Budget 2026, Jan. 21 -- Atul Parakh, CEO of Bigul, believes that the upcoming Union Budget is a high-risk event. In the run-up to the mega event, Parakh doesn't anticipate any rallies. He rather advises investors to stay on the sidelines and sit on cash on Budget day and deploy money once clarity on the policy changes emerges. Defence, infrastructure, and textiles are key sectors to keep on the radar, he opined. Edited excerpts:

Indian stock markets have shown weakness in January, with Nifty 50 delivering negative returns multiple times ahead of the Union Budget. Current market sentiment remains cautious due to FPI outflows, global uncertainties, and Budget anticipation. The trend appears likely to continue in January 2026, though select...