Here are three stocks to trade today, as recommended by NeoTrader’s Raja Venkatraman:
GEPIL: Buy CMP and dips to ₹295 | Stop ₹287 | Target ₹340-353
NACLIND: Buy CMP and dips to ₹305 | Stop below ₹298 | Target ₹355-365
HESTERBIO: Buy CMP and dips to ₹1,905 | Stop below ₹1,890 | Target ₹2,040-2,085
Stock market today
Equity benchmarks closed lower on 1 August 2025, as early gains evaporated and heavy losses in metal and financial names took their toll. The Nifty 50 slipped amid just 11 gainers—led by HUL, Jio Financial, Eternal, JSW Steel, and ITC—against 39 decliners, including Adani Enterprises, Dr Reddy’s Labs, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, and Sun Pharma. BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices each fell 0.7%.
Sector performance was mixed: FMCG surged 1.4%, while IT, metal, oil & gas, PSU banks, pharma, realty and telecom dropped between 0.5% and 1.8%. Tata Steel slid 3% after management’s cautious Q1 remarks, and Adani Enterprises also underperformed. Sun Pharma gave up 2% despite in-line earnings, as rising R&D expenses dented sentiment. IIFL Finance plunged 6% after raising its 2025-26 credit cost guidance, and Chola Investment fell 3% on earnings that missed estimates. Overall, the market’s failure to sustain its rebound underlined lingering caution around financial and commodity sectors.
Outlook for trading
Technically, the Nifty 50 has managed to hold the lower boundary of its recent trading range once again, marking a decisive turn. For days, the index had oscillated between roughly 24,550 and 25,100. While the breakout hunters have been surprised on either side, the trends are slowly and steadily shifting the bias to the upside as uncertainty is seen reducing. The sharp gap down on Thursday’s expiry and the gap that managed to get filled to give an encouraging closing have renewed trader confidence as a potential shift to a fresh up-leg. Chart watchers will note the bullish candlestick on the daily chart, coupled with rising volumes, as an encouraging sign that the rally has room to run.
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Options market dynamics further reinforced the bullish narrative. Ahead of the monthly expiry, participants aggressively sold puts and unwound calls, effectively skewing the delta toward upside risk. This combination of put writing and call reduction indicates that hedgers were securing floors while letting upside exposure peel off, a classic setup for continued gains when spot prices climb—a phenomenon sometimes dubbed “bullish aggression”.
The Nifty Spot is firmly above the consolidation zone that we have been mentioning. However, the median line resistance around 25,000 will be a key level to watch out for as we move ahead into the August series. Further evidence in the form of key sectoral drivers firing on all cylinders, our constructive stance remains intact.
I prefer looking at Nifty Spot charts for Short-term support, which shifts to the 24,550 area, while resistance looms near 25,100. As we near the last trading day of the week, we should keep booking profits.
If the markets sustain this momentum, a run toward 26,000-26,200 becomes a realistic expectation in the coming weeks. For now, bulls are beginning to take control and positions that are getting aligned with this trend stand to benefit from the prevailing optimism.
The other indices must now play catch-up; otherwise, what we saw on Thursday will get more tailwinds. A buy-on-dip market has now been initiated, and we have to take note of this fact as we head into the coming sessions.
Three stocks to trade, recommended by NeoTrader’s Raja Venkatraman:
Ge Power India Ltd (Cmp ₹308.85)
Why it’s recommended: GEPIL, involvement in infrastructure projects like roads, water management, and other related areas. The company’s last Q4 performance has not been as per expectations, however, the charts after showcasing the sell-off that had indicating a revival in progress and this could be an opportunity to consider this stock as a buying opportunity.
Key metrics: P/E: 50.25 | 52-week high: ₹655 | Volume: 336.06K.
Technical analysis: Support at ₹262, resistance at ₹440.
Risk factors: High volatility, negative investor sentiment, and long-term bearish trends.
Buy: dips to ₹295.
Target price: ₹340-353 in 1 month.
Stop loss: ₹287.
NACL Industries Ltd (Cmp ₹323.30)
Why it’s recommended: NACL Industries Ltd (NACLIND) is a leading agrochemical company with a presence in both domestic and international markets. The stock has absorbed the recent negative fundamentals and has been on a steady upward trajectory. Any profit booking seen is quickly being bought into, indicating that the trends are poised for continued upside. Further, the long body candle seen on Thursday indicates potential to move higher.
Key metrics: 52-week high: ₹331.45 | Volume: 1.06M.
Technical analysis: Support at ₹270, resistance at ₹425.
Risk factors: Overvalued with poor financial metrics, including a negative PE ratio and ROE.
Buy above: CMP and dips to ₹305.
Target price: ₹355-365 in one month.
Stop loss: ₹298.
Hester Biosciences Ltd (Cmp ₹1,949.20)
Why it’s recommended: HESTERBIO, Hester Biosciences is a prominent player in the animal healthcare sector, particularly in vaccine manufacturing. Being a dominant player, the sock has been consolidating and is now showing some signs of recovery above the current consolidation and a potential to move to the upside after weeks of profit booking that had emerged.
Key metrics: P/E: 52.25 | 52-week high: ₹3,250 | Volume: 9.32K.
Technical analysis: Support at ₹1,750, resistance at ₹2,225.
Risk factors: High inventory requirements and strict regulations regarding intellectual property rights (IPR) and rising interest expenses.
Buy above: CMP and dips to ₹1,905.
Target price: ₹2,040-2,085 in one month.
Stop loss: ₹1,890.
Raja Venkatraman is co-founder, NeoTrader. His Sebi-registered research analyst registration no. is INH000016223.
Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantees performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.