Seven consecutive sessions of decline in the equity market has eroded the wealth of investors by a whopping Rs 10.42 lakh crore and the benchmark Sensex has tumbled more than 2,000 points during this period. Concerns over more rate hikes by developed economies, weak global equity markets and fresh foreign fund outflows from the domestic market have dented investor sentiments. On Monday, the BSE Sensex dropped 175.58 points or 0.30 per cent to end at 59,288.35 points, marking a decline for seven straight trading sessions.
The domestic unit moved in a range of 64.14 and 63.99.
OIL, IOC, HPCL, BPCL slipped between 0.1-1.5% each while the oil producing companies such as ONGC (0.1%), RIL (1.5%), GAIL(2.6%) also edged lower.
Frantic dollar demand from corporates along with an aggressive hedging strategy adopted by importers in the wake of the currency volatility predominately took a toll on the domestic unit despite moves by the central bank to stabilise the currency.
India's current limit of $25 billion for ownership of government bonds by FIIs is fully utilised, leading to calls for increasing it
The Rupee is likely to recover during day trad, say currency watchers.
Both the Sensex and Nifty hit their lowest levels in this calendar year.
For the first time, the rupee declined to the low level of 80 against the US dollar in intra-day spot trading on Monday before ending the session 16 paise lower at 79.98 amid a surge in crude oil prices and unrelenting foreign fund outflows. At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened at 79.76 against the greenback but lost ground to touch the psychological low mark of 80 against the American currency. The local unit clawed back some lost ground and closed at 79.98, registering a fall of 16 paise over its previous close.
Two senior ministry officials, who declined to be named, said the aim was to attract more capital flows from wealth funds in West Asian countries.
Increased demand for the American unit from importers and banks, affecting the value of the rupee
The rupee has lost 37 paise or 0.55 per cent in two days.
While the Budget might have been a sentiment booster for the sector, firms with market dominance emerge as favourites.
Persistent fall in crude oil prices affected the market sentiment
Rupee gains for 4th day against dollar, up 17 paise on Fed stance.
Investment in the Indian capital markets through participatory notes dropped to Rs 88,398 crore month-on-month in February amid higher valuation of domestic markets. This was the third consecutive monthly decline in the investment level. Before this, investment through the route had been on an increasing trend since July 2022 because of a slump in the oil and other commodities prices and the relative outperformance of Indian equity markets.
The rupee on Wednesday declined by 16 paise to close at its fresh lifetime low of 77.60 against the US dollar amid unabated foreign fund outflows and a stronger greenback in overseas markets. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 77.57 and later hit the day's low of 77.61 as the dollar rebounded in global markets following hawkish comments from US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell. Crude oil prices also surged over 1 per cent, which weighed on the rupee.
Investors continue to back-up equity mutual funds in June as such schemes attracted a net inflow of Rs 15,498 crore on strong flows from systematic investment plans despite volatility in the stock market and relentless selling by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs). This also marked the 16th straight month of positive inflow in equity schemes. Inflows into equity mutual funds in June was lower compared to the net inflow of Rs 18,529 crore seen in May, data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed on Friday.
The currency lost six paise on sustained dollar demand from importers.
The domestic currency has dropped 40 paise or 0.60 per cent in two days
The local currency had shed 2 paise to close at 63.44 on Tuesday.
Investors' wealth eroded by Rs 3.46 lakh crore on Wednesday as equity markets took a sharp tumble amid weak global trends and foreign fund outflows. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell by 676.53 points or 1.02 per cent to settle at 65,782.78. During the day, it plunged 1,027.63 points or 1.54 per cent to 65,431.68. In line with the weak trend in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms eroded by Rs 3,46,947.54 crore to Rs 3,03,33,258.69 crore.
The Finance Ministry on Wednesday described the sharp fall in the value of the rupee as a reflection of "irrational sentiment" and said there is no need for panic.
Higher interest rates in the US do not necessarily coincide with capital outflows.
Notwithstanding concerns about lofty valuations, smallcaps recorded their most significant monthly gain in nearly three years in November. The National Stock Exchange Nifty Smallcap 100 finished the month with a 12 per cent gain, the most since February 2021 when it rose by 12.2 per cent. After declining by 4.1 per cent in the preceding month, the Nifty Midcap 100 rose by 10.4 per cent, the most since July 2022.
Falling for the third day, Indian rupee on Wednesday weakened by 14 paise to close at over one-week low of 62.02 against the Greenback.
Infosys burnt its fingers as the biggest loser -- sinking as much as 9.60 per cent to Rs 923.10 -- after the surprise announcement. Intra-day, it hit a low of Rs 884.40.
RBI intervenes in the foreign exchange market to manage volatility and to prevent disruptions to the macroeconomic situations.
RBI will take a cue from the Fed policy statement.
Rupee hits new low at close against dollar.
The country's foreign exchange reserves declined by $7.541 billion to $572.712 billion in the week ended July 15 as the Reserve Bank continued to intervene in the market to curb the fall of the rupee. In the previous week ended July 8, the reserves shrunk by $8.06 billion to $580.25 billion, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed on Friday. On Friday, the rupee fell by 5 paise to close at 79.90 against the US dollar.
Nobutaka Kitajima, chief investment officer -- equity, LIC Nomura Mutual Fund, tells Business Standard the reaction to the Fed's statements has been overdone and the current downturn has punished certain stocks much more than their inherent economic worth and business potential.
The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday raised the overall limit for overseas investment by domestic mutual funds from $5 billion to $7 billion. Industry estimates peg the amount invested overseas at $1 bn to $2 billion. Only last September, RBI had raised the overseas investment limit for mutual funds from $4 bn to $5 bn. RBI said the overall ceiling for investment in overseas exchange-traded funds will continue to be at $1 bn. There are about 17 schemes that invest overseas.
Rupee is likely to remain under pressure due to domestic concerns.
Even the persistent rise in equity market failed to restrict the rupee's fall.
The rupee extended its losses and slumped 10 paise to close at a record low of 77.72 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, weighed down by a negative trend in domestic equities and unabated foreign fund outflows. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 77.72 against the greenback, and finally settled for the day at 77.72, down 10 paise over its previous close. During the trading session, the rupee touched an intra-day low of 77.76 and a high of 77.63.
The rupee on Thursday closed at its all-time low of 78.32 (provisional) against the US dollar as strong American currency and persistent foreign fund outflows weighed on investor sentiments. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local currency opened at 78.26 and finally settled at its all-time low 78.32, unchanged from its previous close. On Wednesday, the rupee declined by 19 paise to settle at an all-time low level of 78.32 against the US dollar.
Sentiment continued to be weighed down by the government's move last week to withdraw high-value currency notes and disappointing quarterly earnings by some more blue-chip companies, brokers said.
The rupee closes 12 paise down against the dollar.
Benchmark indices fell for the third straight day on Tuesday, with the Sensex falling over 153 points amid largely weak global markets as investors remained cautious ahead of the crucial Federal Reserve meeting outcome. Unabated foreign fund outflows also continued to weigh on the domestic equity markets. The 30-share BSE benchmark dropped 153.13 points or 0.29 per cent to settle at 52,693.57.
The rupee has dropped by 83 paise or 1.24 per cent in three days
