RBI impose restrictions on banks for trading in currency F&O

10 Jul 2013 Evaluate

In order to control the fall in rupee, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed restriction on banks with regard to trading in currency Futures and Options (F&O) with immediate effect. The RBI move is aimed at checking the declining value of rupee which recently touched its life-time low of 61.21 per dollar on account of heavy demand for the American currency.

As per the RBI new norms, the banks have been barred from trading in currency futures and exchange traded currency options market on their own. However, be allowed to trade on behalf of their clients. It is felt that large-scale speculations on currency future movements might be adding downward pressure on the Indian currency as derivative trading on currency allows investors to take forward views on various currency pairs, including rupee-dollar.  

Market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) also tightened the exposure norms for currency derivatives to check large scale speculations in the market. SEBI increased the margin requirement on the domestic dollar-rupee forward trade to 100% of the traded amount.

In a related move, RBI met oil retailers to discuss options to ease pressure on the rupee, including accessing dollars at market rates from a special central bank window and later asked each state-run oil company to buy dollars from a single bank to check the rupee's fall.

The government is concerned over the falling rupee value and wants a harmonious relationship between the finance ministry, the RBI and SEBI so that possible coordinated steps can be taken to stem the rupee's slide.

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