Jio Fin shares rally after broking foray

Jio Financial Services’ plan to step into wealth management and stock broking business, in partnership with global asset manager Blackrock, got a thumbs up from investors, with its stock rallying as much as 5 per cent on Tuesday. After pairing some gains, the stock ended at ~362.7, up 2.4 per cent over its previous day’s close.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Financial’s foray into the two new segments comes at a time when the industry is adding nearly 3 million new demat accounts every month.

The Reliance spinoff and the Us-based asset manager have already announced a joint foray in the over ~50-trillion mutual fund (MF) business, which is currently awaiting regulatory approvals.

The incorporation of a brokerage firm by the JV will follow the launch of its wealth management company.

Institutional platforms manage over 50 per cent of the $1-1.2 trillion of financial assets owned by India’s high networth individuals (HNIS), as per a report by Jefferies.

Industry experts said that Jio Financial’s efforts would be to capture new customers in the rising HNI class in India. However, some are of the opinion that the new venture may not bring any price disruption — a strategy used during Reliance Industries’ (RIL’S) foray into the telecom space.

Already intense competitiveness, ultra-low pricing models and strict regulatory architecture in both the two new business segments provide little scope for further disruption, industry players add.

However, Jio Financial will be able to leverage the parent company’s extensive reach across the country and Blackrock’s expertise in the investment management space.

Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager overseeing assets worth over $10 trillion, has a strong brand pull and digital prowess in the investment management space. The newly formed JV may compete with well-established private wealth management firms such as 360One, Nuvama, Kotak Wealth and Avendus.

In the stock broking business, the JV may face competition from the discount brokers which account for nearly two-thirds of active clients.

Jio Financial Services, demerged from RIL last year, currently offers personal loans, insurance broking, and bill payment services.