Market brokers have formally approached the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) requesting the restoration of Bank Nifty weekly expiry options, according to reports from Zee. This development highlights the ongoing dialogue between market participants and the regulatory authority regarding derivative trading mechanisms.

Industry Request for Enhanced Trading Options

The brokerage community's appeal to SEBI represents a significant move toward reinstating what many traders consider essential market infrastructure. The request specifically targets the Bank Nifty weekly expiry feature, which would provide market participants with more frequent settlement cycles for banking sector derivatives.

Regulatory Considerations

The formal approach to SEBI indicates the structured nature of this industry-wide request. Market brokers are seeking regulatory approval to restore a trading mechanism that would affect the broader derivatives market, particularly in the banking sector indices.

Market Impact Implications

The restoration of Bank Nifty weekly expiry options could potentially enhance market liquidity and provide traders with increased flexibility in their derivative strategies. This request reflects the trading community's assessment of market needs and their preference for more frequent expiry cycles in banking sector derivatives.

Two prominent Indian companies have recently disclosed incidents involving inadvertent sharing of unpublished price-sensitive information through personal WhatsApp status updates, raising fresh concerns about digital-age compliance challenges under SEBI's insider trading regulations.

Hatsun Agro's WhatsApp Disclosure Incident

Hatsun Agro Product Ltd informed stock exchanges on January 5, 2026, that a senior executive had accidentally posted draft third-quarter financial results on their personal WhatsApp status. The incident occurred on January 4, 2026, at approximately 5:00 pm when the key managerial personnel was internally sharing the unaudited financial statements with the company's accounts department.

The company acknowledged that while the figures were in draft form and subject to change during the ongoing limited review process, they constituted potential Unpublished Price Sensitive Information (UPSI). The leaked information was viewed by around 19 people in the executive's contact list, including some company insiders.

ICICI Lombard's Similar Breach

Approximately one week later, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company reported a comparable incident. On January 9, 2026, at around 5:44 pm, a designated person accidentally uploaded draft financial results details to their personal WhatsApp status.

The insurance company emphasized that the shared information was in draft form and subject to changes as the audit process remained ongoing. Despite the limited duration of exposure, ICICI Lombard chose to report the matter to stock exchanges as a precautionary measure.

Regulatory Framework and Compliance

Both incidents fall under SEBI's Prohibition of Insider Trading Regulations, which define insiders as individuals connected with companies or having access to unpublished price-sensitive information. This includes:

• Directors and employees
• Key managerial personnel
• Auditors and consultants
• Immediate relatives of the above

ICICI Lombard has cautioned investors and market participants against relying on any information regarding financial results unless formally disseminated after Board of Directors' approval of audited results.

Corporate Response and Policy Updates

Following the incident, Hatsun Agro's board of directors approved amendments to the company's "Code of Conduct and Code of Practices and Procedures for Fair Disclosure of Unpublished Price Sensitive Information" on January 19, 2026. This demonstrates the company's commitment to strengthening its disclosure framework and preventing future inadvertent breaches.

Market Integrity Implications

These incidents highlight emerging challenges for market regulators, stock exchanges, and corporate entities in the digital communication era. SEBI has been increasingly proactive in curbing insider trading violations and has established a dedicated department for investigating such breaches. The regulator has also mandated that companies implement comprehensive codes of conduct to prevent insider trading.

The voluntary disclosure of these incidents by both companies represents responsible corporate governance, though it underscores the need for enhanced digital communication protocols and more robust systems to prevent inadvertent information leaks across various communication platforms.