Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for July 18, 2025
Stock market recommendations:
According to Bajaj Broking Research, UPL and Varun Beverages are the top stock picks for today. Here's its view on Nifty, Bank Nifty and the top stock picks for July 18, 2025:
Index View: NIFTY
Equity benchmark indices traded sideways within a tight range, mirroring muted investor sentiment amid elevated uncertainty around the India-US trade dialogue and the onset of the Q1 FY26 earnings season.
Market action remained largely stock-specific as participants adopted a wait-and-watch approach, seeking greater clarity on macroeconomic developments and corporate earnings visibility.
Notably, the index has taken 12 sessions to retrace merely 50% of the preceding 11-session uptrend (from 24,473 to 25,669), reflecting a shallow pullback and signaling a healthy consolidation. This price action underscores a structurally positive setup, with the formation of a higher base around the psychological and technical support zone of 25,000, reinforcing the bullish undertone.
Over the past two sessions, the index has posted near-identical intraday highs around the 25,255 marks, coinciding with the 20-day EMA—creating a critical confluence zone. A decisive breakout above this level could act as a trigger for the next leg of the uptrend, with potential upside toward the 25,600 zone in the coming weeks. Conversely, inability to convincingly surpass the 25,255 hurdles may result in continued consolidation within the 25,000–25,250 band.
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Amid this setup, intermittent volatility cannot be ruled out, given the overlapping headwinds from the Q1 FY26 earnings season and persistent ambiguity around India–US tariff negotiations.
From a structural standpoint, the index continues to form higher highs and higher lows—demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical noise and policy uncertainty. Additionally, improving market internals add conviction to the bullish narrative, with 67% of Nifty 500 constituents now trading above their 200-day SMA—up significantly from 52% last month—signaling broad-based participation and lending credibility to the sustainability of the ongoing structural uptrend.
Nifty has strong support between 24,900-25,100 levels which we expect to hold being the confluence of (a) the rising 50 days EMA (b) rising trendline support joining lows of May and June 2025 (c) 61.8% retracement of the previous up move (24473-25669) (d) the upper band of the recent breakout area placed around 25000 levels.
NIFTY BANK
Bank Nifty traded within a narrow consolidation band last week, reflecting subdued investor sentiment amid heightened uncertainty surrounding the India-US trade negotiations and ahead of the Q1 FY26 earnings season of the banking stocks.
The index continues to trade above its 20-day EMA level it has consistently respected since April—signaling that the underlying bullish trend remains firmly intact. This, combined with improving market breadth, reinforces the higher high–higher low-price structure, suggesting a well-entrenched uptrend. The setup paves the way for a potential move towards the 58,500 zone in the upcoming weeks.
The index on expected lines in the last 10 sessions is seen consolidating in the range 56,500-57,600.
We expect the index to extend the same, and only a move beyond this range will signal the next directional move in the index.
Key short-term term support is placed at 56,000–55,500 region, representing a confluence of the 50-day EMA and the key retracement level. The broader trend remains positive, and the current consolidation should be viewed as buying opportunities.
Stock Recommendations:
UPL
Buy in the range of Rs 680.00-696.00
Target
SL
Return
Time Period
Rs 763.00
645
11%
3 Months
The stock is at the cusp of breaking above a bullish cup & handle formation signaling continuation of the up move and offers fresh entry opportunity.
The stock is seen sustaining above the short-term, moving averages signals strength and offers fresh entry opportunity
The daily 14 periods RSI has recently generated a buy signal moving above its nine periods average thus validating positive bias.
We expect the stock to head higher towards 763.00 levels in the coming months, being the measuring implication of the bullish cup & handle formation.
Varun Beverages
Buy in the range of Rs 480-492
Target
SL
Return
Time Period
Rs 536
457
10%
3 Months
The stock has generated a breakout above a falling channel containing an entire decline since April 2025.
It has moved above the short-term moving averages during the current week's trade and the current week price rise is supported by strong volume thus supporting the positive bias.
The daily 14 periods RSI is sustaining above its nine periods average signaling positive bias. We expect stock to head towards 536 levels in the coming months, being the 80% retracement of the previous decline of April to June 2025 (568-446).
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