RBI sells ₹25K cr G-Secs in second OMO tranche to drain surplus liquidity

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday accepted bids worth Rs 25,000 crore in the second tranche of its open market operation (OMO) sale of government securities, as it stepped up efforts to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.

The RBI accepted Rs 11,512 crore of the 6.10 per cent GS 2031, Rs 8,758 crore of the 7.95 per cent GS 2032, Rs 2,300 crore of the 6.75 per cent GS 2029, Rs 2,250 crore of the 7.17 per cent GS 2030, and Rs 180 crore of the 7.17 per cent GS 2028, according to the release.

However, the central bank did not accept any bids for the 8.28 per cent GS 2027, the release said.

The OMO sale comes amid a large liquidity surplus in the banking system. Liquidity surplus was estimated around Rs 6.05 lakh crore as of September 20, according to the RBI data.

Under an OMO sale, banks and other investors pay the RBI for the government securities, thereby draining rupee liquidity from the banking system. The central bank had announced OMO sales totalling Rs 1 lakh crore in three tranches to manage the prevailing liquidity conditions.

The remaining last tranches of Rs 25,000 crore is scheduled for September 28.

The banking system was flushed with liquidity due to heavy mobilisation of FCNR (B) deposits by banks, as the mobilisation brought foreign currency into the system, while subsequent swaps with the RBI provided rupee liquidity to banks.

Besides FCNR(B) inflows, month-end government expenditure, including payments toward salaries and pensions, also added to liquidity in the banking system.

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