Indias gold ETF holdings surged 42% YoY to 66.68 tonnes with AUM up 88% to Rs 64,777 crore, driven by Gen Z, fractional ownership, and fintech adoption. Global demand rose 3%, central banks boosted reserves, and Ventura projects COMEX Gold at $3,600 in 2025 amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

Indian mutual funds raised foreign equity holdings by Rs 3,101 crore in July to Rs 51,705 crore, led by PPFAS, ICICI Prudential, Motilal Oswal and others.

The Edelweiss India Multimanager Equity Fund Series I is an open-ended Category III Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under the IFSCA (Fund Management) Regulations, 2025, and is also registered with SEBI as a Category I Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI).

Seven equity mutual funds have more than doubled investors lumpsum investments in the past three years. Among nearly 233 funds, returns ranged from 1.06 times to 2.18 times. Leading the pack, Bandhan Small Cap Fund turned a Rs 1 lakh investment into Rs 2.17 lakh, delivering a CAGR of 29.59%, highlighting strong small-cap performance in the period.

In mutual fund categories such as largecap, midcap, ELSS, contra/value, large & midcap, and aggressive hybrid, funds favouring value investment style have emerged as consistent performers, while in smallcap and flexicap categories, funds high on momentum style were among the top performers, according to Share.Markets CRISP Mutual Funds Scorecard (second edition).

7 mutual funds trimmed stakes in nearly 20 stocks during July, including Reliance, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and Sun Pharma, as part of active portfolio management to optimize returns.

Baroda BNP Paribas Aggressive Hybrid Fund, celebrating its 8th anniversary, has turned Rs 10,000 monthly SIPs into Rs 18.38 lakh over 8 years. With Rs 1,200 crore AUM, 13.05% CAGR, and a strong Sharpe ratio, the fund blends equity and debt to deliver consistent, risk-optimised long-term returns.

PPFAS Mutual Fund strategically adjusted its portfolio in July, increasing its stake in Jio Financial Services and 30 other stocks, while reducing its holdings in Reliance Industries and 38 others. New entrants included PB Fintech and HDFC Life Insurance, while exiting completely from 16 stocks like BSE. The fund house's AUM rose to Rs 1.

Arbitrage funds are taxed like equity mutual funds. This means they qualify for long term capital gains tax of 12.5% if investments are held for more than a year. If investments are for less than a year, short term capital gains tax of 20% will be applicable.

Icodex Publishing Solutions is set to debut on the BSE SME platform on August 19, 2025, with shares priced at Rs 102. The IPO, which was subscribed 3.95 times, saw strong interest from institutional and retail investors. Despite robust FY25 financials, analysts are cautious about the sustainability of earnings, leading to expectations of a muted listing.

Despite recent underperformance, wealth managers suggest high-risk investors consider the Nifty IT Index Fund or ETF, staggering investments over 2-3 months. Factors like a high margin of safety, attractive dividend yield, rupee depreciation, and potential easing of tariff concerns create an opportunity. The IT index has fallen significantly, presenting a potential upside with limited downside.

Tata AIA Life Insurance has launched the Tata AIA Momentum 50 Index Fund, an NFO open till August 25. Benchmarking BSE 500 Momentum 50, it offers equity growth opportunities alongside life cover, targeting long-term wealth creation and financial protection.

The fund house, with AUM of 1.25 lakh crore, revealed top holdings in July. Key allocations include Dixon Technologies, Coforge, Kalyan Jewellers, Persistent Systems, Trent, Polycab India, Paytm, Kaynes Tech, CG Power, and Max Healthcare, with notable portfolio weight shifts.

Mutual funds fully exited Capital Infra Trust, Khadim India, and Visaka Industries in July, offloading shares worth over 124 crore, while simultaneously adding 15 new stocks to their portfolios.

Franklin India Corporate Debt Fund completed 28 years with Rs 1,000 crore AUM, delivering 8.56% CAGR since inception. Focused on AAA-rated debt, it offers conservative investors stability, diversification, and steady income through disciplined fixed-income management.

Mutual funds bought Rs 45,400 crore worth of stocks in July, with State Bank of India emerging as the top pick at Rs 10,200 crore. IT giants Infosys and TCS saw inflows of Rs 9,400 crore, while Anthem Bio and HCL Technologies also attracted significant investments.

PPFAS Mutual Fund has appointed Tejas Soman as its Chief Investment Officer - Debt, aiming to bolster its fixed income capabilities. Soman brings over 12 years of experience from SBI Funds Management and other financial institutions. His expertise will be crucial in developing thoughtful debt strategies and enhancing the fund house's offerings in the fixed income segment.

The National Pension System (NPS), which helps investors save tax in multiple ways, has delivered strong returns over the past three years.

An analysis by ETMutualFunds reveals that approximately 60 equity mutual funds have transformed monthly SIP investments of 10,000 into over 2 crore in the past two decades. Canara Rob Large and Mid Cap Fund leads, turning 10,000 into 1.89 crore.

Kotak International secured a license from the UAE to offer investment funds to retail investors, becoming the first Indian firm to do so. This move allows Kotak to directly target retail clients, with minimum investments around $500, capitalizing on the growing interest in Indian markets and the UAE's favorable tax environment.

As per Sebi norms, aggressive hybrd mutual funds must invest 65-80% in stocks, and 20-35% in debt. This mixed portfolio helps to deal with the market volatility better. When the equity market is in turmoil, the debt part of the portfolio softens the blow. This helps new investors to continue with their investments without worrying too much about volatility.

In July, seven mutual funds added 14 small-cap stocks to their portfolios to actively manage holdings. HDFC, SBI, Kotak, Axis, Nippon India, Quant, and ICICI Prudential made selective additions, highlighting a cautious strategy aimed at capturing growth opportunities in emerging small-cap companies while balancing risk across their portfolios.

Only one NFO is set to open for subscription this week, coming from Trust Mutual Fund. The launch highlights a relatively quiet phase in the mutual fund space, offering investors a fresh option to explore.

Equity mutual funds ended the week of August 1114 on a positive note, with most schemes delivering gains. International and sectoral funds, particularly in pharma, healthcare, and offshore themes, led performance. Broader global markets also advanced, supporting investor sentiment and pushing returns higher across diversified categories.

Debt mutual funds witnessed a sharp recovery in July 2025 with inflows of Rs 1.06 lakh crore, led by money market and liquid funds. AUM surged to Rs 18.76 lakh crore, marking one of FY25s strongest months. Investor preference remains skewed towards short-duration instruments amid rate uncertainty.

At the heart of why consumers in China save so much and spend so little, and why Xi Jinping and Donald Trump will struggle to change that behavior even if they want to, lies the countrys stock market.

Mutual fund AUM surged in July 2025, rising by Rs 1.31 lakh crore to Rs 77.72 lakh crore. ICICI Prudential, HDFC, Kotak, and Aditya Birla Sun Life led with inflows exceeding Rs 10,000 crore each. JioBlackRock debuted with Rs 17,902 crore, further boosting overall industry growth.

A leading fund house with Rs 2.13 lakh crore AUM as of July 2025 revealed its top 10 holdings, led by HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Infosys, Axis Bank, RIL, ITC, SBI, TCS, Bharti Airtel, and L&T.

There were around 683 funds in July 2025, of which 425 funds saw an outflow.

Indias consumption theme remains structurally strong, supported by demographics, rising incomes, urbanisation, and digitisation. Chintan Haria of ICICI Prudential AMC suggests investors can capture this long-term growth through the Nifty India Consumption Index, which offers diversified exposure across sectors and has consistently delivered competitive returns over time.

Mutual funds add or exit stocks to actively manage their portfolios

Direct mutual fund plans offer lower costs and greater control, but DIY investors often stumble by rushing exits, relying on free advice, or seeking too many opinions. Staying informed, disciplined, and open to professional guidance can help investors avoid mistakes and build long-term wealth.

AMFIs 30-year journey reflects Indias economic transformation, from UTIs monopoly era to a 75 trillion AUM industry today, driven by SIPs, regulation, awareness, and growing retail participation, supporting PM Modis Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

SBI Mutual Fund, Indias largest with 11.97 lakh crore in assets, kept HDFC Bank as its top holding in July, followed by ICICI Bank. Reliance Industries saw a slight reduction in weight, while SBIs allocation rose, reflecting selective portfolio adjustments during the month.

Since last Independence Day, 16 equity mutual funds have delivered over 30% returns, led by Mirae Asset Hang Seng TECH ETF FoF (82.37%) and NYSE FANG+ETF FoF (67.35%). Most top performers were international funds, outpacing domestic peers across equity and thematic categories.

ETMutualFunds has shortlisted top mid-cap mutual funds based on consistent returns, downside risk, and asset size. Axis, PGIM India, Invesco India, and Kotak Midcap Funds have offered substantial returns in the last three years. Investors with high risk tolerance and a long-term horizon of seven to ten years should consider mid-cap funds.

Eight equity mutual funds outperformed with over 15% returns in the last six months, led by Invesco India Midcap Fund at 20.63%. Other strong performers included Canara Robeco, Helios, HSBC, and Mirae Asset funds, reflecting broad-based market gains.

Mutual funds increased cash holdings by 2,884 crore in July to 2.06 lakh crore, reversing two months of cuts. PPFAS led with 21.36% allocation, while SBI MF topped in absolute terms at 34,592 crore.

SBI Life Insurance has introduced Smart Shield Plus, a flexible term insurance plan offering three coverage options, milestone-based enhancements, and additional riders. With coverage up to 100 years and multiple payout choices, the scheme aims to meet evolving protection needs through both physical and digital channels.

In July, 235 unique stocks were held by only one fund house. Of these, 42 had market values between Rs 10.26 crore and Rs 98.02 crore, while three exceeded Rs 100 crore.

Motilal Oswal AMC has integrated with ONDC, appointing Cybrilla as backend provider, to expand mutual fund access via a digital distribution channel. The move aims to bridge distribution gaps, enhance retail participation, and leverage Indias digital infrastructure, enabling investors, including first-timers, to access quality funds and make informed financial decisions.

Edelweiss Mutual Fund will restrict subscriptions in seven international schemes to Rs 1 lakh per PAN per day from August 19, citing limited overseas investment headroom. The cap applies to lumpsum, switch-ins, SIPs, and STPs, while existing systematic transactions remain unaffected.

National Investment & Infrastructure Fund plans to expand its assets. The fund targets $10 billion in the next 30 months. This growth is driven by urban infrastructure demand. Global investors support the fund. They aim to bridge the funding gap in infrastructure. The fund is raising $4.5 billion for infrastructure and private markets. They anticipate new investors from various countries.

Top 10 stocks held by over 500 mutual fund schemes in July include HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Infosys, Reliance, SBI, L&T, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra, and Mahindra & Mahindra.