Foreign Investors Sell Rs 1,919 Crore Worth of Equities, Domestic Investors Buy Rs 2,221 Crore in Shares on April 21

Market Update: Indian Equities See Net Buying by DIIs, Foreign Investors Remain Net Sellers

On April 21, foreign investors (FIIs/FPIs) net sold Indian equities worth Rs 1,919 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) net bought shares worth Rs 2,221 crore, according to provisional exchange data. This contrast in investor behavior highlights the ongoing dynamics in the Indian equity market.

Investor Activity

During the trading session, DIIs purchased shares worth Rs 18,367 crore and sold shares worth Rs 16,145 crore. In contrast, FIIs bought shares worth Rs 13,033 crore but sold shares totalling Rs 14,952 crore. For the year so far, FIIs have been net sellers of shares worth Rs 2.13 lakh crore, while DIIs have net bought shares worth Rs 2.74 lakh crore.

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Market Performance

The Indian equity market had a strong session on Tuesday, with the Nifty gaining 0.9%. This performance was supported by improving global sentiment, strong Q4 corporate earnings, easing crude oil prices, and a meaningful pullback in volatility. Broader markets outperformed, with the Midcap100 and Smallcap100 indices gaining 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively. This broad-based buying and healthy market breadth were witnessed across the board.

Sectoral Performance

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All sectoral indices ended in the green on Tuesday, with the FMCG, Realty, and Private Banks indices leading the pack with gains of 2.6%, 2.1%, and 1.5%, respectively. The India VIX eased by around 6% to 17.53, and Brent crude declined to USD 94-95/barrel on expectations of renewed US-Iran talks.

Macro Developments

On the macro front, India-US trade negotiations are progressing, with a delegation in Washington from April 20-22 to advance the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement. Both sides have indicated that only a few issues remain unresolved, and expectations of a formal announcement are building. Additionally, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's three-day visit to Germany (April 21-23) is also progressing well, with India and Germany in advanced negotiations for a ₹70,000-99,000 crore deal to build six next-generation stealth submarines.