Past ₹1 lakh crore in 16 sessions
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have sold a net ₹1,05,204.6 crore of Indian equities in March 2026, counting every session from 2 to 24 March. The running total passed ₹1 lakh crore yesterday, Tuesday 24 March, when FIIs sold a net ₹8,009.6 crore.
They have been net sellers on all 16 of March's sessions so far. Not one day of net buying.
Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have done the opposite on all 16 days. Their net purchases come to ₹1,19,069.9 crore.
These are NSE's provisional cash-market figures in ₹ crore, the series on our FII and DII data page.
The daily path
| Week ending | FII net, March to date | DII net, March to date | Nifty 50 close |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | −21,831.1 | +32,787.0 | 24,450.45 |
| 13 Mar | −56,883.1 | +70,526.8 | 23,151.10 |
| 20 Mar | −86,780.8 | +1,01,168.7 | 23,114.50 |
| 24 Mar | −1,05,204.6 | +1,19,069.9 | 22,912.40 |
The selling has been steady rather than lumpy. The average session saw a net sale of about ₹6,575 crore, and the four largest days account for a little over a third of the total:
- 13 March: −₹10,716.6 crore (Nifty −2.06%)
- 23 March: −₹10,414.2 crore (Nifty −2.60%)
- 16 March: −₹9,365.5 crore (Nifty +1.11%)
- 4 March: −₹8,752.6 crore (Nifty −1.55%)
The lightest was 18 March, at −₹2,714.4 crore. Counting the last two sessions of February, FIIs have now been net sellers for 18 sessions running.
In gross terms FIIs bought ₹2,21,813.4 crore and sold ₹3,27,018.2 crore. They are still buying a great deal. They are selling about 47% more than they buy.
Against every full month in our record
Our daily record starts in September 2024, so the comparison is with the seventeen full months from October 2024 to February 2026.
| Month | FII net |
|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | −1,14,445.9 |
| Mar 2026, to 24th | −1,05,204.6 |
| Jan 2025 | −87,374.8 |
| Feb 2025 | −58,988.2 |
| Jul 2025 | −47,666.5 |
| Aug 2025 | −46,903.0 |
With the month still running, March 2026 is already the second-largest month of FII selling we hold, ₹9,241.3 crore behind October 2024. It is not the longest run, though: from 27 September 2024 to 22 November 2024 FIIs were net sellers for 38 sessions straight.
The year adds up fast. From 1 January to 24 March 2026 FIIs have sold a net ₹1,53,280.5 crore. In all of 2025 they sold ₹3,06,419.2 crore. Less than three months into 2026, the figure is already half of last year's.
How much DIIs absorbed
DIIs have bought ₹1,19,069.9 crore in March, 113% of what FIIs sold, or ₹13,865.3 crore more. That already exceeds DII buying in any full month of our record; the previous largest was October 2024, at ₹1,07,254.8 crore. They passed ₹1 lakh crore for the month on 20 March.
On the heaviest FII days the domestic side stepped up most: ₹12,034.0 crore on 23 March and ₹12,593.4 crore on 16 March.
And yet the index fell. The Nifty 50 closed February at 25,178.65 and stood at 22,912.40 on 24 March, down 9.0%, even after a 1.78% rise yesterday.
What this does not tell you
More buying than selling does not hold prices up. Institutions are two groups among many. Prices are set at the margin by everyone trading, and here they fell while DIIs out-bought FIIs.
The month is not over. These totals are to 24 March. Whether March ends as the largest month in our record depends on sessions that have not happened.
The figures are provisional and partial. NSE's daily numbers cover the cash market only, rounded here to ₹0.1 crore a day, and exclude derivatives, debt and IPO allocations. NSDL's monthly FPI figures will differ.
Nothing here explains why. The data show who sold and who bought. They do not show the reasons, and we do not guess at them.
Where to go from here
The FII and DII data page updates every trading evening. Our February flows post covers the month before this one, and India VIX at 26.73 shows how nervous the options market has become. For what the fall means for valuations, see the Nifty P/E page.
Frequently asked questions
How much have FIIs sold in March 2026?
From 2 to 24 March 2026, foreign institutional investors sold a net ₹1,05,204.6 crore of Indian shares on NSE's provisional cash-market figures. They were net sellers on all 16 sessions, and the running total crossed ₹1 lakh crore on 24 March.
Is March 2026 the biggest month of FII selling?
Not yet in our record, which starts in September 2024. The largest full month is October 2024, at ₹1,14,445.9 crore. With the month not yet over, March 2026 is ₹9,241.3 crore short of it and already ahead of every other month.
Have DIIs bought more than FIIs sold in March 2026?
Yes. From 2 to 24 March 2026 domestic institutions bought a net ₹1,19,069.9 crore, ₹13,865.3 crore more than FIIs sold. The Nifty 50 still fell 9.0% over the period, from 25,178.65 to 22,912.40.
This is commentary on published data, not investment advice. WealthTicker is not a SEBI-registered adviser or distributor. Figures are as of the dates stated and can be revised by their source.
Keep reading
DIIs bought ₹6.4 lakh crore of Indian shares in 2026
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