Investors in India have witnessed a significant reduction in their wealth, with a sell-off induced by the weak global sentiments. As per the reports, on August 20, 2019, the Indian equity market lost around Rs 2.67 billion ($37.5 million) due to the sell-off, and investors have had to bear the losses.
The global economic slowdown and external issues such as the ongoing trade war between the US and China have contributed to the weak global trends, impacting the Indian market as well. The Indian economy has also been undergoing a slowdown, with weak GDP growth, lower industrial production, and lower consumer demand. Furthermore, the domestic issues like the Kerala floods, Maharashtra floods, and Jammu and Kashmir issue have added to the woes, making the investors jittery.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also cut the repo rate by 35 basis points to 5.40% to boost the economy. However, this move did not have a considerable impact on the market. The investors were looking for a larger rate cut, but the RBI opted for a conservative approach.
The investors’ wealth is usually evaluated based on the market capitalization of the companies listed on the stock exchange. The market capitalization indicates the total value of the shares outstanding of a company, and it is an indicator of the investors’ confidence in the company’s future prospects.
The BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty have both witnessed a decline in their values, indicating the fall in the market capitalization. The Sensex closed at 36,958.16 points, losing 587.44 points, or 1.56% on August 20, while the Nifty lost 177.65 points or 1.6%, closing at 10,925.85 points. The top losers in the Sensex were Tata Motors, SBI, Vedanta, HDFC Bank, and Tata Steel, whereas the top gainers were HCL Tech, TCS, Infosys, Sun Pharma, and Asian Paints.
Several factors contributed to the decline in the Sensex and Nifty values. The ongoing trade war between the US and China, the Hong Kong protests, Brexit, and the oil prices volatility resulted in a global economic slowdown, impacting the Indian market as well. Moreover, the weak monsoon, floods in several states, and weak consumer demand also weakened the Indian economy.
The investors have remained cautious and have pulled out their investments from the market, resulting in a significant reduction in the market capitalization. The foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have been net sellers in the Indian market for the last three months, leading to a decline in the market capitalization. As per the data released by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign investors have sold shares worth Rs 9,033 crore in August alone.
The domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have also reduced their investments in the equity market, as per the data released by the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The DIIs have sold shares worth Rs 3,177 crore in August 2019. The mutual fund industry has also seen a decline in the net inflows, with the equity inflows falling to the lowest in the last 18 months.
The decline in the investors’ wealth has impacted the real estate market as well, as the investors are cautious about investing in real estate due to the slowdown in the economy. The real estate industry has seen a slowdown since 2017, with the implementation of the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act (RERA), Goods and Services Tax (GST), and demonetization. The investors’ loss in the equity market has added to their woes, leading to further reduction in the demand for real estate.
The investors are now looking forward to the government’s measures to boost the economy and restore the investors’ confidence. The government has announced several measures, including the merger of public sector banks, the reduction in corporate tax rates, and the withdrawal of the enhanced surcharge on FPIs. The investors have welcomed the measures but are yet to regain their confidence in the market.
In conclusion, the investors’ wealth has fallen significantly due to the weak global trends and the slowdown in the Indian economy. The decline in the market capitalization and the sell-off by FIIs and DIIs have led to a significant reduction in the investors’ wealth. The investors are now looking forward to the government’s measures to boost the economy and restore their confidence in the market.