D-Street's margin-funded stock bets fall as smallcap rally falters

Retail traders in India are reducing their leveraged bets on stocks as the market showcases a decline. Recently, borrowed positions dropped to 1.56 trillion rupees after a record high in September. The NSE 500 Index has decreased almost 9% from its peak, pushing small- and mid-caps down significantly. Furthermore, higher interest rates and persistent oil prices have added pressure to the equity market.