A bulk deal is not a special order type. It is an ordinary trade in the normal market segment that crosses a size threshold and therefore has to be reported.
The rule comes from SEBI circular SEBI/MRD/SE/Cir-7/2004 dated 14 January 2004, consolidated at paragraph 1.1 of Chapter 1 of the SEBI Master Circular for Stock Exchanges and Clearing Corporations. Disclosure is required for all transactions in a scrip where the total quantity bought or sold is more than 0.5 percent of the number of equity shares of the company listed on the stock exchange. The threshold can be reached through one transaction or several during the day.
The disclosure mechanics
| Step | Who does it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Report scrip, client name, quantity and traded price | The broker | Immediately upon execution of the trade |
| Disseminate to the public | The stock exchange | The same day, after market hours |
The client name is part of the disclosure, which is what makes bulk deal files usable for tracking named participants over time.
What separates it from a block deal
| Bulk deal | Block deal | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it executes | Normal market segment | Separate block deal window |
| Trigger | 0.5 percent of listed equity shares, cumulative over the day | A minimum order value, set by SEBI |
| Price | Whatever the market gives | Within a band around a defined reference price |
| Settlement | Normal, and the position can be squared off | Must result in delivery, no square-off or reversal |
Caveats
The threshold is a share of listed equity, so its cash value varies enormously. For a company with a small listed capital, 0.5 percent may be a modest ticket, and the same rupee amount in a large-cap will not appear at all.
A bulk deal identifies a client, not a beneficial owner. Related entities can transact separately, each staying under the threshold, and the aggregate never surfaces.
Both sides need not appear. If a large seller crosses the threshold and the buying is spread across many small accounts, you see one leg and infer the other.
The file arrives after market hours. Same-day action on a bulk deal is not possible, and a backtest that fills on the disclosure date’s close is reading the future.
Large size is not a thesis. A bulk deal can be an index fund rebalancing, a promoter meeting minimum public shareholding requirements, or a fund redeeming, none of which carry a directional view on the stock.