Smaller states see healthy growth in equity investor base

Mizoram, Manipur, Bihar, Nagaland, Arunachal and Telangana have all seen double-digit growth

Direct equity investing is making inroads into smaller towns and cities. The number of registered investors with stock exchanges has risen eight per cent in the past year.

Several smaller states have managed to outpace the overall growth rate. And, a majority of the high-growth states are non-traditional markets, with relatively poor financial literacy.

Mizoram, Manipur, Bihar, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Telangana have all seen double-digit growth in the number of stock investors. Telangana, because of the presence of metro city Hyderabad, has emerged as the fastest growing state, with an increase of 37 per cent in the number of investors. Mizoram