FMCG, financials, IT face FII outflows; metals, durables attract buying in January first half

Nifty Trading Plan for January 21

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued to sell Indian equities during the first half of January, with fast-moving consumer goods, financial services and information technology stocks witnessing the largest outflows.

NSDL Data showed that FIIs sold over Rs 6,128 crore worth of FMCG stocks during the first half of the month, following net sales of more than Rs 5,844 crore in December. Financial services also saw heavy selling, with FIIs offloading shares worth over Rs 3,190 crore in January’s first half, after selling Rs 10,525 crore in December.

In the information technology sector, FIIs sold shares worth Rs 2,075 crore during the first half of January, reversing purchases of Rs 1,126 crore made in December.

Additional selling was recorded in consumer services, services and telecom stocks, where FIIs sold Rs 2,075 crore, Rs 1,952 crore and Rs 1,587 crore respectively. In December, FIIs had bought Rs 3,340 crore worth of consumer services stocks and Rs 234 crore in telecom shares, while selling Rs 4,278 crore in services stocks.

Healthcare and realty sectors also witnessed continued outflows, with FIIs selling Rs 1,049 crore and Rs 699 crore respectively during the first half of January, after net sales of Rs 2,994 crore and Rs 941 crore in December.

In contrast, FIIs turned buyers in metal and mining stocks, purchasing shares worth Rs 2,689 crore during the first half of the month, following net buying of Rs 2,984 crore in December.

Other sectors that saw FII inflows included capital goods and consumer durables, where purchases stood at around Rs 326 crore and Rs 322 crore respectively during the first half of January.