March 27, 2025

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Virus second wave: Goldman Sachs lowers growth forecast, Nifty target

Wall Street brokerage Goldman Sachs has flagged a slew of problems on the surging COVID-19 caseload that has been hitting new records day to day, coupled with the climbing lockdowns, forcing it to downgrade India’s GDP growth forecast for the entire calendar year to 10.five for each cent from 10.9 for each cent, apart from pegging down inventory indices valuation and earnings.

In a thorough observe on Tuesday, Goldman Sachs’ residence economists led by Sunil Koul said these file range of pandemic circumstances and a host of important states asserting stricter lockdowns of late have fuelled serious growth problems, leaving buyers worried about the risks to macro and earnings restoration.

It revised down its 2021 true GDP growth forecast to 10.five for each cent, from 10.9 for each cent formerly, but it nevertheless remained previously mentioned consensus. It also expects the June quarter growth to be impacted.

Accordingly, it has reduced the 2021 earnings growth forecast to 24 for each cent from 27 for each cent formerly and expects the restoration to resume from July as restrictions normalise, vaccination rate accelerates and the global growth backdrop continues to be supportive.

The crisis of self-confidence was incredibly distinct in the equity marketplaces, which has arrive beneath huge stress and Nifty advertising off 3.five for each cent on Monday by yourself. The index is down seven for each cent from its calendar year-to-day substantial.

Decreasing the Q2 (June quarter) growth forecast with out quantifying it even though, the Goldman Sachs economists said they nevertheless be expecting all these to have only average impact total as the restrictions have been targeted at distinct sectors with out broad spillovers so considerably.

On the valuation compression, they now be expecting only very low-teen returns this calendar year and have pencilled in a 10 for each cent PE compression.

Goldman Sachs expects Nifty to get to 16,three hundred by December, down from the previously forecast of16,five hundred, which indicates only about fourteen for each cent upside in rupee phrases.

Following the file spike in infections to about one.sixty eight lakh a day, important states together with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Bihar have announced stricter lockdown restrictions, which are possible to broaden out in coming weeks.

The brokerage said the containment restrictions are possible to be much more targeted with hits to distinct services these as foodstuff and beverages, leisure and recreation, and transport, but with minimal spillovers into other sectors like construction and producing.

Though these restrictions are possible to hit exercise in June quarter, exercise is possible to rebound sharply from July as containment guidelines normalise, it extra.

On the impact of the lockdowns, it said while in close proximity to-term risks keep on being if restrictions and shutdowns broaden, much more downside risks can be contained if industry sensitivity to lockdowns comes down.

Still, Goldman Sachs is overweight on India and favours targeted cyclical publicity, expressing it continues to be constructive on domestic equities.

(Only the headline and photograph of this report may have been reworked by the Business enterprise Standard staff members the relaxation of the content is vehicle-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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