Shares of hotels and restaurant chains were largely under pressure in Wednesday’s midday trade, with the commercial LPG supply uncertainty continuing to weigh on investor sentiment.
Among the prominent decliners, Swiggy fell the sharpest at 1.78 per cent to ₹289.40, followed by Westlife Foodworld, which dropped 1.35 per cent to ₹467.35. Eternal Limited (Zomato) slipped 0.79 per cent to ₹224.83, while Jubilant Foodworks shed 1.07 per cent to ₹477.20. In the hotel space, Indian Hotels Company fell 0.65 per cent to ₹625.10, Mahindra Holidays declined 1.14 per cent to ₹269.95, and Lemon Tree Hotels dipped 0.56 per cent to ₹107.39.
Hospitality stocks decline
However, select counters bucked the trend. Chalet Hotels surged 3.63 per cent to ₹769.80, the standout gainer of the session so far. EIH Limited added 1.55 per cent to ₹320.30, Devyani International rose 1.64 per cent to ₹112.40, and Sapphire Foods inched up 0.42 per cent to ₹173.89.
Mixed market moves
The broader weakness in the sector follows Monday’s disruption in commercial cooking gas supplies, which prompted the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) to seek government intervention. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has since constituted a three-member committee, comprising Executive Director-level officers from Indian Oil, BPCL, and HPCL, to assess LPG requirements for restaurants, hotels, and allied sectors.
Industry seeks relief
The government has maintained that India’s overall LPG situation remains comfortable, but supply is being prioritised for domestic households amid geopolitical concerns linked to the Strait of Hormuz. Refineries have been directed to maximise LPG production from C3 and C4 streams.
The committee’s findings and any subsequent policy direction will be closely watched by investors in the coming sessions, as prolonged supply constraints could impact operating costs across the hospitality and quick-service restaurant segments.