Are France, US, and Germany Driving October FPI Inflows in the Indian Stock Market?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- France was the largest contributor with $2.58 billion in equity investments.
- Overall, FPIs infused over $1.66 billion into Indian equities in October.
- The Sensex and Nifty rose by 4.5 percent during the month.
- FII selling is currently a trend to watch for potential market impacts.
- Analysts remain cautiously optimistic about future inflows.
Mumbai, Nov 7 (NationPress) Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) made a notable return to the Indian stock markets in October, reversing a trend of three consecutive months of outflows. France emerged as the most significant contributor, investing $2.58 billion in equities and nearly $152 million in debt, as per data from NSDL.
In total, FPIs injected over $1.66 billion into equities during the month. Both the US and Germany were active participants, each investing around $520 million in equities, while contributing approximately $765 million and $309 million to debt instruments, respectively.
This resurgence in inflows was bolstered by strong corporate earnings, a recent rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, and growing optimism regarding potential advancements in US-India trade discussions.
Countries like Ireland and Malaysia also entered the market as buyers, bringing forth $400 million and $342 million into equities, along with $138 million and $68 million in debt. Additionally, Hong Kong invested $177 million in equities, while both Denmark and Norway contributed around $100 million each, according to the data.
However, Singapore witnessed an equity outflow of $98 million, which was counterbalanced by more than $260 million in debt acquisitions. Other nations collectively divested over $3 billion in October, as reported.
Foreign inflows surged alongside a robust market rally during the month, with both the Sensex and Nifty gaining 4.5 percent.
In the early days of November, however, FPIs reversed this trend, prompting analysts to caution that significant short selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) is exceeding domestic institutional and retail purchases.
Experts noted that ongoing FII selling and reallocating funds to more affordable markets have spurred additional shorting. While short covering may potentially lead to a trend reversal, no immediate catalysts are apparent.
FII selling has pressured the prices of large caps, particularly in the banking and pharmaceuticals sectors, where growth prospects remain promising, analysts have indicated.