Application of artificially intelligent methods for predictions is a fairly old area, although it is also the one in which there is always room for improvement in performance and in consistency, given the escalating nature of information and the varying efficacy of prediction logics. A hybrid of simple statistical methods coupled with intelligent computing (here artificial neural networks) is most likely to yield the closest prediction values with modest error rates. We propose to build an analytical and predictive model for estimating the stock market indices. This model can guide any kind of a user with or without experience in the stock market to make profitable investments. The forecasting done is by way of three statistical algorithms and an adaptive, intelligent algorithm, thus making the process fairly robust. Training and testing the neural network will be done with two-month stock market index values for some of the companies listed with the Bombay Stock Exchange. A comparative result of the four algorithms is calculated, and the one with best precision is suggested to the user with a sale/buy/hold answer. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018.