in the last two days post the Q4 numbers are indicating a fresh onset of momentum. Some brokerage upgrades, despite uncertain market conditions, highlight the strong potential in the prices. A long body candle seen in the last session is now helping the rise sustain the uncertain environment. With the momentum favouring the long side , consider going long.

Key metrics:

P/E Ratio: 56.76

52-week high: ₹604.60

Volume: 4.29M

Technical analysis: Support at ₹500, resistance at ₹625.

Risk factors: market competition, raw material cost volatility, and high valuation premiums.

Buy : above ₹535.

Stop loss: ₹507.

Target price: ₹590.

Two stock recommendations by MarketSmith India for 15 May

Buy: Engineers India Limited (current price: ₹254)

Why it’s recommended: Strong PSU backing, debt-free or low-debt balance sheet, strong order book visibility, beneficiary of refinery and energy capex, growing focus on green hydrogen projects, stable cash flow generation, high expertise in EPC & consultancy, dividend-paying company, asset-light consultancy business mix, exposure to government infrastructure spending, strong client base in oil & gas sector, and potential gains from overseas projects

Key metrics: P/E: 18.53, 52-week high: ₹267.00, volume: ₹251.16 crore

Technical analysis: Consolidation base breakout

Risk factors: Heavy dependence on government projects, slow execution risk in EPC projects, cyclical oil & gas sector exposure, margin pressure from rising costs, delays in order inflows, PSU-related operational inefficiencies, lower growth compared to private peers, high competition in EPC industry, dependence on crude oil investment cycle, working capital/payment delay risk, policy & regulatory uncertainties, and limited diversification outside energy sector

Buy: ₹251–255

Target price: ₹320 in two to three months

Stop loss: ₹235

Buy: Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd (current price: ₹1,750)

Why it’s recommended: Market leader in aliphatic amines, strong speciality chemical demand, high entry barriers in the amines business, strong export presence, healthy operating margins, consistent profit growth track record, capacity expansion opportunities, beneficiary of pharma & agrochemical growth, strong customer relationships, low debt and strong balance sheet, good return ratios (ROE/ROCE), and niche product portfolio

Key metrics: P/E:46.50, 52-week high: ₹2,438.80, volume: ₹933.71 crore

Technical analysis: Reclaimed 200-DMA on above-average volume

Risk factors: Dependence on raw material prices, volatile chemical industry cycles, environmental and regulatory risks, export demand slowdown risk, high competition from global players, currency fluctuation impact, capacity expansion execution risk, customer concentration risk, margin pressure during weak demand, dependence on pharma/agro sectors, rich valuation risk at high PE, and energy cost inflation impact.

Buy at: ₹1,733–1,759

Target price: ₹1,990 in two to three months

Stop loss: ₹1,650

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.