Bullish or bearish? Mint tests market mood

Stocks have taken a sharp fall, tumbling 12% since their September peak.

- Mayur Bhalerao & Abhinaba Saha

The culprits: foreign investor sell-offs, rising US bond yields, a stronger dollar, and a weakening rupee. Three straight quarters of tepid corporate earnings have only deepened investor jitters.

The big question: Is this just a bump in the road, or the start of a deeper correction? Can retail investors, who have powered the market's resilience in recent years, keep the faith? And what happens to initial public offerings (IPOs) after last year's frenzy?

To gauge the market's pulse, Mint surveyed 23 investment professionals—CEOs, research heads, and fund managers—during 3-12 February. Their verdict? Caution reigns, but some pockets of optimism remain.

This is the second in a new series of quarterly market surveys by Mint, the first of which was held ahead of Diwali in October 2024.

Most experts (74%) hold a neutral stance on equities for the next six months, preferring to wait out the volatility. Still, 22% remain bullish despite headwinds.