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.
The change comes at a time when online MF distributors are increasingly moving investors from the SoA mode to demat holdings.
At Rs 4.07 trillion, gross inflows were just shy of the record Rs 4.34 trillion mobilised in H2 of 2024, making it the second half-yearly period in which inflows crossed Rs 4 trillion.
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.
IT services stocks have had tough two years, with prices coming under pressure from 2025 and the sell-off extending through the first half of 2026.
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.
HDFC Bank's share in active mutual fund schemes has fallen to multi-year lows, despite overall MF ownership in the bank rising, as the stock faces weak performance, soft margins, and governance concerns.
Net mutual fund inflows into active equity schemes in India plummeted by 40 per cent month-on-month in May, reaching a one-year low of 22,908 crore, primarily due to weaker lump-sum investments and increased redemptions amidst significant market volatility and global uncertainties.
'Investors spend too much time picking the right mutual fund and too little time choosing the right asset allocation. That's where real wealth is created.'
Indian mutual fund holdings in overseas equity securities increased by 37.5 per cent year-on-year to approximately '93,602 crore by March-end, according to RBI data. This growth is attributed to mark-to-market gains from a global market rally and heightened investor interest, with the US remaining the primary destination for these investments.
'Since the category has a limited track record, assess the fund manager's experience across equity and debt market cycles rather than relying only on past returns.'
Smallcap and midcap funds now account for nearly 30% of active equity MF folios, as stock-market gains revive investor appetite for high-growth segments.
From why FIIs will return to India with 'bagfuls' to what to do if markets crash 20%, from finding the next multi-bagger to whether the battered IT sector can bounce back -- Trust MF CIO Mihir Vora's calm answers will surprise you.
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.
Analysts are increasingly optimistic about India's capital markets, with HDFC AMC, CAMS, and KFin Technologies identified as top investment picks. This optimism stems from a structural shift in household savings towards financial instruments and an expected multi-year earnings expansion for market infrastructure providers and asset management companies.
The initial public offer (IPO) of SBI Funds Management Ltd was fully subscribed on the second day of bidding, receiving bids for 1.17 times the shares on offer, with strong interest from non-institutional investors and anchor investors.
'The Rs 30,954 crore inflows recorded in May 2026 reflects around 16 per cent year-on-year rise.'
Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey has defended the newly rolled out Closing Auction System (CAS), stating that it is a transparent mechanism and that the industry needs time to understand the change. He acknowledged initial turbulence and concerns from fund houses but noted an increase in mutual fund participation.
The SIF vertical, which allows MFs to offer complex products to relatively sophisticated investors, has managed to garner scale in just seven months of the launch of the first products.
Uncertainty stemming from the US-Iran conflict has significantly impacted India's mutual fund industry, leading to a sharp decline in new fund offers (NFOs) in March, despite numerous regulatory approvals. This geopolitical tension, coupled with existing market strain and distributor hesitation, has dampened investor sentiment and affected overall inflows.
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.
Net inflows into equity mutual fund schemes moderated in FY26, falling by 27 per cent to about 3 trillion till February, as choppy markets and global uncertainties prompted investors to shift towards safer options like hybrid funds and gold ETFs.
International mutual fund schemes have seen a significant resurgence in investor interest, attracting approximately Rs 7,600 crore in net inflows over the past year, a stark reversal from previous outflows, driven by their strong outperformance against domestic markets and limited AI-linked investment opportunities in India.
Investments under the framework would remain voluntary for employees.
Despite the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) and the government's recent initiatives to attract foreign capital, which are expected to alleviate pressure on long-duration bonds, most debt fund managers are maintaining a cautious stance, favouring shorter-duration papers due to global uncertainties and potential future rate hikes.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries
Indian mutual funds have significantly reduced their exposure to the information technology (IT) sector, with holdings now at an eight-year low of 6.7% in April 2026, driven by weak earnings growth, global demand slowdown, and concerns over AI-led disruption.
2025 marked a shift in investor preference when it comes to MF schemes.
'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.'
'The volatility in the stock markets since September 2024 has hurt the pace of accretion of new investors.'
The good news is that you don't need to spend hours manually comparing every scheme. In this article, we have explained how you can shortlist a winning fund in a few minutes by evaluating some crucial parameters.
Domestic institutional investors (DIIs), driven by the popularity of mutual funds, have emerged as significant stabilising forces for Indian capital markets amidst global volatility and foreign portfolio investment (FPI) outflows, according to Sebi whole-time member Amarjeet Singh.
India's market regulator, Sebi, has approved the re-introduction of open-market share buybacks through stock exchanges, effective August 1, 2026, alongside easing debt listing norms for RBI-regulated entities and simplifying rules for mutual funds and alternative investment funds.
Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
Global financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, have invested Rs 963 crore in One 97 Communications (Paytm's parent company) through open market transactions, acquiring a 1.34 per cent stake from SAIF Partners and Elevation Capital.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Wednesday overhauled the cost framework for the 80 trillion domestic mutual fund (MF) industry, introducing a simplified structure aimed at improving transparency for investors while balancing the impact on asset managers.
'The net inflows into MF schemes may also have been lower last month, with investors booking profit and taking a more measured approach amid elevated valuations.'
rediffGURU Ulhas Joshi answers your mutual fund queries.
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