Sebi brings risk-o-meter for debt securities; eases norms for debt-raising

Sebi introduces Credit Risk-o-Meter, eases private debt norms; NSE flags steep premiums in some international ETFs

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Wednesday introduced a mandatory ‘Credit Risk-o-Meter’ for debt securities to help investors assess credit risk through colour-coded visualisation. The framework will apply to listed and proposed issuances of non-convertible securities, commercial papers, securitised debt instruments, security receipts and structured debt. The meter will map credit ratings from AAA to D across six risk levels.      

 

Sebi eases norms for debt-raising 

Sebi on Wednesday eased norms for privately placed debt, raising the maximum number of international securities identification numbers maturing in a financial year to 17. Of these, 12 are for plain vanilla debt, a limit that can rise for issuers with large maturities, and five for structured-type debt. Six more are allowed for Section 54EC capital gains tax bonds.    

 

 

NSE cautions investors on global ETFs 

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has advised investors to exercise caution while trading certain international exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are currently trading at substantial premiums to their net asset value (NAV). NSE said overseas investment limits available to mutual funds have been fully utilised, restricting the creation of fresh ETF units. NSE urged investors to check the latest NAVs on the exchange, Amfi website or their trading platforms before placing orders.    

 

 Investors buying ETFs at steep premiums could face sharp price declines unrelated to the underlying securities, particularly if overseas investment limits are increased or ETF price-band rules change from April 1, 2027, it said.

 

HD Fire Protect’s ₹712 cr IPO to open on Oct 13  

Fire protection equipment and systems manufacturer HD Fire Protect on Wednesday fixed the price band at ₹258-271 per equity share for its upcoming ₹712-crore initial public offering (IPO). At the upper end of the price band, it will command a valuation of about ₹4,750 crore. The issue will open for public subscription on October 13 and close on October 15. The bidding for anchor investors will take place on October 12, the firm said. The IPO comprises an Offer for Sale (OFS) of 2.63 crore equity shares.     

 

Kotak Securities rebrands retail biz as Kotak Neo, unifies retail ops 

Kotak Securities on Wednesday rebranded its retail business as Kotak Neo, unifying its broking, investing, wealth management and advisory verticals into one identity. The legal name of Kotak Securities, customer accounts, products and governance remain unchanged, the company said. The business has 67.52 lakh clients, up 200 per cent from 22.5 lakh in FY21, according to a fact sheet. It holds ₹17 trillion in depository assets and has a 14 per cent share in margin trading funding. Standalone net profit for FY26 stood at ₹1,664 crore, up 112 per cent from FY21, the fact sheet added. The company has invested over ₹1,000 crore in technology since FY21.     

    

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