PSU Bank: February is proving to be a highly volatile month for the Indian banking sector. The central government has begun accelerating its disinvestment roadmap for 2026, raising investors’ nerves. Following the announcement of an ambitious ₹80,000 crore disinvestment target in Budget 2026, market discussions are now rife about which banks will be next on the government’s “hit list.”
In particular, names like Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and Central Bank of India are leading the pack, where stake sales would not only replenish the government’s coffers but could also trigger a significant short-term price surge in their shares.
At the forefront of disinvestment
According to market experts and ministry sources, the government is implementing its disinvestment strategy in two phases. The first step is to comply with SEBI’s Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) regulations, which mandate that public shareholding in all listed companies be at least 25% by August 2026.
The government’s stake in Indian Overseas Bank currently stands at around 90%, and the bank is preparing to reduce this by launching a ₹4,000 crore QIP (Qualified Institutional Placement) soon. Similarly, the government’s stake in the Central Bank of India is at a high level of 89%, making it a natural and most suitable candidate for disinvestment.
Why would shares run up on news of disinvestment
News of stake sales often acts as a booster dose for PSU bank shares. The biggest reason for this is price discovery and improved liquidity. When the government sells stake through an OFS (Offer for Sale) or QIP, the supply of shares in the market increases, attracting large institutional investors (FIIs and DIIs).
As early as 2026, we saw IOB or UCO Bank immediately surge 10% to 15% upon news of disinvestment. Analysts believe that if the government sells its stake to a large private player or global bank, these shares could jump 20% to 30% from their current levels, as private management is expected to increase the bank’s valuation many times over.
Is this the beginning of privatization
Another significant turning point came when the government appointed global giants like Goldman Sachs as advisors to streamline the disinvestment process. This indicates that the government no longer wants to limit itself to small disinvestments but is looking for large strategic investments.
Experts say that the sale of up to 5% stake in banks like IOB, Central Bank, and Punjab & Sind Bank could be just the beginning. The real bull run will begin when the government makes legislative changes to reduce its stake in banks below 51%, as hinted at in recent economic surveys.
Vikram Singh
Author at TimesBull covering breaking news and current affairs.
