Brokerages raise Asian Paints price targets after strong Q1 earnings, but retain cautious stance

Brokerages increased price targets for Asian Paints after strong June quarter earnings. Most analysts maintained their existing recommendations for the paint company. Rich valuations and rising raw material costs limit the stock’s upside potential. Intense competition also continues to affect the company’s performance. Analysts’ consensus price target suggests a ten percent upside from Thursday’s close.

US stocks: US market ends sharply higher, lifted by soaring Microsoft

Wall Street surged on Thursday, led by chip stocks and Microsoft’s strong forecast. Microsoft’s forecast eased investor concerns about massive artificial intelligence infrastructure spending. Other tech giants like Alphabet and Meta faced pressure from significant AI investment costs. The PHLX chip index saw substantial gains, with several companies reporting increases. Economic data showed slower growth…