Union Budget 2019 Stock Market Expectations: With interim Budget 2019 just a day away, expectations from stock market experts include DDT relief, income tax slabs adjustment and benefits for mutual fund investors under Section 54EE. Notably, experts point out that while there is a case for scrapping either the STT or the LTCG tax, any such move will come as a positive surprise. “So far as stock markets are concerned, the FM is expected to touch few things, and one among them is LTCG tax. LTCG tax on equities is certainly here to stay and I do not expect it to be abolished. However, the threshold limit might be increased,” Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA, Consulting Technical Analyst at Gemstone Equity Research & Advisory Services told Financial Express Online.
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If the government decides to do away with LTCG it will be taken very positively, however, it will also be an admission of a wrong move so its tough to say whether they will take that course, opines investment advisor Sandip Sabharwal. “Income tax slabs adjustments are also expected which if done will be positive for consumption demand,” Sabharwal told Financial Express Online, adding that it will improve disposable income.
According to Harshvardhan Roongta, CFP, Roongta Securities, the industry has been pushing for STT to be allowed as rebate under Section 88E, which could see the light of the day. Further, he DDT rule may also be modified. “There are expectations that DDT will either be reduced or abolished given the fact that dividends (above a Rs 10 Lakhs threshold) are taxed in the hands of the receiver,” Roongta told Financial Express Online.
Interestingly, there are a couple of expectations for mutual fund investors. The industry expects Mutual Funds to be defined and classified as a Specified Asset be be eligible for benefits under section 54EE, says Milan Vaishnav. “Apart from this, their demand also include classifying FoF (Fund of Funds) as equity funds, Mutual Funds being treated at par with ULIPs, introduction of Debt Link Savings Scheme on lines of Equity Linked Saving Schemes (ELSS),” he added.
Sharing her views on DDT relief in the upcoming Budget, Astha Jain of HEM Securities said that as DDT amounts to double taxation being paid by company as well as the recipient of dividend, the expectation is that it can be discarded in the budget. “We expect that LTCG from stocks and equity mutual funds, if held for more than a year, either should be scrapped completely or at least the STT should be reduced,” Astha Jain, added in a note to Financial Express Online.