Raja Venkatraman names three stock picks for 18 September
NeoTrader co-founder Raja Venkatraman has recommended three stocks for trading on 18 September. He advises buying Jubilant FoodWorks above ₹485 with a stop loss of ₹463 and a two-month target of ₹525; Prime Focus above ₹337, stop loss ₹318, target ₹367; and Tatva Chintan Pharma Chem above ₹1,715, stop loss ₹1,605, target ₹1,885. On 17 September, the Nifty 50 rose 0.23% to 23,270.6 while the Sensex slipped 0.03% to 74,314.59. Investments carry market risks.
Source
Livemint — Markets · read the original report ↗
Desk check · some claims need care
What the desk checked (5)
- Raja Venkatraman of NeoTrader recommends buying JUBLFOOD above ₹485, stop loss ₹463, target ₹525 in two months — Attributed to the named analyst in the source; figures appear as given.
- PFOCUS recommended above ₹337 with stop loss ₹318 and target ₹367 over two months — Attributed to the named analyst; figures appear in source.
- TATVA recommended above ₹1,715 with stop loss ₹1,605 and target ₹1,885 over two months — Attributed to the named analyst; figures appear in source.
- Nifty 50 rose 0.23% to 23,270.6 and Sensex slipped 0.03% to 74,314.59 on 17 September — Figures appear in source but no exchange data source is cited.
- Stock has formed a rounding bottom 'since July 2026' — Internally inconsistent date in source; no external verification possible.
Analysts’ view opinion
These are two-month technical trading calls, not verdicts on the long-term value of the companies. The risk-reward is tight in all three: Jubilant risks ₹22 for ₹40, Prime Focus ₹19 for ₹30, Tatva Chintan ₹110 for ₹170 — arithmetic that collapses if the stop losses are not honoured. The market backdrop is also unhelpful: the Nifty up 0.23% at 23,270.6 and the Sensex down 0.03% at 74,314.59 describes a directionless, range-bound tape.
- Jubilant FoodWorks at a P/E of 129.98 and Tatva Chintan at 90.08 already price in substantial future earnings growth, so any disappointment can trigger a sharp de-rating.
- The three names sit on different economic cycles — consumer spending (Jubilant), media and entertainment budgets (Prime Focus) and export demand (Tatva Chintan, with roughly 62% of products exported) — so this is not a single-theme bet.
- Tatva Chintan's export tilt means rupee moves and global demand will drive margins; higher gas prices may favour organised players but also add to input cost pressure.
- The source itself flags a severe debt burden, industry cyclicality and volatility for Prime Focus — in thinner small-caps, executing a ₹318 stop loss can cost more than expected.
- Macro pressure from a hawkish US Fed and elevated crude can override any chart signal; the gainers here are nimble traders who take profits early, the losers are late entrants who hold on.
What to watch — Watch whether the Nifty breaks decisively below 23,000 or clears resistance around 23,600 — whether these three calls work will depend largely on the broader market's direction.
This is one Sebi-registered analyst's personal view; the story establishes nothing about these companies' earnings, debt position or the likelihood of the targets being met — investments remain subject to market risk.
Deep dive
Research brief · 8 facts · 3 dates · exam-readyThe brief
Context
This is a daily technical-analysis trading column in which a Sebi-registered research analyst suggests short-term stock trades. Raja Venkatraman, co-founder of NeoTrader (Sebi research analyst registration no. INH000016223), has named three buy calls for 18 September with two-month targets. The recommendations come after a flat session on 17 September, when bargain buying following a recent selloff was offset by global headwinds — a US Federal Reserve rate hike, hawkish commentary and elevated crude prices. Such columns carry a standard disclaimer that securities investments are subject to market risks and that the views are the analyst's own, not the publication's.
Key facts
- Jubilant FoodWorks (CMP ₹480.20): buy above ₹485, stop loss ₹463, target ₹525 in two months; P/E 129.98, 52-week high ₹635, volume 817.23K.
- Prime Focus (CMP ₹334.95): buy above ₹337, stop loss ₹318, target ₹367 in two months; 52-week high ₹367, volume 6.59M.
- Tatva Chintan Pharma Chem (CMP ₹1,709.60): buy above ₹1,715, stop loss ₹1,605, target ₹1,885 in two months; P/E 90.08, 52-week high ₹1,838.10, volume 89.93K.
- On 17 September, the Nifty 50 rose 0.23% to 23,270.6 while the Sensex slipped 0.03% to 74,314.59 after swinging higher intraday.
- The ₹2.3 billion IPO of the National Stock Exchange opened for bidding and drew 36% subscription by mid-afternoon, making it India's third-largest listing ever.
- Sectoral breadth was positive with 12 of 16 major indices advancing; small-cap and mid-cap indices gained 0.8% and 0.9%, and autos rebounded 1%.
- Tata Motors, Tata Steel and Tata Investment rallied between 2.3% and 5.5% after the Tata Sons board approved a fresh five-year term for Chairman N. Chandrasekaran.
- Technical levels cited: Jubilant FoodWorks support ₹450/resistance ₹700; Prime Focus support ₹295/resistance ₹400; Tatva Chintan support ₹1,470/resistance ₹1,950.
Timeline
- 17 SeptemberIndian equities end largely flat; Nifty 50 up 0.23% at 23,270.6, Sensex down 0.03% at 74,314.59; NSE IPO opens and draws 36% subscription by mid-afternoon; Tata Sons board clears fresh five-year term for N. Chandrasekaran.
- 18 SeptemberAnalyst's three buy recommendations — Jubilant FoodWorks, Prime Focus and Tatva Chintan Pharma Chem — are meant for trading.
- Last month (as stated in source)Macquarie upgrade on Jubilant FoodWorks cited as improving the future outlook.
Who has a stake
- Retail traders and investors — Act on entry, stop-loss and target levels for the three stocks; bear the market risk flagged in the disclaimer.
- Raja Venkatraman / NeoTrader — Sebi-registered research analyst (INH000016223) whose technical calls and credibility ride on the recommendations.
- Sebi — Registers research analysts, and its proposed changes to derivatives settlement were seen as containing expiry-related volatility.
- National Stock Exchange — Its ₹2.3 billion IPO, India's third-largest listing ever, opened for bidding with 36% subscription by mid-afternoon.
- Tata group companies and Tata Sons — Stocks rallied 2.3-5.5% after the board approved a fresh five-year term for Chairman N. Chandrasekaran.
- Jubilant FoodWorks, Prime Focus, Tatva Chintan Pharma Chem — Named in the calls; each faces listed risks such as high debt, industry cyclicality, forex volatility and margin pressure.
Why it matters
Daily technical calls shape short-term retail trading behaviour at a time when Indian indices are range-bound and buffeted by US Federal Reserve tightening, hawkish commentary and crude above $100 a barrel. The column also flags market-structure events with wider consequence — the NSE's ₹2.3 billion IPO and proposed regulatory changes to derivatives settlement. For readers, the case underlines that such recommendations are individual analyst views hedged by mandatory risk disclosures, not assured returns.
UPSC angle
Prelims pointers
- Nifty 50 closed at 23,270.6 (up 0.23%) and Sensex at 74,314.59 (down 0.03%) on 17 September.
- NSE's IPO size cited at ₹2.3 billion; described as India's third-largest listing ever, with 36% subscription by mid-afternoon.
- Sebi grants research analyst registration; Raja Venkatraman's registration no. is INH000016223 (NeoTrader co-founder).
- Sebi registration and NISM certification do not guarantee an intermediary's performance or assure returns.
- Average Directional Index (ADX) and Fibonacci retracement levels are technical tools cited in the outlook.
- Tata Sons board approved a fresh five-year term for Chairman N. Chandrasekaran.
Mains framing
Short-term stock recommendation columns sit at the intersection of retail participation, market volatility and regulatory safeguards. The 17 September session illustrates the tug-of-war: domestic bargain buying and positive breadth (12 of 16 indices up, small-caps +0.8%, mid-caps +0.9%, autos +1%) against global headwinds from a US Federal Reserve rate hike, hawkish commentary and crude above $100 a barrel, leaving benchmarks flat and the Nifty range-bound between roughly 23,000 support and 23,600 resistance as per open interest data. In this environment, technical calls with defined entry, stop-loss and target levels — Jubilant FoodWorks (₹485/₹463/₹525), Prime Focus (₹337/₹318/₹367) and Tatva Chintan (₹1,715/₹1,605/₹1,885) — function as risk-managed trades rather than valuation-driven investment, a point sharpened by high P/E multiples of 129.98 and 90.08 and stock-specific risks like heavy debt, thin volumes and forex volatility. The regulatory frame matters: Sebi registers research analysts, mandates risk disclosures, and its proposed derivatives settlement changes were credited with containing expiry-day volatility. The way forward for investors is disciplined position sizing, respect for stop losses, awareness that recommendations are individual analyst views and not the publication's, and independent verification with certified experts before acting.
Key terms
- Stop loss
- A pre-set exit price that caps losses if a trade moves against the buyer, for example ₹463 for Jubilant FoodWorks.
- Average Directional Index (ADX)
- A technical indicator used to gauge trend strength; its pullback and revival was cited for the Jubilant FoodWorks call.
- Open Interest
- Outstanding derivative contracts data used here to identify 23,600 as the next Nifty resistance.
- Sebi-registered research analyst
- An analyst registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India to issue research; Venkatraman's number is INH000016223.
- Rounding bottom
- A chart pattern signalling base formation at lower levels, cited for Tatva Chintan Pharma Chem.
- Short covering
- Buying back of sold positions from oversold levels, noted by traders during the 17 September rebound.
Practice questions
- How do global monetary conditions — such as a US Federal Reserve rate hike and elevated crude prices — transmit to Indian equity indices? Illustrate with the 17 September session.
- Discuss the role of Sebi's research analyst registration and disclosure norms in protecting retail investors who act on published stock recommendations.
- What does the listing of a market infrastructure institution such as the National Stock Exchange imply for capital market depth and governance? Comment critically.
Grounded only in the source report — figures and dates are the source's, not inferred.