Archive · 13 Aug 2026
MSCI rejig adds four Indian stocks, drops Astral, SBI Cards
MSCI is like a big list of companies that many big money funds copy when they decide which shares to buy, and it updates the list from time to time.
In this update, four Indian companies are being added: Adani Energy Solutions, Groww, Laurus Labs and Lenskart.
A few companies, such as Astral and SBI Cards, are being taken off the list.
The new list starts on September 1, 2026, after the stock market closes on August 31.
When a company is added to the list, big funds often buy its shares, so the new companies may receive lots of new investment.
Experts at Nuvama think the four new companies together could attract more than $1.5 billion.
One big company, Reliance Industries, will have a smaller share because its founder's bigger ownership reduced its free float, so some funds may sell its shares.
Because MSCI is watched by investors all over the world, even small changes in India's share of the index can matter a lot.
MSCI adds Laurus Labs, Lenskart Solutions, Adani Energy Solutions and Billionbrains Garage Ventures (Groww's parent) to its key India index, effective after the market close on August 31, 2026.
Astral and SBI Cards are named as removals in both articles, while one article also lists Balkrishna Industries as excluded.
India's weight in the MSCI Global Standard Index rises to 11.9% from 11.8%, and Indian constituents increase to 166 from 165.
Nuvama estimates potential inflows of about $598 million for Laurus Labs, $352 million for Lenskart, $310 million for Adani Energy Solutions and $256 million for Groww's parent.
Nuvama puts combined inflows for the four additions at roughly $1.52 billion, while the other article says net passive inflows of about $1 billion; Reliance Industries faces an estimated $523 million outflow due to a reduced free float.
- Who
- MSCI, the global index provider; Indian companies Laurus Labs, Lenskart Solutions, Adani Energy Solutions and Billionbrains Garage Ventures (Groww's parent) added, with Astral and SBI Cards removed (Balkrishna Industries also per one article); Nuvama Alternative and Quantitative Research estimated the flows.
- What
- MSCI's periodic index rebalancing that adds four Indian stocks, removes others and adjusts existing weights, including a reduced weighting for Reliance Industries.
- When
- After the close of trading on August 31, 2026, taking effect on September 1, 2026.
- Where
- India's equity market, as reflected in MSCI's India Index and its Global Standard and Small Cap indices.
- Why
- The regular rebalancing reflects changes in eligibility and free float, such as Reliance's reduced free float after the founder raised his stake; index-tracking funds adjust their portfolios when the index composition changes.
- Index provider
- MSCI
- Stocks added
- Laurus Labs, Lenskart Solutions, Adani Energy Solutions, Billionbrains Garage Ventures (Groww)
- Stocks removed
- Astral, SBI Cards (Balkrishna Industries also listed by one article)
- Effective date
- September 1, 2026 (after market close on August 31, 2026)
- India's weight in MSCI Global Standard Index
- 11.9% (up from 11.8%)
- India's weight in MSCI Small Cap Index
- 22.2% (up from 22%)
- Estimated combined inflows for additions
- About $1.52 billion (Nuvama); net passive inflows estimated at about $1 billion
- Reliance Industries estimated outflow
- About $523 million
