Mumbai, Feb 5, 2026, 11:29 IST
IDBI Bank shares pushed higher Thursday, hitting a peak of 113.50 rupees before pulling back slightly to trade around 111.57 rupees by 10:30 a.m., up about 2%. This came despite the Nifty 50 falling 0.5%. The stock has climbed nearly 13% this February, boosted by the Union Budget’s 80,000-crore-rupee (800 billion rupees) disinvestment target. Drumil Vithlani, a technical analyst at Bonanza, noted that breaking above 110 rupees “can further accelerate upside momentum,” eyeing a range of 125–130 rupees. (Business Standard)
The rally shifts focus onto a long-awaited sale New Delhi has framed as a key test of its push to trim state holdings and attract private investors. For traders, it’s a straightforward calendar play: deadlines draw eyes, even if the results remain uncertain.
India’s federal government has set a Feb. 5 deadline for financial bids for IDBI Bank, two sources told Reuters, signaling the sale is nearing its final phase. The Reserve Bank of India approved Fairfax Financial Holdings, Emirates NBD, and Kotak Mahindra Bank as eligible bidders for 2024. According to the report, the government alongside state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India aims to offload 60.7% of the lender. (The Economic Times)
The stock jumped 10% on Wednesday on the BSE, with average volumes soaring more than fourfold, and around 41.5 million shares traded across the NSE and BSE, according to Business Standard. As of Dec. 31, 2025, LIC owned 49.24% of IDBI Bank, while the government held 45.48%, together controlling 94.71%. The lender said that the strategic stake sale is being managed by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). Business Standard also referenced ICRA’s September 2025 rating note, which pointed to recoveries from legacy stressed assets as a key factor boosting profitability and shoring up capital buffers. (Business Standard)
Employee unions have pushed to make the sale politically costly. They requested meetings with the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, urging the Centre to rethink selling to private or foreign buyers, BusinessLine reported. (LinkedIn)
“Strategic disinvestment” is just a softer way of saying selling a major stake plus management control, not merely cutting back on shares. In bank deals, this typically triggers extra regulator scrutiny, tougher conditions, and plenty of chances for deadlines to drag out.
IDBI appeals as a lender that’s left behind its worst bad-loan phase, yet remains burdened by heavy state and insurer ownership. Any buyer would gain access to its branch network and deposits but must also contend with the political sensitivities tied to the sale.
The mix of bidders, featuring both a domestic private lender and a foreign bank, complicates matters. Cross-border banking transactions often trigger stricter scrutiny on governance, capital requirements, and control issues, even if the financials appear straightforward.
Still, the process risks stumbling if bidders shy away from the price, regulators push for adjustments, or staff opposition grows stronger as the handover nears. Following a strong stock surge, even a slight delay or letdown on bids could quickly sour sentiment.
