“This article expresses my personal analysis based on publicly available financial data and market reports.”

Stocks to Buy in 2025: Why IDFC FIRST Bank & Central Bank Are on the Radar

When markets get a spark, we all feel it — the heartbeat of hopeful investors, the buzz of a breakout. That’s exactly the mood on 23 October 2025, when analyst Nagaraj Shetti of HDFC Securities flagged two stocks as short-term buys: IDFC FIRST Bank and Central Bank of India. If you’re looking at the Indian banking space and wondering “What’s the opportunity now?”, this might be a ‘listen-up’ moment.

IDFC FIRST Bank stock 2025

For the mid-cap banking segment, IDFC FIRST Bank has caught Shetti’s eye. He suggested a buy at ₹79 with a target of ₹85 and a stop-loss at ₹76 for a one-week timeframe. 

Here’s what stands out: the stock recently broke a down-sloping resistance around ₹73, accompanied by higher tops and bottoms and an uptick in volume. 

In simple terms: momentum appears to be swinging in favour — and at a time when investors are hunting for breakout plays in a tepid market, that’s meaningful.

Real-World insight: The market backdrop is supportive. On the same day, the Nifty 50 and Sensex were both within striking distance of all-time highs, driven by optimism around a US-India trade deal and fresh foreign fund inflows. For IDFC FIRST, that kind of tailwind can improve the chances of the breakout sticking.

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Central Bank of India share 2025

Shetti’s second pick is Central Bank of India, recommended at ₹39.50 with a target of ₹42 and a stop-loss at ₹38 for a one-week trade. Technical clues: a triangle breakout on the weekly chart, volume rise, and the stock moving past its 10/20-week EMA. 

Why this matters: In the banking space, smaller players can catch momentum quicker if the sector turns positive — though they also come with higher risk.

Indian banking stocks trend 2025

Stepping back a bit: what the broader landscape tells us. Banking and financials have been riding a decent wave in 2025. With interest rate cuts, credit growth picking up, and a push from increasing digital adoption, the environment is ripe for bank stocks to gain traction.

Given that, seeing technical breakouts in these picks adds a bit of the “right time, right place” factor.

Still — a caveat: trading momentum is not the same as long-term investment strength. Especially with smaller banks, one must be wary of credit risks, regulatory surprises, and sudden shifts in flow.

In my view, the picks by Shetti reflect more of a short-term trade window, not a “buy and forget for 5 years” scenario.

Short-term stock picks India 2025

Why is this relevant now? In a market that seems mature and almost plateauing, as suggested by the indices nearing highs, traders are looking for edges — those stocks that show breakout patterns, clear volumes, and positive sentiment. Shetti’s recommendations are exactly of that flavour.
Here are two takeaways I found interesting:

• Timing matters – The picks aim for a one-week timeframe. That’s aggressive compared to long-term investing, but it fits the current environment of cautious optimism.
• Technical + sentiment combo – According to Mint, the patterns are there. But the backdrop of foreign fund inflows and macro optimism adds a layer of conviction that pure chartists often wait for. 

When I think about it, it feels a bit like saying: “Here’s a sprinter pick, not a marathon runner.”

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Should you buy IDFC FIRST Bank 2025?

So, should you act? Here’s my take:

• If you’re someone comfortable with short-term trades, monitoring stops, and quick exits — then yes, these ideas are worth plotting on your radar.
• But if you’re a long-term investor looking for multi-year holdings, I’d be cautious. This isn’t the same as buying a bank stock and forgetting about it.
• As always: check your risk tolerance. Make sure you understand the stop-loss levels. Blindly following “stock to buy” headlines rarely ends well.

In my personal view, these picks are interesting and timely. They reflect a market moment. But I’d treat them as entry signals, not “buy and hold forever”. Watch how the market responds in the next week — that will validate whether momentum is genuine.

Conclusion

To wrap it up: Analyst Nagaraj Shetti’s call on IDFC FIRST Bank and Central Bank of India gives us two short-term “watch this space” banking ideas for 2025. The technical setups seem promising, and the macro backdrop is friendlier than it was a year ago. That said, tread carefully. For me personally, I’ll watch the next few trading days closely — momentum can rise fast, but it can fade even faster. If you’re entering, have the stop-loss and target clear. At the end of the day, it’s your capital feeling the heat — and so it pays to feel part of this trade, not just observe it.

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Disclaimer: The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or brokerage companies, not US News Weeks. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

Source : Mint - IDFC FIRST Bank & Central Bank