Securities and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) new measures to curb derivatives trading could halve volumes in the futures and options (F&O) segment, according to a media report.

Media report citing sources said that volumes could drop by as much as 50 per cent after new measures take effect. They expect around 50 to 60 per cent of traders to exit the F&O segment due to higher contract sizes.

Sources further said, "If there is no change in the volume of the derivatives market after the implementation of the new rules, then SEBI can take further action."

"Due to SEBI's action, the average trade size of futures and options may increase to Rs 20,000 in FY 2025, which is currently Rs 5,500," the report stated.

SEBI tightened the F&O segment rules on Tuesday.

A 55-year-old doctor was shot dead at a private nursing home in the Kalindi Kunj area in Delhi's Jaitpur on Thursday.

The victim was identified as Dr Javed Akhtar, a practitioner of Unani Medicine at the three-bedded Nima Hospital.

After receiving information about the crime, the District Crime Team and FSL Rohini Team were rushed to the scene, police said.

Hospital staff told police that two teenagers, one of whom was treated a day before for a toe injury, came to the medical facility and asked for a change of dressing at 1.00 a.m.

Later, the teenagers said that they wanted a prescription and went to the cabin of Akhtar after which a gunshot was heard, the staff said.

Indian equity indices were trading the deep red on Thursday following weak global cues amid escalating tension in the Middle East and worries over full-fledged war between Iran and Israel.

At 9.38 a.m., Sensex was down 589 points or 0.69 per cent at 83,686 and Nifty was down 174 points or 0.68 per cent at 25,622.

In the early trading hour, broader market trends remained weak. On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), 256 shares were in the green and 1,188 shares were in the red.

Twenty-eight out of 30 Sensex stocks were trading in the red.

Wipro, Asian Paints, Tata Motors, M&M, Maruti Suzuki, Reliance, Nestle, ICICI Bank, Titan, TCS, L&T, HUL, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finserv, HUL, Axis Bank and Bajaj Finance were the top losers. Only JSW Steel and Tata Steel were in the green.

The India equity capital markets hit a record high and raised $49.2 billion in the first nine months this year (January-September period) -- a massive 115 per cent growth compared to a year ago -- surpassing the annual record set in 2020 by proceeds, a report showed on Thursday.

The number of equity capital market offerings also saw a 61 per cent increase year-on-year, according the report by LSEG, a global financial markets infrastructure and data provider.

Initial public offerings (IPO) from Indian issuers raised $9.2 billion, up 96 per cent compared to the same period last year, making it the highest first nine-month total since 2021.

A record 22.98 lakh director KYC forms have been filed in the first six months of the current fiscal (FY25), exceeding the entire FY24 figures, the government informed.

According to a Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) statement, it observed robust director KYC filing during FY25.

From April 1 till September 30, 22.98 lakh DIR-3 KYC forms were filed, compared to 20.54 lakh forms filed during the same period last fiscal.

“The filing upto September 2024 during FY25 has exceeded filing of 22.02 lakh forms during entire FY23-24,” the ministry noted.

Indian equity indices closed with marginal losses as shares of heavyweights like Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank weighed on them.

At closing, Sensex was down 33 points at 84,266 and Nifty was down 13 points at 25,796.

Buying was seen in the midcap and smallcap stocks. Nifty midcap 100 index was at 60,358, up 204 points or 0.34 per cent, and Nifty smallcap 100 index was at 19,331, up 151 points or 0.79 per cent.

The market sentiment was positive. On the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), 2,308 shares were in the green, 1,655 in the red and 91 closed without any change.

Among the sectoral indices, Auto, IT, PSU bank, pharma, metal and media contributed the most. Fin service, FMCG, realty, energy, private bank and PSE were the major laggards.

The SEBI board has approved the introduction of a new investment product under the existing Mutual Fund framework that aims to curtail the proliferation of unregistered and unauthorised investment schemes/entities, which often promise unrealistic high returns and exploit investors’ expectations for better yields, leading to potential financial risks.

According to the markets regulator, the new asset class is intended to bridge the gap between Mutual Funds and Portfolio Management Services in terms of flexibility in portfolio construction.

As per SEBI, the new Mutual Fund product aims to provide investors with a professionally managed and well regulated product that offers greater flexibility, higher risk-taking capabilities for higher ticket size, while ensuring that appropriate safeguards and risk mitigation measures are in place.

Indian equity indices opened in the green on Tuesday following positive cues from Asian peers and US markets.

At 9:39 a.m., Sensex was at 84,461, up 161 points or 0.19 per cent and Nifty was at 25,858, up 47 points or 0.18 per cent.

The market trend remained positive. On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), 1560 shares were in the green and 733 shares in the red.

In the Sensex pack, Tech Mahindra, L&T, SBI, M&M, Bajaj Finserv, Power Grid, Wipro, Kotak Mahindra, Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank and Tata Motors were the top gainers. Asian Paints, JSW Steel, HUL, Tata Steel, Maruti Suzuki, ITC, Sun Pharma and IndusInd Bank were the top losers.

Indian equity indices closed in the deep red on Monday, following profit booking at a higher level.

At closing, Sensex fell 1,272 points, or 1.49 per cent, to 84,299 and Nifty fell 368 points, or 1.41 per cent, to 25,810.

The decline was led by banking stocks. Nifty Bank closed at 52,978, down 856 points or 1.59 per cent.

Due to the sharp fall, the market cap of all the listed companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) fell by about Rs 4 lakh crore to Rs 474 lakh crore.

In the Sensex pack, JSW Steel, NTPC, Tata Steel, Titan, and Asian Paints were the top gainers. Reliance, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Nestle, Tech Mahindra, M&M, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Motors, SBI, Infosys, and Sun Pharma were the top losers.

F&O trades and mutual funds are reportedly the focal point of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) board meeting being held on Monday.

According to reports, the markets regulator may approve tighter curbs on F&O trading due to the immense losses faced by individual traders.

Additionally, the board may discuss the introduction of a new asset class between mutual funds and portfolio management services to offer investors more diversity in investment management.

SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch had mentioned at the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) event recently that the SEBI is on the verge of bringing MF lite regulations and has had detailed consultations on the subject. She mentioned that there needs to be some relaxation in terms of the distribution of these kinds of funds.