Indian equities are expected to begin the week on a cautious note, with GIFT Nifty indicating a marginally lower opening. Despite the subdued market sentiment, several stocks are likely to remain in focus due to earnings announcements, sector-specific developments, regulatory actions and corporate updates. Automotive companies will attract attention as monthly sales figures are released, while Asian Paints is expected to remain active following its strong quarterly performance.

Asian Paints shares gained momentum after the company delivered a stronger-than-expected performance for the fourth quarter of FY26, driven by robust profit growth, healthy revenue expansion and improved operational efficiency. The paint manufacturer reported a sharp increase in net profit and announced a generous dividend payout, reinforcing investor confidence.

The Government of India has increased import duties on gold and certain precious metal products, with the revised rates coming into effect immediately. The move comes at a time when global precious metal markets are experiencing heightened volatility amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, gold and silver findings—components used in jewellery manufacturing such as clasps, hooks and other fittings—will now attract an import duty of 5%. Similarly, platinum findings will face a 5.4% import duty.

Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp selloff on Friday, with benchmark indices ending deeply in the red after a late-session plunge driven by MSCI’s May 2026 index rebalancing. The reshuffle prompted significant passive foreign fund adjustments, leading to estimated outflows of up to $1 billion from Indian stocks. 

Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani has emphasized that the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is likely to increase the demand for human skills rather than diminish it, even as businesses embrace AI-powered coding tools and autonomous AI agents.

In his message to shareholders in Infosys' FY26 annual report, Nilekani described AI as one of the most significant technological shifts in recent history. While acknowledging that automation will transform how work is performed, he argued that human expertise, creativity, and problem-solving abilities will remain indispensable.

Residents of Mumbai and nearby regions will face higher fuel expenses after Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) raised the prices of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Domestic Piped Natural Gas (D-PNG) on May 30, 2026.

The company increased CNG prices by ₹2 per kilogram, marking the second price hike within just 16 days. MGL also raised domestic piped natural gas (D-PNG) rates by ₹0.50 per standard cubic metre (SCM).