Shares of Asia’s oldest stock exchange, BSE Ltd, came under heavy selling pressure on Tuesday, July 8, falling over 7% intraday. The sharp decline came as investors grew increasingly wary of regulatory actions by SEBI and concerns around valuation.

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SEBI’s Grip Tightens on Derivatives Trading BSE Shares Hit Hard Post Jane Street Crackdown Investor Sentiment Under Pressure

Adding to the volatility, capital market stocks across the board also faced heavy selling, triggered by reports that SEBI may link options leverage with cash market exposure, a move that could dramatically alter trading behaviour in the derivatives segment.

SEBI’s Grip Tightens on Derivatives Trading

As per reports from CNBC-TV18, the SEBI board is expected to meet to discuss a proposal that would link the exposure in options to cash market investments.

If implemented, this change would:

Boost liquidity in the cash market
Restrict excessive leverage in options trading
Likely reduce retail participation in high-risk derivatives

This proposal is part of SEBI’s broader efforts to bring more stability and discipline into the derivatives segment, which has seen a surge in speculative trading in recent years.

BSE Shares Hit Hard Post Jane Street Crackdown

This isn’t the first blow BSE has taken in recent days. The stock is down 13% in total, following SEBI’s recent crackdown on US-based proprietary trading firm Jane Street.

SEBI accused the firm of manipulative trading strategies in Indian indices and banned it from accessing the local securities market. Jane Street had reportedly made over $2.3 billion in net revenue from equity derivatives in India last year, making the action one of the most high-profile regulatory interventions in recent memory.

The regulatory heat has now spilled over to capital market institutions like BSE, raising concerns among investors about future scrutiny and compliance burdens.

Investor Sentiment Under Pressure

The combination of valuation concerns, regulatory overhang, and proposed trading restrictions has shaken investor confidence in exchange-related and capital market stocks.

While SEBI’s actions are aimed at improving market transparency and protecting retail investors, the short-term reaction has been negative, especially in stocks directly linked to market activity and derivatives.

With SEBI tightening rules and cracking down on manipulative trading, the landscape for capital market participants is changing rapidly. The sharp drop in BSE and other capital market stocks reflects the growing unease among investors, who are now recalibrating their positions in light of potential policy shifts.