Foreign Portfolio Investors have pumped in nearly Rs 6,000 crore in government securities, including close to Rs 1,000 crore in state bonds, in a single day.

This is addition to investment limit worth about Rs 5,600 crore that has been purchased through an e-auction.

FPIs have made an investment of Rs 4,792 crore in central government securities and another Rs 968 crore in state bonds, taking the total to Rs 5,760 crore on October 12 — the first day when the enhanced limit in government securities became available, as per latest data available with NSDL (National Securities Depository Ltd).

RBI and SEBI had earlier this month allowed greater foreign fund flows into the government securities, which are generally favoured by FPIs over corporate bonds in India. Following this, an additional Rs 16,431 crore was available for investment in various government bonds from yesterday onwards.

Out of this, investment limit worth about Rs 5,600 crore was being allotted through an e-auction, while the rest would be available on tap.

In further opening up, the limits would be enhanced by another Rs 16,600 crore from January 1 ownwards.

The cap has been now raised to Rs 1,70,000 crore from Rs 1,53,569 crore previously. As against the previous limit, the total investments by FPIs in government bonds stood at Rs 1,58,869 crore as on October 12.

In comparison, the total investments by FPIs in corporate bonds stood at Rs 3,45,488 crore against a cap of Rs 4,14,323 crore.

The enhanced limits include a first-ever separate category for state development debt securities where FPIs can invest up to Rs 3,500 crore with effect from yesterday. This would be doubled to Rs 7,000 crore from January 1.

The auction conducted by the BSE attracted bids of staggering Rs 17,266 crore from FPIs, three times higher than securities put on offer valued Rs 5,600 crore.

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