Investment / The Economic Times
Many investors rely on internet searches to find top mutual funds, often misled by short-term trends. ETMutualFunds curated 10 equity mutual funds using metrics like mean rolling returns, downside risk, and consistency over three years to guide better investment decisions.
Mutual funds heavily trimmed their holdings in key stocks during the March quarter, with major selling seen in Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics, and Aavas Financiers, totaling over 10,700 crore in net sales, Prime Database reported.
Indian benchmark indices ended higher on Monday, buoyed by advances in heavyweights HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), as easing global trade tensions, steady foreign inflows, and a dip in crude oil prices bolstered investor confidence.
A Reddit user reached a Rs 1 crore mutual fund milestone since starting SIPs in 2018. They credit consistency, behavior management, and asset allocation, urging others to avoid reacting to market noise and focus on income growth and discipline
The Government of Singapore holds stakes worth 2.38 lakh crore in 61 BSE-listed firms. Nine of these, including SRF, Bajaj Finance, and SBI Life, have gained 1533% in 2025, reflecting strong market performance and GoSs selective equity exposure.
Baroda BNP Paribas Gilt Fund celebrates 23 years, surpassing Rs 1,500 crore in AUM. The fund has delivered strong returns, transforming an initial investment of Rs 10,000 into Rs 41,919.60 since inception. Managed by Gurvinder Singh Wasan and Prashant Pimple, the fund strategically invests in government securities and SDLs, aiming to capitalise on potential RBI rate cuts.
The Tata Income Plus Arbitrage Active FoF is tailored for investors with a two-year horizon, aiming for stable, accrual-based, and tax-efficient returns. The fund invests up to 65% in Tata Corporate Bond Fund and at least 35% in Tata Arbitrage Fund
Angel One Asset Management Company has introduced the Angel One Nifty 50 Index Fund and ETF, both tracking the Nifty 50 Index. These funds offer investors exposure to India's top 50 large-cap companies across key sectors. The NFOs offer several investor-friendly features, such as zero entry and exit loads, and a minimum investment amount of Rs 1,000, with additional investments allowed in multiples of Re 1.
Quant Mutual Fund has deployed high cash reserves into select small-cap stocks, maintaining a portfolio leaning towards large and mega-cap companies. The fund anticipates a potential 12-15% correction in gold prices in dollar terms, despite May's typical bullish trend.
Around 88% of equity mutual funds delivered negative returns in 2025 so far, with 44 schemes posting double-digit losses. Small-cap and ELSS funds were hit the hardest. Only 33 funds managed gains, led by ICICI Prudential and HDFC schemes. Investors are advised to base decisions on goals and risk appetite.
India led global equity options trading in 2023. The growth was driven by retail investors. However, most retail traders faced losses. SEBI has implemented regulations to protect investors. Options can be used for hedging or speculation. The article suggests using options for hedging. It also suggests using options for stock acquisition and exit strategies.
Around 52% of equity mutual funds surpassed their benchmarks in the last three years, according to an ETMutualFunds analysis. Contra funds demonstrated the highest outperformance, while mid-cap funds showed the lowest. Notably, large funds like Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund and Nippon India Small Cap Fund also outperformed their benchmarks during this period.
V-Mart Retail shares experienced a decline of 6.2% despite positive financial news. The company reported a net profit of Rs 19 crore for the March 2025 quarter, a significant improvement from the previous year. Revenue also increased by 17%. The board approved a 3:1 bonus share issue. However, the board did not recommend dividend.
Six mutual fund New Fund Offers (NFOs) will open for subscription this week
Nippon India Taiwan Equity Fund delivered the highest return of 9.81% during the period.
Mutual funds added 8.68 crore shares of HDFC Bank to their portfolios
Indian benchmarks extended gains last week, led by largecaps, even as smallcaps underperformed. The Nifty ended up 1.3%, while the Sensex rose 1.6%. Key triggers this week include the US Fed policy decision, Q4 earnings from SBI and Kotak Bank, macro data, LoC tensions, and crude oil swings. The Rupee breached 84/USD, and FIIs remained strong buyers.
For glittering Gold and indispensable oil, the fund house expects a correction in the near term, Gold has exhibited tremendous potential and that potential remains for the longer term and also crude oils downside is exhausted.
Indian equities experienced correction since September 2024. This correction is due to expensive valuation and foreign capital outflows. Multi cap mutual funds are now an attractive option for long-term investors. These funds invest across large, mid, and small-cap stocks. India's GDP growth is projected at 6.5% for FY2026. Multi cap funds balance risk and return in volatile markets.
This Akshay Tritiya Silver ETF volume went up from Rs 95 crore to Rs 313 crore i.e., 3.3 times. At industry level, Silver ETF volume at Rs 232.5 crore which is approximately 74% of total Industry volume of Silver ETF.
Here are the top 10 companies with highest MF holding in rupee value terms.
The mutual fund holding in this stock decreased by 14.36% on a month-on-month basis. The holding in March was 7.93% against 22.29% in December.
Yield to Maturity (YTM) is a crucial indicator for debt mutual fund investors, offering an estimated annual return if bonds are held until maturity. It aids in comparing funds and aligning with investment horizons. However, YTM is not guaranteed, as it's impacted by interest rate movements and credit quality.
On Akshaya Tritiya, gold ETF volumes surged 2.5 times, with Nippon India ETF Gold BeES leading at 17,191 lakh. Total industry volume reached Rs 331 crore, driven by major ETFs like HDFC, ICICI, and SBI.
Investing Rs 50,000 monthly at a 15% annual return can help you reach a target corpus of Rs 5 crore in approximately 18 years and 2 months, assuming no lump sum.
ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched the ICICI Prudential Quality Fund, an open-ended equity scheme targeting high-quality stocks. The NFO runs from May 6 to May 20, focusing on companies with strong fundamentals and stable returns amid economic uncertainty.
In 2025 so far, 11 mutual fund schemes have lost over 15%, with Samco Flexi Cap Fund declining the most at 20.41%. Small cap and ELSS funds dominate the underperformers. A total of 244 equity schemes posted negative returns this year.
Three Reddit users debated mutual fund investments for buying a Bangalore apartment. Experts advised beginners to consider flexi-cap, hybrid, and gold funds. Emphasis was placed on setting clear goals, understanding risk appetite, and ensuring proper asset allocation across equity, debt, and gold for diversification and stability.
Groww Mutual Fund has launched the Groww Silver ETF, an open-ended fund replicating the domestic price of physical silver. The NFO is open until May 16, with a minimum investment of Rs 500. This ETF offers a convenient, storage-free way to invest in silver, aiming for long-term capital appreciation.
Eleven new mutual funds across seven categories are open for subscription, offering varied options from index funds to sectoral themes.
In April, only Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund outperformed its benchmark, while 29 out of 30 mid-cap funds lagged behind. Top funds like HDFC Mid-Cap Opportunities, Kotak Emerging Equity, and Franklin India Prima failed to beat their indices. On average, mid-cap funds returned 3.81%, underperforming the Nifty Midcap 150 TRI (4.99%) and BSE 150 MidCap TRI (6.35%).
Mutual funds' cash holdings have surged to a 15-year high in March 2025, signaling fund managers' cautious approach amid limited attractive investment opportunities. This elevated cash level mirrors trends seen in 2011 and 2018, preceding Nifty rallies concentrated in large-cap stocks. Investors should temper return expectations and prioritize portfolio quality, asset allocation, and risk management.
An online search would mostly take you to some websites with ready-made lists. Most often, the schemes may be shortlisted on the basis of their short-term performance. Sometimes, the schemes from a single category may dominate the list because that category happens to be the flavour of the season.
UTI Multi Cap Fund offers diversified equity exposure across large, mid, and small caps, aiming for long-term growth with disciplined allocation, strong fundamentals, and adaptability to market cycles.
First-time investors seeking diversified exposure can opt for SIPs in multi-asset or balanced advantage funds. While both are hybrid, they differ in equity allocation flexibility, taxation, and asset base, offering tailored strategies based on market conditions.
Equity mutual funds showed positive returns in April. Baroda BNP Paribas Focused Fund topped the charts with around 6.94% return. Invesco India Largecap Fund also performed well. HSBC Tax Saver Equity Fund and HDFC Value Fund also gave good returns. Several other funds from ICICI Prudential, Templeton, Invesco, Aditya Birla Sun Life, Mirae Asset, and Kotak also delivered positive results.
We considered the schemes that had an up-capture ratio of more than 120.
ETMutualFunds' best mutual fund SIP portfolios are meant for three different individual risk profiles: conservative, moderate and aggressive.
With bank rates down to 2.75% on balances up to Rs 50 lakh. Clearly, keeping money idle in the savings account is a losing proposition.
Dynamic bond funds have the freedom to invest across securities and maturities depending on the outlook of the fund manager. So, when the rates go up, the fund manager might bet on short term securities as a rate hike will marginally impact them. When rates start falling, he will invest in long-term instruments to make money.
In Q1 2025, the Indian mutual fund industry witnessed significant shifts, with multi-asset funds leading hybrid inflows. While passive funds gained traction, debt funds experienced substantial outflows due to corporate tax payments. Overall AUM surged, driven by growing investor confidence and SIP contributions, reflecting a broader shift towards financial assets.