Where retail traders are positioned: NSE participant-wise open interest
As of 22 Oct 2026 (latest NSE file). Number of contracts, published by NSE after each session. 508 sessions on record (1 Oct 2024 to 22 Oct 2026). Descriptive data, not a trading signal.
What the latest file says
On 22 Oct 2026, clients (mostly retail) held a net long position of 218,285 index futures contracts (82.3% of their index futures were long), while FIIs were net short 280,300 contracts (9.9% long).
Over the last five sessions the client net position changed by -27,073 contracts and the FII net position by +16,397.
The client net position is near the top of its range since 1 Oct 2024 (highest +324,234 on 13 Jan 2025, lowest -176,401 on 1 Oct 2024). The FII net position is near the bottom of its range.
In index options, clients were net long 282,303 call contracts and net short 744,882 put contracts.
All participants · 22 Oct 2026
| Participant | Index fut long | Index fut short | Index fut net | Long % | Net chg 1d | Net chg 5d | Index calls net | Index puts net | Stock fut net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clients (mostly retail) | 278,047 | 59,762 | +218,285 | 82.3% | -5,646 | -27,073 | +282,303 | -744,882 | +3,162,490 |
| FIIs | 34,703 | 315,003 | -280,300 | 9.9% | -2,672 | +16,397 | -290,349 | +502,160 | +801,513 |
| DIIs | 51,297 | 13,527 | +37,770 | 79.1% | -201 | +7,748 | +8,078 | +92,090 | -4,334,878 |
| Proprietary traders | 61,485 | 37,240 | +24,245 | 62.3% | +8,519 | +2,928 | -32 | +150,631 | +370,875 |
Clients vs FIIs: index futures net, last 120 sessions
Clients (mostly retail)FIIs
How to read this
- Net = long contracts minus short contracts. Across all four groups, longs and shorts always balance: one participant's long is another's short.
- Clients are every account that is not an FII, DII or proprietary desk: mostly retail and HNI traders. It is the closest public view of retail positioning, not a pure retail measure.
- Figures are contracts, not rupee value, and options figures count contracts regardless of strike, so treat them as direction and size of positioning, not exposure.
- Cash-market buying and selling by FIIs and DIIs is a different dataset: see FII and DII cash flows. For background, read how to read FII and DII positioning.
Quick answers
Are retail traders long or short index futures?
On 22 Oct 2026, clients (mostly retail) held a net long position of 218,285 index futures contracts (82.3% of their index futures were long), while FIIs were net short 280,300 contracts (9.9% long).
Who is in the NSE 'client' category?
Every account that is not an FII, DII or proprietary (pro) trader: mostly retail and HNI traders. It is the closest public proxy for retail positioning, not a pure retail measure.
Where does this data come from?
NSE publishes participant-wise open interest (number of contracts) after every session. This page holds every session from 1 Oct 2024 to 22 Oct 2026.
Source: NSE participant-wise open interest (daily). RetailInterest is not a SEBI-registered investment adviser; this page is informational only.