Reliance Group stocks attract over ₹9,000 crore in leveraged bets amid market rally

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Group companies have emerged as major magnets for leveraged retail bets, with Reliance Industries (RIL), Jio Platforms and Jio Financial Services together accounting for nearly 6% of the overall Margin Trading Facility (MTF) book amid a rebound in the equity market.

The benchmark Nifty 50 has gained around 11% over the past month, with stocks such as BSE and Reliance Industries rallying 17% and 15%, respectively, during the same period.

The combined MTF exposure in the three Reliance Group companies stood at ₹9,067 crore as of November 11, against a total MTF book of ₹1.52 lakh crore across the NSE and BSE.

Reliance Industries, the country's largest listed company by market capitalisation, topped the list of stocks with the highest MTF exposure at ₹4,887 crore. Newly listed Jio Platforms ranked second, with a funded book of ₹2,528 crore, while Jio Financial Services stood fifth with an exposure of ₹1,652 crore.

The sizeable exposure in these stocks highlights the extent of leveraged investor interest in Reliance Group companies as market participants look to capitalise on the broader equity market recovery.

Jio Platforms' position as the second-largest MTF-funded stock is particularly noteworthy given its recent stock market debut. Its sizeable funded book indicates that investors have been willing to use borrowed money to build positions in the newly listed company.

The overall MTF book stood at ₹1.52 lakh crore across the two exchanges as of November 11. The NSE accounted for ₹1.45 lakh crore, while the BSE's funded book stood at ₹7,369 crore.

The Margin Trading Facility is an exchange-approved product that allows investors to borrow money from brokers at an interest cost to purchase stocks. Investors need to contribute only a portion of the purchase value upfront, with brokers funding the balance.

Beyond the Reliance Group, HDFC Bank had an MTF book of ₹2,056 crore, while BSE accounted for ₹1,881 crore. Bharat Electronics had an exposure of ₹1,258 crore.

Other stocks in the top ten included Suzlon Energy, ITC, Patanjali Foods and Nazara Technologies, with MTF exposure ranging between ₹1,037 crore and ₹1,061 crore.

Together, the ten most heavily funded stocks accounted for ₹18,455 crore, or around 12.1% of the overall MTF book, indicating a concentration of leveraged investor positions in a relatively small group of companies.

The interest in the three Reliance Group stocks also reflects different investment themes within the conglomerate. While RIL offers exposure to its diversified energy, retail and telecom businesses, Jio Platforms represents the group's digital and telecom ambitions. Jio Financial Services, meanwhile, provides exposure to its financial services business.