Global brokerage Bernstein has indicated that foreign investors are increasingly disillusioned with India's large-cap companies, which they believe are not evolving to meet the demands of a changing economic landscape.
The report criticizes these firms for focusing on past successes rather than investing in future growth opportunities, particularly in emerging technologies like electric vehicles and semiconductors.
As a result, foreign portfolio investors have sold $1.7 billion in Indian equities in September alone, contributing to a total of nearly $26 billion in sales this year, marking the highest outflow on record. The Nifty 50 index has declined over 10% since January, making it one of the poorest-performing markets globally, despite India maintaining its position as the fastest-growing major economy.
The disparity between large-cap and mid-cap performance is notable, with mid-cap companies reporting 31% earnings growth compared to the Nifty 50's 11%. Bernstein acknowledges the potential of small and mid-cap firms but notes their limitations for large institutional investments due to low liquidity and coverage.
Additionally, major players like Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank are trading near their 52-week lows, and the IT sector faces challenges from AI advancements. Bernstein concludes that even if global market conditions improve, a significant reversal in foreign capital flows to India is unlikely