Foreign investors remain net buyers in Indian stocks 6th straight month

New Delhi: Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have remained net buyers in Indian stock markets for the sixth straight month through August, according to data from the National Securities Depository (NSDL).

FPIs bought Indian stocks worth Rs 7,936 crore, Rs 11,631 crore, Rs 43,838 crore, Rs 47,148 crore, and Rs 46,618 crore, and Rs 12,262 crore in March, April, May, June, July, and August respectively, data showed. In August, however, the quantum of fund inflow had slowed.

So far in 2023, foreign investors have cumulatively put in Rs 135,287 crore in the Indian stock markets.

The latest fund inflows started after the recent banking crisis in the US, leading to the Silicon Valley Bank's closure, among others, in March. Also, India's strong economic outlook, as forecasted by various global agencies, seemed to have made for a renewed appetite for domestic stocks.

One of the most prominent lenders in the world of technology startups, Silicon Valley Bank, which had been struggling, collapsed on March 10, after a run on the bank by the depositors. Its closure led to a contagion effect and the subsequent shutting down of other banks.

The foreign funds making their way into Indian stocks buoyed the broader market as the indices touched their respective fresh peaks. Sensex crossed the 67,000 mark for the first time.

Notably, in January and February, FPIs sold equities worth Rs 28,852 crore and Rs 5,294 crore, respectively. NSDL data showed. Foreign investors were apparently cautious amid risks from the then-volatile financial markets.

Barring some exceptions including the current one, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have been selling equities in the Indian markets for over a year, which started in October 2021 for various reasons.

In 2022, foreign portfolio investors sold Rs 121,439 crore worth of stocks in India on a cumulative basis, the data available on the NSDL website showed. Tightening monetary policy in advanced economies including rising demand for dollar-denominated commodities, and strength in the US dollar had then triggered a consistent outflow of funds from Indian markets. Investors typically prefer stable markets in times of high market uncertainty.