Sitharaman on FII Selling: Profit Booking, Not Weakness, Driving Exits

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed concerns over FII selling in an exclusive interview with Network18's Rahul Joshi.
• She attributed foreign fund exits primarily to profit booking, stating there's no negative reason behind it.
• Sitharaman emphasized the Indian economy's strength, despite global uncertainties, and highlighted data-driven policy decisions.
• Changes in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) are aimed at controlling speculation, particularly in Futures and Options, not revenue generation.
• The government rationalized taxes on long-term investments to encourage stability and investor confidence, discouraging short-term trading.

Why It Matters: FII selling is due to profit booking, not economic weakness; government aims for market stability and long-term investment.