India, Dec. 26 -- The year began with a sharp market setback, triggered by geopolitical shocks, from the brief India-Pakistan flare-up to the US imposing a hefty tariff, setting a cautious tone early on. Instead of recovering quickly, the market stayed slow and uncertain for a long time. Most stocks struggled, and only a few well-chosen ones performed well.

Delta Exchange banner At a Glance, benchmark indices suggest resilience. The Nifty has climbed around almost 10percent over the past year, mainly supported by banking stocks and a few big automobile companies. But looking closer shows a different picture: the broader market has struggled. The Nifty 500 has managed to give a lesser returns compared to Nifty 50, while the Nifty Smallcap...