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☆ India regulator proposes halving IPO listing time
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MUMBAI, May 21 (Reuters) - India’s market regulator proposed halving the time needed to list shares on the nation's stock exchanges from the closure of initial public offerings (IPOs) to three days. The proposed reduction in timelines for listing and trading of shares would benefit issuers and investors, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in a consultation paper on its website late on Saturday. "Issuers will have faster access to the capital raised, thereby enhancing the ease of doing business, and the investors will have opportunity for having early credit and liquidity of their investments," SEBI said. SEBI invited comments on the proposed change until June 3. Reporting by Jayshree P Upadhyay and M. Sriram; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Shares of companies of the coal-to-airports conglomerate, controlled by billionaire Gautam Adani, were up between 1.2% to 7% in late trade on Friday in a largely flat wider market. The group's listed companies lost more than $100 billion in market value earlier this year after U.S.-based Hindenburg Research raised several governance concerns. The court on Wednesday granted SEBI additional time until Aug. 14 to complete its investigation into possible violation of securities law and regulatory disclosures by the Adani group. Beside flagship Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS), other group companies include edible oils business Adani Wilmar (ADAW.NS), Adani Ports (APSE.NS), Adani Green Energy (ADNA.NS), Adani Transmission (ADAI.NS), Adani Total Gas (ADAG.NS), Adani Power (ADAN.NS), broadcaster NDTV (NDTV.NS) and cement units ACC Ltd (ACC.NS) and Ambuja Cements (ABUJ.NS). The panel said, citing SEBI, there was evidence of a build-up in short positions on Adani group stocks ahead of the Hindenburg report.

MUMBAI, May 17 (Reuters) - India's Supreme Court on Wednesday granted the country's market regulator additional time till August 14 to complete its investigation into possible violation of securities law and regulatory disclosures by the Adani group. Hindenburg Research had raised several governance concerns around the Adani group, leading to a loss of more than $100 billion in the market capitalisation of companies in the group founded by billionaire Gautam Adani. Following this, the Supreme Court had asked SEBI to probe some of the allegations made and submit a report to a court-appointed panel. Adani group companies are being probed for violation of this law. The Supreme Court directed the market regulator to place on record its findings so far relating to the investigation on violation of public float by the Adani group.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in a filing, said it has approached 11 overseas regulators for information relating to whether the Adani group has violated any norms regarding its publicly available shares. India's Supreme Court is hearing an appeal from SEBI to give it an additional six months to complete its probe into the Adani group. However, the Supreme Court, in oral arguments, said that it was inclined to give a three-month extension. Oral arguments do not necessarily match the final court order, which will likely be given on Monday. Ahead of that order, SEBI, in its filing, reiterated that the Adani group's transactions highlighted by Hindenburg for violating Indian laws are highly complex and included many sub-transactions across numerous jurisdictions.

☆ India’s SEBI to regulate platforms offering fractional ownership of real estate assets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Jayshree P Upadhyay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, May 13 (Reuters) - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed regulating all online platform that offer fractional ownership of real estate assets, in a bid to provide protection to small investors. Fractional ownership typically refers to small investment holdings of real estate assets. The minimum investment on these platforms typically range from 100,000 rupees to 250,000 rupees. The underlying real estate assets offered on these platforms are similar to the real estate or property defined under the REIT Regulations, said SEBI in the discussion paper. Globally such fractional ownership has been in existence since 2015 in markets such as the United States and United Arab Emirates.

MUMBAI, NEW DELHI, April 29 (Reuters) - India’s market regulator has asked for a six-month extension to complete its probe into possible lapses in securities market laws and regulatory disclosures by billionaire Gautam Adani's Adani group, according to a court document seen by Reuters. SEBI and the Adani group did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The Supreme Court asked the regulator to conduct an inquiry into Adani after U.S.-based short-seller Hindenburg Research raised concerns around its governance practices in a January report. In its application, the regulator said it needed more time "to conduct a proper investigation and arrive at verified findings". The regulator said that it had received information from several Adani group entities.

☆ Indian shares set to open higher as strong earnings lift mood
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, April 24 (Reuters) - Indian shares were set to open higher on Monday as improved quarterly results from heavyweights Reliance Industries Ltd (RELI.NS) and ICICI Bank Ltd(ICBK.NS) eased some concerns over a lacklustre start to the earnings season. India's most valuable company, Reliance Industries reported 19% growth in fourth-quarter profit, aided by the strong performance in oil-to-chemicals (O2C) segment, post market hours on Friday. Private lender ICICI Bank posted a 30% jump in net profit in the March quarter, helped by improved net interest income and loan growth. The strong earnings of the two companies, which account for nearly 20% of the total weightage in Nifty 50, could improve the sentiment soured by the weak earnings and outlook of top information technology companies, analysts added. Stocks to Watch:** Yes Bank Ltd (YESB.NS): Lender's net profit slumps 45% in the March quarter on higher provisions.

☆ Indian regulator plans to allow mutual funds with performance-based fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Jayshree P Upadhyay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

According to the plan, the base fees currently charged for mutual funds would be reduced and additional charges would be based on performance. If introduced, India would be one of a handful of major markets to introduce performance-linked fees for mutual funds. "An option for additional charges could act as an incentive for funds to give better returns," the source said. There is a need for transparency on charges levied by mutual funds, SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch said on March 28. To curb this, SEBI will only allow funds to charge additional fees if an investor is buying any mutual fund for the first time, the document showed.

☆ India NSE's IPO plan stumbles at market watchdog's door - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Jayshree P Upadhyay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has formed an internal view that due to the pending cases it won't approve NSE's application made last year for an IPO, the sources said. “Till the legal and regulatory issues are cleared there is no chance that SEBI will approve NSE's IPO plans,” said one of the sources, who is a senior regulatory official. A delayed NSE IPO will test the patience of its core shareholders - banks, insurance companies and foreign funds - who have been waiting for an exit opportunity in rising markets. The regulator's reluctance to approve NSE's IPO has not been previously reported. These include whether certain brokers made unfair gains due to preferential access to NSE’s trading systems and another lapse in NSE’s trading architecture, the source said.

☆ Exclusive: India regulator probing some Adani offshore deals for possible rule violations-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Jayshree P Upadhyay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An Adani Group spokesperson said Vinod Adani is a member of the Adani family and is part of the promoter group, but he does not hold any managerial position in any of the listed Adani entities or their subsidiaries. Vinod Adani could not be reached for comment. Hindenburg's report eroded more than $100 billion in the value of shares in Adani group of companies. India's Supreme Court asked SEBI in March to investigate the Adani Group for any lapses related to public shareholding, related party rules or regulatory disclosures. SEBI's investigation into Adani's possible 'related party' transactions with offshore entities with links to Vinod Adani has not been reported before.

☆ India markets regulator asks top 100 companies to confirm or deny market rumours from Oct.1
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MUMBAI, March 29 (Reuters) - India's markets regulator on Wednesday asked that the top 100 companies listed on its stock exchanges confirm or deny market rumors that impact share prices, in a bid to bring more transparency and ensure timely disclosure of "material events". The requirement will kick in from Oct.1, 2023 for top 100 companies by market capitalization, and from April 1, 2024 for the top 250, SEBI said in a press release following a board meeting. The regulator said that it intends to put in place quantitative benchmarks to determine whether an event is material but did not immediately say what those metrics would be. The SEBI also said that material events or disclosures emerging from a board of directors meeting must be disclosed to exchanges within 30 minutes. Reporting by Jayshree P. Upadhyay; Editing by Nivedita BhattacharjeeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Indian skincare firm Mamaearth's parent puts IPO on hold - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( M. Sriram | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, March 27 (Reuters) - Indian skincare startup Mamaearth has put its initial public offering (IPO) on hold because of weak market conditions, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, a month after two other Indian companies also scrapped their share sales. Mamaearth planned to start marketing the IPO and begin initial talks with investors by the end of January, but that has not happened yet, the sources said. The company has until December to receive approval for the IPO from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and file its final prospectus. He added that its largest investor, Sequoia, would not be selling any shares in the IPO and the founders would own more than 97% of their shares after the IPO. Last month, Indian apparel retailer Fabindia, backed by billionaire Azim Premji's fund, and jewellery retailer Joyallukkas scrapped their IPOs due to poor market conditions.

☆ Indian market watchdog speeds up action against social media stock tips - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jayshree P Upadhyay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Securities and Exchange Board of India's rules say that only advisers registered with it can offer investment advice. Companies potentially facing enforcement action are digital investment platforms which offer financial products and investment advice without appropriate regulatory licences, the sources said. "This is a part of series of enforcement actions that the regulator is taking to tackle unsolicited investment advice being peddled on social media," said the second source cited above. The regulator will consult the market participants on ways to regulate social media financial influencers more broadly. These influencers could be required to make disclosures and disclaimers on their social media platforms before they offer any public advice.

☆ Adani Group suspends work on $4.2 bln project in India's Gujarat - PTI
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 19 (Reuters) - Adani Group has suspended work on a 349 billion rupee ($4.2 billion) petrochemical project at Mundra in India's western Gujarat state as it focuses on consolidating operations and addressing investor concerns after the Hindenburg shortseller report, according to the Press Trust of India. Adani Group did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for a comment. On Jan. 24, Hindenburg Research alleged stock manipulation and improper use of tax havens, and flagged concerns over debt levels at the company, which Adani has denied. India's top court has since asked market regulator SEBI to investigate Adani Group for any lapses related to public shareholding norms or regulatory disclosures. read more($1 = 82.5200 Indian rupees)Reporting by Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India's financial crime agency searches Franklin Templeton execs, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

India's federal financial crime agency on Thursday conducted searches on Franklin Templeton India's former and current officers in Mumbai in relation to the closure of some funds in 2020, two sources told Reuters on Thursday. The searches are in connection with Franklin Templeton closing six debt schemes in April 2020, which it had blamed on the lack of liquidity due to Covid-19's impact on the markets. Vivek and Rupa Kudva were held guilty of withdrawing their own investments ahead of the winding of the schemes. A spokesperson for Franklin Templeton did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comments. Vivek and Rupa Kudva could not be immediately reached for comment.

SYDNEY/BENGALURU, March 3 (Reuters) - Adani shares surged on Friday after a $1.87 billion investment in the group by GQG Partners Inc eased concerns about the group's ability to attract funding, while the conglomerate lined up more road shows to shore up investor confidence. Adani Group will hold road shows this month in London, Dubai and several cities in the United States, according to a document seen by Reuters. Overall, Adani group firms' net debt totalled $24.1 billion as of September 2022. Adani Green Energy and Adani Transmission jumped 5% each. Dollar bonds issued by Adani entities also rallied, with Adani Green Energy's 2024 bond adding 2.3 cents on the dollar to trade at 85.5 cents, while most bonds issued by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Adani Transmission and Adani Electricity Mumbai rose by more than 1 cent.

☆ India's Supreme Court sets up panel to investigate Adani allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesIndia's supreme court has set up an independent panel to investigate if there were regulatory failures related to allegations against the Adani Group , after a bombshell report from a U.S. short seller. The country's highest court directed a six member panel to probe "regulatory failure in dealing with the alleged contravention of laws pertaining to the securities market in relation to the Adani Group," a Thursday court order said. India's Supreme Court action comes slightly over a month after Hindenburg Research released a lengthy report on Jan. 24, accusing Adani Group of stock manipulation and fraud. The panel will be headed by Justice Sapre, a retired judge of the Supreme Court. Both institutions told CNBC recently that their exposure to the Adani Group was manageable.

BENGALURU, March 2 (Reuters) - U.S. boutique investment firm GQG Partners has bought shares worth $1.87 billion in four Adani group companies, marking the first major investment in the Indian conglomerate since a short-seller's critical report sparked a stock rout. U.S-based, Australia-listed GQG has, through block deals, bought shares worth 154.46 billion rupees in four Adani group companies, including the conglomerate's flagship firm Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS), a regulatory filing showed. GQG took a 3.4% stake in Adani Enterprises for about $662 million, 4.1% in Adani Ports for $640 million, 2.5% in Adani Transmission for $230 million, and a 3.5% stake in Adani Green Energy for $340 million. "This transaction marks the continued confidence of global investors in the governance, management practices and the growth of Adani Portfolio of companies," said Adani Group CFO Jugeshinder Singh. In the run-up to the announcement, Adani group shares rallied, with Adani Enterprises climbing nearly 35% over the last three sessions, Adani Ports 11% and Adani Green Energy 16%.

☆ India court asks regulator to check on Adani's related party transactions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Arpan Chaturvedi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Supreme Court of India also ordered the formation of an investor-protection panel amid sharp falls in the Adani group's shares. The Supreme Court asked SEBI to check "whether there has been a failure to disclose transactions with related parties" and "whether there was any manipulation of stock prices in contravention of existing laws". Seven listed companies of the Adani group have lost about $135 billion in value since the report was published. In its rebuttal, Adani said "all related party transactions are at arm's length, properly disclosed and reviewed/audited by statutory independent auditors". The court also formed a panel to be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to examine how investor protection mechanisms can be strengthened.

☆ India's market regulator bars 21 entities in Axis mutual fund front-running case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Jayshree Pyasi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, Feb 28 (Reuters) - India's market regulator on Tuesday issued interim orders in a case of alleged front-running at Axis Mutual Fund, while issuing show cause orders to a former mutual fund executive and related entities. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) directed that 21 entities be barred from the capital markets until further orders. The regulator conducted a probe in a case of front running in trades of Axis MF between September 2021 and March 31, 2022. The regulator alleged that Joshi conceived a 'fraudulent scheme' in 'collusion' with other 'unscrupulous entities' to front run trades of Axis MF. Further front-running trades were executed from trading accounts of the entities and persons indirectly connected to Joshi.

☆ India setting up $4 bln fund to backstop corporate debt market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Jayshree Pyasi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 17 (Reuters) - India is setting up a fund worth 330 billion rupees ($4 billion) to provide liquidity to its corporate debt market during bouts of stress, to help stem panic selling and ease redemption pressures, an SBI Mutual Fund executive told Reuters. During times of stress, the backstop fund could step into the market to buy relatively illiquid investment grade bonds. "This backstop facility fund comes out of Indian market peculiarity that the bonds are investment grade and still illiquid," said Anubhav Shrivastava, partner, Infinity Alternatives, an alternate investment fund (AIF). "The market for secondary corporate bonds is thin which is why we need the buyer and seller of last resort, the backstop fund will do this." The fund is small relative to 39 trillion rupees ($471 billion) Indian corporate bond market, but its size could be increased later, the source said.

New Delhi/London CNN —India’s market regulator is looking into the explosive allegations against Adani Group made by US short seller Hindenburg Research, which accused the conglomerate of “the largest con in corporate history.”The claims, published in late January, set off a crash in the company’s market value and robbed its owner Gautam Adani of his title as Asia’s richest man, as a 400-page rebuttal by the conglomerate failed to reassure investors. Adani Group did not respond to a CNN request for comment on the inquiry on Tuesday. The balance sheet of each of its independent portfolio companies is “very healthy” and “our business plan is fully funded,” the spokesperson told CNN. On Tuesday, shares of many of the listed firms controlled by the conglomerate slid again in Mumbai. Although Adani Enterprises rose 1.9%, there were 5% falls in the stocks of Adani Transmission, Adani Total Gas, Adani Power and Adani Total.

☆ India watchdog probes short-seller's allegations about Adani, market activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Arpan Chaturvedi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) also said it was looking into the market activity immediately before and after Hindenburg published its report on Jan. 24, the filing said. Led by billionaire Gautam Adani, Adani Group's seven listed companies have together lost about $120 billion in market value since Hindenburg's critical report, which included allegations of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation, Adani Group has denied the allegations. Earlier on Monday, India's Adani Group sought to reassure investors, saying its business plans were fully-funded, its cashflows strong and it remained confident of delivering attractive returns to shareholders. SEBI has been examining trade patterns and any potential irregularities in the $2.5 billion share sale of flagship company Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) that the Adani group was forced to cancel due to the plunge in its shares, Reuters has previously reported citing sources. SEBI confirmed the existence of the investigation for the first time in its Supreme Court filing.

☆ Indian market regulator to update finance ministry on Adani probe this week - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Jayshree Pyasi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MUMBAI, Feb 13 (Reuters) - India's market regulator will update the finance ministry this week on its investigation into the Adani Group's withdrawn $2.5 billion follow-on public issue, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. The SEBI board will brief the minister on surveillance measures taken by the regulator during the recent rout in Adani group stocks, the sources added. An update on investigations into offshore fund flows into Adani Group entities is also likely, the sources added. The regulator had undertaken a series of surveillance actions to ensure that the volatility in the Adani group companies' share prices was contained. This will be a part of the brief to the finance minister on Wednesday, the sources said.

☆ Indian market regulator to update finance minister on Adani probe this week, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

India's market regulator will provide an update on its investigations into the Adani Group's withdrawn follow-on public issue this week, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. The board of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is scheduled to meet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Feb. 15, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they are not allowed to speak to the media. SEBI's board will brief the finance minister on surveillance measures taken by the regulator during the recent rout in Adani group stocks, the sources said. The Indian conglomerate's listed entities have lost more than $100 billion in market value since a scathing report by a U.S. short seller in late January. An update on investigations into offshore fund flows into Adani Group entities is also likely, the sources added.

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