RIL Shares Plunge 5% on Broker Exit, Crude Denial

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AuthorAarav Shah|Published at:
RIL Shares Plunge 5% on Broker Exit, Crude Denial
Overview

Reliance Industries shares fell over 5% Tuesday, their sharpest drop in eight months, after CLSA removed the stock from its India model portfolio. The conglomerate also refuted a Bloomberg report concerning Russian crude imports to its Jamnagar refinery. Analysts suggest potential Venezuelan oil market shifts could offer future benefits.

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) shares experienced a significant decline of over 5% on Tuesday, marking the steepest fall in eight months. The sell-off followed reports that brokerage CLSA has removed the oil-to-telecom major from its India model portfolio.

CLSA Shifts Portfolio Focus

CLSA reportedly replaced Reliance Industries with stocks in the consumption and IT sectors, signaling a potential shift in market sentiment. The brokerage firm added Avenue Supermarts (DMart) and another entity named 'Eternal' to its portfolio in place of RIL. This move contributed to the stock's intraday low of ₹1,496.3 per share, a considerable drop from its record high of ₹1,611.8 reached on Monday. Despite the sharp dip, RIL shares were trading 4.3% lower at ₹1,508.3 as of mid-day, while the broader Nifty 50 index saw a more modest slip of 0.26%.

Denial on Crude Imports

Adding to the market's concern, RIL issued a strong denial regarding a Bloomberg report that claimed three tankers carrying Russian crude were en route to its Jamnagar refinery. RIL termed the report "blatantly untrue," stating that its Jamnagar facility has not received Russian crude in the past three weeks and has no such deliveries scheduled for January 2026. The company emphasized that vessel-tracking data merely indicates potential destinations and does not confirm actual purchases or deliveries, expressing disappointment that the article had harmed its reputation.

Analyst Outlook on Future Potential

Separately, analysts at Jefferies noted that a potential U.S. takeover of Venezuela's oil industry could benefit Reliance Industries and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Such a development might lead to the lifting of sanctions on Venezuelan crude, potentially allowing RIL to source discounted heavy crude and bolster its refining margins. However, the immediate market reaction points to the CLSA portfolio adjustment as the dominant factor influencing RIL's share price movement.

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