FIIs likely to play it safe till Budget announced: Experts
FIIs likely to play it safe till Budget announced: Experts
New Delhi: Having infused a net amount of ₹ 277 crore in stocks and bonds so far this month, overseas investors are likely to remain largely on the sidelines till the Union Budget is presented on 28 February.
“Foreign investors are waiting for Budget clarity, like how the government is going to react to fiscal deficit, borrowing and infrastructure," CNI Research CMD Kishor P Ostwal said.
Over the 13 trading sessions in February so far, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) invested ₹ 277 crore on Indian stocks and bonds. In dollar terms, FIIs invested $60.98 million during the period, data released by market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) reveals.
There will be no major FII buying activity in the market till the Union Budget on 28 February, Ostwal said.
Overseas investors have been gross sellers of equities worth ₹ 2,091.40 crore so far this month, but were bullish about the debt market, making a net investment of ₹ 2,368.80 crore.
While Ostwal said FIIs do not appear to have been worried about various scams that have been unearthed in recent times, some other analysts said that governance issues could have impacted their confidence in the Indian market.
“Foreign investors’ confidence have definitely taken a hit because of governance issue, interest rates. Share prices have fallen in recent times and the market will remain under pressure," SMC Global Equity Head Jagannadham Thunuguntla said.
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex has fallen by around 10 per cent to the 18,000 points level during the course of the trading sessions held in 2011 so far. In 2010, the index rose by 13 per cent on the back of foreign inflows amounting to over ₹ 1.75 lakh crore, a record.
In January, overseas investors were gross buyers of equities worth ₹ 79,420 crore, but sold shares worth ₹ 72,910 crore, translating into a net investment of ₹ 6,509.60 crore, as per SEBI data.
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