US equity funding markets remain strained as high demand for leverage, driven by tech and AI stock enthusiasm, keeps repo rates elevated. Despite some easing, risks persist due to limited dealer balance sheet capacity and concentrated positions, raising concerns that any market correction could be sharper and more disruptive.
Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath reaffirmed the company’s commitment to offering direct mutual funds free of charge. He said Coin has helped investors save commissions, while many rival platforms have exited or reconsidered the low-cost direct mutual fund business model.
Indian equities recovered after Wednesday’s sharp selloff, with Sensex and Nifty closing higher as midcaps and smallcaps outperformed. Falling India VIX, supportive global cues and improving domestic outlook boosted sentiment, though geopolitical risks and Fed inflation concerns kept investors cautious.
American Bitcoin, though, stuck with its crypto strategy and has seen its shares slump more than 95% from their peak. That’s erased more than $600 million from the market value of Eric Trump’s stake over the past 10 months, according to Bloomberg calculations, and forced the company this week into a 1-for-15 reverse stock split to maintain its Nasdaq listing. On Wednesday, its stock price hit an all-time low.
SBI Funds Management is confident its Rs 11,600-crore IPO will succeed despite market volatilities. The asset manager aims to double its international book to USD 5 billion within three years. This revenue augmentation plan includes expanding global presence and staff. The company is also focusing on its alternatives business and potential acquisitions. Parent SBI contributes significantly to sales, particularly with safer hybrid schemes.
Hedge funds have recently faced substantial setbacks, primarily due to widespread trades within unstable markets. Systematic managers lost about 25% of their returns for the year, significantly affecting their overall performance. This downturn arose from substantial bets on U.S. and Asian equities, both of which faced dramatic price fluctuations. Additionally, fundamental managers also reported losses after withdrawing from the saturated tech sector.
Wall Street rose as chip stocks rallied, offsetting concerns over escalating US-Iran tensions. Gains in semiconductor firms, led by Micron and Applied Materials, lifted indexes, while Meta slipped on AI chip updates. Stable jobless claims supported sentiment, though volatility in AI-linked stocks and rate hike expectations kept markets cautious.
India's new-age firms are set to hit a valuation of one trillion dollars by 2030, with approximately 210 companies preparing to enter public markets within the next two years. There’s a noticeable uptick in participation from domestic institutional investors in the IPO arena. Today's investors are emphasizing companies that exhibit profitable growth and resilience, resulting in a consistently thriving IPO market with a strong global standing.
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