On the day of election results were announced and the whole stock market melted, stocks from one sector were able to gain, that was FMCG. Many theories were floated about why they are doing well. Right from them being defensive stocks to that focus would not shift from investment to consumption. But close to a month down the line, all those stocks are once again in the under performance mode. The fact is before deciding on whether the stocks are defensive or not, some questions need to be asked. A stock which was a defensive stock in 1994 when the Indian economy was just opening is still a defensive stock even in 2024 when we are a whole different economy with different needs and consumption patterns.
