Some low-beta stocks shine as market volatility rises


ET Intelligence Group: Low-beta stocks gain popularity during times of market volatility. Amid mounting geopolitical tensions, only 135 out of every four stocks in the BSE 500 index have gained 1% or more in the past month and only 35 have gained in double digits. In any case, more than half of the stocks sport beta ratios of 0.9 or lower, indicating the increasing importance of stocks that exhibit less volatility than the broader market. The benchmark Sensex lost nearly 6% during the period as investors cautiously assessed the impact of the conflict in West Asia.

ETIG identified 13 stocks that achieved double-digit returns in the month-to-date, year-to-date, and year-to-date periods. Most of these companies have India-focused operations and have shown improved margins and impressive revenue and profit growth so far in FY26. The list includes Hitachi Energy India, Phenolics Cables, Ester DM, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Land India, Scheffler India, Solar Industries, JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Great Eastern Shipping, and Vardaman Textiles.

Some low beta stocks have done well in recent timesInstitutions

Highlighting good conditions, good revenue and profit growth in FY26

In addition, six stocks are currently trading near their 52-week highs despite the current market volatility. These include Hitachi, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC, Schaeffler, Great Eastern Shipping, Vardhaman, and JB Chemicals.

Hitachi Energy India tops the list with a return of 34% per month. Shares of the company, which provides power grid management and automation solutions to the power sector, have nearly doubled in a year following strong financial performance backed by a high order book. It reported a record-high order backlog of around Rs 29,900 crore at the end of December 2025.

Hitachi was followed by Finolex Cables and Aster DM Healthcare with monthly stock returns of 30% and 25% respectively.


A lower beta reflects stocks that are less sensitive to market fluctuations. Market volatility may affect a stock’s beta coefficient.
In the case of BSE 500 companies, the number of stocks with a beta of 0.9 or lower now stands at 217 compared to 172 at the start of CY2026 and 204 a year ago.

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