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Mint
06-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Shareholding moves in Q4: Did retail investors' small-cap love fizzle out?
After two blistering years of runaway gains, small-cap stocks finally met their reckoning in Q4FY25. As markets wobbled under global pressures and stretched valuations, retail investors and foreign funds beat a tactical retreat while domestic mutual funds doubled down, scooping up discounted shares, Mint's shareholding analysis showed. Retail investors—those holding shares worth up to ₹ 2 lakh—reduced their stakes in 51.5% of the 932 small-cap companies listed on the BSE SmallCap index. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), often seen as sentiment drivers, also pulled back, trimming exposure in 53.5% of these stocks. But while individuals and foreign investors hesitated, domestic mutual funds stood firm, increasing their holdings in 41% of small-caps. This divergence raises a key question: Were retail investors spooked by the quarter's turbulence, or did they simply chase safer havens? "Many retail investors treated small-caps as 'get-rich-quick' tickets, piling in without fully understanding the risks," explains Anand K. Rathi, co-founder of MIRA Money. "But by late 2024, reality hit—earnings couldn't justify sky-high valuations. Stocks plunged 30-50%, and inexperienced investors, often lacking deep research, sold in panic." Also read Q4 shareholding moves: Institutional appetite for post-correction mid-caps grows 'While retail investors fled, mutual funds stayed put. "Fund managers invest after rigorous analysis," says Rathi. "They understand volatility comes with the small-cap territory and trust the long-term fundamentals." Despite the Q4 jitters, zooming out reveals a more tempered picture. Over the past 12 months, retail investors have actually grown their share in small-caps by 140 basis points, from 15% to 16.4%. But the momentum has clearly slowed, with a 10-basis-point fall sequentially. Mutual funds have increased their exposure by 40 basis points (bps) in small-caps over the year, while FPIs stakes inched up just 10 bps and showed zero movement in Q4. The slowdown, especially on the retail front, underscores caution rather than capitulation. The recent market correction brought some much-needed sanity to overheated valuations. The BSE SmallCap index, after tumbling 16% in the March quarter, now trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.6x—well below its five-year average of 44x. While that may comfort value seekers, analysts caution against getting too excited. Also read Shareholding moves in Q4: Retail investors jump ship in choppy waters 'Corrections in 2025 have helped cool speculative froth in small-caps," said Gaurav Garg, research analyst at the Lemonn markets desk. 'But many stocks still appear overvalued when you consider the tepid earnings growth. This is the sixth part of a series of data stories on the latest shareholding pattern. Read previous parts of our shareholding series here .
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
War jitters roil markets, Sensex crashes 589 points as India-Pakistan tensions escalate
In a highly volatile session, India's equity markets closed lower on Friday as investor sentiment turned cautious amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly terror attack in Kashmir. Profit-booking added to the pressure after a sharp rally in recent sessions. The benchmark index BSE Sensex was down 588.90 points or 0.74% at 79,212.53, and the NSE Nifty was down 207.35 points or 0.86% at 24,039.35. Broader indices underperformed with BSE midcap and smallcap indices falling 2.5% each. Benchmarks opened higher but plummeted sharply in early trade, with the Sensex crashing 1,200 points to an intraday low of 78,606 and the Nifty50 tumbling nearly 400 points to 23,848. Market volatility spiked, with India's fear gauge (VIX) surging 6% on Friday Vinit Bolinjkar, Head of Research at Ventura, said Pakistan's statement that any interference with the Indus Waters Treaty would be considered an "act of war" has significantly amplified investor concerns, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam incident and India's response. 'This rapid decline in bilateral relations, stemming from the attack, India's retaliatory actions (including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and downgrading diplomatic ties), and Pakistan's reaction, has spurred widespread selling pressure as the potential for a larger regional conflict becomes a growing worry. The increasing India VIX reflects this heightened anxiety and the market's expectation of further negative developments in the India-Pakistan relationship following the Pahalgam attack and India's subsequent steps,' stated Bolinjkar. Among the sectoral indices, the IT sector showed strength. Most other sectors traded with a negative bias, with Realty, Healthcare & Pharma, Energy, and Metals emerging as the major laggards. Anand K. Rathi, Co-Founder of MIRA Money, said the recent run up from the bottom was impressive, and many investors are likely looking to book profits, especially considering that Indian markets have outperformed despite global volatility. He added that while no one wants a war, the uncertainty surrounding the situation raises worries about potential conflict. 'Historical precedents, such as during the Kargil War when the markets dropped by 15% in a short period, highlight how geopolitical tensions can lead investors to exit equity markets. Although we are not experiencing a decline of that magnitude now, the increasing tensions have created an opportunity for investors to pull out of the equity market, which is contributing to the current downturn,' stated Rathi. Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments, said that mid and small-cap stocks bore the brunt of the sell-off, driven by their elevated valuations and growing concerns over potential earnings downgrades following a muted start to the earnings season. 'The risk of the correction continuing in the near term is evident as investors adopt a wait-and-watch stance. However, it is a good time for persistent investors to dip into it, given the resilient nature of the Indian stock market during external & geopolitical volatility,' added Nair.
