Last month, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) established an expert committee to address the issue of high retail participation driving excessive speculation in the share market. Among the committee's suggestions, two primary measures could significantly impact trading volumes if implemented:
1. A substantial increase in contract size, making trading derivatives unaffordable for small-ticket traders, and a limitation on weekly expiries, reducing trading opportunities.
2. Other proposals include limiting strike prices, requiring the upfront collection of option premiums from buyers, intra-day monitoring of position limits, and increasing margin requirements closer to expiry.
These recommendations will be reviewed by the Secondary Market Advisory Committee before a final decision. The Working Committee on Futures and Options has proposed several measures to control the rapid increase in derivatives trading volume. The main recommendations include raising the minimum lot size of derivative contracts from ₹5 lakh to between ₹20 lakh and ₹30 lakh, limiting weekly options to one expiry per stock exchange per week, and reducing the number of strike prices for options contracts. These changes aim to curb excessive speculation in the derivatives market.
The surge in derivatives volume in India has raised concerns. Although SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch has stated that the increase does not pose a systemic risk due to a robust margining system, the social consequences of high retail participation in derivatives trading are troubling. Anecdotal evidence suggests many individuals are borrowing money to trade options, hoping for quick profits, despite SEBI studies showing that nearly 90 percent of retail traders lose money on options bets. Market experts argue that most weekly contracts are used for speculation rather than for hedging purposes. SEBI Chairperson Buch expressed openness to removing any derivative products if recommended by the committee, stating, "We are entirely data-driven. If that’s what needs to be done, and that’s what the committee recommends, and we agree with the logic, we will do it."
SEBI data indicates that the total derivative turnover has surged from ₹210 lakh crore in FY18 to ₹500 lakh crore in FY24. The Futures and Options (F&O) segment has experienced significant growth in retail investor participation, which has increased by more than 40 percent, from 65 lakh in FY23 to 96 lakh in FY24. Additionally, individual participation in index options has skyrocketed, climbing from 2 percent in FY18 to 41 percent in FY24, according to the report.​​​​​​​
How will this impact Retail Traders?
If the contract size is significantly increased, small-ticket traders will be excluded due to the high costs. Traders will have fewer opportunities as the number of weekly expiries will be limited if approved. Other proposals include reducing the number of strike prices, requiring the upfront collection of option premiums from buyers, and implementing intra-day monitoring of position limits.
Market experts note that most weekly contracts offer minimal economic benefit as they are primarily used for speculation rather than for hedging, which is intended to mitigate risk by taking offsetting positions in the market to protect against price fluctuations. There is substantial evidence that many inexperienced individuals borrow money to trade options, hoping to make quick profits in the highly risky F&O market. A SEBI study even suggests that around 90% of retail traders lose money on options bets, with an average loss of ₹50,000.
The proposed changes by SEBI aim to mitigate the risks associated with high retail participation in the derivatives market, potentially protecting inexperienced traders from significant financial losses. These measures could impact the dynamics of the BSE Sensex and the broader share market, influencing investment strategies that include mutual funds and demat accounts. Investors and market participants await the final decisions, which could reshape trading practices in India.
Financial Calculators: SIP Calculator | SWP Calculator | Compound Interest Calculator | EMI Calculator | FD Calculator | Retirement Calculator | Option Value Calculator | Inflation Calculator | Lumpsum Calculator
Popular Stocks: ICICI Bank Share Price | HDFC Bank Share Price | CDSL Share Price | UPL Share Price | TCS Share Price | BHEL Share Price | Trident Share Price | IRFC Share Price | Adani Power Share Price