Thursday, November 06, 2008

Norway fund to put $2 bn in India

New Delhi: In a move that will bring considerable relief to Indian equity markets roiled by the global credit crisis, the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund (SWF), plans to invest around $2 billion (about Rs9,772 crore) in India, primarily in equities, over the next two months because it has increased India’s weightage in its investment portfolio.
According to Thorvald Moe, deputy secretary general in the Norwegian finance ministry, India’s weightage was enhanced recently to 0.94% from the earlier 0.2%. The enhanced weightage will see an inflow into India of around $2 billion, which needs to be invested by the end of this year, Moe said.
This money will come into the country at a time when foreign institutional investors (FIIs), the main driver of Indian stock markets, have taken out close to $11.2 billion from the country since January.
In this period, Sensex, the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange has fallen by almost 50% to 10,683.39, the level it closed at on Tuesday.

Read more at Livemint