Equity mutual fund (MF) schemes were flush with cash at the start of this month, even as fresh investments shrank in February. As of February 28, equity schemes from the top 20 fund houses held 6.8 per cent of their portfolios in cash, up from 6.1 per cent in January and 5.9 per cent in December 2024, according to a report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services.
Regardless of market levels, invest in stocks and equity mutual funds in a staggered manner.
Value mutual funds have witnessed robust investor interest, garnering Rs 22,757 crore in inflows in 2024, nearly double the amount seen in 2023, fueled by impressive returns generated by the segment. This surge reflects a shift in investor focus towards fundamentally strong yet undervalued stocks.
Their assets under management (AUM) rose from Rs 1.04 trillion (January 31, 2025) to Rs 1.75 trillion (January 31, 2026), an increase of 68.3 per cent.
Meaningful market share would go to those who have the distribution strength to push their products, such as banks.
Yield-generating instruments like Infrastructure Investment Trusts (Invits), Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits), and Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) are witnessing a surge in investor interest, contrasting with a notable slowdown in the equity primary market, which saw only one IPO in April.
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.
One 97 Communications Ltd, operating under the Paytm brand, has transitioned to a majority Indian-owned and controlled company, reflecting increased domestic investor confidence and improved financial performance.
rediffGURU Vivek Lala answers your income tax and personal finance queries.
Among index funds, the most popular products are funds tracking the Nifty 50 and Sensex, says Dwaipayan Bose, and explains the finer points of selecting the right index mutual fund.
The Reserve Bank of India has updated its e-mandate framework, allowing card issuers to map existing mandates to reissued cards and clarifying rules around transaction limits and customer grievance redressal.
After a stellar 2023, the mutual fund industry sustained its growth momentum in 2024 with an impressive Rs 17 lakh crore surge in assets, driven by buoyant equity markets, robust economic growth, and increasing investor participation. Experts are predicting the positive trend will extend into 2025.
Capital markets regulator Sebi has permitted mutual funds to again invest in foreign stocks within the aggregate mandated limit of $7 billion for the industry. This came in the wake of a major correction in global markets that brought down the valuation of international stocks. In January, Sebi had asked mutual fund houses to stop taking fresh subscriptions in schemes investing in overseas stocks. The directive to stop subscription was mainly on account of the mutual fund industry crossing the mandated limit of $7 billion for overseas investments.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Nikunj Saraf, Vice President Choice Wealth, answers your queries.
The top 20 fund houses held 6.8 per cent of their portfolios in cash as of May 31, down from a record high of 7.2 per cent in April 2025.
Companies in the lower mcap deciles have recorded the fastest growth in median mcap.
Equity funds like to identify newer avenues of investment and hence they create products around those new avenues. In the second part of this series, we look at the styles and themes of MFs.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
'Mark Mobius's life was dedicated to investing.'
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
The number of companies had touched a low of 792 in July 2020 amid heightened uncertainty because of COVID-19.
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.
Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
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.
Nikunj Saraf, Vice President Choice Wealth, answers your mutual fund queries.
Mutual funds are looking to tap into the special opportunities theme ahead of the results of the general election results and the continued uncertainty on the geo-political and interest rate fronts. Two fund houses - WhiteOak Capital and Samco - are set to launch special opportunities funds next week. Kotak MF has also filed papers with the regulator to launch a scheme in the same category.
With domestic markets turning choppy, investors are increasingly scouting for opportunities overseas to diversify portfolios and hedge against a weakening rupee.
Meet Radhika Gupta, CEO and MD of Edelweiss Mutual Fund. One of the 20 global influencers on LinkedIn -- a list she shares with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And perhaps one of the most candid and transparent voices in Indian finance today.
rediffGURU Jinal Mehta answers readers' financial planning and health insurance queries
A systematic withdrawal plan doesn't drain wealth, poor planning does. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the truth behind systematic withdrawal plans
In modern investing, transparency is more valuable than zero fees and not all investing app score big on this front, says Ramalingam Kalirajan.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is considering a proposal to allow mutual funds (MFs) to charge a fee based on their performance, said Ananta Barua, whole-time member of the markets regulator. He said the proposal is being reviewed by a working group formed to look into cost structures. "One working group has been set up which is going to review... One of the suggestions is that if any scheme or fund is performing well above the benchmark, it (fee) can be linked to its performance.
From the financial year 2025-2026, the government has introduced a new column in the tax return form for presumptive taxpayers, requiring them to disclose their year-end investments. This requirement was not present last year.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances