New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist of Geojit Investments, hailed the budget for its focus on long-term growth. "The Finance Minister (FM) has delivered what the economy needs, at this juncture," he said in an interview with Mint. While the Indian stock market suffered a sharp loss due to the STT hike, Vijayakumar noted that it is not a revenue-raising measure, but a decision to discourage retail traders. He suggests investors continue buying, focusing on fairly valued growth stocks in the mid and small-cap segments.

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I would rate this Budget high, giving seven marks out of ten. The FM has delivered what the economy needs at this juncture.

The Indian economy is doing well despite many headwi...