Mumbai, Jan 20, 2026, 02:59 IST — The market has closed.
- Reliance Industries closed Monday lower by 3.04%, slipping to 1,413.60 rupees on the NSE. 1
- The company reported weaker retail profits following December-quarter results, citing higher costs due to faster delivery demands and new labor regulations. 2
Reliance Industries Ltd slipped 3.04% to close at 1,413.60 rupees on the NSE Monday, putting the stock under pressure before Tuesday’s session. The stock fluctuated between 1,403.30 and 1,450.60 intraday, with roughly 20.4 million shares changing hands, according to Groww data. 3
Reliance’s drop hit India’s key indices hard, dragging the broader market down with it. The Nifty 50 closed around 0.4% lower at 25,585.5, while the Sensex slipped to 83,246.18. Reliance and ICICI Bank emerged as major weight on the indices, according to Reuters. “It has been a mixed bag of earnings so far,” noted Arun Malhotra, fund manager at CaprGrow Capital. 4
Reliance slipped after missing profit expectations and raising fresh doubts about the momentum in its retail segment, a key growth driver for the group. The company reported earnings of 186.45 billion rupees for October-December, falling short of analysts’ average forecast of 196.44 billion rupees. Its retail division saw core margins shrink to 8%, down from 8.6% the previous year, Reuters noted. Weakness in oil and gas also hit results, with declines in output and softer prices from the aging KG-D6 fields. 5
Reliance’s stock has stumbled further into 2026, sliding around 9.5% in January alone, and sitting about 12% below its January 5 peak of 1,611.20 rupees, according to Business Standard. The outlet noted that despite near-term softness in retail, the company’s management remains optimistic, expecting revenue growth to return to double digits. 6
Traders have a clear focus: retail margins and how quickly the earnings mix is evolving to counterbalance fluctuations in traditional energy sectors. Investors will also be watching early trading closely—will sellers push further after a 3% slide, or will dip-buyers jump in fast, given Reliance’s heavy influence on the index?
One risk: discounting and delivery costs could remain high for an extended period, squeezing retail margins even if revenue stays steady. Another concern is that continued weakness in oil and gas volumes or realized prices could weigh on consolidated earnings, making it harder to reset expectations after the results.
Keep an eye on the calendar. India’s earnings season is underway, and liquidity tends to dry up near major dates. Plus, markets will close for a session next week on Jan. 26 in observance of Republic Day. 7
Reliance’s next major trigger arrives Tuesday at 9:15 a.m. IST, when trading resumes and investors get their first full glimpse at positioning following the post-results dip. Initial brokerage updates and new remarks on retail profitability could steer the market mood.
