What is Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)

The Bombay Stock Exchange, formerly known as the Native Share and Stock Brokers’ Association, was established in 1875 and is recognised as Asia’s oldest stock exchange. Based in Mumbai, it is among the world’s largest exchanges, with over 5,000 listed companies. It facilitates securities trading, enabling companies to raise capital and investors to build wealth.

Known for its robust technology and high-speed execution, the exchange manages the SENSEX, its benchmark index tracking 30 leading companies. It places strong emphasis on transparency and investor protection. Shri Sundararaman Ramamurthy is the Managing Director and CEO. Alongside the National Stock Exchange of India, it plays a central role in India’s equity markets.

How does Bombay Stock Exchange work?

Trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is regulated by SEBI and takes place entirely online through its electronic trading platform. Orders can be placed directly using the direct market access system, which tracks the total value of trades rather than focusing on individual buyers or sellers.

Investors usually trade through brokers or brokerage firms, who connect to the trading system via their own terminals and charge a fee for their services. Some large investors also get direct access for placing high-value trades. The exchange uses the Bombay Online Trading Platform (BOLT) to ensure smooth and efficient trading. Prices are determined by the public order-matching system based on supply and demand.

Trades are settled on a T+1 basis, meaning the transaction is completed one business day after the trade. For a few selected securities, this has recently been reduced to T+0, allowing same-day settlement (for limited securities).

Companies aim to list on the Bombay Stock Exchange for following reasons:

1. Economic expansion

The BSE plays a crucial role in channelling capital and facilitating investments, thereby nurturing economic expansion. It furnishes a platform for enterprises to secure funds for their growth initiatives, research, and innovation, thereby contributing to the generation of jobs and overall economic well-being.

2. Participation of investors

The Bombay Stock Exchange actively promotes broad-based investor engagement, presenting a spectrum of investment possibilities tailored to varying risk preferences. Individual investors, institutional bodies, and foreign counterparts can gain access to India's capital market through the BSE, amplifying market liquidity and breadth.

3. Transparency in the market

The BSE's regulated milieu guarantees market transparency and diminishes information disparities. Companies are obligated to adhere to stringent disclosure standards, ensuring that investors receive precise and timely information, enabling them to make well-informed choices.

4. Timely information display

Listing on the BSE ensures that companies are required to provide timely and accurate information to the public and their investors. This includes financial reports, performance updates, and material events. Timely information display fosters investor confidence and allows them to react promptly to market changes and make informed decisions about their investments.

5. Adequate pricing rules

BSE enforces robust pricing rules, ensuring fair and transparent pricing of securities. These rules help prevent price manipulation and create a level playing field for all investors. Adequate pricing rules contribute to market stability and trust, attracting a wider range of investors and boosting liquidity.

6. Collateral guarantee

Companies listed on this platform may have the advantage of using their shares as collateral for various financial transactions. This can include obtaining loans, securing credit lines, or participating in margin trading. Collateralising their shares provides companies with additional financial flexibility and can be a valuable resource for their working capital needs.

Significance of the Bombay Stock Exchange

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) serves as a prominent platform where individuals trade in shares and securities. While it enables investors to build wealth through equity ownership, it also allows companies to generate funds from the public. When businesses succeed, it reflects economic strength and confidence in the financial ecosystem.

Thus, beyond facilitating stock trading, the BSE plays an integral role in India’s economic development. Below are the key reasons for its significance:

1. Opportunities for investment

BSE is a facilitator of the sale and purchase of equities, among other financial instruments. This provides investors with a liquid market and facilitates the sale and purchase of assets.

2. Economic indicator

The Bombay Stock Exchange by several investors and analysts, is viewed as an indicator of the health of the Indian economy. A good performance of the index signals overall stability and growth.

3. Financial inclusion

The BSE index has been at the forefront of innovation targeted towards increasing financial inclusion in the country. This has promoted economic development and wealth creation among the broader population.

4. Market benchmark

The S&P BSE Sensex is considered to be a prominent signal of the overall performance of India’s financial market. Analysts, investors, and fund managers utilise insights from BSE trends to understand the performance of the broader market.

5. Governance and transparency

Companies that are listed on the BSE have to follow strict guidelines and regulations targeted at promoting transparency in the market and enhancing investor confidence.

Functions of Bombay Stock Exchange

It fulfills a diverse range of functions and operations within India's financial ecosystem. Let's delve deeper into its functions and operations:

1. Primary and secondary market

The BSE serves as a platform for both primary and secondary market activities. In the primary market, companies issue new securities through initial public offerings (IPOs) to raise capital. In the secondary market, investors trade existing securities such as stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments.

2. Listing and trading

Companies seeking to raise capital through the issuance of securities apply to the BSE for listing. Once listed, their shares become available for trading on the exchange. It provides a transparent and regulated marketplace where buyers and sellers can transact securities.

3. Regulation and oversight

As a stock exchange, the BSE operates under the regulatory framework of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), ensuring fair trading practices and investor protection. The exchange enforces listing requirements, trading rules, and disclosure norms to maintain market integrity.

4. Indices

The BSE is renowned for its benchmark indices, notably the SENSEX (Sensitive Index), which comprises a basket of representative stocks reflecting market trends. The SENSEX is often used as a barometer of India's economic health and is closely monitored by investors and analysts worldwide.

Major indices at Bombay Stock Exchange

Get a snapshot of the Bombay Stock Exchange's performance with these key indices:

1. BSE Sensex
 

• Sensex is the BSE’s benchmark index, comprising 30 leading and actively traded stocks from various sectors of the Indian economy.
• It is widely regarded as India’s benchmark index, representing market sentiment and providing a snapshot of economic health.
• Sensex offers insights into blue-chip performance, closely followed by investors, analysts, and financial institutions.

2. BSE 500 Index
 

• The BSE 500 index offers a broader perspective on the Indian stock market by encompassing 500 companies across different sectors.
• It serves as a comprehensive gauge for investors seeking a holistic view of the market, allowing them to track the performance of a diverse range of companies.
   

3. BSE Midcap Index
 

• Tailored for investors interested in mid-sized companies, the BSE Midcap index features entities with market capitalisation ranging from Rs. 5 billion to Rs. 20 billion.
• It provides insights into the performance of mid-cap companies, which are often characterised by higher growth potential and volatility compared to large-cap stocks.
   

4. BSE Smallcap Index
 

• The BSE Smallcap index targets smaller companies with market capitalisation below Rs. 5 billion.
• It offers investors exposure to the small-cap segment of the market, which may present opportunities for higher returns but also carries increased risk due to the relatively lower liquidity and stability of small-cap stocks.

5. BSE Bankex Index

• The BSE Bankex index specifically includes banking and financial services companies, providing investors with a focused insight into the performance of this sector.
• It serves as a benchmark for tracking the performance of banking stocks and assessing the overall health of the financial services industry.

6. BSE Healthcare Index

Dedicated to pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, the BSE Healthcare index offers a specialised indicator for the healthcare sector.It allows investors to monitor the performance of healthcare-related stocks and assess trends within the pharmaceutical industry.

These indices at the Bombay Stock Exchange furnish investors with convenient tools for tracking sector-specific or overall market performance. They play a crucial role in facilitating investment decisions, portfolio monitoring, and market trend analysis by providing insights into various segments of the Indian stock market.

BSE-listed companies can raise funds using various financial instruments

1. Equity instruments

These represent ownership in a company and are typically in the form of shares. Companies issue equity to raise capital for their operations. A substantial amount of equity is raised through Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in the primary capital market, subject to SEBI regulations due to price volatility. Already issued equity can be traded in the secondary market through stockbrokers, allowing retail investors to buy and sell shares.

2. Debt instruments and government securities

These financial instruments are used by companies to raise funds without giving ownership stakes to investors. Debt instruments are relatively low-risk and can be traded in both primary and secondary markets, depending on their type. Various government securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, floating rate bonds, and capital indexed bonds, are examples of debt instruments. They provide companies with financial resources and offer investors stable returns.

3. Major Indices

Sensex, the benchmark index of BSE, is a free-float market-cap-weighted index that tracks 30 top-performing companies from different sectors. The index serves as a key barometer of the Indian capital market’s health by reflecting price movements of these major companies. Besides the Sensex, BSE also offers several sectoral indices and indices based on market capitalisation—such as the BSE Mid-Cap and BSE Small-Cap indices. These indices are used by investors and mutual funds aiming for capital appreciation from specific market segments. The BSE significantly contributes to India's financial framework, with its indices reflecting market volatility and influencing capital flows both domestically and globally.

How does BSE differ from NSE?

The following table succinctly outlines the key differences between the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) across various aspects.

add table here (mention in comment)

Role of BSE in the Indian economy

The BSE is a significant pillar of the Indian financial market and provides a reliable platform for people to invest. Investors have the option to choose assets from multiple classes like equities, derivatives, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, IPOs, etc. While we have already subtly covered the vital role it plays in the Indian economy, let us also take a look at a few more prominent functions of the BSE:

• The BSE provides a platform for new companies to raise capital to fuel their growth and expansion. Companies can easily list themselves in the market to issue shares and raise funds.
• According to the market forces of demand and supply, the BSE plays a central role in setting the prices of securities. Trading on the exchange also ensures that the listed securities are fairly priced.
• The BSE creates jobs and employment in the financial market.
• One of the key fundamentals for capital markets to function optimally is transparency. The BSE works to ensure that essential operational and financial information is disclosed by companies in a timely manner, as it helps investors make informed decisions.

Conclusion

The Bombay Stock Exchange represents India’s financial growth and economic progress. Backed by a rich legacy, its role in capital formation, and a strong commitment to transparency and investor protection, it continues to shape the nation’s financial landscape. As a major marketplace, it serves as a vital meeting point for businesses, investors, and regulators.