Investors should strategically own Gold and tactically add Silver, leveraging ETFs for portfolio value. Rely on professional fund managers for complex derivatives and accumulate foreign currency assets in advance. Diversify between active and passive strategies, maintain sufficient emergency funds, and utilize SWP features during the harvesting phase for tax-efficient cash flows.

Six mutual funds reported losses over 10% in nine months, with Samco Flexi Cap leading declines. Out of 279 funds, 144 posted negative returns, reflecting market pressure on select categories.

While average returns across equity schemes fell 46%, certain categories including large-cap, large & mid-cap, and flexi-cap funds stood out, with a handful of schemes posting positive one-year absolute returns.

Rishi Kohli, CIO of JioBlackRock MF, recommends SIPs in the JioBlackRock Flexi Cap Fund for first-time investors, while seasoned investors may consider lumpsum investments. The fund uses Systematic Active Equity and BlackRocks Aladdin platform for risk-managed alpha generation.

Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund has launched the Motilal Oswal Consumption Fund, an open-ended equity scheme aimed at capturing Indias multi-decade consumption growth story, now evolving into a phase of luxury and discretionary spending.

The Reserve Bank of India kept its repo rate unchanged at 5.5% following earlier reductions, maintaining a dovish tone that suggests potential for future rate cuts. Experts highlight opportunities in dynamic bond funds and short-to-medium duration bonds, anticipating further easing. The policy also introduced regulatory measures aimed at stimulating the economy and enhancing financial sector operations.

Indian markets rebounded on October 1 after eight sessions of losses. The Reserve Bank of India maintained repo rates, revising inflation forecasts lower. This decision supported investor confidence. Bank stocks saw gains as RBI increased loan limits. The Indian rupee strengthened against the US dollar. Falling crude oil prices and positive global cues also contributed to the market surge.

India's stock market lags global markets. Valuations are high, and earnings growth is slow. US-India trade issues also affect investor interest. Recent GST cuts and interest rate reductions could provide some support. However, a large earnings improvement is not likely this year. The market may move sideways. Stock picking offers opportunities for investors.

India's Nifty has significantly underperformed global markets over the past year, dropping 3.6% while others soared. This follows a post-Covid boom driven by retail investors and strong earnings, which led to stretched valuations. Corporate earnings growth also slowed to 5%.

Tata Motors fixed October 14, 2025, as the record date for its commercial vehicles demerger. Shareholders will receive one TMLCV share for each Tata Motors share. This restructuring aims for distinct business operations. The new commercial vehicle entity will list on BSE and NSE. This demerger may bring market rebalancing.

Infrastructure financing stocks surged over 5% after the RBI reduced risk weights on NBFC lending to infrastructure projects, aiming to lower financing costs. Concurrently, the RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.5%, revised FY26 inflation downward to 2.6%, and raised the FY26 GDP growth forecast to 6.8%.

Dalal Street celebrated the RBI's expected 'dovish pause' and Governor Malhotra's pro-market initiatives, ending an 8-day losing streak. Sensex surged over 600 points as RBI allowed banks to fund M&A, liberalized loans against shares, and reduced risk weights for infrastructure financing. These measures, coupled with optimistic GDP and inflation forecasts, significantly boosted market sentiment, especially for banking and infrastructure stocks.

Ten small-cap stocks trading below their five-year average P/E have rallied 15100% in the past three months. While potentially undervalued, investors should consider fundamentals and broader market conditions.

ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched the ICICI Prudential Conglomerate Fund, an open-ended equity scheme, with its NFO open from October 3-17. This fund targets diversified Indian business groups, aiming to capture India's evolving growth story.

RBI raises credit limits: Loan against shares ceiling hiked from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore, and IPO financing limit increased to Rs 25 lakh. Governor Sanjay Malhotra said these measures, part of five steps to boost credit, follow a 100-bps rate cut in 2025.

The RBI maintained its repo rate at 5.5%, leading experts to recommend short-duration funds for debt exposure, while gradually increasing equity allocation for long-term growth. Although no rate cut occurred this time, future reductions are anticipated due to weakening inflation.

PSU bank stocks fell up to 1.4% on Wednesday after RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.5% and maintained a neutral stance. The Nifty PSU Bank index slipped 0.78% to 7,468, with Indian Bank, Canara Bank, and PNB among the top decliners. SBI and Bank of Baroda also dipped, despite RBI raising FY26 GDP growth forecast to 6.8%.

Two Specialized Investment Funds will open for subscription on October 1. SBI Mutual Fund and Edelweiss Mutual Fund will launch these hybrid long-short SIFs. These funds will allow both long and short positions, differing from traditional hybrid mutual funds. They will manage market risks and offer specific strategies. Investors will evaluate these new options for their portfolio strategies.

PPFAS Mutual Fund announced the resignation of Himanshoo Bohara as CFO and Whole-Time Director, effective 29 September 2025. The fund also introduced an Income Distribution cum Capital Withdrawal (IDCW) option for Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund, offering payout and reinvestment facilities. Unitholders have a 30-day exit window to respond.

Shares of Netweb Technologies surged to a record Rs 4,108 on the NSE, up 13%, extending a rally of 80% in a month and 170% in six months. The stocks momentum is driven by Indias digital infrastructure growth, AI adoption, data localisation policies, and major order wins, including Nvidia-powered server contracts and Tyrone GPU-accelerated AI systems.

Anand Rathi shares surged up to 12.7% driven by strong retail participation and positive market sentiment. Intraday gains of 4.7% reflect investor optimism and confidence in the companys growth outlook and fundamentals.

Stock Market Closed today; On October 1, 2025, Indian stock and commodity markets are open for Maha Navami. Key October trading holidays and Diwali Muhurat session are noted; markets begin October cautiously ahead of RBI MPC meet.

Tata Investment Corporation shares have surged over 45% in seven sessions, hitting a record Rs 10,611 on strong technical momentum and expectations of Tata Sons listing and Tata Capital IPO. Experts suggest holding or accumulating on dips amid near-term volatility.

BMW Ventures shares debuted on Wednesday. The stock listed at a steep discount on both exchanges. It opened at Rs 78 on NSE and Rs 80 on BSE against the issue price of Rs 99. The Rs 231.66 crore IPO received moderate investor interest. Institutional buyers showed strong demand. Retail investors' participation was lukewarm. The company trades steel products and manufactures PVC pipes.

Epack Prefab Technologies debuted at a discount on Wednesday, listing below its IPO price and grey market expectations. Despite healthy financial growth and a strong order book, analysts deemed its 34.5x earnings valuation expensive, leaving limited room for near-term upside. Investors will monitor its expansion plans and margin sustainability.

Tata Motors demerger takes effect on October 1, splitting its commercial vehicle and passenger vehicle businesses into two listed entities. Shareholders will receive one share in the new CV company per existing share, with listings expected by mid-November, enabling independent valuation and trading.

Jain Resource Recycling debuted at a 14% premium, opening at Rs 265 against its Rs 232 IPO price. The Rs 1,250 crore IPO saw strong investor demand, subscribed 16.8 times overall. The non-ferrous metal recycler, despite rapid financial growth, faces challenges in sustaining growth and expanding its thin 3% net margin post-listing.

Godfrey Phillips is challenging ITC's dominance in the Indian cigarette market, with Marlboro's aggressive rollout capturing younger, aspirational smokers. While ITC stock has fallen, Godfrey Phillips shares have seen a massive surge, driven by superior volume and revenue growth. This shift highlights rising competitive intensity and market share loss for the incumbent.

Pfizer shares surged after the US drugmaker agreed to lower prescription drug costs for Medicaid under a deal with the Trump administration. The agreement includes a $70 billion investment in R&D and domestic manufacturing, a three-year tariff grace period, and participation in the White Houses TrumpRx platform launching in 2026, offering many treatments at an average 50% discount.

Indian benchmark indices, Nifty and Sensex, opened marginally higher on Wednesday, October 1, as investors awaited the RBI MPC meeting outcome. The RBI is widely expected to maintain interest rates at 5.50%. If these gains persist, it would end an eight-day losing streak for frontline indices, with Auto and Pharma performing well.

ETMutualFunds launched its recommended mutual fund portfolios to invest through SIPs in October 2016. Since then, we have been closely monitoring the schemes in these portfolios and coming up with updates on them regularly.

Man Industries shares: SEBI barred the company and top executives from market access for two years over alleged fund diversion. The company clarified that the case involved legacy compliance lapses (FY201521) around a subsidiarys consolidation, now resolved. It said the Rs 25 lakh penalty wont affect finances.

SEBI has introduced Mitra, a new digital platform developed by mutual fund RTAs, enabling investors and heirs to trace inactive and unclaimed mutual fund folios. This centralized system addresses lost investment details and deceased unitholders, enhancing transparency and reducing fraud risks. It helps rightful owners locate and reclaim forgotten holdings.

Zerodha Mutual Fund integrates with ONDC, becoming a pioneer in offering mutual funds on the open digital commerce network. The move aims to make investing simple, transparent, and widely accessible across India.

Here are the top five funds in this category with the highest cash holdings in their portfolio, as reported by ET Wealth.

PPFAS Mutual Funds Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund adds IDCW option alongside growth. Unitholders have a 30-day exit window before changes take effect on 31 October 2025.

Edelweiss Mutual Fund introduces Altiva Hybrid Long-Short SIF, opening October 1st. CEO Radhika Gupta shared crucial insights, positioning SIFs as tax-efficient solutions leveraging derivatives for lower market risk and better returns. She urges investors to understand these unique products, focusing on post-tax outcomes.

In a challenging year for equities, certain small-cap mutual funds have stood out by limiting losses and delivering better returns than their peers and benchmarks. Notable performers include Motilal Oswal Small Cap Fund, HDFC Small Cap Fund, and Quantum Small Cap Fund.

Mirae Asset Large & Midcap Fund delivered positive returns in eight of the last ten years. It outperformed its category in shorter durations but underperformed in longer periods. Experts highlight its disciplined investment approach and consistent outperformance against its benchmark. The fund holds significant allocations in large and mid-cap stocks.

Hybrid mutual funds, especially multi-asset allocation funds, significantly outperformed plain-vanilla equity schemes over the past year amidst sharp market swings. Driven by a 47% surge in gold and lower equity exposure, these funds delivered 9-13% gains, while most equity categories experienced losses. This outperformance could continue if equities remain weak.

Top 5 midcap mutual funds, led by Invesco India Mid Cap, have delivered over 27% annualised returns in the past three years.