New Delhi, Aug. 3 -- Stocks to buy for the long term: The Indian stock market extended gains for the second consecutive month in July, supported by FPI buying, healthy Q1 earnings, and lower oil prices, despite volatility.

The benchmark index Nifty 50 gained 2.2% in July. Broader markets also rallied; the Nifty Midcap 100 rose by 1.8%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 outperformed, climbing 2.5%.

For the near term, geopolitical developments, movement of oil prices, and foreign capital flow will remain the key triggers that will dictate market trends.

Rahul Ghose, Founder and CEO of Octanom Tech and Hedged.in, believes the Nifty may remain bullish for the rest of the calendar year, and end 2026 around the 26,800-27,000 range.

However, Ghos...