Beta: what it means and how to read it
What is Beta?
How much the share tends to move when the market moves. 1 means in step, 1.5 means 50% more, 0.5 means half as much.
Beta measures how sensitive a share is to the market as a whole. A beta of 1 means it has tended to move in step with the index; 1.5 means it rose and fell about one and a half times as much; 0.6 means it moved less. It captures the part of a share's risk that cannot be diversified away by holding many shares.
Beta is calculated from history and changes as a company changes. It also says nothing about risks that are particular to the company, such as a bad acquisition or a fraud.
How it is calculated
A worked example
Why does Beta matter?
Tells you how bumpy the ride is likely to feel in a market fall.
What is a good Beta?
Below 1 is calmer than the market, above 1 more volatile.
Neither high nor low is good in itself. A beta below about 0.8 has meant a calmer ride and smaller falls in a weak market; above 1.2 a wilder one that gains more in a rally. Match it to how much swing you can sit through.
Reading scale
What are the common mistakes with Beta?
What is a typical Beta in India today?
The median across the 4417 listed companies that report it, as of 12 Oct 2026. Half sit above each figure and half below.
By company size
By industry
What is Beta for India's largest companies today?
The latest figure for the largest companies with a page here. Each links to what the rest of that company's numbers mean.