Globalization of capital investment and finance has surfaced for a long period of time in the world of global financial market. Capital flow liberalization has brought up the importance of capital controls for some countries to achieve their economic growth. The Description of Capital Controls Since the failure of Bretton Woods system in 1971, the international capital movements within developed and developing countries become unstable and for some countries the capital flows need to be controlled. Capital controls are restrictions to regulate the movement of capitals which are flowing in or out of the country. Capital flows may be in forms of bank loans, portfolio investment and foreign direct investment. The controls of short terms portfolio investment and bank loans are quite necessary since they are quite risky because of the roll-over risks. For long term credits and FDI are less risky if they are politically guaranteed. Looking back to Continue reading
Indian Financial System
Dynamic Provisioning in Indian Banking
Dynamic Provisioning: The Basel II Framework is approaching dynamic provisioning by clearly requiring banks to separately measure EL(Expected Loss) and UL(Unexpected Loss). EL-based provisioning has forward-looking element as it is capable of incorporating through the cycle view of probability of default. The recent financial crisis has provided a still further fillip to the search for a forward-looking provisioning approach due to pro-cyclical considerations. Inadequacy of the Current Provisioning Policy in India: In normal provisioning policies, specific provisions are made ex-post based on some estimation of the level of impairment. The general provisions are normally made ex-ante as determined by regulatory authorities or bank management based on their subjective judgment. While such a policy for making specific provisions is pro-cyclical, that for general provisions does not lay down objective rules for utilization thereof. Indian banks make the following types of loan loss provisions at present: General provisions for standard assets, Specific Continue reading
Scope of Derivatives in India
In India, all attempts are being made to introduce derivative instruments in the capital market. The National Stock Exchange has been planning to introduce index-based futures. A stiff net worth criteria of Rs.7 to 10 corers cover is proposed for members who wish to enroll for such trading. But, it has not yet received the necessary permission from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In the Forex market, there are brighter chances of introducing derivatives on a large scale. Infact, the necessary groundwork for the introduction of derivatives in forex market was prepared by a high-level expert committee appointed by the RBI. It was headed by Mr. O.P. Sodhani. Committee’s report was already submitted to the Government in 1995. As it is, a few derivative products such as interest rate swaps, coupon swaps, currency swaps and fixed rate agreements are available on a limited scale. It is easier Continue reading
Role of Development Banks in Indian Economy
Capital Formation: The significance of Development Finance Institutions or DFIs lies in their making available the means to utilize savings generated in the economy, thus helping in capital formation. Capital formation implies the diversion of the productive capacity of the economy to the making of capital goods which increases future productive capacity. The process of Capital Formation involves three distinct but interdependent activities, viz., saving financial intermediation and investment. However, poor country/economy may be, there will be a need for institutions which allow such savings, as are currently forthcoming, to be invested conveniently and safely and which ensure that they are channeled into the most useful purposes. A well-developed financial structure will therefore aid in the collections and disbursements of investible funds and thereby contribute to the capital formation of the economy. Indian capital market although still considered to be underdeveloped has been recording impressive progress during the post-interdependence period. Continue reading
Equity Derivatives in India
In the decade of 1990’s revolutionary changes took place in the institutional infrastructure in India’s equity market. It has led to wholly new ideas in market design that has come to dominate the market. These new institutional arrangements, coupled with the widespread knowledge and orientation towards equity investment and speculation, have combined to provide an environment where the equity spot market is now India’s most sophisticated financial market. One aspect of the sophistication of the equity market is seen in the levels of market liquidity that are now visible. The market impact cost of doing program trades of Rs.5 million at the NIFTY index is around 0.2%. This state of liquidity on the equity spot market does well for the market efficiency, which will be observed if the index futures market when trading commences. India’s equity spot market is dominated by a new practice called ‘Futures — Style settlement’ or Continue reading
The Concept of Dematerialisation of Securities
Origin of Dematerialisation in India The concept of demat was introduced in Indian capital market in 1996 with the setting up of NSDL. A depository holds securities in dematerialized form. It maintains ownership records of securities in a book entry form and also effects transfer of ownership through book entry. SEBI has introduced some degree of compulsion in trading and settlement of securities in demat form while the investors have a right to hold securities in either physical or demat form, SEBI has mandated compulsory trading and settlement of securities in select securities in dematerialized form. This was initially introduced for institutional investors and was later extended to all investors. Starting with 12 script on15th Jan 1998, all investors are required to mandatory trade in dematerialized form in respect of 2335 securities as at end-June 2001. By Nov, 2001. 3811 companies were under demit mode and the rest of the Continue reading