Defence to real estate: These 12 stocks are creating wealth in FY26

Even as the benchmark BSE Sensex has gained 6.5% so far in the current financial year, at least 12 stocks from across sectors in the BSE 500 index have delivered returns of over 50% since April 2025. The broader indices, BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap, gained 12% and 16%, respectively, during the same period.
 
With a jump of 94%, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers emerged as the top gainer in the index in the ongoing financial year to date. Shares of the defence player surged to Rs 3,270.75 on June 9, 2025, from Rs 1,684.45 on March 28, 2025. Recently, the company reported nearly 119% year-on-year (YoY) growth in net profit for the quarter ended March 2025, driven by a 62% increase in gross sales.
 
Sharing his views on the defence sector, Anil R, Senior Research Analyst at Geojit Financial Services, said, “India’s defence sector is poised for strong growth, with large PSUs like Hindustan Aeronautics, Bharat Electronics, and Bharat Dynamics well-positioned due to their substantial order books and strategic roles in defence electronics, missile systems, and aircraft manufacturing.” HAL, BEL, and Bharat Dynamics have also gained 20%, 30%, and 52%, respectively, in the current financial year.
 
Data further shows that Data Patterns (India) (up 75%), Intellect Design Arena (up 66%), Cochin Shipyard (up 64%), JM Financial (up 61%), and CCL Products (India) (up 57%) were among other major gainers in the index.
 
Sweta Jain, Research Analyst at Anand Rathi Shares and Stockbrokers, said, “Sectors focused on domestic consumption — such as defence, consumer durables, 2-wheelers, banks, retail, cement, hospitality, and internet — are likely to drive earnings. Infrastructure, capital goods, chemicals, IT, and FMCG are expected to post modest growth.”
 
NBCC (India), Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation, IFCI, Techno Electric & Engineering Company, Mishra Dhatu Nigam, and Bharat Dynamics have also jumped more than 50% since April 2025.
 
Commenting on the equity markets, brokerage Motilal Oswal Financial Services noted in a report: “While near-term challenges such as global macros, trade wars, and earnings may keep the market volatile and jittery, we believe the medium-to-long-term growth narrative for India remains intact. Our model portfolio stance remains unchanged, with a distinct bias towards large caps and domestic plays, given the current volatile backdrop. We are overweight on BFSI, consumer discretionary, industrials, healthcare, IT, and telecom, while underweight on oil and gas, cement, automobiles, real estate, and metals.”