Uttar Pradesh surpasses Gujarat to rank 2nd in investor pool

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh, surpassing Gujarat, now holds the second spot among states with the highest number of investors. As of December 25, UP recorded 89.5 lakh active investors, while Gujarat had 76.5 lakh.

Maharashtra remains the leader with over 1.48 crore registered investors as of December 25, displaying a 16.9% increase.

India's stock markets witnessed a remarkable surge this year, with the NSE Nifty 50 reaching milestones of 20,000 and 21,000 on September 11 and December 8 respectively.

This surge led to a substantial increase in stock market investors, crossing the 8-crore mark. According to the National Stock Exchange (NSE) data, there was a 22.4% growth in the number of investors in India this year.

The surge in investor numbers was primarily influenced by the stock market boom, along with enhanced awareness and ease of online trading.

States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh demonstrated significant growth rates in registered investors. Bihar, despite starting from a relatively lower base, witnessed an exceptional 36.6% rise, indicating a growing interest in financial markets within the state. Following closely were Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, registering growth rates of 33.8% and 28.9% respectively.

Besides the financial leader Maharashtra, these states are establishing themselves as significant players in India's investment landscape.

The total number of registered investors in India reached over 8.49 crore by December 25, marking a 22.4% surge from the previous year.

The growth was driven by the wider adoption of online trading platforms beyond major cities. Additionally, an influx of financial and business-related content on social media platforms like YouTube has contributed to increased awareness about stock market investments.

India's market capitalisation exceeded $4 trillion in 2023, positioning it as the fourth-largest globally, following the US, China, and Japan.