Street Signs: Microcaps under microscope, double-edged deal, and more

Avendus Spark Institutional Equities narrowly sidestepped potentially disruptive error in Clean Science and Technology block trade, as investment banker was acting as buyer and seller, sources said

Last week delivered two stark reminders that microcap investments remain one of the market’s least-patrolled borders, and investors should proceed with caution. First came a three-minute clip from GKB Ophthalmics’ virtual annual general meeting — with a market capitalisation of less than ₹84 crore — in which a lone shareholder, holding a single scrip, grilled management for weak performance and underperforming peers despite decades of experience. On the same day, Securities and Exchange Board of India Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey warned mutual funds against overexposure to microcap stocks and excessive buying of illiquid, low-quality debt. Same sandbox, two distinct wake-up