FPI numbers swell to 5,322 as Sebi grants approval to over 1,000 in April-July

05 October 2016

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has reported registration of more than 1,000 new foreign portfolio investors (FPI) in April-July of 2016-17, which takes the FPI count in the India securities market to over 5,322 against the 4,311 deemed FPIs in 2015-16.

The addition of over 1,000 new FPI registrations comes over and above the nearly 2,900 additional FPIs that got approval from Sebi in 2015-16.

The number of FPIs with Sebi approval increased to 5,322 at the end of July from 4,311 in March-end, translating into an addition of 1,011 such investors, latest data from Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) showed.

FPI investors consider India as a preferred and stable market, given its macro-economic stability, long-term growth prospects and ongoing economic and social reforms, market experts said.

Besides, Sebi has decided to offer direct entry to well-regulated foreign investors for investing in corporate bonds, they added.

FPIs also pumped in nearly Rs30,000 crore into Indian secondary markets (debt and equity) in April-July.

Sebi had, in 2014, released norms that clubbed different categories of foreign investors into a new class called FPIs.