Online mutual fund (MF) investment platforms like Groww, Zerodha Coin and Paytm Money, which allow investments in direct MF schemes for free, will soon be able to charge their customers or the fund houses for executing transactions. "They can charge some money but commission-like structure won't be allowed," Madhavi Puri Buch, chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), said on Tuesday. At present, none of these online investment platforms generate any revenue through the MF sales.
More than a dozen entities, both domestic and foreign, had come under the regulatory glare over alleged short-selling before and after the publication of the Hindenburg research report against Adani Group, two people familiar with the development said. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), which is examining the rise in stock values of Adani Group in the past few years, is also scrutinising the trade data and trade pattern of these entities allegedly involved in short-selling and made significant profit. Enquiries in the trade pattern of these entities reflected a profit of over Rs 30,000 crore, pre- and post-Hindenburg saga, said one of the two people.
Food and grocery delivery major Swiggy on Thursday filed its updated draft papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through its much anticipated initial public offering (IPO). The proposed IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 3,750 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 18.52 crore equity shares by existing shareholders, according to the updated draft red herring prospectus (UDRHP). Market sources have pegged the company's IPO size at over Rs 10,000 crore.
Religare Enterprises, a financial services firm, has disclosed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) turned down its application to appoint Rakesh Asthana as its whole-time director in May this year without citing any reasons. Asthana is a former top official of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In a notice to the stock exchanges, Religare said that while the company and Asthana were weighing the options of dealing with the letter of refusal by the RBI, it was also busy in preparing for the "herculean task" of making ready multiple applications to regulators.
With new eligibility criteria for futures and options (F&O) coming into effect, Jio Financial Services and Zomato are strong contenders for inclusion in the derivatives segment, according to an analysis by Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research. The report suggests that these new F&O inclusions could also propel these two companies into the benchmark National Stock Exchange Nifty 50 during the March rebalancing.
Tightening Initial Public Offering (IPO) norms, capital markets regulator Sebi on Friday cleared the proposal mandating the issuers to disclose the offer price based on past transactions and fund raising activities. In addition, the board of Sebi approved a proposal introducing an alternative mechanism by permitting "pre-filing" of offer documents for companies contemplating IPOs. Under this, an issuer should make "pre-filing" of offer documents with Sebi and stock exchanges without making it available to the public for an initial scrutiny period only.
India will place restrictions on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the national interest to ensure safeguards because of its location in a highly sensitive neighbourhood, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said during an interactive session at the Wharton Business School in the US on Tuesday. "I cannot blindly accept FDI simply because we need investment, unmindful of where it is coming from. "We want business, we want investment, but we also need some safeguards, because India is located in a neighbourhood that is very, very sensitive," Sitharaman said.
State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest lender, is looking to raise Rs 10,000 crore through 15-year infrastructure bonds as early as next week, said multiple sources aware of the development. Market participants expect a coupon in the range of 7.15-7.18 per cent for SBI's upcoming infrastructure bond issuance. This comes as demand for longer-tenor papers has remained strong in recent domestic capital market offerings.
Over 70 per cent of individual investors who engage in intraday trading incurred an average loss of Rs 5,371 during 2022-23 (FY23), according to a study conducted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). Intraday trades involve buying and selling securities within the same trading day. The study covered nearly 7 million investors trading in the equity cash segment.
Unprecedented bribery charges, farewells, separation, failed union, monumental mergers and record-breaking IPOs, along with a healthy dose of online happenings in the form of spat and lessons in customer care, corporate India saw it all in 2024.
Capital markets regulator Sebi has penalised stock exchanges -- BSE and NSE -- for "laxity" on their part in detecting misuse of clients' securities worth Rs 2,300 crore by Karvy Stock Broking Ltd (KSBL). In two separate orders, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has imposed a fine of Rs 3 crore on BSE and Rs 2 crore on NSE. The matter relates to KSBL misutilising client securities worth Rs 2,300 crore, belonging to more than 95,000 clients, by pledging them from just one demat account. The funds raised against the pledge were used by KSBL for itself and its group entities.
While basic policies focus on structural damage, comprehensive ones extend to household contents like furniture, electronics, clothing, and other personal belongings.
Because they have become too big and pervasive and the time to regulate is long gone, points out Debashis Basu.
The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has quashed a Sebi order against HDFC Bank, whereby the regulator had imposed a penalty of Rs 1 crore on the lender in a case pertaining to invoking securities pledged by stockbroker BRH Wealth Kreators. In addition, the regulator had directed to transfer Rs 158.68 crore along with seven per cent interest per annum into an escrow account till the issue of settlement of clients' securities is reconciled. These directions were issued by Sebi in January 2021 as HDFC Bank invoked securities pledged by BRH Wealth Kreators in violation of the regulator's interim order passed in October 2019.
Sebi has restructured its advisory committee on market data that recommends policy measures pertaining to areas like securities market data access and privacy. Rejigging its market data advisory committee, Sebi has said the panel will now have 21 members, as per the latest information with the regulator. Earlier the committee had 20 members. The committee is chaired by M S Sahoo, Professor at National Law University, Delhi and former chairperson, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
One reason the fee can't be lower than 3 per cent is that it is difficult for an RIA to do a good job and remain viable even at 3 per cent.
With billionaire Gautam Adani charged in the United States with alleged bribery and fraud, the Congress on Thursday said it 'vindicates' its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the various 'scams' involving his conglomerate.
Adani group on Friday rejected NDTV's assertion that Sebi approval is necessary to acquire interests in RRPR, saying the promoter entity is not a part of the regulator's order that restrained Prannoy and Radhika Roy from accessing the securities market. Terming the contentions raised by RRPR as "baseless, legally untenable and devoid of merit", Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Ltd (VCPL) said the holding firm is "bound to immediately perform its obligation and allot the equity shares" as specified in the Warrant Exercise Notice. In a regulatory update, Adani Enterprises Ltd said VCPL has received a reply on behalf of NDTV and RRPR over the Warrant Exercise Notice dated August 23, 2022.
HDFC Bank on Wednesday reported a 2.3 per cent year-on-year rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 17,657 crore for the October-December quarter, restricted by slower loan growth. On a standalone basis, the largest private sector lender's net profit came at Rs 16,735.50 crore for the period, up from Rs 16,372.54 crore in the year-ago period, but marginally down from the preceding quarter's Rs 16,820.97 crore.
Cases of front-running mostly happen when large asset managers and intermediaries are involved in bulk trades as their transaction size is generally big enough to impact the stock price.
Investors should match their investment horizon with the fund's portfolio duration.
'Sebi has to make sure that investor interests are protected and at the same time, there isn't over-regulation so that companies don't get discouraged to list here.'
Stock exchanges have sought clarification on violation of disclosure norms by Adani Group entities regarding the alleged bribery case in the US and subsequent cancellation of Kenya's airport expansion deal. In its response to the case in the US, Adani Group firms on Thursday had said "there are no allegations made against the company". On clarification with regard to Kenya cancelling airport expansion and energy deals following the US bribery and fraud indictments, the group is yet to respond to the bourses.
India's stock markets are experiencing a shift in investor sentiment, with a 30 per cent surge in Chinese stocks, prompting investors to move money from domestic markets to China. This reversal of fortunes is a notable change from the past three years, where China's losses benefited India.
Capital markets regulator Sebi on Monday came out with a framework for operationalising the gold exchange, wherein the yellow metal will be traded in the form of electronic gold receipts (EGRs). The stock exchange desirous of trading in EGRs may apply to Sebi for approval of trading in the new segment, the regulator said in a circular. The bourses can launch contracts with different denomination for trading or conversion of EGR into gold. Under the new framework, the entire transaction has been divided into three tranches-- creation of EGR; trading of EGR on stock exchange and conversion of EGR into physical gold.
Adani Group on Friday raised Rs 4,850 crore from the sale of 13.5 per cent of its stake in Fortune oil maker Adani Wilmar as part of a strategy to exit non-core activities to focus on main infrastructure business. The conglomerate, which last month announced its exit from Adani Wilmar by selling the bulk of its stake to a joint venture partner, had on Thursday announced sale of 17.54 crore shares (13.50 per cent equity) in the company on January 10 (to non-retail investors) and on January 13 (to retail investors) at a floor or minimum price of Rs 275 apiece.
The new asset class (NAC) proposed by the market regulator could see diverse product offerings with high-risk strategies across equity and debt if the mutual fund (MF) industry's recommendations are incorporated into the final regulations. While the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has suggested relaxations in investment norms for NAC compared to traditional MFs, some fund houses are advocating for further relaxations in concentration norms, greater flexibility in leverage, and the ability to invest in securities currently outside the MF domain, such as unlisted debt papers and debentures, sources reveal.
In the context of market integrity, the IRAI and RBI should go over the minutes of the LIC and SBI board meetings when the decisions to invest in Adani equity or debt were taken, notes Jaimini Bhagwati, former World Bank treasury professional.
Billionaire Gautam Adani's group on Monday announced its exit from FMCG joint venture Adani Wilmar by selling its entire stake to the Singaporean partner and in the open market for an estimated over $2 billion in a first major deal since the US bribery indictment. In a statement, Adani Enterprises Ltd -- which held 43.94 per cent stake in Fortune brand cooking oil, wheat flour and other food product maker Adani Wilmar Ltd -- said it will sell 31.06 per cent stake to Wilmar International. About 13 per cent will be sold in the open market to meet minimum public shareholding requirements.
Markets regulator Sebi has approved Adani Group's open offer to buy an additional 26 per cent stake in media firm New Delhi Television (NDTV) and the offer will commence on November 22. According to an update on Sebi's website on Monday, the regulator gave its final comments on the proposed Rs 492.81 crore-open offer on November 7. The offer will tentatively open on November 22 and close on December 5. The price fixed is Rs 294 per share, as per a recent regulatory filing by NDTV.
Capital markets regulator Sebi has tweaked peak margin rules which will bring huge relief to traders and brokerage houses that have been incurring high margin penalties so far, experts said on Wednesday. Under the new framework, the beginning of the day margin will be considered as peak margin. This is only in respect of the collection of upfront margin. The peak margin rule that was implemented last year restricted brokers' ability to fund clients' intraday positions.
It is the biggest issue we have ever faced in the securities market, where a sensitive and systemically important institution and first-line regulator was not only exploited by unscrupulous elements but functioned like a private fief, points out Debashis Basu.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has mulled introduction of confidential initial public offering (IPO) filings and "pre-filing" of offer documents, a move aimed at giving issuers flexibility and alleviating concerns around privacy. Industry players said the concept, if implemented, would give a fillip to the domestic capital markets, ease the process and encourage more companies to go public. To be sure, the proposals are still at a discussion stage with Sebi just floating a consultation paper seeking public feedback.
Three companies -- FirstMeridian Business Services Ltd, IRM Energy Ltd and Lohia Corp -- have received capital markets regulator Sebi's go-ahead to raise funds through initial public offerings (IPOs). These firms, which filed their preliminary IPO papers with the markets regulator between September 2022 and January 2023, obtained the observation letters during February 21-24, an update with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) showed on Tuesday. In Sebi parlance, observation implies go-ahead to the company to float the initial share-sale.
In the Union Budget for Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24), Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had held forth on the need for better governance and investor protection in the banking sector. She had proposed certain amendments to the Reserve Bank of India Act (RBI Act), 1934; the Banking Regulation Act (BR Act), 1949; and the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970.
Markets watchdog Sebi has disposed of adjudication proceedings without imposing any penalty on Reliance Industries Ltd in a matter related to alleged incorrect disclosure of diluted earnings per share in its financial results more than 13 years ago. Sebi decided not to impose any penalty for the alleged violations mainly on two grounds, including that the amendment to the relevant law that made incorrect disclosure of information by a listed company punishable came into force prospectively from March 2019. Besides, the regulator mentioned about its pending appeal before the Supreme Court against a Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) order.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) proposal to re-introduce "hard underwriting" is seen as step to boost India's moribund initial public offering (IPO) markets. The regulator has proposed that in case an IPO fails to garner full subscription, the investment banker or a third-party can buy the unsubscribed shares. This practice was common during fixed-price issues prior to 1999. However, under the new book building regime, underwriting is allowed only to the extent of shortfall due to technical rejection of bids - this is referred to as "soft underwriting" and is rarely invoked.
Zaggle Prepaid, Cyient DLM, Healthvista India, Rashi Peripherals and Vishwaraj Sugar Industries have obtained the green signal to launch their initial public offerings (IPOs). The approvals come at a time when capital raising by way of IPOs has slowed to a crawl, with only four issues hitting the market so far this calendar year. Recently, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) issued final observation letters on their draft red herring prospectuses (DRHPs), which is akin to getting approval to hit the markets.
Sebi chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch on Wednesday said any business on the 'black box' model that cannot be audited or validated will not be permitted. She also said since data is a public infrastructure, any attempt by any private party to own them cannot be tolerated. "We are not for or against algo trading as long as there is sufficient transparency and disclosures.
'Looking at the speed at which changes were made post the Franklin Templeton issue, we are awaiting more stricter norms in the months to come.'