The continuous stock market is crashing for a week. It is a complex phenomenon. It is just not the budget blues but several other factors are affecting the market.
The budget proposal may have accentuated it.
The Economic Survey prediction of 7 percent growth on July 4 had given a minor boost to the sensex. It rose by 68.81 points to have been lukewarm to the Indian
market. They appeared to take out more out of the country. The retail inflation also reached an eight-month high in June on rising food prices but stayed under the Reserve Bank of India’s mediumterm target of 4 percentfor an eleventh straight month. Global cues traded mixed as worries over renewed Sino-US trade tensions weighed on sentiment ahead of the release of June trade data from China. Certain tax proposals and denial of the benefit of tax waiver upto Rs 5 lakh to all classes of taxpayers has also subdued the market sentiments. Besides, proposing higher taxes on certain classes though with a view to increasing revenue has also dampened market
sentiments. Also, the government’s move to tax share buybacks, impose higher taxes on the super-rich and increase minimum public shareholding in listed companies disappointed investors.The long-term capital gain tax (LTCG) has increased for FPIs, because of a few tweaks, which is one thing that market did not like. Buyback tax and the plan to increase in public shareholdings after few years are a few other reasons which hit the market badly, according to AK Prabhakar, Head of Research, IDBI Capital Markets. The sentiments of railways, its investments and lack of clarity on its expansion and part privatization stated to have confused the market. Its investments in many areas has come down. The FPIs pulled nearly $ 11.3 billion from the country’s debt and equity markets in 2018, the highest since 2018, the highest since 2008. The NSDL data show that as of January 3, the limit for FPI investments in corporate bonds is Rs 2.89 lakh crore. The utilised level is 71.14 percent. Even after
the central bank eased norms for investing in debt, in April 2018, foreign investors trimmed their holdings in G-secs and corporate bonds in April, May and June. On the external front, current
account deficit (CAD) increased from 1.9 percent of GDP in 2017- 18 to 2.6 percent in AprilDecember 2018 . The widening of the CAD was largely on account of a higher trade deficit driven by rise in international crude oil prices (Indian basket). The trade deficit increased from
US$ 162.1 billion in 2017-18 to $ 184 billion 2018-19. Merchandise imports reduced from 21.1 percent to 10.4 per cent. Growth in service exports and imports in US dollar terms declined to 5.5 percent and 6.7 percent respectively in 2018- 19, from 18.8 percent and 22.6 percent respectively in 2017-18. The rupee depreciated by 7.8 percent vis-à-vis dollar, 7.7
percent against Yen, and 6.8 percent against Euro and Pound Sterling in 2018-19. During 2018-
19, Indian rupee traded with a depreciating trend against UD dollar and touched Rs. 74.4 per
US dollar in October 2018 beforerecovering to Rs. 69.2 per US dollar at end March 2019. The weaker rupee nominal rise in exports and balance of tradeposition has made the bonds less attractive for investors apart from sentiments about the domestic market. The budget has proposed an increase in the surcharge on high-income earning foreign individuals and associations of persons (AoPs). A large number of FPIs in India will be impacted as they are structured either as trusts or AoPs. This is causing another problem now. Foreign investors withdrew a net sum of Rs 475 crore from the Indian capital markets in the first
week of July. The reasons stated were pre-budget anticipation andinternational trade tension because of steps taken by US president Donald Trump.The overall economic condition impacting the mood. Now the market is looking at the RBI as also US Federal Reserve for rate cut.The visit of US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and his discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on trade and strategic relationship has raised the expectations of the market. Another issue that has not been taken kindly is the announcement of higher dividend to be paid by RBI. Finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg says that close to Rs 90,000 crore will come as
dividend from the RBI. This is a 32 percent jump from the previous fiscal, when the central bank paid Rs 68,000 crore to the government including Rs 28,000 crore as interim dividend.
The RBI dividend in 2017-18 was Rs 40,659 crore. The bank industry also has reservation over drawing this kind of money from the central bank.The central bank set up a panelunder former governor Bimal Jalan in December 2018 to look into the size of capital reserves that the central bank should hold. This committee is to submit its report on July 16. The recapitalisation of banks by about Rs 1 lakh crore should rejuvenate the banks though it would cover only 10 percent of its
losses. Meanwhile, certain restructuring and amalgamation of public sector banks is considereda positive step. Better recoveriesof loans are yet another positive.The NBFC sector is having
liquidity crisis and the result antslowdown. The RBI Act is proposed to be amended for allowing intervention of the central bank with powers to remove its directors. The steps, however, are sequel to one of the worst crisis of Rs 91,000 crore IL&FS scam. Its tentacles increased and also has exposed the vulnerabilities of the National Highway Authority and raised questions about their toll fund management. Myriad issues are making the industry tizzy. The budget has suggested certain methods but these are to show results in a bit longer term. The stock market
only exhibits the mood. A favourable trends boosts the confidence. Till such time the d the
equity market may continue tocause jitters
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