India: Large-cap stocks expected to rebound as foreign funds return

Herz — Business Desk · 14 July 2026 at 00:54 · 30s summary · 2 min read

What we know

Indian large-cap stocks are expected to catch up with their underperformance relative to small-cap stocks. Strategists from Goldman Sachs Group, Jefferies Financial Group, and Société Générale share this outlook, according to Bloomberg dated July 13, 2026.

Three factors support this perspective: the return of foreign investors to the Indian equity market, improved earnings prospects, and attractive valuations.

Foreign funds have become net buyers of Indian stocks for four consecutive weeks as of July 13, 2026.

Why large-caps react more strongly to foreign flows

The key mechanism lies in free float structure—the portion of a listed company's shares freely available for trading, excluding stable shareholders. Foreign investors hold a larger share of the free float in Indian large-caps than in small-caps. They are therefore the primary beneficiaries of a return in foreign buying flows.

During the recent correction phase, foreign funds were the primary net sellers of Indian stocks. Their sales disproportionately weighed on large-caps, widening their performance gap relative to small-caps.

Timeline

1. Recent phase (pre-mid-July 2026)
   Foreign investors are net sellers of Indian stocks and concentrate their sales on large-caps. The performance gap between large-caps and small-caps widens.
2. July 13, 2026
   Foreign funds complete their fourth consecutive week of net purchases on Indian stocks. Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, and Société Générale publish their outlook for large-cap catch-up.

Key figures

What remains uncertain

The catch-up of Indian large-cap stocks remains an outlook published by multiple investment banks, not a confirmed reality. The duration and magnitude of the foreign fund return are not specified in available information.