Surge In Trading Seen

GILTS & BONDS Market

A lower call rate, likely to rule in the week ahead, may spur trading in the debt segment of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) .

The debt section saw dull trading of Rs 56.4 crore on Saturday, lowest for quite some time, taking the total turnover in the week ended June 14 to Rs 1567.21 crore.

This is quite low compared to the Rs 2993.69 crore turnover witnessed in the week ended June 7.

The interest on Saturday was in the securities having short maturities and the 12.69 per cent government loan maturing in 2002 saw deals worth Rs 25 crore taking place at 12.29 per cent yield , the 12.14 per cent government loan maturing in 2000 for Rs 15 crore at 11.84 per cent yield and the 364-day treasury bill maturing in April '98 was exchanged for Rs 5 crore at 8.92 per cent .

Corporate debentures segment saw trading in the new issue of 15.5 Reliance Capital debentures for around Rs 55 crore which saw deals with yields varying between 15.78 per cent and 15.6 per cent.

Market sources said a foreign ban was offloading the security. Average

turnover last week was Rs 261.2 crore, almost half that of the Rs 498.95

crore witnessed the week before.

Govt securities market accounted for Rs 1121.89 crore contributing 71.58 per cent of the total turnover at the NSE .