A wave of lock-in periods ending for 15 listed companies in India will release shares worth over ₹16,000 crore this week, potentially impacting market sentiment as investors reassess their positions amid ongoing volatility.
A wave of post-IPO supply is set to hit the Indian market this week as lock-in periods expire for 15 listed companies, releasing shares worth more than ₹16,000 crore into the pool of stock that can be traded. The timing matters because the companies involved were among the busiest names to list since June, and expiry dates often prompt investors to reassess near-term supply pressure, even though a lock-in ending does not automatically mean holders will sell. According to the CNBC-TV18 report, 10 of the companies will see their shares become eligible for trading on Monday alone.
The largest unlock by value comes from Central Mine Planning and Design Institute, or CMPDI, the Coal India subsidiary. Nuvama Alternative and Quantitative Research, citing Abhilash Pagaria, said the company’s six-month lock-in ends on Tuesday, making 464 million shares, or 65% of outstanding equity, eligible to trade. Based on Thursday’s close, those shares are worth about ₹9,512 crore. CMPDI’s share price has fallen about 28% from its post-listing peak of more than ₹280, but it still trades roughly 20% above its issue price of ₹179.
ESDS Software Solutions is another closely watched name. Its lock-in expires on Monday, with 25 million shares, or 2.5% of the company’s outstanding equity, becoming eligible to trade, worth about ₹358.5 crore at Thursday’s closing price. The stock initially drew attention after rising to about four times its issue price of ₹429 shortly after listing, but it has since hit five straight lower circuits of 5% after reporting its first quarterly results last week, underlining how quickly momentum can reverse in newly listed stocks. TradingView’s market note also said ESDS remains one of the strongest IPO performers in the current cohort, even after the recent pull-back.
Other companies opening up to fresh supply on Monday include Deepa Jewellers, Rays of Belief, Purple Style Labs, Priority Jewels, Knack Packaging, Sai Parenteral’s, Amir Chand Jagdish Kumar, TruAlt Bio Energy and EPack Prefab. Their eligible share values range from just over ₹20 crore to more than ₹1,100 crore, with Amir Chand Jagdish Kumar and TruAlt Bio Energy each accounting for about ₹1,250 crore. On Wednesday, Glottis and Valiant Labs will see further unlocks, while Pace Digitek’s lock-in ends on Tuesday and Om Freight Forwarders’ ends on Friday, when shares worth about ₹173.6 crore become available for trading. Marketscreener and other IPO trackers have also noted that Glottis has a separate lock-up schedule extending into later dates for certain shareholder groups.
The broader backdrop is that lock-in expiry is a routine feature of the IPO cycle, releasing shares from pre-listing restrictions and widening the free float available to the market. That can increase liquidity, but it can also create overhang if early investors choose to book profits. Brokerage and market commentary has repeatedly shown that these events can weigh on sentiment around fresh listings, especially when the shares are already below issue price. In this week’s group, eight of the 15 companies are trading below their IPO price, and eight are also at least 20% below their post-listing high, suggesting that the supply coming unlocked now may meet a cautious market.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
