LIC IPO: As market volatility and war threat loom, the government feels it’s no time to list.

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People sit near a metro station covered with a promotional poster of the state-owned insurance group Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in New Delhi on March 1, 2022.

Synopsis
Initially scheduled to open on March 10, the much-awaited LIC IPO will most likely be pushed indefinitely owing to ongoing geopolitical tensions. Even Indian equities are down 5% over the last month. If so, the wait just got longer. Also, last-minute change in plans may impact the government’s divestment target and all stakeholders.

Investors are often told not to time the market. But does that hold true for initial public offerings (IPOs)? The answer is: No. To get the best valuation money can buy, IPOs are always timed when the stock markets are booming. When the market has gone through a big bull run, with even loss-making startups getting the attention from retail and institutional investors, it becomes all the more important for a big entity to take the plunge. The LIC