Is Union Budget 2024 too harsh for stock market? 5 key takeaways for investors

Union Budget 2024 by Finance Minister Sitharaman raised STCG to 20%, LTCG to 12.5%, increased exemption limits, and hiked STT on F&O. It proposed taxing buyback income and aligned it with dividends, allowing capital loss offset. Analysts such as Ashish Nanda and Sanjay Sinha foresee market consolidation and balanced sectoral growth, focusing on fiscal responsibility and employment generation.