In current months, the 150-year-old bourse operator has steadily grown its share of index contracts on expiration days — when a lot of the buying and selling occurs as traders shut bets, roll over positions or placed on short-term wagers. For many BSE expiries since mid-July, the choices’ premium turnover represented 50% or extra of the whole contracts exchanged, up from a low of 35% in April.
India’s choices market has gone via a sea change prior to now yr because the Securities and Change Board of India sought to halt rampant hypothesis that price retail traders billions of {dollars}. The newest shake-up got here earlier this month, when the expiration day for BSE’s derivatives switched from Tuesday to Thursday — the day contracts on bigger rival Nationwide Inventory Change of India Ltd. used to run out, a course of that now happens on Tuesdays. Whereas NSE nonetheless dominates total quantity by far, the reshuffling gave BSE a uncommon alternative.
“Thursday has all the time been the merchants’ pageant day,” mentioned Ponmudi R, chief government officer of stockbroker Enrich Cash. “NSE leaving that slot was like vacating a primetime TV present. BSE stepped in, and to this point they’re getting the scores.”
India has grow to be the world’s greatest marketplace for derivatives by contracts traded, pushed by a surge in demand from retail traders drawn by low-cost brokerages and gamified apps. To halt the frenzy, SEBI started a extreme crackdown final November. The curbs ranged from eliminating merchants’ favourite contract — the weekly NSE Nifty Financial institution Index possibility — to growing minimal limits. For NSE, which nonetheless handles nearly 80% of the whole derivatives contracts exchanged, the adjustments have had a huge impact. The month-to-month choices premium turnover dropped greater than 40% via August from October, simply earlier than the curbs began, whereas its market share on BSE expiration days has slipped to round 45% this month from 65% in April.Analysts at HDFC Securities mentioned in an August be aware they anticipate additional positive aspects in market share for BSE, citing the change to Thursday expiries. Merchants now see Sensex choices because the “occasion contracts,” particularly round macro knowledge or central financial institution conferences that normally come later within the week, based on Ponmudi.
“BSE is rising as a severe contender within the expiries phase, chipping away at NSE’s long-standing lead in weekly contracts, a minimum of for now,” mentioned Chandan Taparia, head of derivatives and technicals at Motilal Oswal Monetary Providers.
The NSE launched derivatives on the flip of the century with an expiration on Thursdays. As its choices grew, so did the expiries, which at one level have been potential on as many as 4 days of the week. Pushed by SEBI, NSE streamlined its expirations to Thursdays, earlier than unexpectedly deciding earlier this yr to shift to Mondays to counter BSE’s rising traction on Tuesdays — a transfer that was rapidly deserted because the regulator compelled the exchanges to select both Tuesday or Thursday. NSE opted for Tuesdays, leaving BSE with Thursdays.
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The high-stakes authorized battle between SEBI and Jane Avenue Group LLC over choices buying and selling on expiration days has helped put India within the world highlight. The regulator added additional restrictions this month and mentioned in August it is going to suggest extending the tenure of spinoff merchandise. BSE’s share value has already fallen 32% from its document excessive in June on issues over the impression of the crackdown.
Whereas choices liquidity on BSE stays skinny past near-the-money strikes, each Thursday that BSE beats NSE in turnover chips away at a decades-old narrative of unassailable dominance.
“The true check might be if BSE can maintain its momentum for 4 months, not 4 weeks,” Ponmudi mentioned.

