IPO collections drop 16% in H1FY06

 Prithvi Haldea of Prime said: "The amount raised through public issues did not come anywhere close to market expectations so far this year despite the huge success of public issues last year."

 The biggest disappointment for the primary market has been the lack of divestments by the government. The last divestment was of NTPC in October 2004.

 "With almost all investment opportunities drying up and the constant lowering of interest rates, the IPO scenario looks very attractive," Haldea added.

 Over 250 IPOs are in the pipeline to raise a phenomenal Rs 95,000 crore in the second half of the current fiscal.

 Most issues in the past have received healthy oversubscriptions, and, more importantly, have provided handsome post-listing gains, he said.