Mumbai, Jan 26, 2026, 01:22 IST — The market has closed.
- Reliance Industries slipped 1.17% on Friday, closing at 1,386.10 rupees, marking its fifth decline in six sessions.
- Markets in India will be closed Monday for Republic Day, squeezing trading into just four sessions this week.
- Traders are focused on Tuesday’s derivatives expiry and the Budget-day Sunday session next week, expecting volatility to pick up.
Shares of Reliance Industries Ltd slipped 1.17% to 1,386.10 rupees on Friday, marking a continued decline ahead of the long weekend as India’s stock market remains closed on Monday.
The pause is significant since it compresses trading opportunities into just a few sessions, with the next chance to trade coming on Tuesday. India’s exchanges mark Jan. 26 as a holiday for Republic Day.
Reliance took a hit, dropping 4.9% last week following a third-quarter profit miss, Reuters reported. The slowdown in its retail segment weighed on the stock. “Markets are struggling to find their footing… keeping risk appetite muted,” said Aishvarya Dadheech, founder and chief investment officer at Fident Asset Management. Reuters
Reliance took a hit on Friday amid a sluggish day for blue-chips. The BSE Sensex dropped 0.94% to 81,537.70. Energy names like Gujarat State Petronet, GAIL, and Indraprastha Gas also saw declines, according to MarketWatch data.
Tuesday could shake things up with the January futures-and-options expiry looming. These derivatives let traders bet on stock prices without actually owning shares. In India, the January 2026 F&O contracts are set to expire on Jan. 27, per a note from ICICI Direct.
Reliance has been streamlining its energy-transition setup. In a stock-exchange filing, the company announced that 16 wholly owned step-down subsidiaries were merged into Reliance New Energy Ltd, effective Jan. 21.
In refining, traders remain focused on crude supply and sanction-driven interruptions. Reliance’s Srinivas T, COO for refinery and marketing, told Reuters this week the company has encountered “instances where sanctions were imposed suddenly and we had to cut back.” Reuters
The setup can turn on a dime. A sudden jump in oil prices, an unexpected wave of foreign selling, or a surprise policy announcement can slam heavyweights like Reliance more than the wider market—especially with liquidity clustered near expiry.
After Tuesday, all eyes shift to the federal budget set for Feb. 1. The NSE plans a live trading session that Sunday, running from 09:15 to 15:30, with a pre-open window between 09:00 and 09:08, according to a circular from the exchange.
Reliance shareholders face a clear schedule ahead: first, the market reopens Tuesday after the Republic Day break, followed by the January derivatives expiry. Then comes budget day, when investors will scrutinize government cues on consumption, energy policy, and capital expenditure.
