Financial Market UPSC Study Notes GS
Financial Market UPSC Study Notes GS
INDIAN ECONOMY
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The need for finance in the money market is for working capital requirements, repayment of loans,
consumption etc.
The money market for short-term funds has maturities ranging from overnight to one year.
These transactions could be both secured (with collateral) and unsecured (clean, without collateral).
Capital Market
It may be defined as a market dealing in medium and long-term funds i.e funds for a long period of time –
more than a year.
DURATION Short term, less than 1 year Medium and long term, more than 1 year
Treasury bills, Commercial paper, Equity share, preference shares, bonds and
INSTRUMENTS TRADED certificate of deposit etc. debentures
EXPECTED RETURN Generally less than capital market More than money market
1. Indigenous Bankers: These are financial intermediaries that function similar to banks but are mostly
limited to certain social strata.
Multani or Shikarpuri Shroffs: In Mumbai, Kolkata, Assam tea gardens and North-Eastern
India.
2. Money Lenders: Moneylenders mostly operate in the villages and charge a high rates of interest.
Agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers, etc.
It does not include any institution whose principal business is that of agriculture activity, industrial activity
etc.
BANKS NBFC
Is incorporated under Banking Regulations Act, 1949 Incorporated under Companies Act
Loan disbursal is more regulated and strict. Comparatively faster and easier loan disbursal.
Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit The deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and
Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is available upto Rs. 5 Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is not available to
lakhs. depositors of NBFCs
A. Chit Fund
A chit fund is a type of saving scheme where a specified number of subscribers contribute payments in
instalments over a defined period.
Each subscriber is entitled to a prize amount determined by lot, auction or tender depending on the na-
ture of the chit fund.
Typically, the prize amount is the entire pool of contributions minus a discount which is redistributed to
subscribers as a dividend.
Supreme Court has read chit funds as being part of the Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution. Hence
both the centre and state can frame legislation regarding chit funds.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the regulator for banks and other non-banking financial companies
(NBFCs) but does not regulate the chit fund business.
INDIAN ECONOMY | Financial Market PAGE 4
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As the regulator of the securities market, SEBI regulates collective investment schemes. But the SEBI Act,
1992 specifically excludes chit funds from their definition of collective investment schemes.
There is a Central Chit Funds Act 1982, apart from a number of state chit fund Acts.
There is an office of the registrar of chit funds in every state that monitors their operations.
Hence, it's the state government's responsibility for any fraudulent activities by chit fund
companies.
However, the RBI can provide guidance to state governments on regulatory aspects like
creating rules or exempting certain chit funds.
B. Nidhi:
It is also the type of mutual benefit fund where members make a regular contributions.
C. Loan companies:
These are finance companies that provide loans to traders, small-scale industries and self-employed
persons.
NBFC Crisis
Started when IL&FS one of the prominent companies in the NBFC sector, experienced projects getting
stalled, and payments delayed to the firm due to economic slowdown.
Due to mismatch in the Asset Liability Management (ALM) delayed payment on CPs.
lenders refused to invest in the next set of CPs resulting in the liquidity drying up and the company being
unable to raise funds.
The mismatch of assets and liabilities created a lot of panic and credit rating degradation.
Fresh funding from investors as well as banks completely dried up or came in at an increased cost.
It was followed by crises in DHFL, Reliance Capital Finance as well as Reliance Home Finance, etc.
The loans in balance sheets of the banks became NPAs (non-performing assets).
Effect was felt on the entire financial ecosystem and the liquidity crisis made banks and NBFC wary of
lending.
Borrowers dependent on NBFC lending got into distress, and this distress further declined the asset
quality of banks and NBFC.
The financial stress of delays, accumulation of interest, and difficult business conditions led to a vicious
cycle of market recession.
1. Commercial Bill
Traders usually buy items on credit from wholesalers or manufacturers, and the sellers are paid at the
end of the credit period.
But if any seller does not want to wait or is in immediate need of money, he/she can draw a bill
of exchange in favour of the buyer.
When the buyer accepts the bill, it becomes a negotiable instrument and is termed as Bill of
Exchange or Trade Bill.
Before the trade bill matures, it can now be discounted with a bank.
The bank receives payment from the drawee, or the buyer of commodities when the loan matures.
So, commercial Bills are trade bills that are accepted by commercial banks.
As a result, a trade bill is an instrument that allows the bill's drawer to obtain funds for a limited period of
time in order to meet working capital requirements.
2. Treasury Bills
Treasury bills (T-bills) are short-term investment opportunities, generally up to 1 year. Thus, they are
useful in managing short-term liquidity.
At present, the Government of India issues three types of treasury bills through auctions, namely, 91-day,
182-day and 364-day.
INDIAN ECONOMY | Financial Market PAGE 6
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The return to the investors is the difference between the maturity value or the face value and the
issue price.
The usual investors in these instruments are banks, insurance companies, FIs etc.
T-bills auctions are held on the Negotiated Dealing System (NDS) and the members electronically submit
their bids on the system.
Regional Rural Banks and Local Area Banks cannot issue CDs.
A CD is issued at a discount to the face value, the discount rate being negotiated between the issuer and
the investor.
The FIs can issue CDs for a period of 1 year - 3 years from the date of issue.
The minimum deposit that could be accepted from a single subscriber should not be less than Rs. 1 Lakh
and in multiples of Rs. 1 Lakh thereafter
CDs can be issued to individuals, corporations, companies, trusts, funds, associations etc.
4. Commercial Paper
It is a short-term debt instrument issued by companies to raise funds generally for a time period of up to
one year.
Corporates that enjoy a high rating can diversify their sources of short-term borrowings using CPs.
It is typically issued by large corporations to meet short-term financial obligations, such as funding for a
new project.
Individuals, banking companies, other corporate bodies (registered or incorporated in India) and
unincorporated bodies, non-resident Indians and foreign institutional investors etc can invest in CPs.
Investment by FIIs would be within the limits set for them by the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
5. Call Money
Call money is a type of inter-bank financing that is repayable on demand and has a maturity period of one
to fourteen days.
In this market, money lent for one day is referred to as "call money," and money lent for more than one
day is referred to as "notice money."
Call money is a way by which banks lend to one another in order to keep their cash reserve ratios in check.
They carry a risk-free rate of return since they are deemed exceptionally low risk on the investing
spectrum.
A money market fund produces income (taxable or tax-free, depending on the fund's portfolio) but little
capital growth.
The Repo Rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks in exchange for government
assets.
Banks and financial institutions purchase government securities from the RBI in Reverse Repo (basically
here the RBI is borrowing from the banks and the financial institutions).
There are two parties in a promissory note: the maker and the payee.
There are three parties in a bill of exchange: the drawer, the drawee, and the payee.
Facilitates the smoothening of the short-term liquidity imbalances by developing an active money market
and integrating the various segments of the money market.
Money Market Mutual Fund (MMMFs) are allowed to sell units to corporates and individuals.
Discount and Finance House of India (DFHI) was set up in 1988 to impart liquidity in the money market.
It was set up jointly by the RBI, Public sector Banks and Financial Institutions.
LAF adjusts liquidity in the market through absorption and or injection of financial resources (i.e.,
Repo and Reverse Repo) by the RBI.
In order to impart transparency and efficiency in the money market transaction, the electronic dealing
system has been started.
Establishment of the CCIL: The Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL) in 2001.
Market Stabilization Scheme since 2004 that was useful in 2016 post-demonetisation.
The Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) permits the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) t to absorb liquidity (deposits)
from commercial banks without having to give the banks government securities in exchange.
Individual investors can open Gilt Securities account-Retail Direct Gilt Account with the RBI.
Participation of RDG account holders in the primary market to be on a non competitive basis.
Capital Market
It refers to the market for funds having a maturity of one year or more, also known as Term Funds.
These funds are in high demand from both the government and the private sector for investment
purposes.
The main market participants include banks, public financial institutions like LIC and GIC, development
financial institutions, and mutual funds.
This sale is known as an initial public offering (IPO) in the case of a new stock issuance (IPO).
A Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) occurs when a company has already issued shares and is re-entering the
market with a new offering (FPO).
Secondary Market
It is the financial market for the trading securities that have already been issued in an initial public
offering.
Bond
A secured loan instrument with a set or floating rate of interest issued for a specific time to raise funds
through borrowing.
You can borrow money from a bank, a friend, or a stranger, for example.
Junk Bonds
A junk bond is a debt instrument that has received a poor credit rating from a rating agency, below
investment grade, making it riskier because the odds of the issuer defaulting or experiencing a credit
event are higher.
Investors are paid with higher interest rates as a result of the higher risk, which is why trash bonds are
also known as High-Yield Bonds.
The government often requires funding at periods, when tax collections are low and some affirmative
actions are to be funded.
Similarly, well-known corporations with high credit ratings (AA) issue bonds with low-interest rates.
Bearer Bonds
Because there are no "names," "addresses," or records, no one can keep track of who withdrew the
money, who is buying, and who is selling.
A bond's
INDIAN yield |may
ECONOMY be defined
Financial Market as the expected earnings on a fixed-income investment over a particular
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Bond Price: bond yields have an inverse relationship with the price of bonds. If demand for bonds rises,
the price of bonds goes up and the yield goes down.
Interest rates: bond yields have a direct relationship with the interest rates. Thus, if the Central Bank
cuts base interest rates, this will tend to reduce bond yields as well.
Inflation. Inflation has the capacity to reduce the real value of the bond. Thus, higher inflation will re-
duce demand for bonds and lead to higher bond yields.
Prospects for economic growth. If there is strong economic growth, then the preference for equity in-
vestments go up, therefore bonds become relatively less attractive and yields go up.
Credit Risk: If investors fear the possibility of government debt default, it is likely they will demand
higher bond yields to compensate for the risk.
An inverted yield curve refers to a condition in which long-term debt instruments have lower yields than
short-term debt instruments of the same credit quality.
A negative bond yield is when an investor receives less money at the bond's maturity than the original
price of the bond.
In times of economic uncertainty, investors might also be interested in negative bond yields if the
loss is less than it would be with another investment.
Other Concepts
Inflation indexed bonds refer to bonds that release interest payments on the basis of a particular price
index.
Benefit of Inflation indexed bonds is that it provides inflation-adjusted returns to the investors.
The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme was launched by the Government in November 2015, under the Gold
Monetisation Scheme.
Under the scheme, the issues are made open for subscription in tranches by RBI in consultation with GOI.
Bonds in News
Masala Bond:
Bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees, rather than the local currency.
Municipal Bonds
Are used to fund public works such as parks, libraries, highways & roads, and other social
infrastructure.
SEBI circulated detailed guidelines in 2015 for the urban local bodies to raise funds by issuing
municipal bonds.
As per SEBI, municipal bonds must have a rating above the investment-grade for the public issue.
Green Bonds
They are used to finance projects aimed at energy efficiency, pollution prevention, sustainable
agriculture, fishery and forestry, the protection of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, clean
transportation, clean water, and sustainable water management as well as the mitigation of
climate change.
Blue Bonds
Debt instrument that is issued to support investments in healthy oceans and blue economies.
earnings are generated from the investments in sustainable blue economy projects.
Issued in multiples of Rs. 1000. Rs. 10,000, Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh and 1 crore.
No maximum limit.
Electoral Bonds
Bearer instrument in the nature of a Promissory Note with an interest free banking instrument.
A citizen of India or a body incorporated in India will be eligible to purchase the bond.
Stock Market
A stock market, equity market or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks, which
represent ownership claims on businesses.
Equity
Equity refers to the amount of money a company's owner has invested or owned.
A company's total equity capital is divided into equal units of tiny denominations, each referred to as a
share.
A company's whole equity capital of Rs 5,00,00,000, for example, is divided into 50,00,000 units of
Rs 10 apiece.
As a result, the corporation is stated to have a total of 50,00,000 equity shares worth Rs 10 apiece.
Companies require capital for investment and other smaller needs, which they can obtain from their own
reserves (earnings), borrow, or raise share capital through the issuance of shares.
He retains the majority of shares generally and sells the rest to the public.
Stock
Shares vs Stocks
Shares denote ownership of a specific corporation, whereas stock denotes ownership of any company.
Stock is a basic collection of a company's shares, whereas shares signify the company's
ownership percentage.
When we say "share," we're referring to a certain firm. However, when we say stock, we are not
referring to a specific investment.
Industrial securities that include the shares and debentures of Indian companies- both the [primary and
secondary market]
Development Banks
Merchant Banks
Mutual funds
These securities can be either short-term (treasury bills) or long-term (Government bonds or dated
securities with original maturity of one year or more).
In India, the central government issues both treasury bills and bonds or dated securities, whereas state
governments exclusively issue bonds or dated securities, known as State Development Loans (SDLs).
G-Secs are risk-free gilt-edged products since they have almost little danger of default.
Gilt-edged securities are high-grade investment bonds offered by governments and large
corporations as a means of borrowing funds.
The Reserve Bank of India has recently allowed retail investors to register gilt accounts with the central
bank in order to invest directly in Government securities (G-secs) without intermediaries.
NRIs and Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) who are registered with SEBI and permitted by the Reserve
Bank of India can also invest.
G-Secs are available in both Demat and physical form, with a minimum investment of Rs 10,000.
Types of G-Secs
1. Dated Securities
They have fixed maturity and fixed coupon rates payable half-yearly and are identified by their year of
maturity.
Floating rate bonds have a variable rate of interest, unlike conventional bonds, which pay a fixed rate of
interest.
A floating rate bond's interest rate is tied to a benchmark rate and is reset on a regular basis. So, when
interest rates are high, these bonds will provide a bigger return and when interest rates are low, they
will provide low returns.
They are bonds where the interest rate is a fixed percentage over the inflation rate: WPI or CPI depending
on the terms.
SDLs are dated securities issued by the state government through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) similar to
those held for dated securities issued by the Central Government.
Interest is paid at half-yearly intervals, and the principle is reimbursed on the maturity date.
Established by the Reserve Bank in 1999–2000 to enable states to repay their debt easily.
Money deposited in the fund is used only to repay the debt of the state government and not for any
other purpose.
Every state government deposits 1% to 3% of its total debt in the state’s consolidated sinking fund to
repay the due loan / due bond payment.
DFIs are frequently established and owned by governments or non-profit organisations to finance
projects that would otherwise be unable to obtain financing from commercial lenders.
Depending on their geographic range of operation, they can be classified as All-India or State/Regional
level institutions.
term-lending institutions (IFCI Ltd, IDFC Ltd.) extending long-term finance to different industrial
sectors.
Investment banking is either fee-based or based on funds, and it offers a larger range of services to its
clients.
Institutional investors, governments, and businesses are among the investment banking clientele.
It's an investment strategy in which a group of people pool their money to invest in assets and split the
profits.
AIFs are private funds that are not subject to the oversight of any Indian regulatory body.
Categories
1. Category I
Mainly invests in startups, SME’s or any other sector which Govt. considers economically and socially
viable.
2. Category II
These include AIFs such as private equity funds or debt funds for which no specific incentives or
concessions are given by the government or any other Regulator.
3. Category III
AIFs such as hedge funds or funds that trade with a view to make short term returns or such other funds
that are open-ended and for which no specific incentives or concessions are given by the government or
any other Regulator.
Mutual Funds
A mutual fund is a trust that pools money from a group of individuals with similar investing goals.
The money is then invested in stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and/or other securities.
The income/gains earned from this collective investment are dispersed equally between the investors after
deducting certain fees, as determining by the scheme's "Net Asset Value or NAV."
It is one of the most accessible investment options for the average person since it allows them to invest in
a diversified, professionally managed portfolio of securities at a cheap cost.
All funds carry some level of risk. But with mutual funds, one may lose some or all of the money
invested, because the securities held by a fund can go down in value.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory agency in charge of overseeing and
regulating the Indian securities market and mutual fund industry.
Mutual funds include infrastructure investment trusts (InvIts) and real estate investment trusts (ReITs).
1. Open-ended funds
An investor can
invest, enter,
redeem, or exit an
open-ended
mutual fund at any
time.
2. Close-ended funds
Closed-ended mutual funds have a defined maturity date, and an investor can only invest or enter these
types of schemes during the New Fund Offer (NFO) period.
Hedge Fund
It is like mutual funds, in which high-net-worth individuals combine their money to invest in high-risk,
high-return assets.
Trading strategies
are significantly
more complicated
than mutual fund
strategies.
SEBI expects Indian hedge funds to start at 1 crore rupees, while foreign (offshore) hedge funds to start
at $5 lakhs.
Venture Capital
It is the money provided by financial institutions who invest in start-ups generally that have the
INDIAN ECONOMY | Financial Market PAGE 20
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They provide the financing that a startup company requires to get off the ground, usually at a lower
interest rate or ownership in the firm.
Private Equity
Private equity (PE) refers to capital investment made into companies that are not publicly traded.
Most PE firms are open to accredited investors or those who are deemed high-net-worth, and successful
PE managers can earn millions of dollars a year.
Only institutions or qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) can participate in a QIP issuance, unlike an IPO
or an FPO (further public offering).
Mutual funds, local financial institutions including banks and insurance firms, venture capital funds, foreign
institutional investors, are some examples of QIBs.
Foreign commercial banks and other institutions provide the majority of these loans.
The ECB guidelines and policies are monitored and regulated by the Ministry of Finance's DEA (Department
of Economic Affairs) and the Reserve Bank of India.
The money is available for a long period of time, and that too on lower interest rates, when compared to
domestic funds.
Debentures
A debenture is a type of capital market instrument used to raise medium- or long-term financing from the
general public.
It comes in the form of a Debenture Deed, which is a certificate issued under the company's seal.
Debenture holders have no right to vote in the company’s general meetings of shareholders, but they
may have separate meetings or votes e.g., on changes to the rights attached to the debentures.
1. Convertible Debenture
These are debentures in which investors have the option to convert their debenture holdings into a firm’s
equity shares.
The debentures which do not have the option to be converted into equity shares are non-convertible
debentures.
A part of these instruments is converted into Equity shares in the future at the notice of the issuer.
1. Secured Debentures
2. Unsecured Debentures
1. Redeemable Debentures
2. Irredeemable Debentures
In this there is no fixed date or duration for redemption. Interest is paid at a certain interval.
Investment is in stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such as private
equity funds or hedge funds.
Financial experts suggest India having its own Sovereign wealth Fund
CPSE ETF
Launched in 2017, it was created to help the Government of India in its initiative to dis-invest some of its
stake in selected CPSEs through the innovative ETF route.
The ETF is based on the Nifty CPSE index and includes 11 listed Central Public Sector Enterprises, CPSE.
Stock Market
Stock Exchange
A stock exchange is an organisation that provides a trading platform for shares.
Investors buy and sell shares and other financial goods through stockbrokers in a wide range of listed
companies on a stock exchange.
Paid-up Capital
The part of the authorised capital of a company that has actually been paid by shareholders.
It is a popular fundraising method used primarily by startups wishing to offer products and services,
usually related to the cryptocurrency and blockchain space.
Bear
Bear is an investor who believes that the market will go down.
Bull
Bull is an investor who believes that the market will go up.
It is a derivative or contract that allows an investor to swap or offset his credit risk with another investor.
Hedging
It is a risk management strategy that is employed to offset losses in investments.
Hedging though reduces the risk associated with the assets but also reduces the potential profits.
Securitization
It is a process, in which a firm consolidates its many financial assets/debts into a consolidated financial
instrument that is issued to investors, with the investors receiving interest in return.
Though the process enhances liquidity in the market, it can also increase the chances of fraud and
manipulation. For example, the 2008 economic crisis was precise because of securitisation.
Also, if a company has already issued a large number of loans to its customers and wants to further add to
the number, then the practice of securitization can come to its rescue.
In such a case, the company can club its assets/debts, form financial instruments and then issue them to
investors. This enables the firm to raise capital and provide more loans to its customers.
Insider Trading
It is a sort of malpractice, in which people trade on a company's stocks about whom they have access to
otherwise non-public/confidential information that can be vital for making investment decisions.
These insiders could be employees or executives with access to strategic information about the firm.
Types of Company
Private Company
It must have a minimum paid-up capital of Rs.1 lakh and a maximum of 200 members (i.e., the people
who own its equity).
The phrase "Private Limited" must appear at the end of this company's name.
Public Company
It has minimum paid-up capital of Rs.5 lakh.
It can borrow from the general public via IPOs and Bonds.
The word ‘limited’ means that the liability of the company in case of winding up is limited to the assets of the
company and not that of any other company of the group or the personal wealth of the promoters and
other shareholders.
Currently, trades on the Indian stock exchanges are settled in two working days after the transaction is
done (T+2).
T+1 settlement means market trade-related settlements will need to be cleared within one day of the
actual transactions taking place.
Will help in earlier settlement and will not lead to fragmentation of liquidity.
Findings:
ARCs not synchronous with the trends in Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) of banks NBFCs.
Sensex
The BSE SENSEX (aka the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index) is a market-
weighted, free-float stock market index comprised of 30 well-established companies
listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
BSE-200
This is a 200 stock share index of the BSE (including the 30 stocks of the Sensex) which has
its Dollar version too—the Dollex.
BSE-500
It is a 500-stock index representing major industries and many sub-sectors of the economy
with information technology getting a significant weightage.
National Index
An index of 100 stocks being quoted nationwide (Bombay, Delhi, Kolkata, etc.) was
developed to give a broader/wider representation of the stock market since the Sensex
consists of only 30 stocks.
The NSE and BSE are India's two most important stock exchanges, accounting for the great bulk of share
transactions.
USE’s shareholders include Indian public sector banks, private banks, international banks (Standard
Chartered) and corporate houses.
It is located in Gujarat's GIFT City at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
BSE's SME platform was launched under the name BSE SME Exchange.
They play an important part in price discovery when multiple buyers and sellers interact to identify the
best cost-effective pricing for a product.
Presently, the regulator, SEBI allows futures trading in over 120 commodities.
There are 11 Commodity specific exchanges recognized for trading in various commodities approved by
the Commission under the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1952.
Edible oilseeds complexes like a Mustard seed, Cottonseed, Soybean oil etc.
Gold, Crude oil, Silver, Copper, Natural Gas, Lead, Soy Oil, Zinc, Soybean and Castor seed.
The Ministry of Finance oversees this financial regulatory organisation, which is based in Mumbai.
In 2015, the FMC and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) amalgamated to strengthen
commodity futures market regulation.
Spot Exchanges
The Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (Electronic Warehouse Receipts) Regulations,
2011 define a spot exchange as "a body corporate incorporated to facilitates the purchase and sale of
specified commodities, including agricultural commodities, metals, and bullion by providing spot delivery
contracts in the commodities.
However, today's spot exchange is more than simply a warehouse receipt. They are electronic markets,
where a farmer or trader can discover national commodity prices through the purchase or sale of goods
instantaneously (i.e., on the "spot") to anybody across the country.
All contracts on the exchange are compulsory delivery contracts. It means that all outstanding positions at
the end of the day are marked for delivery, which implies that the seller has to give delivery and the buyer
has to take the delivery.
It is a national level commodity spot exchange promoted by the Financial Technologies India Ltd
(FTIL) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED).
After the FTIL was found involved in irregularities, the FMC (Forward Market Commission), by end-
March 2014 asked it to exit the spot exchange.
Demutualisation
Demutualization is the legal process by which a private organisation, such as a co-op or a mutual life
insurance company, transforms itself into a publicly-traded firm.
The members' interests convert into shareholdings, which can then be traded like a stock.
By revising the Securities and Contract (Regulations) Act, the government has made demutualization of
stock exchanges necessary.
Under the act, the representation of brokers in the governing body of a corporatized exchange
cannot exceed 25% and their holding cannot exceed 49% of the capital.
The ordinance also says that 51% of the equity of exchange should be held by the public, other
than shareholders having trading rights.
Objective
To protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the securities
market.
Background
Initially, SEBI was a non-statutory body. However, the SEBI Act 1992 gave it autonomy and statutory
powers.
The regional offices of SEBI are located in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi.
Structure
SEBI Board consists of a chairman and several other whole time and part-time members.
Structure
SEBI Board consists of a chairman and several other whole time and part-time members.
A Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has been constituted to protect the interest of entities that feel
aggrieved by SEBI’s decision.
Further, if any person feels aggrieved by SAT’s decision or order can appeal to the Supreme Court.
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the PFRDA Act, 2013.
Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) under the Insurance Act, 1938.
Investors – By ensuring the security and availability of precise and accurate data.
The SEBI Chairman has the authority to order "search and seizure operations.
SEBI board can also seek information, such as telephone call data records, from any persons or entities
in respect to any securities transaction being investigated by it.
SEBI perform the function of registration and regulation of the working of venture capital funds and
collective investment schemes including mutual funds.
It also works for promoting and regulating self-regulatory organizations and prohibiting fraudulent and
unfair trade practices relating to securities markets.
INDIAN ECONOMY | Financial Market PAGE 31
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The ISIN code is a 12-character alpha-numerical code. It does not contain information characterizing
financial instruments but serves for uniform identification of a security through normalization of the
assigned National Number.
Derivatives
A derivative is a financial instrument whose value is derived from the value of an underlying asset.
For example, if some wheat growers want to sell their harvest at a later date so as to avoid the
danger of price fluctuations. They can create derivatives with the spot price of wheat as the
“underlying” asset.
The Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act of 1956 establishes the regulatory framework for derivatives
trading.
Futures
A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a certain time in the
future at a certain price.
A forward contract is a private and customizable agreement that is traded over the counter. A
futures contract has standardized terms and is traded on an exchange.
So, it is easy to buy and sell futures on the exchange. It is harder to find a counterparty over-the-
counter to trade in forward contracts that are non-standard.
Options
Options are basically a future contracts with the freedom to execute or not at the reagreed date in the
future.
Calls give the buyer the right but not the obligation to buy a given quantity of the underlying asset, at a
given price on or before a given future date.
Puts give the buyer the right, but not the obligation to sell a given quantity of the underlying asset at a
given price on or before a given date.
Warrants
Options generally have a life of up to 1 year, the majority of options traded on options exchanges having
a maximum maturity of nine months.
Longer-dated options are called warrants and are generally traded over the counter.
Swaps
Swaps are private agreements between two parties to swap future cash flows according to a
predetermined formula.
Currency swaps
This entails swapping both principal and interest between the parties, with the cash flows in one
direction being in a different currency than those in the opposite direction.
To reduce the shares in the market to improve the value of the remaining shares.
Types of Investors
Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)
FPI consists of securities and other financial assets passively held by foreign investors.
It does not give any direct ownership of financial assets and is relatively liquid depending on market
volatility.
FPI is a component of a country's capital account and appears on its Balance of Payments statement (BOP).
The investor does not actively manage or influence the assets held by the FPIs. Their purpose is to
generate a speedy return on their investment.
FPI is more liquid and riskier than Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). That is why it is often referred to
as “hot money”.
A new investor class is formed by combining FIIs, Sub-Accounts, and QFIs called Foreign Portfolio Investors.
In 2018, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed Foreign institutional investors (FIPs) are allowed to invest
in corporate bonds with a minimum residual maturity of one year.
Banks, insurance companies, retirement or pension funds, and mutual funds are all examples of FIIs.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are permitted to invest in India's primary and secondary capital
markets through portfolio investment schemes (PIS).
FII is referred to as "hot money" since it can leave the country at the same rate as it enters.
FDI is when a foreign company brings capital FII is when a foreign company buys equity in a
into a country or an economy to set up company through the stock markets.
1. production or some other facility. Therefore, in this case, FII would not give the
FDI gives the foreign company some control in foreign company actual control over the
the operations of the company. company.
FDI involves direct production activity & also of a FII is a short term investment mostly in
2.
medium to long term nature. the financial markets & it consists of FII.
They are permitted to invest directly in India, subject to the SEBI’s and RBI's approval.
Its goal is to broaden the class of investors, attract more foreign funds, reduce market volatility, and
deepen the Indian capital market.
The organization's role is to assist its members in promoting high standards of regulation and to act as a
forum for national regulators to cooperate with each other and other international organisations.
IOSCO has members from over 100 countries representing about 90% of the world's securities markets.
The FATF assesses the strength of a country’s anti-money laundering and anti-terror financing
frameworks.
Headquarters
Its Secretariat is located at OrganisationforEconomicCooperationand
the
Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris.
Member Countries
The FATF currently has 39 members, including the European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation
Council.
Countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are
put on the FATF grey list.
This inclusion serves as a warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.
2. Black List
Countries are known as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) are put on the
blacklist.
P-Notes are Offshore Derivative Investments (ODIs) with equity shares or debt securities as underlying
assets.
They provide liquidity to the investors as they can transfer the ownership by endorsement and delivery.
GDRs are commonly traded on American stock exchanges, as well as those in the Eurozone and Asia.
GDRs and their dividends are priced in the local currency of the exchanges where the shares are traded,
making them a convenient and liquid way for worldwide investors to buy foreign stocks.
Depositories
A depository keeps electronic copies of an investor's securities (such as shares, debentures, bonds,
Government Securities, units, and so on).
A depository reduces the amount of paperwork necessary in transferring securities and lowers
transaction costs.
It was founded in August 1996 as India's first nationwide computerised securities depository.
It was initially promoted by the BSE Ltd. which thereafter divested its stake to leading banks.
Main function involves facilitating holding of dematerialised securities enabling securities transactions.