So far, CY26 has been a strong year for several small-cap stocks, with some delivering eye-catching returns in just over eight months. In fact, 28 Nifty Smallcap stocks have surged more than 50% so far this calendar year, including five multibaggers. We took the analysis a step further to identify stocks that are not only rallying but are also attracting meaningful institutional interest. We filtered for stocks held by more than five mutual fund schemes as of August 2026. When multiple mutual fund schemes hold the same stock, it can signal strong institutional conviction and broader professional investor interest, which may also help bolster retail investor confidence.After applying these filters, 14 stocks made the cut. Each has delivered a 50–220% rally in CY26, while three have emerged as multibaggers. The result is a focused list of smallcaps that combine strong price momentum with meaningful mutual fund participation, making them particularly interesting to track. (Data Source: ACE Equity, ACE MF) ​Institutional Momentum