Skip to main content

FPIs pulled out Rs 38,930 cr in FY19 due to weak market sentiments: Sebi

According to Securities and Exchange Board of India annual report, eligibility norms for FPIs were relaxed and data privacy concerns of FPIs were addressed
As macroeconomic headwinds weighed on investor sentiments through the year, foreign portfolio investors pulled out Rs 38,930 crore in 2018-19, according to market regulator Sebi's annual report. "In order to further develop the Indian securities market as an avenue for fundraising, eligibility norms for FPIs (Foreign Portfolio Investors) were relaxed and data privacy concerns of FPIs were addressed," the 2018-19 annual report said. Among other steps, the watchdog had withdrawn the minimum residual maturity restriction of three years for investment in government securities and state development loans.
Besides, sub-categories under the category of corporate bonds were discontinued resulting in a single limit for FPI investment in all types of corporate bonds, as per the report. The limit for FPI investment in debt was revised from Rs 6.49 lakh crore to over Rs 6.98 lakh crore for the April 2019-September 2019 and more than Rs 7.46 lakh crore for October 2019-March 2020, it noted. To address concerns over data privacy, a provision similar to One Time Password (OTP) was introduced, wherein, an intermediary can access information related to beneficial owner, including senior managing official of an FPI only after confirmation from the FPI or its global custodian.
Additionally, measures like relaxation of eligibility norms for FPIs, monitoring of foreign investment limits, easing the process of on-boarding of FPIs were taken. "Sustained capital inflows play a major role for any economy and in particular for emerging markets as these markets get influenced more by global than domestic forces. "Despite heavy capital infusion by FPIs in last two months, the Indian capital market suffered a net outflow to the tune of Rs 38,930 crore in 2018-19 as macroeconomic headwinds weighed on investor sentiment through the year," the report said.
Business Standard, 03rd September 2019

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Govt’s gamble on GST cuts: What do the bond and currency markets signal?

  It’s not just humans who suffer from cognitive biases; markets do too. Interestingly, different financial markets exhibit distinct biases, each interpreting events through its own prism of prejudice. Take the recent announcements on GST reforms: equity markets have chosen to view them through the lens of growth, while bond and currency markets are focusing on potential macroeconomic risks—fiscal pressures and current account challenges. So, which lens captures the true pulse?Equity markets may be right in expecting GST reforms to revive consumption, which has remained lacklustre for a while. But the key question remains—will this revival come at the cost of broader macro stability?It is well known that consumption stocks have rallied since the GST rationalisation announcement. But what about bond markets? What signals are they sending since this rejig was announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort?The signs aren't encouraging. Bond prices have slumped and yields have surged sinc...

Luxury carmakers urge clarity on GST rates to boost festive season sales

  A clear picture regarding new GST rates at the earliest will help the overall auto industry, including the luxury car segment, to regain momentum in the ongoing quarter, which generally sees enhanced sales on account of the festive season.The high-powered GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will meet on September 3-4 to discuss moving to a two-slab taxation.In an interaction with PTI, BMW Group India President and CEO Hardeep Singh Brar said the recent speculation about the change in GST rates has caused uncertainty in the minds of consumers.Consumer interest and demand is strong, but they (prospective buyers) have adopted a wait-and-watch approach, and this delayed decision-making is impacting new vehicle sales at a certain level, he noted."Expediting clarity on GST rates is essential to get back to speed and ensure the auto sector's contribution to economic growth during this quarter is robust," Brar stated.He also hoped that the sustainable p...

Sebi proposes tighter norms for green bond third-party reviewers

  Sebi on Friday said it has proposed to tighten the norms to appoint independent third-party reviewers or certifiers for green debt securities to align them with requirements for other ESG-linked bonds.In a draft circular, Sebi said that the current norms for green bonds, introduced in February 2023, lack detailed requirements around reviewer independence, conflict of interest mitigation, and disclosure standards that are now in place for other ESG-linked securities under a June 2025 circular.The regulator's latest proposal seeks public comments on a revised framework that would bring parity by incorporating comprehensive criteria for third-party certifiers of green bonds on non-convertible securities.Under the proposed norms, issuers of green debt securities will need to appoint reviewers who are independent of their management, directors, and key managerial personnel. These reviewers will be remunerated in a way that prevents any conflicts of interest and possess relevant expert...