At a time when many stocks are experiencing extreme bouts of volatility due to various factors, including negative news flow, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the stock exchanges have increased the vigil on such stocks by introducing measures to minimise the probability of fraudulent activities.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Friday tightened the criteria for moving derivatives stocks to physical settlement.

The move follows a sharp swing in stocks belonging to frontline groups, amid concerns surrounding high share pledging in recent weeks. In a circular, Sebi said a stock will be moved to physical settlement from the new expiry cycle if any of the conditions are met.

Capital markets watchdog Sebi and stock exchanges have stepped up their live surveillance of intra-day trading in select stocks in the wake of increased volatility seen in these scrips; and any manipulator would face strict regulatory action.

Sources said the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has asked the exchanges to beef up their vigil for any possible manipulation in stocks that are witnessing huge volatility and to report any irregularity urgently to the regulator for further action.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Sahara group chief Subrata Roy to be personally present before it on February 28 to explain why he had failed to pay his entire dues worth Rs25,781 crore excluding interest, despite being given “several opportunities and indulgence.”

As on date, Sahara has deposited around Rs20,000 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account, which includes principal Rs15,160 crore and Rs4,800 crore interest and is liable to pay a further Rs10,621 crore, according to Sebi.

Sebi has proposed a new set of framework for REITs and InvITs in order to provide flexibility to the issuers in terms of fund raising and increasing the access of these investment vehicles to investors. Under the proposal, minimum allotment and trading lot for publicly issued REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and InvITs (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) will be reduced.

Markets regulator Sebi Monday slapped a fine of Rs 3.40 crore on Exelon Infrastructure and 27 other entities, including promoters and directors, for indulging in fraudulent trading and violating insider trading norms.

Of the total penalty, the firm has been fined Rs 1.19 crore and the 27 entities have been penalised in the range of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

The central government has decided to frame a rule that would mandate regulators and other autonomous bodies to transfer surplus funds to the exchequer, said two government sources privy to the development. The new guideline is expected to come in a month.

The move would make the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and a dozen other regulators, such as the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), to shell out a significant portion of their reserves into the Consolidated Fund of India.

In a clarification to reports that Raymond had received a show cause notice from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for alleged security market violations, the company on Tuesday told the stock exchanges that the notice was related to matters, which are “procedural and technical in nature”. The company is working with the legal advisors to resolve the issues, it added.

Shares of Larsen & Toubro Ltd opened over 3% lower on Monday after market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India denied the company permission for its first ever share buyback plan. However, the scrip pared all the losses and was trading 0.4% higher.

The stock had opened at ₹1,275 a share, or 3.3% lower than its Friday close. At 9.56 am, L&T was trading at ₹1,324 on the BSE, up 0.44% from its previous close. The Sensex rose 0.7% to 36,652.26 points.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), in a circular on Wednesday, said that mutual funds (MFs) may write call options under a covered call strategy.

Covered calls are a strategy in which an investor holds a long position in an asset and sells call options on that same asset to generate an income. A call option is a contract where the holder has the right, but not the obligation to buy the underlying asset.

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