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8th July 2024 (11 Topics)

Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)

Context

Indian equity has been attracting FPI inflows

About:

  • Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) involves holding financial assets from a country outside of the investor's own.
  • FPI holdings can include stocks, ADRs, GDRs, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange traded funds.
  • Along with foreign direct investment (FDI), FPI is one of the common ways for investors to participate in an overseas economy, especially retail investors.
  • Unlike FDI, FPI consists of passive ownership; investors have no control over ventures or direct ownership of property or a stake in a company.

Benefits of FPIs?

  • Inflow of foreign currency: More FPIs increases the inflow of foreign currencies in the country, positively impacting the balance of Payment of the nation.
  • Surplus Balance of Payment: More dollar in the forex reserve increase strengthens the balance of payment situation.
  • Appreciation of currency: Supply of dollar in the economy limits the downfall of rupee and increases the value of rupee with respect to foreign currency.
  • Increase in Import cover: Availability of forex reserve at surplus position makes the country’s import cover stronger, essential for import dependent country like India.
  • Reduction in Import Bill: Appreciated currency or a stronger rupee reduces the burden of out shelling of funds on imports.

Risk associated with the FPI?

  • Easy way of entry and exit: FPIs are volatile in nature, with a barrier free entry and exit method, creating a fluctuation in the Indian market.
  • Short term investment: Due to negligible barrier for movement, there remains a scope for volatility in the investment.
  • Hot money: Frequent inflow and out flow of dollar, increases the risk of currency volatility in the exchange rate market, further having a prolonged impact in the stock market and profitability of the domestic investors.
  • Forex stress: Repayment of the investment money in dollar terms increases the burden on the forex reserve of the country.
  • Depreciation of rupee: Sudden dumping of FPIs in the economy reduces the value of local currency with respect to dollars.
  • Increase in Import bills: With a weaker rupee, India has to shell out more fund for the same amount of goods, widening the scope for imported inflation.
  • Balance of Payment crisis: Increasing import bills and decline in foreign investment leads to outflow of dollars from the economy, creating a potential threat to the Balance of Payment.
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