Indian securities regulator allows companies to repurchase shares from the open market

Golden Ten Data reported on June 19 that India's securities regulator will once again allow companies to conduct open-market share buybacks to boost stock prices. Recently, the Indian stock market has been underperforming compared to its global peers. The Securities and Exchange Board of India had previously planned to phase out open-market buybacks by 2025, citing concerns that this method could lead to unfair treatment of shareholders, trigger tax issues, and mainly benefit a select group of shareholders. Following a board meeting held on Friday, the regulator issued a statement saying that relevant controls have now been implemented to prevent abuse of this mechanism. This move is expected to stimulate more buyback activities, particularly for cash-rich companies; at the same time, during periods of market volatility, it will also provide additional demand support for the stock market.