Foreign Portfolio Investors' net inflow at Rs 16,500 crore in April

Foreign investors have pumped in a whopping Rs 16,500 crore in the Indian capital markets this month so far on the back of improved investor sentiment and growth in manufacturing sector.

This comes following a record net inflow of Rs 56,944 crore ($8.7 billion) last month, mainly on expectations that BJP's victory in the recently held assembly polls would lead to faster reforms.

In February, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) had made a net investment of Rs 15,862 crore in equity and debt markets. Prior to that, FPIs had pulled out more than Rs 80,000 crore between October 2016 to January 2017.

A major boost to the investor sentiment came last week from the latest Nikkei India Manufacturing PMI data, which showed the factory output growth rising to a five-month high in March, indicating a further improvement in the health of India's manufacturing sector, experts said.

According to depository data, FPIs infused a net sum of Rs 2,997 crore in equities during April 3-13 and another Rs 13,531 crore in the debt segment, translating into a combined inflow of Rs 16,529 crore ($2.54 billion).

With this, total inflow has reached to Rs 85,156 crore ($13 billion) so far this year in the capital markets (equity and debt).

Geojit Financial Services Chief Market Strategist Anand James said: "The prospects of a gradual US rate hike looks to have improved the risk appetite. This should also mean, save a negative surprise from monsoon forecast, fourth quarter numbers should prompt investors to be forward looking.