The Economic Times

smallcase has launched mutual fund model portfolios, expanding beyond stocks and ETFs. The new offering provides professionally managed portfolios of direct mutual funds across asset classes, helping investors simplify fund selection, portfolio construction and monitoring while aligning investments with specific financial goals.

OPD cover in health insurance addresses out-of-pocket expenses for doctor visits, diagnostics, and medicines without hospitalization. While beneficial for those with chronic conditions or frequent consultations, it may not be cost-effective for healthy individuals. Carefully review sub-limits and exclusions before purchasing.

A monthly SIP of Rs 20,000, coupled with a Rs 1 lakh lump sum investment and an assumed annual return of 12%, can help investors accumulate a corpus of about Rs 3 crore in roughly 23 years and 7 months, according to calculator estimates.

Filing your Income Tax Return is more than just a tax duty. It acts as a vital financial record. It helps in getting loans approved. You can claim tax refunds if you paid extra. Your ITR proves your income, especially for freelancers. It allows carrying forward losses to reduce future taxes. Many countries require it for visa applications.

Gold prices held steady on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, across major jewellers like Tanishq and Kalyan, despite a slight uptick in benchmark IBJA rates. 22k gold remained at Rs 14,365 per gram at Tanishq, while other brands also maintained their previous day's pricing.

HSBC Mutual Fund has launched the RedHex Hybrid Long-Short Fund, a Specialised Investment Fund strategy aimed at generating regular income and capital appreciation through a diversified mix of fixed income, equity arbitrage, REITs and InvITs. The fund targets risk-adjusted returns with lower volatility and offers weekly redemption opportunities.

Investors receiving a large lump sum for long-term goals should avoid immediate equity deployment. Financial planners suggest parking funds in liquid instruments and using Systematic Transfer Plans (STPs) over 12 months to mitigate market timing risks. This staggered approach, combined with a diversified equity allocation, aims to optimize returns over a 20-year horizon.

EPFO subscribers are awaiting their FY 2025-26 interest credit, despite the 8.25% rate announcement in March. While delays are common due to government approval and account reconciliation, experts assure members that interest accrues monthly and won't be lost. EPFO calculates interest on the running balance, ensuring full credit even with administrative lags. Members can check their updated passbook for confirmation.

EPFO members are warned that e-nominations are invalid without e-signing via Aadhaar authentication. This crucial step ensures family members can receive EPF, EPS, and EDLI benefits without delays. Failure to e-sign means the nomination won't be processed in case of the member's death.

ET Wealth Reader's Query: I am a 50-year-old widower. My wife passed away a few years ago. I currently have around 800 grams of gold that belonged to her and my late mother, combined. I have two daughters, aged 12 and 13. I would like to understand how I can transfer or gift this gold to my children. I do not have the purchase invoices for the gold.

Quant Mutual Fund is strategically focusing on under-owned, under-researched, and neglected market segments for higher alpha generation. The fund house is underweight on manufacturing but has increased exposure to technology stocks, while maintaining a positive outlook on energy, infrastructure, and financial services.

Market volatility prompts a look at multicap and flexicap mutual funds. Experts weigh in on their suitability for uncertain times. Multicap funds offer disciplined allocation across market caps. Flexicap funds provide managers flexibility to adjust holdings. A balanced portfolio strategy across different equity categories is advised for investors to navigate market swings effectively.

Investing Rs 10,000 monthly in a Post Office Recurring Deposit for five years yields a higher maturity amount than an SBI RD. The Post Office RD offers an estimated Rs 7.14 lakh, while SBI RD provides Rs 7.02 lakh. This difference means an investor earns approximately Rs 12,244 more with the Post Office option.

New investors often struggle to find suitable mutual funds, relying on short-term performance or personal recommendations. ETMutualFunds presents a curated list of top schemes across five equity categories to guide investors. The article emphasizes understanding fund categories, risk profiles, and investment objectives before investing.

A Chennai woman successfully appealed a tax notice after selling her apartment for Rs 35.5 lakh, including Rs 2.5 lakh in cash, and buying a new one from her son-in-law. The ITAT Chennai ruled in her favor, upholding the validity of registered documents and bank transactions, and deleting additions made under Section 69A.

Indian residents with foreign pension accounts like 401(k) from working in the US, UK, or Canada can now defer India tax liability. By filing Form 40 electronically before the income tax return deadline, taxation shifts from accrual to withdrawal basis. This option, once exercised, is generally irrevocable but becomes void if the individual becomes a Non-Resident.

Challenging equity market returns are prompting retail investors to reassess their stock market exposure. Industry data reveals a rise in systematic investment plan (SIP) discontinuations and a slowdown in new investor additions. This trend indicates investor disappointment with lower-than-expected returns. The situation highlights a shift in investor sentiment amid market conditions.

The April 2026 AICPI-IW data has raised expectations of a possible 3% dearness allowance (DA) hike for central government employees, though the final rate will depend on May and June inflation data. The 12-month average AICPI-IW from May 2025 to April 2026 stands at 147.51, translating to an estimated DA of 62.51%, which could be rounded to 63%. If approved, a 3% DA hike would increase the salary of a Level 5 employee by about Rs 876 per month.

Gold prices saw a dip today, Monday, June 1, 2026. This movement occurred amidst geopolitical tensions stemming from US claims of attacks on Iranian military bases. US President Donald Trump indicated Iran's desire for a deal.

Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (POMIS) offers predictable, government-backed monthly income, attracting retirees and conservative investors. While safe, its returns may not beat inflation, and interest is taxable. Experts suggest a balanced approach, combining low-risk options like arbitrage funds for income with equity funds for long-term wealth creation.

UIDAI has launched a new Aadhaar App, replacing the older mAadhaar. This app offers enhanced security with face authentication and biometric lock. Users can manage their digital identity and share Aadhaar data securely. The app allows access to all Aadhaar details on smartphones. Updates like mobile number and address can be done through the app.

Several small-cap mutual funds maintained elevated cash positions in April, reflecting a cautious approach amid market conditions. Bandhan Small Cap Fund held the highest cash allocation at 13.2%, followed closely by Groww Small Cap Fund at 13%. SBI Small Cap Fund, HDFC Small Cap Fund and Quantum Small Cap Fund also maintained sizeable cash reserves, potentially providing flexibility for future investment opportunities.

National Pension System (NPS) fund managers have delivered strong returns over the past three years, with several schemes generating double-digit gains. Tata Pension Management led the pack with a return of 13.56%, closely followed by ICICI Prudential Pension Fund at 13.39%.

Sovereign Gold Bond investors can now plan for premature redemption. Several SGB tranches issued between 2019 and 2021 become eligible for redemption in June 2026. Investors must submit requests within the specified windows through designated channels. Missing these deadlines may lead to rejection. This information is crucial for timely action.

International mutual funds are leading in returns, driven by global markets and currency gains. However, Indian investors face hurdles due to overseas investment limits imposed by the RBI. Experts advise continuing existing SIPs but caution against new investments. Investors are exploring alternative routes like LRS and GIFT City for global diversification as fund houses restrict inflows.

ETMutualFunds offers curated mutual fund portfolios for conservative, moderate, and aggressive investors. These recommendations are designed for SIP investments and cater to various investment amounts. The portfolios are updated regularly based on a robust in-house methodology. Investors can now easily select schemes to meet their long-term financial objectives.

The Ministry of Finance has launched a new portal to help citizens find forgotten money. This initiative, called 'Your Money, Your Right', allows people to trace unclaimed bank deposits, insurance policies, and mutual fund investments. It also helps shareholders claim unpaid dividends and shares.

Salaried employees can claim tax exemption on leave encashment at retirement. While government employees enjoy full exemption, private sector employees have a limit of Rs 25 lakh, subject to specific calculations based on earned leave and salary. This income is reported under 'Income from Salary' in the ITR.

Homeowners in possession must pay maintenance charges even without an Occupation Certificate or independent water and sewerage facilities. The Himachal Pradesh RERA ruled that if owners are availing basic services they cannot deny payment obligations. However, the builder must ensure charges are reasonable and transparent, and was thus ordered by authority to obtain OC/CC within three months.

Pension and family pension are taxed differently under the Income-Tax Act, yet many taxpayers continue to confuse the two while filing returns. As AY 2026-27 return filing gathers pace, pensioners must understand the correct tax treatment, deductions, TDS provisions and compliance reliefs available to avoid errors and unnecessary notices.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced the Retirement Income Scheme (RIS) under NPS, allowing retirees to receive systematic payouts from the 80% withdrawable corpus until age 85 while keeping funds invested. RIS aims to improve income stability, corpus longevity, and inflation-beating returns. However, payouts remain market-linked, tax treatment remains unclear, and the scheme may be complex for some retirees.

Borrowers struggling with debt often face harassment from recovery agents through abusive calls, threats, public shaming, and unauthorised visits, despite RBI rules prohibiting such practices. Experts say many borrowers are unaware of their rights and grievance mechanisms. RBI guidelines allow complaints against harassment and provide borrower protections, while debt restructuring and one-time settlements can help resolve repayment difficulties and reduce financial stress.

If youre considering mutual fund portfolio management services (MF-PMS), ask three questions. First, can the manager show post-fee returns for his strategy versus a simple direct fund portfolio over the last 10 years? Second, how often does he rebalance, and whats the post-tax cost? Third, does he have skin in the game on the downside, or is his profit share a one-way bet?

The rupees sharp depreciation, down about 10% against the dollar in the past year, has become a key concern during corporate earnings calls. Investors are increasingly questioning companies about hedging and forex risk management. While exporters benefit from higher overseas revenue, importers face rising costs. Companies across sectors are strengthening hedging strategies as speculation grows that the rupee could weaken further.

Technical analysis helps investors understand market trends and sentiment through price charts, complementing fundamental analysis, which identifies quality businesses. Key tools include charts, trend analysis, support and resistance levels, moving averages, and trading volumes. While technical indicators can improve entry and exit timing, they work on probabilities, not certainty. Experts advise retail investors to prioritise fundamentals and use technical analysis only as a supporting tool.

Dinesh Balachandran, HeadInvestments, SBI Funds Management, runs some of SBI Mutual Funds (MF) largest schemes, including SBI Contra Fund, SBI Multi Asset Allocation Fund and SBI Balanced Advantage Fund. In this conversation with Sanket Dhanorkar, he shares how he navigated the correction of the last two years, what the fund houses in-house asset allocation model now reveals, and how his investing approach has changed over the years.

Welcome to TrendMap, your guide to the performance of different investment segments. In this edition, we present a 10-year performance tracker of various factor-based investment strategies. The annual returns are ranked for 6 key NSE Factor indices, with a broad-based index, Nifty 500, thrown in for comparison. This map shows that no single-factor strategy consistently outperforms, making a strong case for diversification. By Sameer Bhardwaj.

Many banks have recently reduced credit card rewards, cashback limits, and perks, prompting cardholders to reassess their spending strategies. Experts advise optimising existing cards rather than cancelling them, diversifying across 23 cards, and using rewards strategically. Linking RuPay credit cards to UPI can boost benefits on everyday transactions. Ultimately, maximising value depends on understanding card features and aligning spending with reward structures.

Extremely skilled at handling computer software and hardware, hackers are categorised into various types depending on their intent and purpose, and are mostly denoted by different coloured hats. In the 105th part of this series, Riju Mehta lists the various categories of hackers.