FPIs bet on consumer stocks benefitting from the pandemic

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) are giving preference to the companies benefiting from the pandemic led demand, shows the data from NSDL. Their net investment in sectors such as consumer, insurance, and white goods accounted for 96% of Rs 24,330 crore that FPIs invested in Indian equities between April and the first fortnight of July. These sectors together accounted for 10% of the total assets under management of FPIs in India, a gain of 211 basis points since the beginning of the year.

FPI invested Rs 15,000 crore in the household and personal products companies, followed by investments in insurance (Rs 6,150 crore) and consumer durables (Rs 2,115 crore) companies during the period.

FPI holding in Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consumer Products and Godrej Consumer Products increased by 0.5-2.7% in the June quarter, according to the stock exchange filings. The demand for personal and hygiene products grew manifold in the wake of pandemic. For instance, the size of the sanitizers segment is estimated to be Rs 1500 crore compared with less than Rs 100 crore a year ago. Also, the demand for individual insurance plans and for consumer durables such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners and dishwashers shot up during the lockdown.

Among other sectors, FPIs invested Rs 5,835 crore in the oil & gas sector. In contrast with the conventional wisdom of buying into the defensive sectors during uncertain times, FPIs sold Rs 4,815 crore and Rs 3,172 crore worth of stakes in the utilities and IT stocks respectively in the past three and half months.