India’s Small Traders Lose $12 Billion in Equity Derivatives

Individuals in India lost over 1 trillion rupees ($12 billion) trading equity derivatives in the year ended March, the markets regulator said, raising fresh concerns about the impact of speculative activity on household savings.

The losses mark a sharp jump from 748 billion rupees the year before, despite efforts by the Securities and Exchange Board of India late last year to curb the retail frenzy in stock futures and options.