FIIs invest $1 bn in seven days

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have pumped in almost $1 billion in the seven trading days of the current month "" "" they are net buyers by Rs 4,255 crore.

In 2005 so far, they have invested $3.15 billion in Indian equity.

With this, FII buying in the current calendar year accounts for little over one-third of their total purchases in the calendar year 2004. The FIIs buying in the current calendar year peaked to an all-time high level of Rs 38,413 crore in the calendar year 2004.

These moneybags have been net buyers in the last 30 trading sessions since January 21, 2005, investing Rs 13,461 crore, or Rs 445 crore every day. In the current calendar year so far, FIIs investments have aggregated Rs 13,797 crore of which Rs 13,088 crore has been poured into equities and Rs 710 crore into debt instruments.

FIIs have invested $33.38 billion or Rs 1,50,000 crore since December 1993, when they were allowed to operate in India. This is almost 28 per cent of India's forex reserves of $125 billion.

Of the total investment of $35.23 billion, $33.38 billion (Rs 1,41,349 crore) have been in equities and $1.85 billion (Rs 8,600 crore) in debt paper, according to the Securities and Exchange Board of India data.