Foreign investors returned to Indian stocks in spectacular fashion on Thursday, buying a net Rs 14,975 crore worth of shares in a single session. It was their biggest one-day purchase in more than two years, and it capped a remarkable turnaround after months of heavy selling that had pushed overseas money out of the country.
Provisional exchange data showed foreign portfolio investors, or FPIs, bought shares worth Rs 31,798 crore and sold Rs 16,823 crore across the NSE, BSE and MSEI on November 5. The net figure of Rs 14,974.68 crore, roughly 1.6 billion dollars, beat the previous best single-day net buying of Rs 12,594 crore recorded on June 26, 2025. The last time foreign funds bought more in a day was September 20, 2024, when they invested Rs 15,181 crore.
The buying spree sent the benchmarks soaring. The Sensex jumped 2.4 per cent to close at 79,310.01, while the Nifty 50 gained 2.4 per cent to 24,536.60. It was the sixth straight session of gains for both indices, a run that has added nearly Rs 29 lakh crore to investor wealth. On Thursday alone, the market value of BSE-listed companies rose by Rs 8.13 lakh crore to Rs 501.57 lakh crore.
Two weeks that changed the mood
Thursday’s record buying did not come out of nowhere. Foreign investors have now bought close to 6 billion dollars of Indian equities over the past 14 trading sessions, almost matching the amount they withdrew in September and October combined. They sold shares worth 4.1 billion dollars in September and a further 2.2 billion dollars in October, part of a record 30 billion dollars of selling through October this year.
Over the past five sessions alone, overseas funds have bought a net Rs 20,835 crore of shares. The buying has been concentrated in large-cap names, with stocks such as Bajaj Finance and Reliance Industries among the favourites, helping push the Nifty up more than 8 per cent in six sessions. Year-to-date net selling by FPIs is now under 27 billion dollars, down from a peak of around 33 billion dollars in mid-October, according to Bloomberg data.
Why foreign money is coming back now
Three forces came together on Thursday to pull overseas funds back into India. The first was oil. Brent crude fell to 94.09 dollars a barrel, down about 20 per cent from Friday’s six-month high of 118 dollars. For India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, cheaper crude means a smaller import bill, softer inflation and a stronger rupee. The rupee ended Thursday at its strongest level in two weeks.
The second was the outcome of the US midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of Congress. Global markets took the result as a signal of a more measured approach to trade and tariffs, and Wall Street surged overnight. The Dow Jones jumped 3.03 per cent on Wednesday, while the dollar weakened and the US 10-year Treasury yield eased.
The third was a shift in global portfolios. A selloff in artificial intelligence-linked shares prompted global funds to rebalance their exposure, and India, which has relatively few AI-linked stocks, suddenly looked like a value bet.
Domestic institutions took the other side
While foreign funds bought aggressively, domestic institutional investors moved the other way on Thursday, selling shares worth Rs 10,445 crore. Through most of this year, domestic institutions have been the buyers of last resort, pumping nearly Rs 6.7 lakh crore into Indian equities so far in 2026 while foreign funds sold.
What to watch next
Traders say the next few sessions will show whether Thursday was a one-day burst or the start of a steadier return. Crude oil matters first: if prices stay near current levels, the rupee and inflation both get breathing room. Then the flow data itself: sustained buying over the coming weeks, rather than a single record day, is what would confirm a real turn in sentiment. Company earnings, which have been strong, give foreign funds a reason to stay.
For now, the message from Thursday is hard to miss: after selling a record 30 billion dollars of Indian shares through October, foreign investors have put nearly 6 billion dollars back in just two weeks.
FAQs
How much did foreign investors buy on November 5, 2026?
Foreign portfolio investors bought a net Rs 14,975 crore, or about 1.6 billion dollars, of Indian shares on Thursday, their biggest single-day net purchase since September 20, 2024.
How did the Sensex and Nifty react?
Both benchmarks jumped 2.4 per cent on Thursday. The Sensex closed at 79,310.01 and the Nifty 50 at 24,536.60, extending their winning streak to six sessions.
How much have FPIs bought in the last two weeks?
Close to 6 billion dollars over the past 14 trading sessions, nearly matching their September and October withdrawals combined.
Why did foreign investors return to Indian stocks?
Falling crude oil prices, the US midterm election outcome, a weaker dollar and a global shift away from AI-linked shares all made Indian equities look attractive again after months of selling.
What did domestic institutions do on Thursday?
Domestic institutional investors sold shares worth Rs 10,445 crore on Thursday, even as foreign funds bought heavily.
Markets move fast, and flow data is provisional. This report is based on provisional exchange data and market reports published on November 5, 2026.
