FII, MF investments in Indian stock markets top $10 billion

Mumbai: Foreign institutional investors and domestic fund houses are again active in the stock market with their total investment crossing $10 billion so far in 2006.

Total investments by foreign institutional investors in domestic mutual funds totalled $10.4 billion (nearly Rs47,000 crore) since the beginning of this year, with FIIs alone accounting for more than $7 billion.

Net purchase of equity shares by mutual funds has crossed $3 billion (about Rs14,515 crore), according to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

FIIs have purchased shares worth a net of Rs32,308 crore so far this year, which is marginally lower than about Rs35,000 crore purchased in the corresponding period last year.

FIIs had made a record investment of over $10 billion (Rs47,181 crore) in the entire 2005.

Both mutual funds and FIIs have been actively trading in the market since the beginning of this year, taking their total turnover to about Rs958,000 crore (over $212 billion).

FIIs have purchased shares worth about Rs390,000 crore and sold shares worth about Rs357000 crore so far in 2006. Mutual funds, on the other hand, have made gross purchase of over Rs112,600 crore and gross sale of over Rs98000 crore since the beginning of this year. Together they have traded share valued at over Rs210,000 crore.