
Amfi seeks use of intraday loans to buy securities as Sebi defers strict mutual fund borrowing norms
India’s mutual fund body has asked the market regulator to allow fund houses to use intraday borrowings from banks to purchase securities after it deferred implementation of the new norms to July, according to two people aware of the development.On 13 March, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) tightened regulations and allowed fund houses to borrow funds from banks on an intraday basis only for repurchase or redemption of units, payment of interest, or income distribution-cum-capital withdrawal payouts to unitholders. The new rules were to have become effective on 1 April, Sebi said in a circular.“The circular will tie up mutual funds’ hands.
Mutual funds have told the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) and Amfi is talking to Sebi about this,” one person said.The regulator permitted such borrowing without an upper limit on the condition that it is backed by guaranteed same-day receivables from maturity proceeds from government securities such as Treasury Bills Repurchases (TREPS) and G-Secs.However, in a follow-up circular on March 25, Sebi deferred the implementation of the intraday borrowing guidelines to 15 July, citing “operational challenges” raised by asset management companies (AMCs). The deferral gives the regulator and fund houses a window to revisit the new rules.The restriction had unsettled AMCs, which used intraday borrowings to also fund purchase of securities.
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