Equity mutual funds are of several types and can be categorized as per their market capitalization such as large-cap, mid-cap or small cap-funds, the investment style; i.e., growth or value and can also be classified on the basis of sector or theme such as those that invest in...

A debt fund is an actively managed mutual fund that primarily invest in a diversified portfolio of fixed income instruments such as government and corporate bonds, non-convertible debenture (NCD), government security (G-sec), treasury bills (T-Bill), commercial papers (CP), ce...

Every investor, at some point in time, makes a mistake while evaluating investment decisions. There are five valuable lessons learned in the investing arena from these mistakes. Let’s understand them in detail. Mutual Fund returns over the past year: This is the most popular f...

You should not solely rely on performance rating by third party websites and mutual fund returns for the last year to assess the best possible mutual fund for you. This is because performance keep changing every year. The top performers of today may not be on the list next yea...

Fund of funds Mutual Funds invest in other schemes of Mutual Fund, each specializing in their way of investing in a particular asset or a sector. A Fund of Funds Mutual Fund can have different funds of the same asset class such as Equity or can have funds investing in other as...

One factor which is directly responsible for inflation is the interest rates. Fund managers who manage an equity fund invest investor's money in stocks through the stock markets. Though there could be several parameters that lead to the changes in the share prices, however, in...

Tax planning is usually done during the last three months of the financial season. Nevertheless, it is good if you plan it during the beginning of the financial year and avoid the rush of last-minute tax savings. Several options qualify for a deduction u/s 80C of the income ta...

For taxation purposes, we can divide the mutual fund into two categories; Equity and Debt. Tax on Mutual Funds such as fund of funds is treated as a debt fund even if the underlying instrument is investing in equity-related instruments. Tax on Debt Mutual funds withdrawal come...

Though Tax planning can be challenging, it can also be rewarding if you choose the right mode of investment. If you are looking to save tax and long term risk-adjusted returns from your investments both, then maybe you may consider adding an ELSS tax saving mutual fund to your...

As the name suggests, hybrid funds are a combination of equity and debt investments. These funds could be suited for investors seeking allocation to equities but are looking for less risk as compared to a pure equity fund or a stock. The fund manager builds a portfolio and all...

Equity mutual funds are, as per the scheme information document, those that invest a minimum of 65% of its net assets in equity and equity-related instruments. As per the SEBI categorization of mutual fund schemes, there are 11 different types of equity mutual funds. They can...

Debt Funds or Debt Mutual Funds invest in fixed-income securities like government securities, debentures, corporate bonds and other money-market instruments. These funds lower their risk by investing in such avenues. Debt funds can be the right choice for anyone having a lower...

ESG investing is also called sustainable investing. ESG Mutual Fund is a category of Equity Mutual Fund that invests in companies following the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) parameters. These parameters are non-financial, however have a material impact on the long...

The key aspect to benefit from an asset class such as equity mutual funds is time. Time in the market makes a huge difference over timing the market. This means the longer you keep your money uninterrupted, it has potential to provide long term risk adjusted returns. Let’s see...

Mutual Funds can be selected based on your financial goals and the investment tenure. According to your investment tenure, mutual funds can be classified as short-term, medium-term and long-term. Short term needs can be a duration of 1-12 months and could comprise of emergency...

Physical gold such as gold jewelry or gold coins has several drawbacks such as storage in safety vaults and the associated locker charges. They also demand price markups due to the design and making charges. Apart from these, purity issues and lack of flexibility in investment...

Equity mutual funds have potential to provide risk-adjusted long term returns. You can choose to invest in equity funds such as diversified equity funds, ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme) or large-cap funds, or even emerging themes in Equity investments such as ESG (Environm...

The sharp fall in equity markets during the onset of Covid in March last year in 2020 was a wake-up call for investors to diversify their investments across sectors, assets and market caps. As the adage goes about not putting all your eggs in the same basket, if you invest you...

Due to declining bank rates and rallying equity markets, many investors have resorted to searching for the best SIP to invest now in mutual funds. A systematic investment plan (SIP) is a mode of investment wherein you could invest a fixed amount in a chosen mutual fund scheme...

Along with evaluating the mutual fund performance, there are several qualitative criteria behind the selection of a fund house. Use the 4 Ps model of selecting a good fund house – people, philosophy, process and performanceAsk these key questions when assessing an AMC (Asset M...

Both ETF and index funds share several similarities while differing in certain other characteristics. Let’s evaluate the differences. An index fund is a passive mutual fund that aims to achieve capital appreciation by imitating or replicating an index, such as the Sensex or Ni...

With the myriad options in mutual fund schemes in the market, choosing a scheme has become a cumbersome task. For DIY (do it yourself) investors, there are several risks when it comes to equity mutual fund portfolio construction, namely, the risk of choosing a wrong philosophy...

Debt mutual funds can be classified as per their holding period such as short-term debt funds and long-term debt funds. The meaning of short-term debt funds is that they invest in debt and money market instruments with a Macaulay duration of the portfolio between 1 year - 3 ye...

Gold ETFs are exchange-traded funds that invest in physical gold. Each unit of a Gold ETF represents 1 unit (or in some cases 0.5 units) of gold. While the meaning of Gold Mutual Fund is that fund of funds scheme that invests in Gold ETF. Both help investors do away with makin...

Let’s take a look at few interesting facts on SIP plans in India. Market timing becomes irrelevant One of the biggest difficulties in equity investing is; when to invest or where to invest? While investing in a mutual fund solves the issue of where to invest, SIP plans help us...

In this ever-increasing world of rising costs and rising inflation, the cost of education is becoming expensive with every passing day from primary to secondary to higher studies. Thereby, it is essential to plan for it early by investing in investment avenues such as a mutual...

As an investor, you have many mutual fund options to choose from. There are a number of Mutual Funds available in the markets. However, you need to take a closer look to make a mutual fund comparison. Making a mutual fund comparison in India among so many mutual funds and sele...

The Internet of things has touched every corner of our lives. In food & beverage it has given us access to a variety of options by sitting in the comfort of our homes, in telemedicine it has encouraged doctors to perform surgeries and consult patients remotely, in communic...

Several Asset Management Companies (AMCs) have launched ESG Mutual Funds in India. ESG Mutual Funds invest in businesses that are responsible. Ever since its launch in India, the MSCI India ESG Leaders index has not only outperformed the MSCI India Equity index1 but has also m...

For new age investors who are just starting their investment journey, it is imperative to understand different aspects of investing in mutual funds.The best time to start investing is at the start of one’s career. As a young investor who has a long working life to invest, and...