CHENNAI: On Thursday, July 10, India’s benchmark indices dipped modestly as investors grew cautious ahead of Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) quarterly earnings announcement. The Nifty 50 declined by 0.19% and the Sensex by 0.16%, with weakness led by the IT sector. The Nifty IT index fell approximately 0.7% in early trade. TCS is scheduled to announce its Q1 FY26 results after market hours today.
Investor Sentiment Before Results
TCS shares opened around 0.5% lower, reflecting investor expectations of a subdued quarter. Market participants pointed to a slowdown in ramp-ups of certain deals and client-specific headwinds, including the phased-out BSNL contract, as key concerns.
Leading brokerages anticipated a slight sequential decline in TCS’s revenue and profit for Q1 FY26. Revenue was expected to drop between 0.2% and 3.4% quarter-on-quarter in constant currency, primarily due to the loss of BSNL-related revenue. Margins were projected to remain under pressure amid muted growth and operating leverage constraints.
Investors and analysts were also closely watching for updates on TCS’s GenAI-related contracts and the strength of its deal pipeline, given the growing industry focus on artificial intelligence-driven services.
An analyst from a foreign brokerage noted that external factors such as ongoing uncertainty around U.S. tariffs and delayed trade negotiations were contributing to investor caution. Additionally, rising global inflation could weigh on corporate IT spending, particularly among TCS’s U.S.-based clients.
Outlook
A strong earnings performance by TCS has the potential to boost sentiment across the entire IT sector, often setting the tone for the broader IT earnings season. Key indicators for investors to monitor include trends in the order book and traction in GenAI initiatives during TCS’s and its peers’ upcoming earnings calls.
Broader macroeconomic developments in the U.S., including tariff policies and trade relations, remain significant as they can influence client spending patterns. Currency fluctuations and inflation trends will also be critical factors impacting margins and deal valuations in the near term.