Speculation loss can be set off against delivery based profits

The assessee earned a profit on sale of shares held as stock-in-trade. This profit was offered as profit from a ’speculation business’ and was set off against a ’speculation loss’ brought forward from an earlier assessment year. The AO took the view that the profit from sale of shares was not from a ’speculation business’ on the ground that the assessee had settled its transaction of sale and purchase of shares through physical delivery. Consequently, the claim for set off against the speculation loss was denied. This was confirmed by the CIT (A) though reversed by the Tribunal on ...