In a significant move that reflects growing investor confidence in the Indian economy, private sector banks made a record single-day purchase of government bonds on Friday, totaling a net of 83.43 billion rupees ($1 billion). This marks the largest such purchase since November 15, 2016, and brings the total bond buying for November to over 200 billion rupees, reversing the trend of net sales seen in October.
A sizeable chunk of this purchase, approximately 50 billion rupees, was reportedly made by a large corporate through a private sector bank. This substantial investment signals renewed interest in government bonds from both institutional and corporate investors.
Private banks have been steadily increasing their purchases of government bonds in recent months, driven by the need to redeploy funds from maturing papers and a favorable macroeconomic environment. With nearly 1.7 trillion rupees of government bonds maturing over the next month, private banks are likely to continue their active participation in the bond market.
The improving macroeconomic landscape, characterized by easing U.S. inflation and a potential peak in the rate hike cycle, has further fueled investor appetite for government bonds. This is evident in the recent surge in trading activity among private banks, who are seeking to capitalize on attractive returns offered by government securities.
Moreover, diminished expectations of debt sales from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have further bolstered buying sentiment. The RBI’s absence from the secondary bond market in recent weeks has contributed to tighter liquidity conditions, making government bonds even more appealing to investors.
Overall, the record-breaking purchase of government bonds by private sector banks underscores the growing confidence in the Indian economy and the attractiveness of government securities as an investment option. With favorable macroeconomic conditions and improving liquidity, the bond market is poised for continued growth and investor participation.