The term SGX Nifty is widely used in the global and Indian stock markets. SGX's full form is Singapore Exchange. But what is SGX Nifty and why is it so important? SGX Nifty is a derivative of the Nifty 50 index, traded on the Singapore Exchange (SGX). It is a representation of the performance of 50 major companies listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India. It provides an international investor with the opportunity to trade Nifty futures contracts without entering the Indian markets directly.
What is Nifty?
It is famous by the name Nifty 50, a stock market index, meaning it comprises 50 of the largest and most liquid companies listed on National Stock Exchange of India. The index is a reference point for recording the performance of the Indian stock market, reflecting the country's economic and industrial health.
Nifty was launched in 1996 by the NSE, covering a large number of sectors, from IT to banking and pharmaceuticals with energy sources. It is used mainly by portfolio managers and index funds and also is a benchmark for mutual funds.
The Nifty floats on the free-float method of market capitalization weighting. Hence, it reflects the performance of its constituent stocks, adjusted for market capitalization, in terms of how much of the shares are floating in the public arena.
Therefore, Nifty is an extremely important market trend indicator and a benchmark of investment opportunities for Indian traders and investors. Its derivatives in the form of futures and options are very highly traded in the NSE and used for hedging and speculation.
How is SGX Nifty Different from Indian Nifty?
Aspect
| SGX Nifty
| Indian Nifty
|
Trading Platform
| Singapore Exchange (SGX)
| National Stock Exchange (NSE)
|
Participants
| Primarily international investors
| Domestic and international investors
|
Trading Hours
| Longer trading hours, including overnight
| Limited to Indian market hours
|
Settlement
| Settled in USD
| Settled in Indian Rupees
|
Regulation
| Governed by SGX regulations
| Governed by SEBI and NSE regulations
|
How will SGX Nifty reflect on the Indian market?
The opening trends of SGX Nifty often serve as precursors to the Indian stock market. Starting from the pre-market hours, the trader can forecast the market sentiment from the SGX Nifty price and prepare for it. Hence, this interlinked behavior underlines its importance in shaping the opening and early moves of the Indian market.
Risk Management and Hedging
The SGX Nifty provides the perfect hedging of the portfolios of the investors with derivative instruments that mirror the Nifty 50 Index. This happens especially when the NSE is closed and there happen to be market hours found in other locations globally.
Global Economic Structure Differences
It gives a global platform for international exposure of the Indian market. It helps bridge economic disparities, thus helping facilitate smooth trades across regions and time zones.
Interconnected Behavior of Nifty and SGX Nifty
SGX Nifty is supposed to forecast the opening trend of the Indian stock markets. Thus, it demonstrates again the interconnectedness of all these indices.
Advantages of SGX Nifty
Global Exposure
SGX Nifty allows international investors to invest in the Indian market even if they do not have access to Indian exchanges like the NSE. It is highly relevant for FIIs that wish to diversify their portfolios and benefit from one of the world's fastest-growing economies. Because it is traded in USD, there is no need for currency conversion while trading in SGX Nifty, thus making it an easier option for global participants.
Risk Management
This hedge of an investor to exposed Indian equities may be created using SGX Nifty. For instance, an overseas investor holding Indian shares will short SGX Nifty if he perceives that there will be a near-term decline of the market. This instrument is even more useful at times other than market hours in India, as it will efficiently help in mitigating risk due to a global event or geopolitical event.
Disadvantages of SGX Nifty
Limited Accuracy
Although SGX Nifty share price fairly often reflects the performance of the NSE's Nifty 50, it's not always a mirror in the market opening. In addition, domestic policies, corporate earnings, or several others in unlooked-for news can send NSE's performance off on a different tangent from that indicated for the SGX Nifty. This limitation makes it an unreliable single indicator for trading strategies.
Regulatory Risks
The Indian and Singapore exchanges have been discussing and negotiating over the years related to continuation of SGX Nifty contracts. Regulatory changeovers such as shifting trading to GIFT City may affect the trading dynamics and create uncertainties for players. The uncertainty would lead to a downfall in the trading volume and the confidence of investors.
Market Manipulation Concerns
With the exposure around the world and influencing nature, the speculative activities may target SGX Nifty. Large players may use it to change the market sentiment or deceive traders of what may happen in the NSE. Such manipulative behavior would distort the price signals, and the traders would be making suboptimal decisions.
Conclusion
The most important tool for the investors and traders would be SGX Nifty, which provides global accessibility besides risk management opportunities. Important to note, however, are the limitations of this tool, besides its interrelation with Indian markets when investment decisions are being made. SGX Nifty understanding allows traders to know more about navigation in both global and Indian markets.