Paint Sector Shines: Asian Paints Leads Surge as Oil Prices Dip

Shares in India's leading paint manufacturers climbed sharply on Friday, buoyed by a softening in global crude oil prices that promises relief for the sector's hefty raw material bills.

nts Ltd. spearheaded the rally, with its stock soaring 5.57% to touch an intraday peak of ₹2,544 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). This marked the company's strongest single-day gain in seven months and positioned it as the standout performer on the benchmark Nifty 50 index. The uptick comes as Brent crude futures edged lower by 0.25% to settle at $60.94 per barrel, easing pressures on input costs that dominate the paints industry's expense sheet. Crude oil derivatives, including solvents and resins, constitute a significant slice of the raw materials used in decorative paints production. Analysts note that these inputs can account for 55-60% of total costs, making any dip in oil prices a direct boon for profit margins in this capital-intensive field. The positive momentum rippled across peers. Berger Paints India Ltd. advanced approximately 2%, closing the session at ₹544.90 on the NSE, while Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd. jumped nearly 4% to ₹253.26—its loftiest level in roughly six months. Akzo Nobel India also joined the fray, posting modest gains amid the sector-wide optimism