19 sectors beat Q1 estimates as corporate earnings gain momentum

Every few months, big companies in India tell everyone how much money they made or lost.

This news is about the first three months of the new business year, called Q1.

A company called Motilal Oswal studied the results of many Indian companies.

They found that 19 types of businesses did better than people expected.

Banks, metal companies, oil and gas companies, and car makers did especially well.

Only some fuel-selling companies, called oil marketing companies, had big trouble because oil prices were high.

The main stock market index, the Nifty, grew its profits by 18 percent compared to last year.

That is the best growth seen in ten quarters.

Almost half of the companies studied earned more money than experts expected.

Overall, it was a strong quarter for Indian companies.