Retail Investors Make Record Net Purchases in January 2026

In January 2026, retail investors in India made a historic net purchase of Rs 16,944 crore in the stock markets, according to the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The report indicates this is the highest investment by individual investors in 14 months, illustrating a renewed enthusiasm in market participation.

The NSE report detailed that January 2026 marked the strongest monthly net inflow from individual investors since October 2024. This surge played a crucial role in mitigating the previous outflows of the fiscal year, significantly narrowing the cumulative net outflow for FY26 to Rs 687 crore, nearing a net-neutral position.

Moreover, when factoring in the participation in the primary market, total net inflows from retail investors for FY26 rose to Rs 40,685 crore, highlighting sustained interest in initial public offerings (IPOs) despite fluctuations in the secondary market.

However, the report mentioned that despite a robust January, overall retail participation in FY26 was more restrained compared to the previous fiscal year, which saw investments amounting to Rs 1.59 lakh crore. This trend indicates cautious yet ongoing engagement from retail investors in the Indian equity markets.