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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Volatile Markets and SIPs: What should mutual fund investors do?
Live Events Amid a volatile market , many investors are questioning whether they should continue their Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) or pause until stability returns. However, market experts recommend continuing SIPs, citing reasons such as attractive valuations, lower average purchase prices, the benefits of habit formation, the impossibility of timing the market, and the long-term advantages of compounding.'When equity markets fall, valuations also fall, making investments at a lower price more attractive; therefore, when the market falls, it is the best time to continue SIP, discontinuing SIPs can hamper the investors' ability to save and invest, and take away the discipline of long term investing, the investor thinks that he/she can enter again or restart at lower prices, but it's not always possible, and lastly the whole idea of a SIP is to do away with market timing speculation and stopping a SIP can disrupt the process of compounding,' Vishal Dhawan, CEO, Plan Ahead Wealth Advisors, a wealth management firm in Mumbai told ETMutualFunds He added that since equity investing is aimed at long-term compounding benefits, one can start SIPs at any time. However, while markets have recovered from their recent lows, periods of market decline typically lead to more attractive valuations. Investing more during such times—when markets are not at their peak—increases the probability of achieving superior long-term returns. 'So, depending on cash flow surpluses, there is a need to try to have a significant portion of the cash flow surpluses going through SIPs ideally.'Another expert cited studies which show that investors' returns and market returns are not the same. This is because an investor is either entering or exiting the market at the wrong time. To achieve their goals, one needs to give time and be patient. That's what SIPs do: help you achieve your goals in a disciplined manner over periods of time.'In the journey, there will always be short-term hiccups, but staying focused on your investments is the only way to achieve your goals,' said Manish Mehta, Joint President & National Head –Sales, Digital Business & Marketing, Kotak Mutual Fund , shared with far in the current calendar year, the benchmark indices — BSE Sensex and Nifty50 — have gained 4.23% and 4.67%, respectively. Over the past three months, they have risen by 11.27% and 11.86%, respectively, while over the last nine months, they have declined by 1.11% and 1.92%, May, Nifty50 breached the 25,000 mark for three days. On May 26, Nifty 50 closed up by nearly 13% from April's low level, and as the benchmark index scales up, many market experts recommend that investors continue with their SIPs, whereas they should stay cautious while doing lump-sum investments and should try to stagger their an addition to this, Dhawan recommends that currently, valuations are above their long-term averages, especially in the case of mid and small caps, and thus it is preferred to invest through SIPs/STPs. 'However, the ongoing volatility driven by global trade wars and cross-border tensions could present sudden opportunities. Market corrections can be sharp, so it's wise to be prepared for lump-sum investing, besides continuing with SIPs,' he further shared with the other hand, Mehta recommends that STP is suited when one has some money available for lumpsum investment but varies with market fluctuations and in this case one can park the money in a fixed income scheme and do a STP with a duration of their choice plus if an investor plans to invest out of a regular income stream then SIP fits the requirement where in a disciplined manner one can regularly keep looked at the performance of equity mutual fund categories since the April low and found that out of 21 categories, 19 offered double-digit average returns, and two, pharma and consumption-based funds, gave single-digit returns in the same time frameSince April 7, the Auto sector-based funds offered an average return of 19.13%. Technology-based funds gave a 17.44% average return in the same period. International funds gave 16.83% and infrastructure funds delivered 15.95% average return in the same and small-cap funds gave 15.86% and 16.42% respectively since April's low level. Contra and large-cap funds were last in the list of double-digit gainers. The categories gave 11.92% and 11.03% respectively in the mentioned the categories gain since April's low and the market being still volatile, Mehta recommends that long term wealth creation can happen through regular investments in equity oriented schemes to support which there is enough historical data to demonstrate long term wealth creation through equity schemes and since SIPs are recommended over longer time horizons, investments in multicap / flexicap / large and midcap kind of to a release by Motilal Oswal Private Wealth, large-cap valuations are now around their 10-year average, while mid- and small-caps still trade at a premium, though select opportunities further shared with ETMutualFunds that currently, large-cap stocks offer attractive valuations compared to small and mid-caps, which makes them a smart starting point for SIPs (Systematic Investment Plans), especially in funds that are currently overweight in the large-cap category, and these funds are also safer for new adds that different assets perform well in different timeframes; therefore, your portfolio should include multi-asset funds. Geographical diversification is crucial for any robust portfolio, so consider adding global or international funds to reduce reliance on the domestic market and gain exposure to different economies and currencies. Additionally, under debt funds, one can consider short-term funds for short-term goals and long-term funds to take duration exposure, and for those in higher tax brackets, equity savings and arbitrage funds offer good options for short-term fund parking, he informed should always choose a scheme based on risk appetite, investment horizon, and goals.: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@ alongwith your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Volatile Markets and SIPs: What should mutual fund investors do?
Since the April low, 19 out of 21 equity mutual fund categories delivered double-digit average returns, while pharma and consumption funds posted single-digit gains. Amid a volatile market, many investors are questioning whether they should continue their Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) or pause until stability returns. However, market experts recommend continuing SIPs, citing reasons such as attractive valuations, lower average purchase prices, the benefits of habit formation, the impossibility of timing the market, and the long-term advantages of compounding. 'When equity markets fall, valuations also fall, making investments at a lower price more attractive; therefore, when the market falls, it is the best time to continue SIP, discontinuing SIPs can hamper the investors' ability to save and invest, and take away the discipline of long term investing, the investor thinks that he/she can enter again or restart at lower prices, but it's not always possible, and lastly the whole idea of a SIP is to do away with market timing speculation and stopping a SIP can disrupt the process of compounding,' Vishal Dhawan, CEO, Plan Ahead Wealth Advisors, a wealth management firm in Mumbai told ETMutualFunds. Also Read | Balanced advantage vs. Multi Asset Allocation Mutual Funds: Which should investors choose? He added that since equity investing is aimed at long-term compounding benefits, one can start SIPs at any time. However, while markets have recovered from their recent lows, periods of market decline typically lead to more attractive valuations. Investing more during such times—when markets are not at their peak—increases the probability of achieving superior long-term returns. 'So, depending on cash flow surpluses, there is a need to try to have a significant portion of the cash flow surpluses going through SIPs ideally.'Another expert cited studies which show that investors' returns and market returns are not the same. This is because an investor is either entering or exiting the market at the wrong time. To achieve their goals, one needs to give time and be patient. That's what SIPs do: help you achieve your goals in a disciplined manner over periods of time. 'In the journey, there will always be short-term hiccups, but staying focused on your investments is the only way to achieve your goals,' said Manish Mehta, Joint President & National Head –Sales, Digital Business & Marketing, Kotak Mutual Fund, shared with ETMutualFunds. So far in the current calendar year, the benchmark indices — BSE Sensex and Nifty50 — have gained 4.23% and 4.67%, respectively. Over the past three months, they have risen by 11.27% and 11.86%, respectively, while over the last nine months, they have declined by 1.11% and 1.92%, May, Nifty50 breached the 25,000 mark for three days. On May 26, Nifty 50 closed up by nearly 13% from April's low level, and as the benchmark index scales up, many market experts recommend that investors continue with their SIPs, whereas they should stay cautious while doing lump-sum investments and should try to stagger their investments. Also Read | New investors' dilemma: Is flexi cap fund alone sufficient to deploy Rs 10 lakh for meeting goals As an addition to this, Dhawan recommends that currently, valuations are above their long-term averages, especially in the case of mid and small caps, and thus it is preferred to invest through SIPs/STPs. 'However, the ongoing volatility driven by global trade wars and cross-border tensions could present sudden opportunities. Market corrections can be sharp, so it's wise to be prepared for lump-sum investing, besides continuing with SIPs,' he further shared with ETMutualFunds. On the other hand, Mehta recommends that STP is suited when one has some money available for lumpsum investment but varies with market fluctuations and in this case one can park the money in a fixed income scheme and do a STP with a duration of their choice plus if an investor plans to invest out of a regular income stream then SIP fits the requirement where in a disciplined manner one can regularly keep investing. ETMutualFunds looked at the performance of equity mutual fund categories since the April low and found that out of 21 categories, 19 offered double-digit average returns, and two, pharma and consumption-based funds, gave single-digit returns in the same time frameSince April 7, the Auto sector-based funds offered an average return of 19.13%. Technology-based funds gave a 17.44% average return in the same period. International funds gave 16.83% and infrastructure funds delivered 15.95% average return in the same and small-cap funds gave 15.86% and 16.42% respectively since April's low level. Contra and large-cap funds were last in the list of double-digit gainers. The categories gave 11.92% and 11.03% respectively in the mentioned period. As the categories gain since April's low and the market being still volatile, Mehta recommends that long term wealth creation can happen through regular investments in equity oriented schemes to support which there is enough historical data to demonstrate long term wealth creation through equity schemes and since SIPs are recommended over longer time horizons, investments in multicap / flexicap / large and midcap kind of schemes. Also Read | MF Tracker: Will this April midcap star sustain its momentum? According to a release by Motilal Oswal Private Wealth, large-cap valuations are now around their 10-year average, while mid- and small-caps still trade at a premium, though select opportunities exist. Dhawan further shared with ETMutualFunds that currently, large-cap stocks offer attractive valuations compared to small and mid-caps, which makes them a smart starting point for SIPs (Systematic Investment Plans), especially in funds that are currently overweight in the large-cap category, and these funds are also safer for new adds that different assets perform well in different timeframes; therefore, your portfolio should include multi-asset funds. Geographical diversification is crucial for any robust portfolio, so consider adding global or international funds to reduce reliance on the domestic market and gain exposure to different economies and currencies. Additionally, under debt funds, one can consider short-term funds for short-term goals and long-term funds to take duration exposure, and for those in higher tax brackets, equity savings and arbitrage funds offer good options for short-term fund parking, he informed should always choose a scheme based on risk appetite, investment horizon, and goals. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times) If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@ alongwith your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Inflows into equity mutual funds decline 3.2% in April: AMFI
Inflows into equity mutual fund declined 3.2 per cent on a month-on-month basis to Rs 24,269.26 crore in the April, compared to Rs 25,082.01 crore in the previous month, the latest data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed. During the reporting month, inflows through systematic investment plan (SIP) touched a record high of Rs 26,631.88 crore. Net assets under management (AUM) of the mutual fund industry grew 6.4 per cent to Rs 69.99 lakh crore, as against Rs 65.74 lakh crore in March 2025. Retail AUM (equity + hybrid + solution oriented schemes) stood at Rs 40.29 lakh crore. 'The rising geopolitical tensions and caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy decision kept investors on edge,' said Ashwini Kumar, Senior Vice President and Head Market Data, ICRA Analytics. Within equity mutual fund schemes, inflows into midcap funds fell 3.63 per cent to Rs 3,313.98 crore in February, compared to Rs 3,438.87 crore in the previous month. Small cap funds also witnessed a 2.25 per cent drop in net inflows at Rs 3,999.95 crore in April, as against Rs 4,092.12 crore in March. Inflows into large cap funds rose 7.75 per cent to Rs 2,671.46 crore in the reporting month, compared to flows of Rs 2,479.31 crore in March. Sectoral/thematic funds saw inflows of Rs 2,000.95 crore, compared to inflows of Rs 170.09 crore in March. Debt mutual fund schemes witnessed inflows of Rs 2.19 lakh crore, compared to outflows of Rs 2.02 lakh crore in March. Inflows into liquid funds stood at Rs 1.18 lakh crore, while money market funds saw flows of Rs 31,507.04 crore. Overnight funds witnessed Rs 23,899.98 crore of inflows in April. 'Fixed income category saw a large inflow. Many institutional investors who redeem due to year end, invested back in categories like liquid, ultra-short term,' said Manish Mehta, National Head – Sales, Marketing & Digital Business, Kotak Mahindra AMC. Net inflows into hybrid funds stood at Rs 14,247.55 crore, compared to outflows of Rs 946.56 crore in March. The gold exchange traded fund (ETF) schemes saw Rs 5.82 crore worth of outflows. The number of new SIPs registered in April stood at 46.01 lakh, while the SIP AUM stood at Rs 13.89 lakh crore. The number of contributing SIP accounts stood at 8.38 crore. In April, mutual fund folios were at 23.62 crore and retail MF Folios (equity + hybrid + solution oriented schemes) were 18.71 crore.
India Today
25-04-2025
- Science
- India Today
How does Moon landing affect lunar soil? Nasa fires motor to understand
Nasa is intensifying preparations for its Artemis campaign, which aims to return humans to the Moon and lay the groundwork for future crewed missions to to this effort are human landing systems (HLS) developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, designed to transport astronauts safely between lunar orbit and the Moon's these powerful landers descend and ascend, their rocket engines interact with the Moon's surface, potentially disturbing the top layer of lunar 'soil,' known as up to land on the Moon!Engineers at #NASAMarshall recently completed a test fire campaign of a 14-inch hybrid rocket motor to help teams prepare for future flight conditions when commercial human landing systems, provided by SpaceX and Blue Origin, touch down on the NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) April 24, 2025advertisement When a lander's engines fire to slow descent, they generate exhaust plumes capable of creating craters, destabilising the landing area, and propelling regolith particles at high speeds in multiple directions. Understanding this plume-surface interaction is critical for astronaut safety and mission investigate these effects, engineers and scientists at Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, recently conducted over 30 test firings of a 14-inch hybrid rocket at Utah State University, this 3D-printed motor uses solid fuel and gaseous oxygen to simulate the powerful exhaust of lunar landers. Most tests were performed under vacuum conditions to closely mimic the lunar environment.'Artemis builds on what we learned from the Apollo missions to the Moon. Nasa still has more to learn about how the regolith and surface will be affected when a spacecraft much larger than the Apollo lunar excursion module lands,' said Manish Mehta, lead engineer for Human Landing System Plume & Aero a hybrid rocket motor into a simulated lunar regolith field in a vacuum chamber hasn't been achieved in decades. Nasa will be able to take the data from the test and scale it up to correspond to flight conditions to help us better understand the physics, and anchor our data models, and ultimately make landing on the Moon safer for Artemis astronauts,' Manish the Marshall tests, the rocket motor will be shipped to Nasa's Langley Research Center, where it will be fired into simulated lunar regolith inside a 60-foot vacuum sphere. These experiments will measure crater formation and regolith particle speeds, providing vital data to refine lander designs and ensure safe crewed Watch
