logo
India limits equity derivatives expiries to Tuesdays and Thursdays: IFR

India limits equity derivatives expiries to Tuesdays and Thursdays: IFR

Zawya4 days ago

India's market regulator said expiries of all equity derivatives contracts will be limited to Tuesdays or Thursdays to protect investor interests and promote market stability.
Spacing out expiry days through the week reduces concentration risk and provides exchanges an opportunity to offer product differentiation to market participants, the Securities and Exchange Board of India said in a statement on Monday. Additionally, "too many expiry days has the potential to revive expiry day hyperactivity which could jeopardize investor protection and market stability," the regulator said.
The change is effective June 15. Sebi in March launched a consultation for this proposal after the National Stock Exchange proposed changing its expiry day to Monday, a day before BSE's. Currently, NSE offers expiries on Thursdays.
Exchanges will need to seek prior Sebi approval to modify the settlement day of their derivatives contracts, the regulator said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Performance-driven marketing firm Wisoft Solutions launches Indian operations
Performance-driven marketing firm Wisoft Solutions launches Indian operations

Khaleej Times

time4 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

Performance-driven marketing firm Wisoft Solutions launches Indian operations

Wisoft Solutions, a UAE-based digital marketing agency with over a decade of operations in the Gulf region, has announced the expansion of its operations to Bengaluru, India. The move is part of the company's broader vision to create a seamless marketing bridge between businesses operating across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Founded in Dubai in 2010, Wisoft solutions has grown into a performance-focused agency with clients across real estate, education and healthcare sectors. The company has also established a presence in Saudi Arabia and the United States. With India emerging as a key digital economy, the new Bengaluru hub is expected to enhance its ability to support brands navigating expansion between the GCC and India. 'India is not just a strategic geography for digital consumption — it's increasingly becoming a destination for business expansion and brand building,' said Saji S Nair, CEO and founder of Wisoft Solutions. 'We've worked with many Gulf-based brands seeking traction in Indian markets and vice versa. Bengaluru allows us to be on the ground, closer to evolving consumer behaviours, talent, and innovation.' Wisoft's move comes at a time when businesses in both regions are investing more heavily in marketing technologies and automation. The company's offerings, which include performance marketing, SEO, digital branding, social engagement strategies, and marketing automation, are positioned to serve organisations looking to optimise visibility and customer acquisition in a cross-border context. The choice of Bengaluru, India's technology and innovation capital, aligns with the city's growing importance as a hub for startups, multinational firms, and data-driven service industries. Wisoft solutions aims to collaborate with Indian enterprises expanding into GCC markets, particularly in sectors such as education, healthcare, fintech and real estate. Sangeetha Saji, managing director, noted that the expansion also builds on the existing expertise the company has cultivated across regional markets. 'We understand the nuances of both the GCC and Indian audiences. This dual-market fluency helps us offer targeted strategies that reflect cultural, linguistic and platform-specific preferences.' The expansion signals an increasing integration between digital economies in the Middle East and India, a trend accelerated by e-commerce growth, cross-border investment and diaspora-driven demand. Wisoft's Bengaluru office is expected to focus on strategy consulting, campaign execution and digital infrastructure services for clients operating across these economic corridors. As digital-first strategies become a prerequisite for business scalability, Wisoft solutions's expanded footprint aims to meet the rising need for high-performance, localised marketing execution with global scalability.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a balloon theatre bringing the cinema experience to rural India
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a balloon theatre bringing the cinema experience to rural India

The National

time10 hours ago

  • The National

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a balloon theatre bringing the cinema experience to rural India

When a bright yellow inflatable structure appeared in the heart of Leh, a remote Himalayan town 3,505 metres above sea level, Jigmet Angchok initially mistook it for a bouncy castle. But when he stepped inside the "balloon theatre" he found a fully-fledged cinema equipped with Dolby digital sound, plush pushback seats and stunning picture quality. The radio DJ, 32, was inside the world's highest-altitude cinema and couldn't contain his excitement. 'I was always curious about what it was like to watch a film on a big screen,' Angchok tells The National. 'This wonderful theatre had appeared in front of my eyes, just like the ones in big cities.' Cinema frenzy nation India is a nation of movie buffs, with 2,000 different Hindi or Bollywood and regional productions shown in cinemas each year. But for millions, particularly in rural parts of the country, a night at the cinema has long been a distant and expensive dream. Since 1913, when a film was shown on the big screen for the first time, cinemas have evolved from single screen theatres to multiplexes. But there are only 10,000 cinemas and 30,000 screens in a country that is home to 1.4 billion people. Most of them are in big cities or towns, according to research by the Producers Guild of India. For movie buffs like Angchok, watching a film in a brick-and-mortar cineplex was, for a long time, a far-fetched dream. There was not a single cinema hall in Ladakh, an arid region in northern India which generally remains covered in five metres of snow for four months during winter, until Picture Time arrived in 2021 to install an inflatable cinema. Its mobile movie theatres are designed to give an unparalleled experience to enthusiasts like Angchok. 'There used to be a cinema hall in town during my childhood, but it closed in the late 2000s,' Angchok says. 'So I grew up watching films on CD players or screened at a community hall. I always longed to watch a film at a cinema on a big screen.' About 1,500km from Leh, the capital of Ladakh, Tarun Soni had a similar experience. The cinephile had to travel 150km from his small town of Nagaur to a nearby city like Jodhpur in the desert region of Rajasthan, a journey of three hours each way, to watch a film on a big screen. All that changed for Soni when the inflatable cinema arrived. 'Initially we were apprehensive,' says the school principal, 30. 'This is a windy place and we were worried that the structure would be blown away. But once inside, we din't feel any difference. One time we were watching a film and it was raining heavily, but we did not feel a thing. The picture and sound quality is excellent. 'It is a small town and we had never had a theatrical experience before. Since this concept was introduce, people have been excited about films, especially families, because they now have a place to go for an outing.' Cinema in small towns Picture Time is the brainchild of Delhi -based entrepreneur Sushil Chaudhary, who strongly believes watching films in a cinema is 'not just entertainment but a fundamental part of life'. Chaudhary, 50, came up with the idea of bringing the big screen experience to small towns. 'Multiplex cinemas are in malls, but there is a shortage around the country,' he explains. 'I wanted something that would be more accessible and thought a portable cinema could solve the problem.' After years of research, Picture Time opened an experimental inflatable cinema in Chhattisgarh in 2019. It was a huge success, encouraging Chaudhary to replicate his idea across India. He has since set up more than 27 cinemas, from Ladakh to Bommidi in Tamil Nadu in southern India. His inflatable theatres have 120 to 180 seats and can be set up to stand on any ground for 15 years. That idea came to him when he was at a birthday party which had a bouncy castle. 'We were designing at the time,' Chaudhary recalls. 'My aim was to create an air-conditioned cinema that was easy to erect and portable.' His inflatable cinema has proper acoustics and is fire-resistant. Balanced air circulation ensures it can withstand high temperatures. Streaming challenge Streaming is all the rage these days, but a 2023 study by online platform BookMyShow found that 98 per cent of Indians still believe in the magic of cinema. India has 547.3 million users on streaming platforms but only 100 million paid subscribers, according to research by media consulting firm Ormax Media. Cinema's popularity endures. 'When we release a big film, 300 to 400 people turn up every day,' says Stenzin Tankyong, an entrepreneur who owns a Picture Time franchise in Ladakh. The big screen and audio experience are only part of the attraction. Angchok points out that cinemas give audiences a chance to enjoy a film with friends over a large tub of popcorn. 'Cinemas have charm,' he says. 'They are the complete package. People enjoy watching films on big screens with popcorn and this experience is not available at home.'

India cuts import tax on crude edible oils to help reduce food prices
India cuts import tax on crude edible oils to help reduce food prices

Khaleej Times

time10 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

India cuts import tax on crude edible oils to help reduce food prices

India halved the basic import tax on crude edible oils to 10% on Friday, the government said, as the world's biggest vegetable oil importer tries to bring down food prices and help the local refining industry. The customs duty applies to crude palm oil, crude soyoil and crude sunflower oil. It will effectively bring down the total import duty on the three oils to 16.5% from earlier 27.5% as they are also subject to India's Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess and Social Welfare Surcharge. "This is a win-win situation for vegetable oil refiners as well as consumers, as local prices will go down due to the duty reduction," said B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA). The government did not change the import duty on refined palm oil, refined soyoil or refined sunflower oil, which currently attract a 35.75% import tax. The import duty gap between refined and crude edible oils has risen to 19.25%, which will prompt importers to bring in crude edible oils instead of refined oils and boost the local refining industry, Mehta said. India meets more than 70% of its vegetable oil demand through imports. It buys palm oil mainly from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, while it imports soyoil and sunflower oil from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine. Sandeep Bajoria, CEO of Sunvin Group, a vegetable oil brokerage, said the cut in the basic duty would bring down edible oil prices and help revive retail demand, which has been subdued in recent months.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store