New Delhi, Nov. 25 -- Bank Stock to Buy for Long Term: India's top lenders-State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank-remain the backbone of the country's banking system and the most sought-after names among long-term investors. As credit growth stabilises, interest-rate expectations shift, and asset quality trends improve, investors increasingly want to know which of these three giants offers the best balance of stability, growth and value over the next several years.

HDFC Bank stock has delivered steady but moderate returns across time frames, with the scrip up 14.76% in a year, 3.60% in 6 months, 1.72% in 3 months, and 0.44% in a month. The performance reflects stability rather than strong upside, keeping the stock largely r...