FPIs sell Rs 20,300 cr in stocks, buy Rs 6,080 cr in debt

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn more than Rs 20,300 crore from Indian equities in the current month, primarily due to a significant increase in US Treasury yields and the uncertain environment stemming from the IsraelHamas conflict. However, there’s an interesting twist when it comes to FPI activity in the Indian debt market, as data from depositories reveals that they’ve infused Rs 6,080 crore into the debt market during the same period.

The future of FPI flows depends on several factors, including the US Federal Reserve’s meeting on November 2 and global economic developments, according to Mayank Mehraa, a smallcase manager and principal partner at Craving Alpha.

In the short term, FPIs are expected to remain cautious due to global uncertainty and rising US interest rates. Nevertheless, India’s strong economic growth prospects should continue to make it an attractive destination for foreign investors in both equities and debt.

According to depository data, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have sold shares amounting to Rs 20,356 crore in this month (as of October 27). This outflow figure may increase as there are two trading sessions left in the month.

This trend follows FPIs turning into net sellers in September and withdrawing Rs 14,767 crore. Prior to the outflow, FPIs had been consistently buying Indian equities for the previous six months from March to August, with total purchases amounting to Rs 1.74 lakh crore.