Stocks to watch: ONGC, DMart, Bajaj Finance, Marico among 10 shares in focus today; full list inside

Stock market today: The Indian equity market is expected to open higher on Monday, January 5, following gains across Asian markets after weekend developments in which the US launched an attack on Venezuela and detained President Nicolas Maduro.

Gift Nifty trends signalled a positive opening for the domestic benchmarks, with Gift Nifty trading at 26,542, up 76 points or 0.29% from the previous close of Nifty futures.

In the last trading session, both the Sensex and Nifty ended firmly in positive territory on Friday, January 2, supported by broad-based buying and growing optimism ahead of the Q3 earnings season. The Sensex rose 573 points, or 0.67%, to settle at 85,762.01, while the Nifty 50 hit an all-time intraday high of 26,340 before easing slightly to close at a record 26,328.55, up 182 points or 0.70%.

“Markets powered to fresh records as strong Q3 updates fuelled broad-based buying. Nifty and Bank Nifty scaled new all-time highs, with PSU and private banking indices also hitting lifetime peaks. At close, Nifty gained 182 points to 26,329, Sensex rose 573 points to 85,762, and Bank Nifty advanced 439 points to 60,151. The bullish momentum translated into quality stock-specific opportunities, with L&T, Hindalco, TVS Motor, SBI, Titan, Shriram Finance, BPCL, Coal India, M&M, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Auto, Indus Towers, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, GMR Airports and Bharti Airtel advancing strongly—many posting fresh 52-week or all-time highs. This breadth underscores the market’s underlying strength and persistent risk-on sentiment,” said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd.

Stocks to watch

Against this backdrop, here's a list of stocks that may attract investor interest and are likely to experience some movement today.

ONGC

The stock is expected to remain in focus amid US attacks on Venezuela, with any potential movement in crude oil prices also likely to influence sentiment. According to the company’s annual report, it holds overseas interests through its subsidiary ONGC Videsh Ltd.

DMart

DMart operator Avenue Supermarts posted a 13% year-on-year increase in standalone revenue from operations for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, reaching ₹17,613 crore, up from ₹15,565 crore in the corresponding period last year. This is likely to attract traders on D-street and boost investor confidence.

Bajaj Finance

NBFC company Bajaj Finance recorded a 15% year-on-year increase in new loans disbursed during the quarter ending December, rising to 1.39 crore from 1.21 crore in the same period last year.

Marico

Marico posted a stable operating performance for the December quarter, driven by strong demand and improving consumption trends in its key markets.

Yes Bank

The private sector bank released its provisional business data for the quarter ending December 31, 2025, reporting that loans and advances rose 5.2% year-on-year to ₹2,57,508 crore, up from ₹2,44,834 crore in December 2024.

Bajaj Auto

Bajaj Auto said that its exports to Venezuela make up less than 1% of its total international shipments. The South American nation is facing a crisis following the US capture of its President, Nicolas Maduro, on Saturday.

NTPC

NTPC announced on Friday that it is in discussions to acquire a minority stake in the US-based nuclear fuel technology company, Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE).

Vedanta

The oil and metals conglomerate released its production figures for the third quarter and the nine months ending December 31, 2025, highlighting record-high output across several of its business segments.

Hindustan Zinc

The company recorded its highest-ever third-quarter mined metal output of 276 kt, primarily due to increased ore production. Refined metal production also hit a record 270 kt, supported by the commissioning of debottlenecking projects at Chanderiya and Dariba, the ramp-up of the 160 Ktpa roaster at Debari, and improved plant availability.

IDBI Bank

The bank posted double-digit growth in its overall operations, with total business increasing 12% year-on-year to ₹5.47 lakh crore as of December 31, 2025, supported by consistent growth in both advances and deposits.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. Please consult with an investment advisor before making any investment decisions.