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.
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.
'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.'
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.
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.
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.
'The Rs 30,954 crore inflows recorded in May 2026 reflects around 16 per cent year-on-year rise.'
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.
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 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.
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.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries
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.
Investments under the framework would remain voluntary for employees.
'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.'
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.
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.
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.
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.
2025 marked a shift in investor preference when it comes to MF schemes.
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.
rediffGURU Ulhas Joshi answers your mutual fund queries.
'The volatility in the stock markets since September 2024 has hurt the pace of accretion of new investors.'
Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
Ask rediffGURU and PF, MF and insurance expert Purshotam Lal your mutual fund, insurance and personal finance-related questions.
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.
India's mutual fund industry has significantly increased its share of public trading in the stock market, widening its lead over the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for the fifth consecutive year. While LIC's share of free-float listed shares has fallen to 7.42% as of March 2026, the mutual fund industry's share has surged to 22.92% from 7.06% in 2012.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
'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.'
Leading stock exchange BSE Ltd announced a 61 per cent increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 795.47 crore for the March quarter, driven by higher income, and reported its highest-ever performance in its 150-year history for the full financial year 2025-26.
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.
Direct plans of mutual fund schemes added nearly 21 million individual investor folios in FY26 (as of February), surpassing regular plans' 15 million net additions, marking only the second time direct plans have outpaced regular plans in annual folio growth, despite turbulent equity markets.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Passive funds have resumed gaining ground in the mutual fund (MF) industry after a slowdown in 2024, with their share of assets under management (AUM) reaching an all-time high in 2025. The surge has been driven largely by robust inflows into gold and silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
A significant majority (57%) of India's investment advisors are concentrated in just five metro cities, leading to concerns about financial inclusion and the spread of financial market products beyond urban centres, according to a Business Standard analysis of Sebi data.
rediffGURU Jinal Mehta answers readers' financial planning and health insurance queries
'Multi-asset funds have cornered 30 per cent of hybrid fund inflows in 2025, reflecting a growing preference for diversified portfolios that combine equity, debt and commodities.'
