P-Notes investment hits Rs 1.5 lakh cr in December

Investments in domestic capital markets through participatory notes (P-Notes) surged to a six-month high of over Rs 1.5 lakh crore at December-end despite stringent norms put in place by Sebi to check their misuse.

P-Notes are issued by registered foreign portfolio investors to overseas investors, who wish to be part of Indian stock markets without registering themselves directly. They, however, need to go through a proper due diligence process.

According to Sebi data, the total value of P-Note investments in Indian markets - equity, debt, and derivatives - increased to Rs 1,52,243 crore at December-end, from Rs 1,28,639 crore at the end of November.

This is the highest level since June when the cumulative value of such investments stood at Rs 1.65 lakh crore.

Of the total investments in November, P-Note holdings in equities were at Rs 1.2 lakh crore, and the remaining in debt and derivatives markets.

Besides, the quantum of FPI investments via P-Notes surged to 4.6% during the period under review, from 4% in the preceding month.

Prior to the recent surge, P-Note investments were on a decline since June and hit an over eight-year low in September. However, these investments slightly rose in October, but fell in November.

Sebi measures

These declines could be attributed to several measures taken by markets regulator Sebi to stop the misuse of the controversy-ridden participatory notes. In July, Sebi notified stricter P-Notes norms, stipulating a fee of $1,000 that would be levied on each instrument to check any misuse for channelising black money.

Also, FPIs were prohibited from issuing such notes where the underlying asset is a derivative, except those which are used for the purposes of hedging.

The move was a follow-through of Sebi's board approval of a relevant proposal in June. These measures were an outcome of a slew of other steps taken by the regulator.