BSE to auction investment limits for Rs 561-cr for govt bonds

Leading bourse BSE will auction, tomorrow, investment limits for foreign investors to buy government debt securities worth Rs 561 crore.

The auction will be conducted on BSE's ebidxchange platform from 1530 hours to 1730 hours after close of normal market hours on August 31, the exchange said in a circular.

The debt auction quota gives overseas investors the right to invest in the debt up to the limit purchased.

Depository data showed that total investments, including limits acquired by foreign investors through the auction route, stood at Rs 1,23,876 crore till August 6, which is 99.5% of the total permitted investment limit of Rs 1,24,432 crore in government debt securities.

Consequently, exchange would conduct an auction for the allocation of unutilised debt limits on August 31.

A mock bidding session was conducted on Friday to check the system performance, BSE (formerly known as Bombay Stock Exchange) said.

During earlier auctions, government bonds have always been subscribed multiple times, given the huge interest among foreign investors, while the demand for corporate bonds remains less.

Earlier this month, National Stock Exchange (NSE) conducted an auction for government bonds worth Rs 556 crore, which attracted bids worth Rs 974 crore.

Foreign investors are allowed to invest up to $25 billion (Rs 1,24,432 crore) in government debt securities through auction while an investment of up to $5 billion (Rs 29,137 crore) is permitted 'on tap'.

Further, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is in talks with the government to reset FII limit in government bonds in rupee terms.