Sebi likely to allow foreign investors in commodity derivatives market

Markets regulator Sebi has proposed allowing foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to participate in the exchange-traded commodity derivatives market.

In its consultation paper, the regulator has suggested that FPIs should be allowed to trade in all non-agricultural commodity derivatives and a few selected broad agricultural commodity derivatives, to begin with.

The move is aimed at further increasing depth and liquidity in commodity derivative markets.

"Enhanced liquidity can gradually enable the Indian commodity derivative market to serve as a global benchmark for various commodities thereby shifting India from the role of price taker to a price setter," Sebi said.

In addition, their participation may help bring down the transaction costs in the commodity futures segment, owing to economies of scale.

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