Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Wednesday, May 31, 2006


News
Features
Stocks
Cross Currency
Shipping
Archives
Google

Group Sites

Home Page - Stock Markets
Markets - Foreign Institutional Investors


India witnesses over $1.2 b foreign funds outflow

Rajesh Abraham

About $5 billion pulled out from emerging markets


Sales distribution
The sell-off in the last 8 days accounts for $2.5 b
Pull out is higher for South Korea compared with India
Taiwan and Thailand were the other markets witnessed major sell-off

Mumbai , May 30

India and Korea bore the major brunt of the recent sell-off by foreign funds in emerging markets. It is estimated that foreign funds pulled out about $5 billion last week from emerging markets with India alone witnessing an outflow of over $1.2 billion.

According to data filed with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the total sell-off by foreign funds in the last eight trading sessions accounted for $2.5 billion (Rs 11,131 crore).

The pull out from Korea was higher during last week at $1.549 billion, according to the Emerging Portfolio Fund Research, which tracks foreign fund flows into emerging markets.

The other major markets that have witnessed sell-off include Taiwan ($1.185 billion), followed by Thailand ($555 million).

"India has been receiving out of proportion inflows by foreign funds," said Mr Chetan Ahya, Executive Director, JM Morgan Stanley, a leading investment bank. According to him, Indian equity markets were receiving about 20-25 per cent share of overseas funds dedicated to emerging markets.

With foreign funds turning net sellers after the rise in the US interest rates, it was only natural that the sell-off is on a larger scale in India, Mr Ahya said.

However, according to analysts, the sell-off by foreign funds may have stopped for the moment. "Any major impact on the stock prices will have a drastic impact on the existing holdings by foreign funds," said a research analyst in a local broking firm. "Long-term players will stay invested, while short-term participants like hedge funds move out in search of better returns," he said.

At present, foreign funds hold over $43 billion worth stocks in India (after the recent trimming in holdings) and fall in prices would mean that the value of their holdings come down. The benchmark BSE-30 Sensex has shed 1884.48 points or about 15 per cent from the peak of 12,671.11 points on May 11.

"There are always some new funds waiting to enter once the stock prices fall to a certain level. It is wrong to categorise FIIs as just one segment," said Mr Rajan Krishnan, Business Head (Asset Management), Principal PNB Asset Management Company.

Two years ago there were 552 registered FIIs in the country. Today, the figure has risen to 916, according to SEBI.

More Stories on : Stock Markets | Foreign Institutional Investors

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page



Stories in this Section
GE aims to grow eight-fold in India: Immelt


Rush for H1B visas unabated
Nasscom BPO meet to focus on growth, competition
Re touches new six-month low
Oil PSU officers defer strike till July 17
Petrol, diesel prices may go up by Rs 2-3
Hero Honda net up 29%; plans 3rd plant in Jaipur
Tata Chemicals Q4 net profit declines 42 pc
Ascendas keen on expansion
India witnesses over $1.2 b foreign funds outflow
Online service for small savings launched



The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription
Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line