Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) ramped up buying across large-cap India in the March 2026 quarter despite steep market declines. Financials led the list, with HDFC Bank emerging as the top buy, followed closely by ICICI Bank and major tech and telecom names. IT giant Infosys, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance were also heavily accumulated. Eternal’s quick-commerce surge stood out, while multiple stocks recorded both large net buys and significant price drops.
Foreign institutional investors have accelerated their exit from Indian equities, selling about $53 billion since late 2024 and pushing the MSCI India index down roughly 8% between September 2024 and May 2026. In Q4, HDFC Bank topped the list with foreign investors cutting 47.95 crore shares and selling Rs 41,449 crore, alongside heavy selling in Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bharti Airtel. Despite the pressure from FIIs, domestic institutions have increasingly taken the lead.
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ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, managing Rs 11.72 lakh crore across 272 funds, reshuffled its top holdings in April, according to Motilal Oswal Financial Services. HDFC Bank emerged as the biggest gainer, with its allocation rising to about 6.7% after adding roughly 2.59 crore shares. ICICI Bank slipped slightly even as shares were added. Meanwhile, RIL and Infosys saw weight reductions, alongside trimming in Bharti Airtel and NTPC. The changes also included select additions to Axis Bank and Maruti Suzuki.
CMS Info Systems has landed a Rs 400 crore contract from HDFC Bank to manage 6,000 ATMs over the next five years. Beyond operations, the agreement includes tools like currency forecasting and AI technology. CMS says the win should strengthen its revenue stream from private sector banks, following similar large deals with ICICI Bank and SBI.
Heavyweight bank stocks like HDFC Bank and Axis Bank pulled the Nifty Bank index down nearly 440 points, extending market weakness. Analysts cite sentiment pressure from rising oil prices alongside FII outflows. With momentum cooling, attention is turning to near-term support and resistance levels that could decide whether the selloff stabilizes or accelerates.
Jefferies says uncertainty over management succession at HDFC Bank is acting as a major drag on India’s banking sector valuations. Even with strong underlying fundamentals, the overhang is keeping benchmark valuations muted. The brokerage expects earnings and valuation recovery if there is clarity on leadership timelines and tensions in West Asia ease.
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HDFC Bank has revised its Marginal Cost of Funds Based Lending Rates effective May 7, 2026. Borrowers on loans linked to the MCLR regime will see some tenures fall by up to 5 basis points, while the 3-year MCLR increases by 5 basis points. Overall MCLR now sits between 8.05% and 8.60%.
HDFC Bank’s governance review is nearing completion, with law firms reportedly expected to find no major issues. That would clear the way for the reappointment of CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan, with the Reserve Bank of India likely to grant approval. The process could restore certainty for the country’s largest private lender after the chairman’s exit.
HDFC Bank shares jumped more than 3% after a Reuters report said independent legal reviews did not find major governance lapses following the chairman’s exit. The relief is expected to reduce investor concerns and pave the way for CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan’s reappointment. The review findings are set to go to the board and the RBI as the bank continues merger integration.
The Bombay High Court has dismissed a bribery case filed by the Lilavati Trust against HDFC Bank MD Sashidhar Jagdishan. The court said the complaint appeared to be a reaction to the bank’s efforts to recover more than Rs 65 crore and noted strained ties among hospital trustees. It held there was no justification for the bribery allegations.
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India’s credit card universe has crossed 119 million cards, with HDFC Bank tightening its grip on both card counts and spend value. Major players like SBI Cards, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank remain prominent, but public sector banks are gaining momentum—especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities—supported by wider acceptance networks and strategic partnerships.
India’s market cap rankings are seeing a quiet reshuffle at the top. Reliance stays No 1, but HDFC Bank has overtaken Tata Consultancy Services. Bharti Airtel makes a major jump into the top tier, while Infosys slips down the order. ICICI Bank holds steady and State Bank of India rises despite volatility.
HDFC Bank’s exit story has turned into a wider governance alarm. The article argues that weak, poorly selected boards—whether in corporates or nonprofits—fail at oversight, enabling scandals and even organizational collapse. It highlights a recurring gap in the social sector, where many boards lack regulatory know-how and active engagement. Better training and tougher selection are urged to prevent repeat failures.
Stocks closed lower on Friday as Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, and Infosys weighed on the benchmarks. Yet a handful of names bucked the trend. Yes Bank rose on expectations of new funding, CG Power gained after launching OSAT, and Relaxo Footwear surged amid renewed optimism around GST developments.
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HDFC Bank delivered a strong FY26 with net profit up 10.9% to Rs 74,700 crore, backed by 12.1% loan growth, steady deposits, and best-in-class asset quality. Even after recent governance-related headlines and leadership changes, CreditSights expects no meaningful impact on the bank’s credit profile or stability. Gross NPAs eased to 1.15% and CET1 stayed robust at 17.3%.
JioBlackRock Mutual Fund, newly launched, reported Rs 15,258 crore AUM in March. HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank lead its holdings, while the portfolio also includes Bharti Airtel, Reliance Industries, Infosys, and ITC. Prime Database data shows how quickly the fund has built a diversified mix spanning banking, telecom, energy, IT, and consumer stocks.
HDFC Bank has alerted customers after card swipes were linked to overseas capital account transactions. The move comes as some residents used cards to make international transfers while unaware they could be violating foreign exchange and banking regulations. Reports suggest certain customers may have done it to dodge TCS or sidestep limits on overseas forex remittances.
Stocks ended a turbulent session lower as soaring crude prices and a hawkish Federal Reserve rattled risk appetite. Against this backdrop, individual movers stood out, with HDFC Bank, Adani Total Gas, and Infosys seeing notable share action. Sector-wide selling in autos and IT compounded pressure, widening the gap between gainers and losers.
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Indian markets rebounded on Monday, with the Nifty jumping 257 points. HDFC Bank, Bajel Projects, and Tejas Networks led the gains, while IDBI Bank, Bandhan, Fino Payments Bank, and Adani Total Gas saw sharp declines. Corporate news and shifting investor sentiment appear to have driven the dramatic stock moves.
ICICI Bank’s sharp drop in provisioning is being read as a sign of improving asset quality and a sturdier recovery pipeline. HDFC Bank, however, is taking a more cautious approach, focusing on protecting profitability and asset quality amid macroeconomic headwinds. It also plans to gain deposit market share, targeting faster deposit growth than credit growth.
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