Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the largest domestic institutional investor, restructured its portfolio in the March quarter by reducing its stakes in several significant companies, including SBI and Coal India.
As per PrimeInfobase data, during the March quarter, LIC's share in NSE-listed stocks witnessed a slight drop, moving from 3.72% to 3.71% by March 31, 2026.
This occurred amidst a broader market selloff triggered by the Middle-East war that escalated crude oil prices.
Notably, LIC sold 4,22,25,994 shares of State Bank of India (SBI) valued at nearly ₹4,626 crore, and 3,26,33,791 shares of Coal India for ₹1,431 crore.
Other major share sales included ICICI Bank at ₹3,450 crore and HDFC Bank at ₹1,145 crore.
LIC's portfolio rejig saw significant activity in the banking sector and the metal & mining industries.
In addition to SBI, key banking stocks like ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank were also affected.
Similarly, in the metal & mining segment, alongside Coal India, Tata Steel and SAIL featured in LIC's divestment strategy, with sales worth ₹849 crore and ₹715 crore, respectively.
Read More: LIC Divests 2% Stake in Castrol India: Long-Term Portfolio Rebalancing in Focus!
While reducing its exposure in banking and metal sectors, LIC actively engaged in value buying within the IT industry, acquiring shares in TCS, Infosys, and HCL Technologies.
In the auto sector, noteworthy investments included Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki, where LIC purchased shares valued at ₹1,390 crore and ₹1,374 crore, respectively.
Among the top investments by LIC in the March quarter were Bajaj Finance and Bharti Airtel.
LIC purchased Bajaj Finance shares amounting to ₹2,167 crore and Bharti Airtel shares worth ₹2,153 crore, indicating a strategic focus on finance and telecom sectors.
LIC's portfolio adjustments in the March quarter reflect a calculated shift in focus from traditional sectors to more vibrant industries like IT and telecom, amid a volatile market environment influenced by international geopolitical tensions. Given LIC's size and market impact, these trades are crucial to understanding the dynamic nature of institutional investment practices in India.
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Published on: May 8, 2026, 8:26 AM IST
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