A 27-year-old financial content creator, V Harish, known as 'Finance With Harish,' died by suicide in Chennai, prompting police to investigate allegations of cyberbullying related to his investment advisory credentials.
Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty experienced a decline in early trade, primarily due to a sell-off in power and metal stocks, mirroring a broader downturn across Asian markets. Elevated crude oil prices and firm US bond yields further dampened investor sentiment, while an expert warned of an impending correction in overvalued mid and small-cap segments. Track Sensex, Nifty on October 22.
Over a dozen mutual fund houses in India have temporarily suspended fresh subscriptions in their gold fund of funds (FoFs) and gold-silver FoFs, a move believed to be influenced by directions from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) ahead of the festive season.
Equity mutual fund schemes recorded a net inflow of Rs 38,306 crore in September, a 31 per cent increase from the previous month, driven by strong investor interest in mid-cap and small-cap funds despite stock market volatility and foreign portfolio investor (FPI) sell-offs.
Indian mutual funds experienced a nearly 5 per cent growth in average quarterly assets under management (QAAUM) in the second quarter of FY27, reaching approximately ~87.2 trillion, despite significant equity market turbulence and corrections in largecap and some debt segments.
Smallcap funds topped the net inflow chart for the second consecutive month, as investors poured record Rs 7,973 crore into one of the best-performing MF categories.
Smallcap funds have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the systematic investment plan (SIP) wave in Indian mutual funds over the past five years, with their SIP assets surging to approximately 1.83 trillion by March 2026, a fivefold increase.
Equity mutual fund schemes in India attracted a net inflow of Rs 29,329 crore in August, marking the highest in four months, primarily fuelled by strong investor interest in mid-cap and small-cap funds.
Net SIP inflow is calculated by subtracting redemptions from gross SIP investments.
The SIP culture has been rapidly growing in India among retail investors. As per AMFI data, monthly SIP contributions crossed 31,961 crore in July 2026, which is nearly a 10x jump from 3,122 crore recorded in April 2016.
The SIP culture has been rapidly growing in India among retail investors. As per AMFI data, monthly SIP contributions crossed 31,961 crore in July 2026, which is nearly a 10x jump from 3,122 crore recorded in April 2016.
Flexi-cap mutual fund schemes have attracted nearly Rs 50,000 crore in net inflows during January-July 2026, a 27 per cent increase year-on-year, as investors increasingly favour dynamic equity strategies.
Liquidity stress in smallcap funds has fallen to its lowest level since February 2024, with the average time to liquidate 50% of portfolios dropping to 27 days in June from a peak of 44.2 days in January 2026, driven by a sharp recovery in smallcap stocks and increased trading volumes.
'Periods of heightened volatility, driven by global events such as tariffs and geopolitical tensions over the past year-and-a-half, can make some investors pause or discontinue their investments.'
Net inflows into smallcap funds surged 39 per cent M-o-M to a record Rs 7,768 crore, while midcap fund inflows rose marginally to Rs 6,192 crore.
Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) returns for smallcap and midcap mutual funds have seen a significant rebound, with average one-year SIP returns now at 19.1 per cent for smallcap funds and 13.5 per cent for midcap funds, according to Value Research data. This recovery is expected to revive momentum in the retail mutual fund industry, which had experienced a moderation in growth indicators.
The tax treatment of equity savings funds makes them appealing, especially to investors in higher income-tax brackets.
Net investments into equity mutual fund schemes in India remained elevated at approximately 38,440 crore in April, despite a slight dip from March's high and a 3% month-on-month decline in Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows.
Equity-oriented mutual fund schemes in India experienced a 5 per cent decline in net inflows in April, reaching Rs 38,440 crore, while monthly Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) contributions also saw a decrease.
Hybrid mutual fund schemes attracted significant inflows of Rs 1.55 lakh crore in FY26, a 29 per cent increase, as investors increasingly opted for diversified investment strategies to navigate volatile market conditions and geopolitical tensions.
Among its 27 recommendations for the Union Budget is this: It has suggested that equity investments held for more than one year and up to three years should be taxed at 12.5 per cent on gains exceeding 2 lakh in a financial year.
'You set up your SIPs and you do not touch them. Not during COVID, not during a war scare, not when your neighbour tells you the market is finished. You let the noise pass over you.' 'The beauty of this approach is that it does not require courage or conviction in the moment. It just requires inertia -- keep the SIP running and do not look at your portfolio too often.'
Markets regulator Sebi on Tuesday proposed introducing gift cards or gift prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) for investments in mutual funds to improve financial inclusion through onboarding of new investors in the space.
The market capitalisation (mcap) cutoff to qualify for mutual funds' (MFs') largecap universe is likely to go up for the fifth consecutive time to touch the Rs 1 trillion mark for the first time. A fresh list of largecap, midcap, and smallcap stocks is set to be released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) in the first week of January.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
The highlight in January, with no surprise, has been flows into gold and silver ETFs.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Mutual fund investment through systematic investment plans (SIPs) has surged to an all-time high of Rs 3.34 lakh crore in 2025, driven by growing investor appetite for disciplined, long-term wealth creation.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
Inflows into mutual fund (MF) schemes via systematic investment plans (SIPs) have topped Rs 3 trillion for the first time in a calendar year, as investors increasingly rely on the staggered investment route amid market volatility.
2025 marked a shift in investor preference when it comes to MF schemes.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Investors with a 6 to 12 month horizon may consider them. They should align their holding period with the fund's maturity profile and prefer schemes with a lower expense ratio.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Mutual fund industry extended its bull run in 2025, adding a staggering Rs 14 lakh crore to its asset base and pushing total AUM to a record Rs 81 lakh crore by November, powered by surge in retail participation and record SIP inflows. Venkat Chalasani, chief executive officer of AMFI, told PTI that the industry's outlook remains positive, with steady SIP inflows continuing to offset foreign portfolio investor outflows and strengthening market resilience.
Companies in the lower mcap deciles have recorded the fastest growth in median mcap.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Equity mutual funds attracted Rs 29,911 crore in November, marking a 21 per cent increase from the preceding month, according to data released by industry body Amfi on Thursday. This rise in inflows comes after three consecutive months of decline, signalling an improvement in investor sentiment.
