The Indian stock market opened the new week on a choppy note. After cheering a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rate cut on Friday, benchmark indices have turned volatile on Monday, 8 December 2025, with profit booking in mid- and small-caps and rising global uncertainty.
By early afternoon, the Sensex had dropped roughly 750 points while the Nifty 50 fell below 25,950. The broader market was hit harder, with the Nifty Midcap index down about 1.8% and the Nifty SmallCap index lower by around 2.5%. [1] At the same time, the rupee was trading near a record low around 90.3 against the US dollar, adding to risk-off sentiment. [2]
Yet, despite the volatility, brokerages and technical analysts see multiple stock-specific opportunities — from short-term breakout trades to long-term compounding stories in banking, hospitals, defence, auto ancillaries, telecom and renewables.
This article rounds up key “stocks to buy” ideas for India’s stock market today (8 December 2025), based on research notes and media coverage published on the same date. It is informational, not personal investment advice.
1. Market backdrop: Rate cuts, volatility and a small-cap shake-out
RBI rate cut fuels optimism, but near-term jitters remain
On Friday, the RBI cut the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25%, triggering a relief rally: the Sensex closed at 85,712, up 447 points, and the Nifty 50 ended at 26,186, up about 153 points. [3]
Multiple analysts expect this easing cycle, combined with a potential US Federal Reserve rate cut this week, to support a “Santa Claus rally” into year-end, especially in rate-sensitive sectors like banks, autos and real estate. [4]
However, the optimism is being tested:
- Nifty SmallCap 100 correction: The index has already shed around 7% in 2025, with analysts warning that liquidity constraints, a crowded IPO pipeline and a shift of retail flows towards large caps could keep the segment under pressure. The index is testing its 200-day moving average near 17,500, with key support seen around 17,000–17,200. [5]
- Intraday sell-off today: Real-time tick data from Investing.com showed Nifty around 25,949 (-0.9%) and Sensex near 84,948 (-0.9%) in the afternoon session, reflecting broad-based profit-taking. [6]
In short, headline indices remain near all-time highs, but market breadth is weak and volatility is elevated — a classic environment where stock selection matters more than index direction.
2. Short-term trading ideas for today: Intraday & breakout “stocks to buy”
For active traders, several brokerages have circulated short-term and intraday trading ideas for 8 December 2025.
2.1 Intraday “stocks to buy today” (technical calls)
A Livemint trade-setup note, citing technical experts from LKP Securities and Anand Rathi, lists six intraday trading candidates for Monday: [7]
- Godrej Properties
- View: Buy around ₹2,082 with a stop-loss at ₹2,040 and an upside target of ₹2,200.
- Rationale: The stock is in a strong bullish structure with a firm support zone near ₹2,040. Recent price action suggests renewed momentum after a bounce from support.
- SBI Cards and Payment Services
- View: Buy near ₹885 with a stop-loss at ₹860 and a target around ₹920.
- Rationale: The stock is trending higher with higher lows, and the analyst notes sustained buying interest near support levels.
- United Spirits, L&T Finance, Dredging Corporation of India, PNB Housing Finance
- View: Short-term “buy on dips” intraday ideas based on bullish chart patterns, improving momentum and favourable risk–reward setups. [8]
These calls are high-risk, short-term trades aimed at day traders, not long-term investors.
2.2 Breakout stocks to buy today: Sumeet Bagadia’s five picks
In a separate Livemint piece, Sumeet Bagadia of Choice Broking highlights five breakout stocks to buy on 8 December 2025: [9]
- Shriram Pistons & Rings
- Suggested buy: Around ₹2,837
- Target: ₹3,040
- Stop-loss: ₹2,727
- Story: Fresh breakout with strong volumes; the stock recently rallied on an acquisition update and is near record highs, supported by strong fundamentals in auto components. [10]
- Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works
- Suggested buy: Around ₹3,032
- Target: ₹3,280
- Stop-loss: ₹2,940
- Story: Positive price structure and higher highs/higher lows on the chart.
- Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services
- Suggested buy: ₹367
- Target: ₹393
- Stop-loss: ₹354
- Story: Beneficiary of lower borrowing costs after the RBI rate cut; charts signal a potential continuation of the uptrend.
- Cholamandalam Investment & Finance
- Suggested buy: ₹1,730
- Target: ₹1,850
- Stop-loss: ₹1,670
- Story: Strong NBFC franchise with technical breakout above near-term resistance.
- Stylam Industries
- Suggested buy: ₹2,147
- Target: ₹2,300
- Stop-loss: ₹2,080
- Story: Momentum play in premium laminates and surfaces; the stock is trending higher with healthy volume support.
These are technical breakout trades, generally suited to traders with a few sessions to a few weeks time horizon and high risk appetite.
3. High-conviction ideas for this week and beyond
For investors with a multi-week to multi-year horizon, several brokerages have published “top picks” lists today.
3.1 Safari Industries & JSW Steel: Motilal Oswal’s two top ideas
Motilal Oswal Financial Services has named Safari Industries and JSW Steel as its top stock picks for the week starting 8 December 2025, in a note reported by The Times of India: [11]
- Safari Industries (luggage & travel gear)
- CMP: ₹2,362
- Target: ₹2,700
- Implied upside: ~14%
- Why analysts like it:
- One of the fastest-growing players in India’s organised luggage market.
- Deep product portfolio (including premium “Urban Jungle” and SI-Select ranges).
- Strong omnichannel model with e-commerce, modern trade and rapidly expanding exclusive-brand outlets in tier-2/3 cities.
- Backward integration at the Jaipur plant is improving costs and margins.
- JSW Steel (integrated steel major)
- CMP: ₹1,149
- Target: ₹1,350
- Implied upside: ~17%
- Why analysts like it:
- Recent decision to move Bhushan Power & Steel into a 50:50 JV with JFE Steel, unlocking value and reducing consolidated debt by about ₹35,000 crore while improving capital efficiency.
- Targeting 50 MTPA capacity by FY31, with access to JFE’s advanced steelmaking technology.
- Scope for margin expansion as steel spreads improve and net debt-to-EBITDA is projected to moderate to around 1.7x by FY27.
These two names represent a consumption play (organised luggage) and a core cyclical play (steel), both backed by structural demand drivers and balance-sheet improvements.
3.2 AB Capital & Indus Towers: SBI Securities’ picks for the week
Sudeep Shah of SBI Securities has flagged Aditya Birla Capital (AB Capital) and Indus Towers as top stock picks for this week, based on technical analysis. [12]
- AB Capital
- Suggested accumulation zone: ₹355–359
- Stop-loss: ₹345
- Near-term target: ₹380
- Technical view: The stock has broken out above a downward-sloping trendline, is holding above its 20-day EMA and shows strengthening momentum on ADX and MACD indicators — pointing to a potential continuation of the uptrend.
- Indus Towers
- Suggested accumulation zone: ₹410–416
- Stop-loss: ₹397
- Near-term target: ₹445
- Technical view: The stock recently broke out of a tight consolidation range (₹395–413) with a strong bullish candle. RSI is above 60 on both daily and weekly charts, signalling improving momentum.
Worth noting: fundamental views differ across brokerages. A JM Financial telecom report out today is cautious on Indus Towers with a “Reduce” rating and ₹385 target, even as it remains bullish on tariff hikes and free cash flow growth in the telecom sector overall. [13]
3.3 L&T: blue-chip infrastructure play in focus
ICICI Securities’ Dharmesh Shah highlights Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as a buy-on-dips opportunity for this week, recommending purchases in the ₹3,980–4,050 zone with a target of ₹4,520 and a stop-loss at ₹3,798. [14]
The rationale:
- Benchmark indices are consolidating near all-time highs, but capex-linked leaders like L&T continue to benefit from strong domestic infrastructure spending. [15]
- Technically, the stock is holding key moving averages and fits into the broader theme of capex-driven cyclicals that Axis Securities and others prefer for FY26. [16]
For long-term investors, L&T remains a core proxy on India’s infrastructure and industrial capex cycle.
4. Long-term “best stocks to buy” themes: Banking, hospitals, defence, auto ancillaries, telecom & renewables
Beyond short-term trades, several houses have published more strategic and thematic ideas today.
4.1 Axis Securities’ 15 high-conviction stock picks (targeting Nifty 29,500)
In a detailed strategy note, Axis Securities forecasts that the Nifty 50 could reach 29,500 by December 2026 in a “Goldilocks” scenario, with a base-case target of 28,100. It assumes stable global growth, policy continuity in the US, and sustained domestic reforms, with Nifty earnings growing at about 13% CAGR over FY23–28, led by financials. [17]
Axis’ top stock picks for December span large, mid and small caps: [18]
- Largecaps:
- HDFC Bank – Core holding in private banking; beneficiary of rate cuts through improved credit growth and lower funding costs.
- Bajaj Finance – High-growth NBFC with strong retail franchise and earnings visibility.
- Bharti Airtel – Leading telecom operator, well-placed to benefit from upcoming tariff hikes and data premiumisation.
- Avenue Supermarts (DMart) – Structural consumption play in food & grocery retail.
- State Bank of India (SBI) – PSB leader with strong asset quality and improved ROE profiles.
- Max Healthcare – Hospital chain with significant expansion runway.
- Mid- & small-caps:
- Kirloskar Brothers, Kalpataru Projects, APL Apollo Tubes, Mahanagar Gas, Inox Wind, Prestige Estates, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, Chalet Hotels, Sansera Engineering.
Axis emphasises “quality, growth and domestic cyclicals”, favouring BFSI, telecom, consumption, hospitals and select capex-linked industrials, while staying cautious on export-heavy sectors due to tariff and global growth risks. [19]
4.2 Hospitals & healthcare: Max Healthcare, KIMS, Apollo in the spotlight
Healthcare is emerging as a high-conviction theme:
- Max Healthcare
- Goldman Sachs today initiated coverage with a “Buy” rating and a price target of ₹1,325, calling Max the best-positioned player in the shift from unorganised to organised healthcare. [20]
- The broker projects ~23% revenue CAGR and 24% EBITDA CAGR over FY25–28, driven by operating efficiencies and aggressive capacity expansion — Max plans to expand its capacity roughly 2.5x from FY24 levels over the next 5–6 years. [21]
- Contrary to fears of oversupply, their analysis suggests Delhi-NCR still has a healthcare supply gap, supporting further growth. [22]
- KIMS, Apollo Hospitals and others
- A recent ET Markets report highlighted Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Max Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals and SRF (in chemicals) among key picks, citing structural demand growth, ongoing bed additions and favourable margins in organised healthcare. [23]
Taken together, the hospital theme is being positioned as a multi-year structural story, not just a short-term trade.
4.3 Defence: BEL, HAL and BDL as core long-term bets
Motilal Oswal’s latest defence sector report, summarised by Business Standard today, remains upbeat on Indian defence manufacturers, citing a strong order pipeline, higher budget allocations and a shift towards domestic procurement. [24]
Key “Buy” rated defence stocks with target prices: [25]
- Bharat Electronics (BEL) – Target ₹500
- Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) – Target ₹5,800
- Bharat Dynamics (BDL) – Target ₹2,000
Drivers include:
- Over ₹7 trillion worth of defence projects approved under Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) from FY24 to early FY26. [26]
- Domestic procurement’s share rising to 75% in the FY26 defence budget versus 54% pre-COVID. [27]
- Strong export opportunity as NATO and other countries scale up defence spending. [28]
Defence stocks are being pitched as long-horizon compounders with high visibility on orders and margins.
4.4 Auto ancillaries: “Buy the dips” with select names
Business Standard notes that many auto ancillary stocks have surged over 100% in FY26, riding on strong November 2025 vehicle sales and a GST cut. Analysts expect demand for components, tyres and batteries to remain healthy, but warn that valuations are rich and call for selectivity. [29]
Key points from analyst commentary: [30]
- Growth is supported by:
- Double-digit volume growth across passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles in November.
- Premiumisation (more features per vehicle) lifting content per vehicle (CPV) for specialised component makers.
- Entry into EV components such as motors, controllers and chargers, where domestic players can displace imports.
- Preferred names across brokerages include:
- UNO Minda, Gabriel India, Minda Corp, Sona BLW (Elara Capital).
- Sansera Engineering, Endurance Technologies, UNO Minda (Axis Securities).
- Schaeffler India, Fiem Industries, Suprajit Engineering, NRB Bearings (B&K Securities).
The consensus strategy: use dips to accumulate high-quality ancillaries with strong balance sheets, OEM linkages and clear CPV growth visibility, rather than chasing every stock in the pack. [31]
4.5 Telecom: Bharti Airtel and Jio-related plays set up for tariff-led rerating
A sector report from JM Financial sees Reliance Jio’s planned IPO in H1 2026 as a major trigger for the next leg of tariff hikes — they model a 15% increase in mobile tariffs over the coming months, reinforcing the “free cash flow growth story” for both Jio and Bharti Airtel. [32]
Key takeaways: [33]
- Jio is valued at an enterprise value of about $153 billion, on par with Bharti’s India business on EV/EBITDA multiples.
- As 5G capex normalises, both operators are expected to see sharp growth in free cash flows through FY28.
- To earn acceptable returns on capital, the sector needs ARPU to rise to ₹270–300 by FY28, implying roughly 12% CAGR from FY25 levels.
JM Financial’s stock calls within telecom: [34]
- Bharti Airtel – Buy, target ₹2,460
- Bharti Hexacom – Buy, target ₹2,195
- Tata Communications – Buy, target ₹2,250
- Vodafone Idea – Add, target ₹11.5
- Indus Towers – Reduce, target ₹385
This lines up well with Axis Securities’ positive stance on Bharti Airtel and other telecom names as core long-term holdings. [35]
4.6 Renewables: Suzlon Energy as a high-beta wind-energy play
Renewable energy continues to attract interest. Suzlon Energy, one of India’s largest wind turbine makers, is back in focus:
- Suzlon’s stock was trading around ₹51.8 on the BSE this afternoon. [36]
- Motilal Oswal today reiterated a “Buy” rating with a target price of ₹74, implying about 43% upside from the previous close, citing a strong order pipeline and improving execution. [37]
That said, the stock has already delivered over 400% returns over the last three years, and has seen a double-digit drawdown over the past 12 months, underlining the high volatility and cyclical risk associated with such turnaround stories. [38]
5. How to use today’s “best stocks to buy” ideas
The flurry of reports and recommendations on 8 December 2025 can feel overwhelming. Here’s a simple way to think about them when building your own watchlist:
- Separate trading ideas from investments
- Intraday and breakout calls (e.g., Godrej Properties, SBI Cards, Shriram Pistons, Mahindra Finance, Stylam) are short-term, high-risk trades driven mainly by technicals. [39]
- Long-term themes (e.g., HDFC Bank, SBI, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel, Max Healthcare, BEL, HAL, BDL, Suzlon) are based more on earnings visibility, sector tailwinds and macro trends. [40]
- Anchor your core portfolio in high-quality, long-term stories
- Use lists like the Axis Securities 15 high-conviction picks, the defence basket, and hospital stocks as a starting point for deeper research, instead of blindly buying every “hot stock”. [41]
- Add satellite positions selectively in cyclicals and high-beta names
- Stocks like Safari Industries, JSW Steel, auto ancillaries and Suzlon offer higher upside but also come with higher volatility. Position sizes and stop-losses become critical here. [42]
- Respect the small-cap risk
- With Nifty SmallCap testing its 200-DMA and already down 7% this year, analysts are explicitly warning that the segment may remain under pressure. [43] If you’re adding small caps, stagger entries and avoid over-concentration.
- Always align with your own risk profile
- Broker targets assume specific time frames, risk tolerances and investment mandates. Your situation — income stability, goals, time horizon, ability to handle drawdowns — may be very different.
6. Important disclaimer
All stocks and targets mentioned above are summaries of third-party research and media coverage published on 8 December 2025 by brokerages such as Axis Securities, Motilal Oswal, JM Financial, ICICI Securities, Elara Capital and others, as reported in outlets including Livemint, The Times of India, Business Standard, Economic Times and Investing.com. [44]
This article:
- Does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
- Does not consider your personal financial situation, objectives or risk tolerance.
Before investing in any stock:
- Read the full broker reports where possible.
- Check latest earnings, balance sheet and valuations.
- Consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser or another qualified professional.
Used correctly, today’s analyst calls can be a rich source of ideas — but your own due diligence and risk management will decide whether they become great investments or expensive lessons.
References
1. www.business-standard.com, 2. in.investing.com, 3. www.livemint.com, 4. www.livemint.com, 5. www.business-standard.com, 6. in.investing.com, 7. www.livemint.com, 8. www.livemint.com, 9. www.livemint.com, 10. www.business-standard.com, 11. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 12. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 13. www.business-standard.com, 14. www.livemint.com, 15. www.livemint.com, 16. www.livemint.com, 17. www.livemint.com, 18. www.livemint.com, 19. www.livemint.com, 20. in.investing.com, 21. in.investing.com, 22. in.investing.com, 23. m.economictimes.com, 24. www.business-standard.com, 25. www.business-standard.com, 26. www.business-standard.com, 27. www.business-standard.com, 28. www.business-standard.com, 29. www.business-standard.com, 30. www.business-standard.com, 31. www.business-standard.com, 32. www.business-standard.com, 33. www.business-standard.com, 34. www.business-standard.com, 35. www.livemint.com, 36. www.business-standard.com, 37. www.business-standard.com, 38. www.business-standard.com, 39. www.livemint.com, 40. www.livemint.com, 41. www.livemint.com, 42. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 43. www.business-standard.com, 44. www.livemint.com
