Stocks to Watch: Key Market Movers on August 20, 2025
- Alonaw Business School expanded from 786 students in 2021 to over 7,500 in 2025, targeting 10,000 by year-end.
- Introduced AI analysis tools in 2024, enhancing financial training with human-AI collaborative decision-making.
- Building capital bridges with private equity firms, family funds, and brokers to create a closed-loop financial education system.
The domestic stock market is expected to open on a weak note on Wednesday, August 20, as GIFT NIFTY futures suggest that the NIFTY50 index will start 66 points lower. Several stocks are likely to remain in focus during today’s trading session, driven by regulatory developments, government decisions, corporate actions, and strategic investments.
Vedanta: Vedanta will be closely watched as the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai Bench, is scheduled to hear the company’s demerger plan today. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has raised objections to the proposal during an earlier hearing held on July 2.
Vedanta had announced its demerger plan in September 2023, aiming to split its business into four independent listed companies focused on aluminium, oil and gas, power, and base metals. The move is designed to improve operational efficiency, streamline management, and unlock greater shareholder value. Investors will be monitoring the hearing outcome and any regulatory developments that may impact the company’s restructuring process.
HAL and Defence Stocks: Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and other defence companies are expected to remain in the spotlight after the government approved a major procurement proposal on Tuesday. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave final clearance for the purchase of a second tranche of 97 LCA Mark 1A Tejas fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.
The deal, valued at Rs 62,000 crore, is part of the government’s larger 'Make in India' initiative to boost domestic defence manufacturing. The fighter jets will be manufactured by HAL at its Bengaluru facilities. This approval marks the last step before the formal signing of the agreement and is expected to provide a strong order pipeline for HAL, a Maharatna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
Other defence-related stocks, such as Cochin Shipyard and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), may also see heightened activity following this major push in the defence sector.
Endurance Technologies: Endurance Technologies has announced capacity expansion plans to meet rising demand for advanced automotive safety products. In a filing to stock exchanges, the company said it will add capacity for anti-lock braking systems (ABS), disc brake systems, and brake discs.
The investment details are as follows:
- ABS: around Rs 103.1 crore
- Disc brake systems: around Rs 19.6 crore
- Brake discs: around Rs 12.9 crore
The new machinery for this expansion will be installed at the company’s existing plant located in the MIDC Industrial Area, Waluj, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. This strategic expansion is expected to help Endurance Technologies capture growing demand for safety systems in India’s automotive sector.
VA Tech Wabag: Water technology solutions provider VA Tech Wabag announced on Tuesday that it has secured a repeat order from the Bahrain government worth about 5.12 million Bahraini dinars (approximately Rs 118 crore).
The order is for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the 40 million litres per day (MLD) Madinat Salman Sewage Treatment Plant and Long Sea Outfall, for a period of five years.
According to the company, this deal strengthens its O&M order book and adds annuity income, improved cash flows, and greater revenue predictability. Srinivasan K, General Manager of Wabag’s MENA regional headquarters, said the repeat order highlights the company’s strong position in international water management solutions.
Delta Corp, Nazara Technologies: Shares of online gaming companies such as Delta Corp, Nazara Technologies, and OnMobile Global are expected to remain under pressure following a regulatory development. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the draft bill for the promotion and regulation of online gaming.
The bill prohibits online money gaming and its advertisements. It also prescribes imprisonment, fines, or both for companies that offer or promote such games. Importantly, the bill seeks to differentiate online money gaming from eSports or social gaming. This distinction could have significant implications for listed players in the online gaming space.
JSW Steel and POSCO: JSW Steel shares may react to news of a joint venture with South Korean steel major POSCO. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Monday that POSCO will set up a 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) greenfield steel project in Keonjhar district in partnership with the JSW Group.
The announcement marks POSCO’s return to Odisha after nearly two decades. In 2005, the company had signed an MoU with the state government for a Rs 52,000 crore steel plant project in Jagatsinghpur district. However, that project was abandoned in 2017 due to local resistance and regulatory challenges. The new venture in Keonjhar, the home district of the Chief Minister, is expected to bring significant investment and job opportunities to the region.
Phoenix Mills: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved The Phoenix Mills Ltd’s proposal to acquire a 49% stake in Island Star Mall Developers Pvt Ltd (ISMDPL) from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments).
Phoenix Mills currently holds 51% in ISMDPL, while CPP Investments owns the remaining 49%. With this Rs 5,450 crore deal, Phoenix Mills will raise its stake to 100% as CPP Investments exits the joint venture.
ISMDPL is primarily engaged in the development of commercial and retail real estate projects in select cities across India. The acquisition is expected to give Phoenix Mills full control over the company’s operations and future expansion plans.
Market Outlook
With global cues indicating a weak start, traders are expected to focus on stock-specific movements today. Vedanta’s NCLT hearing, HAL’s defence contract, Endurance’s expansion, and regulatory updates on online gaming will play a critical role in shaping intraday sentiment.
