Sebi looks to deploy data analytics in a big way

New Delhi: Sebi has shortlisted as many as eight companies, including Infosys, Wipro and IBM India, to implement a "data analytics project" through which the regulator wants to track possible market manipulations such as insider trading and front running.

The move is part of Sebi's efforts to address and handle challenges arising out of technological advancements in the markets. In November, the regulator had invited expression of interest (EoI) from "reputed and reliable solution providers for implementation of data analytics project and building of data models at Sebi".

The analytics/model development would include developing new models, implementing analytics project, establishing linkages between various entities in the market, automated extraction of details from documents filed with Sebi and prediction of market manipulations such as insider trading and front running.

Accordingly, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) invited bids from companies to provide such services. After evaluating the responses, the regulator in a latest notice said, it has shortlisted eight firms -- PWC Pvt Ltd, Capgemini Technology Services India, Decimal Point Analytics, Wipro, IBM India, NEC Technologies India, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India and Infosys for "further process."

In November, Sebi Chairman Ajay Tyagi announced that the regulator plans to spend Rs 500 crore on information technology in the next five years as well as have a "data lake project".

The project is aimed at augmenting analytical capability at Sebi with advanced analytical tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, deep learning, big data analytics, pattern recognition, processing of structured and unstructured data, text mining and natural language processing, among others.

Besides, the regulator, in its annual report for 2018-19, had said it intends to deploy data analytics and new generation technologies to deal with various challenges in the market.