**Summary:**
SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/IMD/IMD-II/DOF1/P/CIR/2021/678, issued on December 9, 2021, mandates Portfolio Management Services (PMS) to execute a minimum of 10% of their total secondary market trades by value in Corporate Bonds (CBs) through the Request for Quote (RFQ) platform of stock exchanges. This requirement aims to enhance transparency and increase liquidity in debt investments made by PMS.
The 10% threshold is calculated on a rolling basis, considering the trades executed through one-to-one (OTO) or one-to-many (OTM) modes of RFQ in the current month and the immediate preceding two months, relative to the total secondary market trades in CBs. All transactions in CBs where the PMS acts as both the buyer and seller must be executed through RFQ in OTO mode. Transactions executed in OTM mode between PMS entities will be counted as OTM trades. PMS are permitted to accept contract notes from stock brokers for transactions carried out in OTO and OTM modes of RFQ.
This circular comes into effect on April 1, 2022. Therefore, PMS must ensure compliance with the 10% requirement starting from April 2022, considering trades executed in February, March, and April 2022. For May 2022, trades executed in March, April, and May 2022 will be considered.
This circular is issued under Section 11(1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, to protect investor interests and regulate the securities market. The circular is available on the SEBI website under the category "Circulars" and "Info for Portfolio Managers".
For further information, contact Manaswini Mahapatra, General Manager, at 022-26449375 or via email at manaswinim@sebi.gov.in.
Key Entities Referenced
Securities and Exchange Board of India: Regulatory body for the securities market in India.
Portfolio Management Services: Refers to services offered by portfolio managers to manage investments on behalf of clients.
Corporate Bonds: Debt instruments issued by corporations to raise capital.
Request for Quote: An electronic system that allows traders to solicit and receive quotes from multiple dealers.
OTO: One-to-One mode on the Request for Quote platform.
OTM: One-to-Many mode on the Request for Quote platform.
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992: Law that established the Securities and Exchange Board of India and defines its powers and functions.
Manaswini Mahapatra: General Manager at Securities and Exchange Board of India
CIRCULAR
SEBI/HO/IMD/IMD-I/DOF1/P/CIR/2021/678 December 09, 2021
To,
All Portfolio Managers,
Sir / Madam
Subject: Transaction in Corporate Bonds through Request for Quote platform by
Portfolio Management Services (PMS)
1. In order to enhance transparency pertaining to debt investments by Portfolio Management
Services (PMS) in Corporate Bonds (CBs) and to increase liquidity on exchange platform,
it is decided as under:
i. On a monthly basis, PMS shall undertake at least 10% of their total secondary
market trades by value in CBs in that month by placing/seeking quotes through one-
to-one (OTO) or one-to-many (OTM) mode on the Request for Quote platform of
stock exchanges (RFQ).
ii. In order to ensure compliance with the abovementioned 10 percent requirement,
PMS shall consider the trades executed by value through OTO or OTM mode of
RFQ with respect to the total secondary market trades in CBs, during the current
month and immediate preceding two months on a rolling basis.
iii. All transactions in CBs wherein PMS is on both sides of the trade shall be executed
through RFQ in OTO mode. However, any transaction entered by PMS in CBs in
OTM mode which gets executed with another PMS, shall be counted in OTM mode.
iv. PMS are permitted to accept the Contract Note from the stock brokers for
transactions carried out in OTO and OTM modes of RFQ.
2. The above shall come into force with effect from April 1, 2022. Accordingly, from the
month of April 2022, PMS shall ensure that at least 10% (by value) of their secondary
market trades in CBs in current month and immediate preceding two months (i.e.
February 2022, March 2022 and April 2022) are executed by placing / seeking quotes
through OTO or OTM mode of RFQ. Further, for the month of May 2022, the secondary
market trades executed in CBs in the months of March 2022, April 2022 and May 2022
shall be considered for the purpose of aforesaid calculation.
1 | P age3. This circular is issued in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 to protect the interests of investors in
securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.
4. This circular is available on SEBI website at www.sebi.gov.in under the category
“Circulars” and “Info for - Portfolio Managers”.
Yours faithfully,
Manaswini Mahapatra
General Manager
Ph: 022-26449375
Email: manaswinim@sebi.gov.in
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