PSU bank stocks soar up to 8%, but HDFC, Axis and other private lenders fall up to 5% after Q2 results. Why the sharp divide?

PSU bank stocks surged up to 8% on Monday, led by Punjab National Bank after its Q2FY27 earnings beat estimates. In contrast, private lenders such as Axis Bank and HDFC Bank fell up to 5% despite reporting profit growth. The Nifty PSU Bank index gained over 2%, while its private-sector counterpart declined.