ROLLING SETTLEMENT
In order to bring settlement efficiency and reduce settlement risk, in 1989, a group of 30 had recommended that all secondary markets across the globe should adopt a rolling settlement cycle on T + 3 basis by 1992, i.e., the trades should be settled by delivery of securities and payment of monies within three business days after the trade day. But in India, due to multiple problems faced by the secondary markets like the open outcry system, wide geographical coverage, settlement of securities in physical form, inadequate banking and depository infrastructure, India could not implement the G30 recommendations within the stipulated time-frame. In 1999, rolling settlements were introduced in select scrips on a T + 5 basis which had an effect from December 2001.
After successful implementation of rolling settlements on T+5 basis, SEBI moved the settlement to T+3 basis with effect nom April 2002. To carry the reforms further in this area, the Indian capital market has reduced the settlement cycle to T+2 basis w.e.f., April 1, 2003. The main advantage of this T + 2 settlement cycle is that, as the trades spread across all trading days, this reduces undue concentration of payment of monies and delivery of securities on a single day. As the settlement is spread across evenly, it results in efficiency utilization of infrastructure and system capacity.
In addition, trades are guaranteed by the National Clearing Corporation of India Ltd., (NSCCL) and Bank of India Shareholding Ltd. (BOISL), Clearing Corporation houses of NSE and BSE respectively. The main functions of the Clearing Corporation are to work out: (a) what counterparties owe and (b) what counterparties are due to receive on the settlement date.
Furthermore, each exchange has a Settlement Guarantee Fund to meet with any unpredictable situation. The Clearing Corporation of the exchanges assumes that the counterparty risk of each member and guarantees settlement through a fine-tuned risk management system and an innovative method of online position monitoring. It also ensures the financial settlement of trades on the appointed day and time irrespective of default by members to deliver the required funds and/or securities with the help of a settlement guarantee fund.
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