The country's six largest smallcap schemes would require more than 20 days to liquidate half of their holdings, despite most of them maintaining high cash levels and having considerable exposure to more liquid largecap stocks, stress tests conducted by fund houses reveal. For midcap funds, the time required to sell half of the assets of the top six schemes varies between seven and 34 days, according to disclosures made by asset management companies. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had called for such tests in the face of strong inflows into smallcap and midcap funds, despite concerns over high valuations, to keep investors better informed.
'They are positioned as defensive products and can potentially give marginally higher returns than liquid funds.'
'First-time investors, busy professionals, NRIs and those with modest sums looking for curated strategies may find FoFs especially appealing.'
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Investors must adopt a balanced approach, incorporating both styles in their portfolios.
'...not merely in managing fiscal mathematics, but in demonstrating conservatism and prudence within that framework.' 'Looking forward, we believe sufficient growth drivers exist -- ranging from government reforms to revival in consumption to favourable monsoons. Numerous factors support the Indian economy.'
'Stopping now would defeat the core purpose of an SIP, which is to average out the purchase cost over market cycles.'
The July-September quarter (Q2) performance of consumer electricals and durables major Havells India in 2025-26 (FY26) was broadly in line with Street estimates. While the top line was supported by robust growth in the wire and cable, switchgear, and lighting segments, the consumer durables segment restricted overall gains.
With the price of gold entering a strong bull run, gold-loan non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are under the spotlight, even though their performance is not directly linked to gold price. Muthoot Finance outperformed in the April-June quarter (Q1) of 2025-26 (FY26), with its assets under management (AUM) growing 10 per cent quarter-on-quarter (Q-o-Q) and 42 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), an improvement of 88 basis points (bps) Q-o-Q in net interest margin (NIM), and a fall in credit cost. Gold AUM rose 40 per cent Y-o-Y and 10 per cent Q-o-Q. The company recorded recoveries of 350 crore, including 100 crore from an asset reconstruction company (ARC), resulting in a 100-bp Q-o-Q yield increase.
The reduction in the number of loan accounts and the outstanding amount during the last financial year is a cause of concern and stress for microfinance institutions (MFI), Secretary, Department of Financial Services, M Nagaraju said on Thursday, highlighting "inefficiency" in MFIs that leads to higher rates of interest.
A 10-part series that explains all you want to know about how India's EPF turns a slice of your monthly salary into long-term savings, pension, and life insurance.
Majority of equity fund managers were able to squeeze in some extra returns over their benchmarks in 2024-25 (FY25). While some managed to do so by delivering outsized returns during the equity market rally in the first half of the year (H1FY25), others succeeded by limiting the downside during the market downturn.
India's market regulator is moving ahead to include real estate investment trusts (Reits) in benchmark indices in a phased manner, Sebi chief Tuhin Kanta Pandey said, while asserting that the regulator was working to strengthen the link between infrastructure building and the markets.
'Value index funds are most appropriate for long-term investors who can withstand deeper drawdowns.'
'As the team builds, each of them will bring in a different perspective, new thinking.'
Companies providing portfolio management services (PMS) had a tough time beating the benchmark index in January, with more than half of the schemes invested in large companies underperforming in the run-up to the Union Budget. The Nifty 50 index was down 2.5 per cent during the month. Only around 44 per cent of PMS schemes did better, among the schemes investing in large-cap companies. The analysis is based on data from industry tracker PMS Bazaar. Half the mid-cap schemes outperformed, while the rest underperformed.
'Such stocks may be useful for aggressive portfolios, but should not be part of the core holdings.'
'Long-short SIFs are designed for seasoned, high-risk, high-reward investors, who understand market volatility.'
JioBlackRock Asset Management Pvt Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL) and BlackRock, on Monday announced closure of its maiden New Fund Offer (NFO), recording a total investment of Rs 17,800 crore ($2.1 billion).
SEBI's blockbuster reforms are rewriting the rules of mutual fund investing -- faster growth, sharper transparency, and smarter safeguards that put investors first, explains Ramalingam Kalirajan.
Specialised investment fund (SIF), a new asset class, will have the same expense structure as that of mutual funds (MFs), according to rules notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). SIF, which was first proposed by Sebi in July 2024, aims to fill the gap between MFs and portfolio management services (PMS), and it looks at informed investors, who are willing to take riskier bets.
Co-investment under the portfolio management services (PMS) route accounted for less than 50 crore in assets and involved fewer than a dozen clients for much of 2022. Since then, assets under management have risen to 3,812 crore across 535 clients as of April 2025, according to the latest regulatory data. The recent changes may open the door to greater investment from sovereign wealth and pension funds, experts say.
Hindustan Unilever Ltd's (HUL's) second quarter 2025-26 (Q2FY26) consolidated revenue rose 2 per cent to Rs 16,250 crore, with low or flat volume growth. Demand remained stable but goods and services tax (GST) transition and prolonged monsoon hurt offtake.
'It is not looking at valuation, but investment, growth and ultimately better profit for stakeholders.'
The improvement in the performance of actively managed mutual fund (MF) schemes is acting as a key tailwind for the nearly Rs 50 trillion industry, Kotak Institutional Equities (KIE) said in a report. The report adds that the two largest listed asset management companies (AMCs) - HDFC and Nippon India - are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries. "The industry has a solid track record of delivering alpha on 10-year returns (70-80 per cent of assets under management (AUM) beat the benchmark), with shorter duration performance also on an upswing.
Algo trading should be segregated in a separate account with only risk capital deployed.
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'Active funds have the ability to manage downside risk.'
ICICI Bank delivered satisfactory results in the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), sustaining return on assets (RoA) of around 2.3-2.4 per cent and improving asset quality. Provisions declined 26 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) and 50 per cent quarter-on-quarter (Q-o-Q).
Dwaipayan Bose on how index funds play a key role in the diversification of portfolios and help manage risks
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.
The cash pile within smallcap mutual fund (MF) schemes has grown over the past few months amid a relentless rally in stocks in this space. While fund managers usually don't make cash calls, incessant inflows and valuation discomfort have forced their hand. At the end of January, the top 10 schemes had over Rs 12,160 crore in cash, compared to Rs 8,700 crore in August 2023.
'Indian markets may underperform global peers for the next two quarters.' 'But beyond that, India should catch up and resume its long-term growth path.'
'Reits are suitable for investors seeking regular income and real estate exposure without managing physical properties, especially NRIs and retirees.'
The factor fund launch spree by mutual funds (MFs) is moving from the passive to the active space. Two new fund offerings (NFOs) - ICICI Pru Active Momentum Fund and Bandhan Multi-Factor Fund - are currently open for subscription. Sundaram MF's multi-factor fund NFO closed this Wednesday.
Global emerging market investors are sharply cutting back on India, making it the largest underweight market, as funds rotate into China, Hong Kong, and South Korea amid tariff shocks and valuation concerns.
Britannia Industries reported revenue growth of 4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in Q1FY25 and volume growth of 8 per cent implying price trends were adverse. Other operating income jumped 195 per cent, due to the incentive received for the Ranjangaon plant. The non-biscuit portfolio (rusk, cake, bread) remained key to growth and contributed 25 per cent of the total revenue.
'Increasingly, they treat gold as a financial asset in their portfolio rather than just as jewellery.'
Young earners with high incomes and few responsibilities can save more than 30 per cent, while those with low salaries and high expenses may save less.
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