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A recent report by Axis AMC shed light on the burgeoning Indian mutual fund industry. Since March 2021, the MF industry has grown at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 23.65%, touching an AUM (asset under management) of Rs 67.25 lakh crore in October 2024. <keyword id="20300870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Equity-Mutual-Funds" source="keywords">Equity mutual funds</keyword>, which garnered Rs 41,886.69 crore during the month, saw a 58.96% YoY growth. The biggest contributor to the equity segment was sectoral funds, which captured 29.3% of net equity sales in October 2024. In all, they brought in Rs 12,278.78 crore during October 2024. The AUM of <keyword id="20890471" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hybrid-Funds" source="keywords">hybrid funds</keyword> also stood at Rs 9.24 lakh crore during the month, registering an annual growth of 47.8% and inflows worth Rs 16,863.30 crore during October 2024. Amidst this, the arbitrage funds led in net sales, capturing 3.61% of their AUM with monthly inflows worth Rs 7,181.70 crores. There and more people are entering the Indian markets, as is evident in the growing SIP corpus (Systematic Investment Plans), which saw contributions worth Rs 25,323 crore in October 2024, a 54.7% year-over-year growth. In October 2024, about 63,69,919 new SIPs were registered, taking the number of SIP accounts to a record high of 10,12,34,212 The growth in equity investments was largely led by retail investors and HNIs (high-net-worth individuals). Since March 2021, the retail segment in mutual funds has seen a 31.2% CAGR, while banks and foreign investors have recorded a CAGR of 31.8% during the same period. Corporations were the biggest contributors to debt mutual funds. Notably, the AUM of debt funds grew 14.8% over the previous year to stand at Rs 10,65,037 crore as of October 2024. The category saw net sales worth Rs 47,699 crore last month. Also testimony to the growing interest of investors in mutual funds were the figures of <keyword id="23958398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Passive-Mutual-Funds" source="keywords">passive mutual funds</keyword>, which recorded net sales worth Rs 8,025 crore during the month. Out of this, just index funds observed net sales of Rs 7,931 crore in the previous month. AUM from the top 30 Indian cities grew at 22.6% CAGR, whereas other cities grew at 27.8% CAGR since March 2021. FY25 also seemed to be the year where NFOs received an enthusiastic response from investors. So far, a total of 124 NFO schemes have managed to collect a total of over Rs 77,932 crore.

Mutual funds in spotlight: Industry grew at 23.65% CAGR since March 2021

The ongoing <keyword id="20168812" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sell-off" source="keywords">sell-off</keyword> by <keyword id="19900795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-investors" source="keywords">foreign investors</keyword> continues to loom large on <keyword id="19991358" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-markets" source="keywords">Indian markets</keyword>. In October so far, <keyword id="19950996" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="FIIs" source="keywords">FIIs</keyword> (foreign institutional investors) have already withdrawn Rs 74,732.20 crores. Not for a single day this month have FIIs poured money into <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>. The sell-off started on October 1, when foreign investors withdrew Rs 5,579.35 crore. The highest withdrawal of this month came on October 3. 2024, when FIIs sold Rs 15,243.27 crore worth of assets. Yesterday, i.e. on October 17th, FIIs pulled out Rs 7,421.40 crore from the markets. Experts state that FIIs are continuously putting pressure on Indian stocks, but the situation is expected to improve in the coming weeks with a sharp recovery anticipated. "We remain optimistic as the FII selling may have crossed the half way mark already and as it tones down, the domestic flows will help a recovery. When the recovery happens it will sharp and concentrated, giving long term investors motivation to stay put during the harrowing volatility of a roller coaster market that has repeatedly tested support levels but remains oversold, hence ripe for a bounce sometime in the next few weeks" said Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert to ANI. Between January and October 2024, foreign investors have invested a net of 1,87,298 crore in India. This year, apart from the current sell-off, January, April and May also saw <keyword id="23593694" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment-outflows" source="keywords">investment outflows</keyword> by FIIs. The intense selloff comes right after September, when foreign investors invested a record Rs 93,538 crore in the Indian markets. June, July and August 2024 had also seen positive inflows from foreign investors of about Rs 41,757 crore, Rs 48,796 crore and Rs 25,493 crore respectively. However, a resilient, strong domestic investor base is keeping Indian markets afloat. <keyword id="21714171" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DIIs" source="keywords">DIIs</keyword> (domestic institutional investors) have been consistent buyers throughout this month, largely balancing the outflows prompted by FIIs. In October so far, DIIs have invested about Rs 68,961.37 crore in the market, with the highest monthly inflow coming in on October 7th. While DIIs invested Rs 13,245.12 crore in Indian markets on that day, foreign investors withdrew Rs 8,293.41 crore. Yesterday i.e. on October 17, 2024, DIIs invested Rs 4,979.83 crore in the markets. At present, experts note that DIIs are flush with cash at the moment, with <keyword id="20052797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-fund-inflows" source="keywords">mutual fund inflows</keyword> reaching an all-time high of Rs 24,509 crore in September 2024, a record 52.78% jump from the corresponding year ago period, where they stood at Rs 16,042 crore. Generally, keeping around 3-5% of their assets in cash is considered an acceptable practice amongst mutual fund houses. As per reports, mutual funds are currently in possession of Rs 1.86 lakh crore worth of cash, which constitutes 5.03% of their total AUM as of September 2024.

Exodus of foreign investors from Indian markets continues unabated in October. But DIIs are holding the fort steady

Debt <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword> saw massive outflows of Rs 1,13,833.95 crore in September 2024. Liquid funds made up about 50% of this, witnessing outflows of Rs 72,665.97 crore. This was followed by money market funds, which lost Rs 23,420.84 crore during the month. Investors continued to repose strong faith in <keyword id="20300870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-mutual-funds" source="keywords">equity mutual funds</keyword>, which saw inflows worth Rs 34,419.26 crore during the month. The momentum in <keyword id="20444306" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sectoral-funds" source="keywords">sectoral funds</keyword> also continued, with them raking in Rs 13,254.63 crore in September. During the month, 4 new sectoral schemes were launched, which gathered a total of Rs 7,842 crore. This was the 43rd consecutive month for positive equities inflows, beginning March 2021. Multi-cap and large and mid-cap funds saw inflows of about Rs 3,500 crore last month, followed by flexi cap funds, which raked in Rs 3,214.57 crore. Amidst ongoing geopolitical concerns, investors chose to stay away from slightly risky investment avenues such as arbitrage funds, which lost Rs 3,531.93 crore during September. Arbitrage funds make money from price differences, which is generated by buying and selling similar securities simultaneously across different markets. Multi-asset allocation funds saw inflows worth Rs 4,070.37 crore during the month. Index funds and gold ETFs also saw funds worth Rs 1,960.29 crore and Rs 1,232.99 crore flowing in, respectively. September saw 13 new index funds launches, which amassed Rs 3,656 crore. All in all, 27 <keyword id="20867320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-schemes" source="keywords">new schemes</keyword> were launched last month, which saw inflows worth Rs 14,575 crore. <h2>SIP accounts, AUM at all-time high</h2>The industry's net AUM (assets under management) stood at Rs 67,09,259.24 crores, with mutual fund folios also touching an all-time high of 21,05,15,684. The retail AUM, which comprises of equity, hybrid and solution oriented schemes, also touched an all-time high of Rs 40,44,098 crore, up from Rs 39,27,594 crore in August 2024. Inflows in SIP (Systematic Investment Plans) remained resilient, and witnessed an all-time high, with the number of new SIPs registered in September registered at 66,38,857. The <keyword id="20876064" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SIP-AUM" source="keywords">SIP AUM</keyword> was also at its highest ever, at Rs 13,81,703.94 crores for September. This stood at Rs 13,38,944.73 crores for August 2024 The number of SIP accounts were also at their highest ever at 9,87,44,171, along with SIP contribution, which recorded an all-time high of Rs 24,508.73 crores last month. The MF industry also reached the milestone of having 5,01,22,609 unique investors in September.

Sectoral funds continue lapping up investor money, debt funds see massive outflows in September 2024, shows AMFI data

<div type="image" title="Are Indians depositing less money in banks, or more in mutual funds? Turns out, it&amp;#39;s neither of those." msid="113663806" hostid="261" sizebytes="1121785"></div> Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of brouhaha about the lagging pace of <keyword id="20202062" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bank-deposits" source="keywords">bank deposits</keyword> in India. Simply put, the rate at which Indians are depositing their hard-earned money in banks has been falling constantly, and some blame the increasing financialisation of <keyword id="20751315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="household-savings" source="keywords">household savings</keyword> in the country or the rising preference of Indians towards <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword> and shares. So, the hypothesis is that people are choosing to invest more in mutual funds and the Indian <keyword id="19949641" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-markets" source="keywords">equity markets</keyword> through direct investments, IPOs, or NFOs, the money flowing into Indian banks in the form of deposits is slowing down. But is that really the case? <h2>A crisis or a phase?</h2><keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="RBI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="RBI">RBI</keyword> data suggested that for the quarter ended June 2024, bank deposits grew at 11.7%. On the other hand, credit growth has outpaced this at 15%. This means that the outflow from banks as loans is far greater than the inflow into them in the form of deposits in Q1 of FY 2024-25. The situation largely saw cut-copy-paste in the first week of September as well, with loans registering a 13.3% YoY growth during the period, while deposits rose only 11.1%. This gap has only been widening for the last 3 years. Since deposits are how banks gather assets to further lend and earn interest income as a consequence, even a slight dip could set the alarm bells ringing for banks, and rightfully so. And truth be told, mutual funds are indeed taking on bank deposits in a big way. Per a report by Franklin Templeton, in August 2024, the AUM (assets under management) of Indian mutual funds, or the total funds managed by them, stood at 31.3% of total bank deposits in the country, up from 24.20% during the year-ago period. As of August 2024, the AUM of mutual funds stood at Rs 66.17 lakh crore, an all-time high. But all said and done, is this really the reason why the rate of bank deposits is falling behind? SBI has dismissed this to be a “statistical myth”, and experts point out that since equity and fund houses also keep the cash in their respective bank accounts, there’s no cause for concern. So, is financialization really to be blamed for the trailing tempo of deposits? Or is something else happening behind the scenes? We take a closer look: <h2>First, are household deposits really slowing down? And is that a cause of concern?</h2>Data from Motilal Oswal suggests the contrary. Deposits grew by around 10.4% between March 2020 and August 2024. Data from RBI also highlights that as of August 9, 2024, bank deposits witnessed a YoY growth of 10.8%. The loan-to-deposit ratio for the retail segment, which indicates what percentage of its total deposits the banks lend out as loans, has stayed at 77.5%, above the 77% mark for the tenth straight month. <div type="image" title="Yes, household deposits (as % of total deposits) have dipped, but the drop is far from significant" msid="113663882" hostid="261" sizebytes="306706"></div> Also, we can’t forego the fact that the share of Indian households in bank deposits has indeed slowed down. However, data from Axis AMC shows that the dip is marginal—from 63% in 2022 to 62% in 2023 and 61% in 2024. What has slowed down even more considerably is the share of government deposits in the aggregate bank deposits, which has dipped from 14% in 2018 to 9% in 2024. So, it's not just household deposits, you see. Moreover, as of March 2024, the collective CASA ratio (current and <keyword id="114757" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="savings-account" source="Orion">savings account</keyword> deposits) of all commercial banks in India stood at 41.00%, down from 43.1% in March 2023 and 45.2% in March 2022, marking a nearly 5% point decline over the past year, while still staying over the 10-year average of 39.2%. This implies that Indian banks are relying more on higher-cost funds (savings accounts), which can limit their profitability. <h2>What is this financialisation of savings we are talking about?</h2>Then again, there is no doubt about the growing affinity of Indians towards mutual funds and stock markets. Recent data from CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) highlights that India’s net direct tax collection surged by around 22%, driven exclusively by the significant uptick in the collection of Securities Transaction Tax (STT), which doubled to Rs 26,154 crore, from Rs 13,352 crore in the year-ago period. Why does this matter? STT is levied when you buy or sell equity shares on stock exchanges, sell <keyword id="6361918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-mutual-funds" source="Orion">equity mutual funds</keyword>, and trade in futures and options in the equity segment. Such taxes, including the multiple other taxes in equity market investments, are considered as leakages as the money moves out of the economy into government coffers. Data from a ValueQuest report explains that over the last 20 years, the markets have handsomely rewarded the investors, generating over $900 billion in incremental value for them. This is the major driver behind the dramatic rise in investment flowing towards the equity markets. There’s further proof of this budding romance, if you check the demat pudding. The number of demat accounts, which are a primary requisite for participating in the stock markets, also burgeoned by 42.3 lakh in August 2024, taking India’s total tally of demat accounts beyond 17 crore. To put this in perspective, this is almost equivalent to the population of just 8 nations in the world, including China, the US, Brazil and more. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat thinks it's rather important, as well. “Financialisation of household savings in India is an indication of deepening capital markets in the market, especially from a retail investor standpoint. Bank deposits with a modest rate of return are no longer the only option for savings for investors. Investors today have more avenues for wealth creation in the form of public capital markets, which have democratized wealth creation and provided equality of opportunity to retail investors”, he says. Yes, Indians are investing more and more in the markets, and in mutual funds. But is it a sin to look out for inflation-beating returns, which the stock markets offer, and vanilla bank deposits don't? After all, the allure of 12-13% annual returns offered by <keyword id="45369" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equities" source="Orion">equities</keyword> can certainly pale the stability offered by good old deposits, which generally do not go beyond 9% when it comes to annual returns. But all of this is not what is behind the slowdown. India is still a toddler in the school of savings financialization, with less than 10% of the population holding a demat account, and less than 5% of us saving in equities. That's a drop in the ocean of deposits, far inadequate to trigger a tsunami. <h2>Tell me why lagging deposits have nothing to do with Indians investing more in mutual funds!</h2>Says Shweta Rajani, Head - Mutual Funds, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited, “Households' equity holdings composition grew from 11.1% in FY 23 to 14.7% in FY 24. This trend reflects a growing awareness of investment options, empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. Despite this transition towards equities, banks still hold a significant share of household financial savings—33.5% in FY24 compared to 34.9% in FY23”. Also, household savings and their subsequent financialization do not have much to do with deposit creation, which is entirely made by banks. What actually drives increased deposits is credit growth or increased lending. When interest rates are eased, people tend to borrow more and spend more, which circulates more money in the economy. For the past 4 years, RBI has been tightening the screws on interest rates, which raises the cost of borrowings, and makes it more expensive to take loans, putting a dampener on credit growth, but effectively curbing inflationary pressures. The last time RBI cut the repo rate by 40 basis points was back in May 2020, 4 years ago. The lag in <keyword id="19998084" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="deposit-growth" source="keywords">deposit growth</keyword> we’re witnessing is almost 3 years old. Coincidence much, or just good old economics at work? But with the Fed recently setting a rate cut precedent by slashing 50 bps off its interest rate, RBI is expected to follow suit in the next MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting, scheduled for November 2024. A rate cut would ease the aforementioned high cost of borrowing, and increase loan-taking for corporates and institutional investors, thereby stoking consumption in the economy. And then, deposit creation in banks is likely to return to its former glory. If not, then that would be a curious case to unravel! But that worry is for another day. Do you have insights or personal experience to share on your personal finances or money? Contact us at <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="mailto:businessinsider@timesinternet.in">businessinsider@timesinternet.in</a>.

Simply Put: A Deposit Dilemma — What's the fuss about a crisis in Indian bank deposits? Are mutual fund investments to blame?

The deluge of funds in sectoral, or <keyword id="20296225" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thematic-Funds" source="keywords">thematic funds</keyword> continued unabashed in September, with investors pouring in Rs 13,254.63 crore via 183 schemes into this category, as <keyword id="20090036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AMFI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AMFI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AMFI">AMFI</keyword> data showed. In August too, investors had put in Rs 18,117.18 crore via 179 schemes here. The trend has been going strong since July, 2024, which saw <keyword id="20444306" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sectoral-Funds" source="keywords">sectoral funds</keyword> garner Rs 18,386.35 crores via 174 schemes. In August, 5 new thematic funds were launched on the momentum, which raised Rs 10,202 crore. Last month saw the launch of 4 new sectoral schemes, which garnered around Rs 8,000 crore. However, inflows into <keyword id="21366551" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Equity-Schemes" source="keywords">equity schemes</keyword> fell by 10% in September to Rs 34,419 crore, as compared to Rs 38,239 crore in August 2024. Between April and June 2024, equity <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mutual-Funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword> had seen a total inflow of Rs 94,222.27 crore, out of which inflows in sectoral funds (Rs 46,731.17 crore) alone were a whopping 50%. While the quantum of inflow in equities, and sectoral funds certainly seems to have tapered down a bit, it continues to remain significantly strong, indicating heavy <keyword id="20354507" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Investor-Interest" source="keywords">investor interest</keyword> in this largely risky segment. Over the last year, AMCs have been pumping out more and more NFOs in this space in a bid to get a bigger chunk of investor's money, and also regulations restrict them from launching new schemes under other categories. However, with the ongoing geopolitical concerns in Middle East, and rising prices of crude oil, the equity markets are set for volatile, uncertain times ahead. However. thematic funds have had a good run so far this year, with YTD (yield to date) of 28.69%, and returns worth 44.71% over the past year. Says Deepak Ramaraju, Senior Fund Manager, Shriram AMC, "On the prima facie, it looks like investors are concerned about the valuation, increasing geo-political uncertainty and moderation in earnings and hence, we have seen redemption from funds. But we will have to wait for how the global events play out – like the Chinese stimulus, the Fed Decision and the RBI’s MPC policy stance in the months to come". As such, you should think twice and carefully assess the risks involved before dipping your hands in the gush of sectoral funds right now. While they may be all the rage, identifying the right sector or theme at the right time is a job best done by professionals. <h2>Don't ignore the risks involved</h2>Siddharth Alok, AVP Investments, Multi Ark Wealth-Epsilon Money explains that sectoral funds come with high risk, since they are more vulnerable to sector-specific downturns. This might not suit the risk palate of many investors. "All markets have cycles, where some sectors naturally outperform while some underperform in the short to medium term. For instance, industrial and consumer discretionary sectors may perform well in a growing economy, while defensive sectors like utilities or healthcare may perform better during downturns". "To make the most of your investments in sectoral funds, it is essential to time your entry and exit in these sectors, which is a difficult job for a regular investor", he continued. In order to maximise your returns in thematic funds, either investors i.e. you should understand the dynamics of the underlying sector or theme, or you should have qualified and experienced advisors who can help you take the right decision with regards to such investments. As a matter of fact, you should approach any new funds only after comparing them with similar existing offerings and ensuring their aptness in your portfolio. As an astute investor, you should understand that such funds offer a very high-risk high return investment proposition and may not fit in the portfolio of every investor. Investing in every <keyword id="20498936" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NFO" source="keywords">NFO</keyword> (New Fund Offering) without assessing the sector's viability and future growth, merely on the back of its current hype is unadvisable.

The newest fad in mutual fund multiverse: Sectoral Funds. Here's why you should not over-invest in them

Investors continued to push significant money into sectoral, or thematic funds, with the category seeing inflows worth Rs 18,117.18 crores during August 2024. The inflows in this category remained largely flat last month, changing negligibly from Rs 18,386.35 crores in July 2024. During August, 5 new thematic mutual fund NFOs were launched, which raised a total of Rs 10,093.57 crore. <h2>42nd consecutive month of positive inflows</h2>This takes the total tally of existing sectoral fund schemes to 179. The next category with most schemes offered (42) is <keyword id="103549" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ELSS" source="Orion">ELSS</keyword> (equity-linked savings scheme). Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director – Manager Research, Morningstar Investment Research India cautioned that investors should be cautious while selecting funds specially from the sector/thematic category. Such funds offer a very high-risk high return investment proposition and may not fit in the portfolio of every investor. "Either investors should themselves understand the dynamics of the underlying sector or theme to take a prudent investment decision, or they should have a strong advice available to them, who can help them take the right decision", he advised. Inflows in small-cap funds tapered significantly, and are now largely in line with funds garnered by large-cap and mid-cap funds. In August, large-cap funds saw inflows worth Rs 2,636.86 crore, while large and mid cap funds amassed Rs 3,293.74 crore. Small-cap funds raked in Rs 3,209.33 crore during the month. "With large cap segment faring relatively better from valuation point of view, investors have shifted their attention towards this category again. Besides, large cap funds add stability to the portfolio during the times of market volatility, and this could be another reason for investors to invest in these funds, given heightened volatility observed in the markets in the recent times. Additionally, with the valuation high in the mid and small cap segments, some shift towards large caps is not surprising", continued Srivastava. Also, investors showed far more proclivity for <keyword id="6357979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mutual-Funds" source="Orion">mutual funds</keyword> spread over various market caps, as opposed to a single one. This is evident in the amount garnered by flexi-cap funds, which amassed Rs 3,513.16 crore. All in all, the equity segment saw total inflows of Rs 34,302.82 crores in August, making it the 42nd consecutive month of net inflows in this segment. Even the number of folios in equity jumped 3.16%, up from Rs 13.8 crore in July to Rs 14.3 crore in August. In hybrid funds, balanced advantage funds saw inflows worth Rs 3,215.06 crore, while multi-asset allocation funds received Rs 2,826.89 crore. <h2>Debt inflows take a dip</h2>As for debt categories, they saw inflows worth Rs 45,169.36 crore during the month, higher than their equity counterparts. However, this was significantly lower than the inflows it registered in July, which stood at Rs 1,19,587.60 crore. The biggest contributors to this quantum were <keyword id="428654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="liquid-funds" source="Orion">liquid funds</keyword> and overnight funds, which received Rs 13,594.87 crore, and Rs 15,105.93 crore respectively. And despite various PSU stocks having a good run on the bourses, banking and PSU funds saw outflows worth Rs 1,549.99 crores, the highest in debt segment. Nehal Meshram, Senior Analyst, Research, Morningstar Investment Research India highlighted that overnight funds, liquid funds and money market funds accounted out 86% of the overall debt inflow last month. "This trend reflects a preference for low-risk and highly liquid investment options. Investors also showed a preference for categories with shorter maturity profiles, such as short term, corporate bond and ultra short duration funds, for temporary parking of funds. Medium duration funds, which had consistently seen outflows, reported marginal inflows in August for the first time in 15 months", she explained. During the month, about 63,93,602 new SIPs were registered.

Sectoral funds rake in Rs 18,117.18 crore during the month, debt schemes see more inflows than equities, notes AMFI data for August

June turned out to be a blockbuster month for thematic/sectoral <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword>, which managed to amass Rs 22,351.69 crore during the month, the highest amongst all equity mutual funds. Overall, equity mutual funds saw <keyword id="19967545" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflows" source="keywords">inflows</keyword> worth Rs 40,537 crore, whereas debt mutual funds saw significant outflows of about Rs 1.07 lakh crore. Within this category, liquid and overnight funds saw maximum outflows. As Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director – Manager Research, Morningstar Investment Research India noted, since June is a quarter end month, debt-oriented schemes, as expected, witnessed a net outflow. Only funds with a duration profile of less than 1 year, like low duration and money market funds, saw inflows. "The net outflow across the board could also be on the back of investors shifting towards equity markets in expectation of better returns, as the equity markets continue to touch all time high levels after the election results were announced. Between May and June, the number of folios in the debt segment fell from 7,091,977 to 7,013,214, which is a drop by 78,763 folios. In May, the number of folios fell by 26,088 folios". "Moreover, uncertainty over the interest rate cut cycle has also been keeping investors in tenterhooks. With no clarity on the probable timing for the beginning of interest rate cut cycle, investors, for a time being, would have decided to adopt a wait and watch approach and stay away from categories which are exposed to interest rate risks such as Dynamic and Gilt", he continued. <h2>SIP figures touch all-time highs</h2> As <keyword id="22344564" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="AMFI-data" source="keywords">AMFI data</keyword> further revealed, the number of new SIPs registered in June 2024 stood at a staggering 55,12,962. With this, the total number of SIP accounts in the country reached 8,98,66,962, inching up marginally from 8,75,89,485 in May 2024. SIP contributions also stood at an all-time high of ₹ 21,262.22 crores in June 2024 as against ₹ 20,904.37 crores in May 2024. The AUM of retail folios, which comprise of equity, hybrid and solution oriented was Rs 36,32,226 crores for June 2024. In <keyword id="22344565" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hybrid-schemes" source="keywords">hybrid schemes</keyword>, multi-asset allocation funds garnered Rs 3,453.12 crore in June, and Arbitrage funds saw inflows worth Rs 3,836.58 crore. The only hybrid scheme to see net outflows were conservative hybrid funds, which shed Rs 130.57 crore. June marked the 40th consecutive month of positive inflows for <keyword id="20210668" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-funds" source="keywords">equity funds</keyword> since March 2021. As Feroze Azeez, Deputy CEO, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited highlights, "SIP numbers are hitting peaks every month, accumulating a stellar ₹21,260 crore. This strengthens the fact that Indian investors are resilient and are participating in the long-term growth of the market. The overall market behaviour supported by numbers suggests that investors are strategically positioning themselves with cautious yet optimistic approach for long-term growth". Last month, the Indian MF industry hit the Rs 60 trillion mark for the first time. Exactly 10 years ago, in 2014, the industry's AUM stood at Rs 10 lakh crore. Just 6 months ago, its AUM was Rs 51 lakh crore. Anand Vardarajan, Chief Business Officer - Key Clients &amp; Alternate Investments, Tata Asset Management underlines that is growth is a huge validation when it comes to expanding retail investor's base and investors themselves choosing mutual funds as a reliable investment vehicle for wealth creation. This is further underscored by the fact that the addition in six months is equal to what the industry has seen in ten years ago! <h2>Large and Mid Cap funds find investors </h2>After garnering consistently high inflows in the recent past, small cap funds amassed Rs 2,263.47 crore, a slightly sobering figure. Midcap funds saw inflows worth Rs 2,527.84 crore. On the other hand, inflows in large-cap funds dipped at significantly to stand at Rs 970.49 crore. Far more investments went towards the large and mid-cap funds, which saw inflows worth Rs 2,912.19 crore. Melvyn Santarita, Analyst – Manager Research, Morningstar Investment Research India notes that these substantial net inflows can be attributed to the election results announced earlier in the month. Investors have remained optimistic and invested on policy continuity and anticipated reforms, expecting stability within the coalition government at the Centre. It was this optimism that propelled markets to new all-time highs. The multi-cap category witnessed the second highest net inflows in June 2024 among the equity-oriented categories amounting to INR 4,708.5 crores which was its 3rd highest net inflows ever over a monthly period. Categories which are biased towards the large-caps segment like flexicap (Rs 3,058 crores) and Value (Rs 2,027 crores) saw robust inflows during the month. "While markets have been in a prolonged bull run, there are concerns about overvaluations in certain areas, particularly in the mid and small-cap segments. Consequently, investors may be opting to invest in large-cap segments, where valuations are more favorable", Santarita highlighted. "However, they also continued their investments in mid and small caps, since the returns generated by mid and small cap segment over the last few years haven’t got unnoticed. Hence, the categories having substantial exposure in these two segments have witnessed strong net inflows. It is important to note that mid and small cap segments are highly volatile. While they can give exceptionally high return in up markets, they can fall equally hard in down markets. It’s important for investors to take exposure in these funds in line with their risk appetite", he cautioned. However, Hitesh Thakkar, Acting CEO, ITI Mutual Fund is confident of the immense wealth creation opportunities mutual funds will offer in the coming 5-7 years to retail investors. "Mutual fund is one of the preferred, transparent &amp; cost-effective investment products in India and is well accepted by retail investors. The trend is positive for Mutual fund industry future growth. There are chances that Industry will cross milestone of ₹100 lakh crores AUM by 2030”, he says. <h2><keyword id="19895579" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold" source="keywords">Gold</keyword> continues to glitter </h2>Net flows in Gold ETFs continued to be robust in June 2024, standing at Rs 726 crores. However, this was slightly below the net flows witnessed in May (Rs 827 crores). "Over the years, Gold has gained prominence as an effective diversifier, prompting many investors to include Gold ETFs in their portfolios. Gold prices also saw some slight correction in June which spurred buying from investors", underlines Santarita. However, the reason why inflows in gold ETFs have remained patchy as compared to equity is due to the significant gap in the returns offered. "Gold has done fairly well over the last year but dwarfs in comparison to how equities. Also, some investors could be choosing to opt for a risk-on approach to investing with the anticipation of a reversal in rate cycle going ahead", he continues.

Mutual fund AUM crosses the Rs 60 lakh crore mark, SIP nos. and AUM touch all-time highs

<div type="image" title="Data from RBI suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024." msid="115250619" hostid="261" sizebytes="118350" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Data from RBI suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “Ye le beta, humare khaandani sone ke gehne. Ise girvi rakhva de, shayad kuch paise aa jaye ghar main.” How many times have we seen similar dialogues repeat itself in Bollywood films of the 70s and 80s—abject poverty and a frail-looking old mother pleading to her son to pawn the family’s heirloom <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword> ornaments to a jeweller, all to get a few bucks? Well, if you’d ask that son in 2024, he’d rather hit the loan button on his <keyword id="19977340" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat" source="keywords">Demat</keyword> account than pawn his mother’s gold jewellery. Given how Indians are rapidly resorting to taking loans against their investments in shares and mutual funds, these might as well be a cherished family heirloom in today’s time. Fair warning though; it's not as if gold and loans against it are going down in India’s lending scene. It's very much the opposite, shining brighter than ever! The secured loan category is having its time in the spotlight, and people are certainly looking beyond land and property to get their hands on some extra monies! But what is funding the steep rise behind these loans? And are they as failsafe and secure as they’re made out to be? We decode for you in this week’s Simply Put. <h2>The great Indian pawning party</h2>Pawning one’s gold has been, by far, the OG Indian financial move to get a loan. That continues well into 2024, and apparently, more so when India decides to wed and celebrate! Data from <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024. It looks like Gold took the motto of rise and shine too seriously! Table 1: Growth in gold loans <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Amount (In Rs crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2022 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">85,009 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">89,370 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">97,426 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March 2024 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,02,562 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2024 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,47,081 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Source: RBI data While the world continues to be riled up in multiple geopolitical crises in 2024, gold has been making merry of these tough times. Thus far this year, domestic gold prices have grown by 23%, outperforming benchmark indices like Nifty and Sensex by a mile, which have gone up by 9.85% and 8.86%, respectively. The growth in gold loan disbursal rates month on month this year could also put Nifty and Sensex’s growth to shame. In just September 2024, gold loans grew an astounding 51%, up from 40.9% in August, 30.5% in June, and just 14.8% in March. <h2>Hey, wait up for me, says <keyword id="23953567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="las" source="keywords">LAS</keyword></h2>In lockstep with the elder, gold loan sibling, advances against shares and bonds have also been inching up since 2022. Data from RBI (Reserve Bank of India) notes that as of September 2022, the outstanding quantum of loans that were taken against shares (LAS) and bonds stood at Rs 7,397.94 crores. This inched up to Rs 7,764 crore in September 2023. Come 2024, and it looked like this was LAS’ time to shine. Loans swiftly skyrocketed, with outstanding loans in this category going up from Rs 8,492 crore in March 2022 to a staggering Rs 9,546 crore at the end of September 2024. Naturally, the smoke of LAS has its fire in the record inflows that Indians are pouring into the stock market and mutual funds month on month. Per AMFI (<keyword id="20090034" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="association-of-mutual-funds" source="keywords">Association of Mutual Funds</keyword> in India), the net AUM (assets under management) of India’s mutual fund industry grew to Rs 67,25,614.61 crores in October 2024, up from Rs 67,09,259.24 crores in September 2024. Even the number of retail mutual fund folios, which include equity, hybrid, and solution-oriented mutual funds, burgeoned to 17,23,52,296 in October, as compared to 16,81,61,366 in September. The same goes for stock investments in India, where the number of new demat accounts that are added every month just simply refuses to climb down. As of last month, total demat accounts in the country stood at 17.9 crore, which is more than the entire population of full-fledged nations like Japan (12.45 crore), Russia (14.38 crore), and Bangladesh (17.3 crore). In fact, since February this year, the monthly growth of LAS has been hitting double digits. From 11.3% in March to 21.6% in May to 26.8% in August, growth in LAS has been exceptional, hitting 22.9% in September this year. For context, monthly growth in the LAS segment was at a mere 5% in September 2023. <h2>What's driving the growth?</h2>It's a win-win for both the bank and the customer. Customers love them because LAS is available at a lower interest rate compared to unsecured personal loans. You can get a loan at an interest rate of anywhere between 9 and 12% by pledging your gold, MF units, or shares. Compare this to over 10-28% rates, which is the range where unsecured personal loans charge interest. Banks love <keyword id="827883" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="secured-loans" source="Orion">secured loans</keyword> since they are well-secured. In case you default on paying back, the bank can sell off your gold, shares, or mutual fund units to recover the amount. This takes a lot of stress off the banks, which are already dealing with secured loans’ riskier sibling-unsecured lending. High NPAs (non-performing assets) and non-payments in the unsecured borrowing space have already put RBI on red alert, which is why the apex bank is tightening the screws on unsecured lending, which was well on its way to becoming a ticking time bomb. As a result, credit growth has moderated to 12.8% YoY in October, as against the 19.3% rise recorded in the year-ago period. Yet it's not like the banks won't feel the heat. Analysts at Nomura note that personal loan delinquencies in India that have been overdue by over 90 days rose to 5.1% in the last financial year, as opposed to just 3.9% in the year prior. <h2>How does it work?</h2>Both these loans work on a similar principle: Your loan amount is equal to a certain percentage of the actual market value of your asset. This is known as the <keyword id="20051485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ltv" source="keywords">LTV</keyword> (loan-to-value ratio). In the case of gold and debt mutual funds, RBI mandates that this LTV be about 75-80%. So, for every Rs 100 of gold or debt mutual fund unit you pledge, your maximum loan amount cannot exceed Rs 80. If you pledge gold, which has a market value of Rs 10 lakh, you can take a loan of up to Rs 8,00,000. In the case of shares and mutual fund units, this limit is set at 50%. So, your shares worth Rs 5,00,000 can only get you a loan worth Rs 2,50,000. But the bright side? You can continue earning returns on your investments and pay interest only on the amount you use, since this loan works as an overdraft facility. <h2>Super safe, you say?</h2>Interest rates on both of these loans are very much dependent on the market value of the asset, which wildly fluctuates on a day-to-day basis. So, in case the value of your asset falls, you’ll have to keep a margin or more of the same asset in order to continue with the loan and maintain the LTV balance. Failure to do so could mean the bank can even sell off your asset. Says financial planner Nema Chaya Buch. “Yes, LAS offers easy availability of funds since these loans come with a lower interest rate as compared to personal loans. Also, you continue to earn average returns of 10–13% on your equity investments. But the downside is, in case of emergency, those pledged securities cannot be sold. Also, if the equity market goes down, then the bank may ask for additional collateral. Raghvendra Nath, MD, Ladderup Wealth Management notes that taking a LAS is best when the value of your securities has appreciated significantly. “This allows you to maximize the loan amount based on your collateral while also addressing financial needs without having to liquidate your investment portfolio. However, there are notable disadvantages to consider. The market risk is significant; a substantial decline in market value could lead to margin calls, which may incur fees and charges if there are delays or prepayments, ultimately increasing the effective cost of borrowing. Furthermore, failure to make timely payments could result in the loss of your assets.”. Umesh Mohanan, ED &amp; CEO, of Indel Money, cautions that one should have a sufficient quantity of gold to get the loan amount one wants. "According to the current RBI rules, the loan applicant/borrower can draw up to 75% of the total market value of the collateral/gold jewellery. So, always carry a sufficient quantity of gold based on one’s loan requirement. “The most important thing is that the valuation of the gold depends on the purity of the gold. If the borrower pledges gold with higher purity, such as 24 carats or 22 carats, he will get the maximum loan amount," he adds.

Simply Put: Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

“Ye le beta, humare khaandani sone ke gehne. Ise girvi rakhva de, shayad kuch paise aa jaye ghar main.” How many times have we seen similar dialogues repeat itself in Bollywood films of the 70s and 80s—abject poverty and a frail-looking old mother pleading to her son to pawn the family’s heirloom gold ornaments to a jeweller, all to get a few bucks? Well, if you’d ask that son in 2024, he’d rather hit the loan button on his <keyword id="105386" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Demat-account" source="Orion">Demat account</keyword> than pawn his mother’s gold jewellery. Given how Indians are rapidly resorting to taking loans against their investments in shares and mutual funds, these might as well be a cherished family heirloom in today’s time. Fair warning though; it's not as if gold and loans against it are going down in India’s lending scene. It's very much the opposite, shining brighter than ever! The secured loan category is having its time in the spotlight, and people are certainly looking beyond land and property to get their hands on some extra monies! But what is funding the steep rise behind these loans? And are they as failsafe and secure as they’re made out to be? We decode for you in this week’s Simply Put. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">The great Indian pawning party</h2>Pawning one’s gold has been, by far, the OG Indian financial move to get a loan. That continues well into 2024, and apparently, more so when India decides to wed and celebrate! Data from <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="Orion">RBI</keyword> suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024. It looks like Gold took the motto of rise and shine too seriously! Table 1: Growth in gold loans <table class="redcator-table-advance" style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 468pt; font-family: Merriweather; table-layout: fixed; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Amount (In Rs crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">September 2022 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">85,009 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">March 2023 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">89,370 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">September 2023 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">97,426 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">March 2024 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">1,02,562 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">September 2024 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">1,47,081 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Source: RBI data While the world continues to be riled up in multiple geopolitical crises in 2024, gold has been making merry of these tough times. Thus far this year, <keyword id="3886593" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-gold" source="Orion">domestic gold</keyword> prices have grown by 23%, outperforming benchmark indices like Nifty and Sensex by a mile, which have gone up by 9.85% and 8.86%, respectively. The growth in gold loan disbursal rates month on month this year could also put Nifty and Sensex’s growth to shame. In just September 2024, gold loans grew an astounding 51%, up from 40.9% in August, 30.5% in June, and just 14.8% in March. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Hey, wait up for me, says LAS</h2>In lockstep with the elder, gold loan sibling, advances against shares and bonds have also been inching up since 2022. Data from RBI (Reserve Bank of India) notes that as of September 2022, the outstanding quantum of loans that were taken against shares (LAS) and bonds stood at Rs 7,397.94 crores. This inched up to Rs 7,764 crore in September 2023. Come 2024, and it looked like this was LAS’ time to shine. Loans swiftly skyrocketed, with outstanding loans in this category going up from Rs 8,492 crore in March 2022 to a staggering Rs 9,546 crore at the end of September 2024. Naturally, the smoke of LAS has its fire in the record inflows that Indians are pouring into the stock market and mutual funds month on month. Per AMFI (<keyword id="134904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Association-of-Mutual-Funds-in-India" source="Orion">Association of Mutual Funds in India</keyword>), the net AUM (assets under management) of India’s mutual fund industry grew to Rs 67,25,614.61 crores in October 2024, up from Rs 67,09,259.24 crores in September 2024. Even the number of retail mutual fund folios, which include equity, hybrid, and solution-oriented mutual funds, burgeoned to 17,23,52,296 in October, as compared to 16,81,61,366 in September. The same goes for stock investments in India, where the number of new demat accounts that are added every month just simply refuses to climb down. As of last month, total demat accounts in the country stood at 17.9 crore, which is more than the entire population of full-fledged nations like Japan (12.45 crore), Russia (14.38 crore), and Bangladesh (17.3 crore). In fact, since February this year, the monthly growth of LAS has been hitting double digits. From 11.3% in March to 21.6% in May to 26.8% in August, growth in LAS has been exceptional, hitting 22.9% in September this year. For context, monthly growth in the LAS segment was at a mere 5% in September 2023. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">What's driving the growth?</h2>It's a win-win for both the bank and the customer. Customers love them because LAS is available at a lower interest rate compared to unsecured personal loans. You can get a loan at an interest rate of anywhere between 9 and 12% by pledging your gold, MF units, or shares. Compare this to over 10-28% rates, which is the range where unsecured personal loans charge interest. Banks love <keyword id="827883" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Secured-Loans" source="Orion">secured loans</keyword> since they are well-secured. In case you default on paying back, the bank can sell off your gold, shares, or mutual fund units to recover the amount. This takes a lot of stress off the banks, which are already dealing with secured loans’ riskier sibling-<keyword id="947940" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unsecured-lending" source="Orion">unsecured lending</keyword>. High NPAs (non-performing assets) and non-payments in the unsecured borrowing space have already put RBI on red alert, which is why the apex bank is tightening the screws on unsecured lending, which was well on its way to becoming a ticking time bomb. As a result, credit growth has moderated to 12.8% YoY in October, as against the 19.3% rise recorded in the year-ago period. Yet it's not like the banks won't feel the heat. Analysts at Nomura note that <keyword id="23954457" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="personal-loan-delinquencies" source="Orion">personal loan delinquencies</keyword> in India that have been overdue by over 90 days rose to 5.1% in the last financial year, as opposed to just 3.9% in the year prior. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">How does it work?</h2>Both these loans work on a similar principle: Your <keyword id="857141" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="loan-amount" source="Orion">loan amount</keyword> is equal to a certain percentage of the actual market value of your asset. This is known as the LTV (loan-to-value ratio). In the case of gold and debt mutual funds, RBI mandates that this LTV be about 75-80%. So, for every Rs 100 of gold or debt mutual fund unit you pledge, your maximum loan amount cannot exceed Rs 80. If you pledge gold, which has a market value of Rs 10 lakh, you can take a loan of up to Rs 8,00,000. In the case of shares and mutual fund units, this limit is set at 50%. So, your shares worth Rs 5,00,000 can only get you a loan worth Rs 2,50,000. But the bright side? You can continue earning returns on your investments and pay interest only on the amount you use, since this loan works as an overdraft facility. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Super safe, you say?</h2>Interest rates on both of these loans are very much dependent on the market value of the asset, which wildly fluctuates on a day-to-day basis. So, in case the value of your asset falls, you’ll have to keep a margin or more of the same asset in order to continue with the loan and maintain the LTV balance. Failure to do so could mean the bank can even sell off your asset. Says financial planner Nema Chaya Buch. “Yes, LAS offers easy availability of funds since these loans come with a lower interest rate as compared to personal loans. Also, you continue to earn average returns of 10–13% on your equity investments. But the downside is, in case of emergency, those pledged securities cannot be sold. Also, if the equity market goes down, then the bank may ask for additional collateral. Raghvendra Nath, MD, Ladderup Wealth Management notes that taking a LAS is best when the value of your securities has appreciated significantly. “This allows you to maximize the loan amount based on your collateral while also addressing financial needs without having to liquidate your investment portfolio. However, there are notable disadvantages to consider. The market risk is significant; a substantial decline in market value could lead to margin calls, which may incur fees and charges if there are delays or prepayments, ultimately increasing the effective cost of borrowing. Furthermore, failure to make timely payments could result in the loss of your assets.”. Umesh Mohanan, ED &amp; CEO, of Indel Money, cautions that one should have a sufficient quantity of gold to get the loan amount one wants. "According to the current RBI rules, the loan applicant/borrower can draw up to 75% of the total market value of the collateral/gold jewellery. So, always carry a sufficient quantity of gold based on one’s loan requirement. “The most important thing is that the valuation of the gold depends on the purity of the gold. If the borrower pledges gold with higher purity, such as 24 carats or 22 carats, he will get the maximum loan amount," he adds.

Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

The <keyword id="20340200" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="assets-under-management" source="keywords">Assets Under Management</keyword> (<keyword id="20019621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AUM" source="keywords">AUM</keyword>) of <keyword id="20300870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-mutual-funds" source="keywords">equity mutual funds</keyword> have <keyword id="20641508" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="surged" source="keywords">surged</keyword> by 5.37 per cent sequentially to Rs 25,12,845.59 crore in July 2024 from Rs 23,84,727.69 crore in June 2024, <keyword id="22838645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PL-Wealth-Management" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PL Wealth Management" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="PL Wealth Management">PL Wealth Management</keyword> said in a statement. The observation, which is based on 283 open-ended equity diversified funds, cited that 39 per cent of these funds have outperformed their respective benchmarks over the past month, ending July 31st, 2024, The cumulative total of funds that outperformed stood at 109 during the month ending July 2024 (one month). AUM measures the total market value of assets that a person or entity manages for clients or on behalf of investors. Under the <keyword id="21184260" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="large-cap-funds" source="keywords">large-cap funds</keyword>, about 58 per cent of <keyword id="19915334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="schemes" source="keywords">schemes</keyword> outperformed on S&amp;P BSE 100 - TRI benchmark, out of 31 schemes observed by <keyword id="19999821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prabhudas-Lilladher" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Prabhudas Lilladher" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Prabhudas Lilladher">Prabhudas Lilladher</keyword>'s wealth management arm. About 24 per cent of schemes outperformed under the large and mid-cap funds, of which 29 were observed. Under the multi-cap funds about 40 per cent of schemes outperformed, whereas in the flexi-cap funds, the percentage of schemes outperforming was 33 per cent. Going further, about 38 per cent of schemes under the midcap outperformed. Interestingly, the data observed that not a single scheme in small-cap funds manages to outperform their respective benchmarks. According to the observations made by L Wealth Management, Value Contra Div Yield Funds was the best-performing category, where 78 per cent of the schemes outperformed the benchmark. It was followed by schemes of large-cap funds and multi-cap funds, which outperformed their respective benchmarks by 58 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, during July 2024. Large and mid-cap funds were the least performing fund category, with only 24 per cent of funds outperforming the benchmark, as shown in the analysis. <keyword id="22838646" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PL-Capital-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PL Capital Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="PL Capital Group">PL Capital Group</keyword> specialises in research-driven advisory services in the Indian capital markets. The company's business is spread across 200 plus cities in India, catering to institutions, corporations, family offices, HNIs, and retail clients in India and globally.

Assets Under Management of equity mutual funds surged 5.4% sequentially in July: PL Wealth Management

Both mid-cap and small-cap mutual fund schemes have continued to attract significant investor interest, having garnered about Rs 30,350 crore in inflows during the April-September period of the current financial year. Last year, as data from <keyword id="6359050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AMFI" source="Orion">AMFI</keyword> showed, the total inflows in both these segments during the same period were only marginally higher at Rs 32,924 crore. Data from Value Research suggests that mid-cap funds have generated 46.25% returns over the past year, while small-cap funds have yielded returns worth 44.17% during the same time. This is far better than their 3-year returns, which stand at 20.67% for midcaps and 21.64% for smallcaps. The returns further moderate over 5 years to 32.44% for small caps and 27.94% for midcaps. Inflows in mid- and small-cap funds have only grown from strength to strength during the current year, despite market watchdog <keyword id="35210" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SEBI" source="Orion">SEBI</keyword> repeatedly highlighting the high risks both these categories entail. Between January and March 2024, small-cap funds saw inflows worth Rs 6,085.27 crore, while mid-cap funds were a little behind, garnering inflows worth Rs 4,887.05 crore. Between April and June this year, small-caps saw inflows worth Rs 7,196.8 crore. At the same time, midcaps saw inflows worth Rs 6,926.60 crore. In line with this increase in inflows, the number of investors (folios) in the two schemes shot up by 1.32 crore year-on-year to nearly 4 crore in the six-month period ended September 30, 2024. Since 2020, the small-cap universe (i.e., companies with a market cap of less than Rs 2000 crores) has grown nearly fourfold, offering investors a wide range of investment opportunities. Data from Trust Mutual Fund also shows that small-cap funds have also emerged as great generators of long-term wealth. Between August 2014 and August 2024, the <keyword id="6354813" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nifty" source="Orion">Nifty</keyword> 100 total return index (TRI) has yielded a CAGR of 14.7%. In contrast, the Nifty smallcap 250 TRI has registered a CAGR of 18.2% "Small caps will continue to grow at a faster rate for years to come. I expect the inflows to continue as Indians want to invest in the high-growth sectors. Small-cap funds should be seen as an integral part of one's portfolio allocation and not a tactical play," Trust Mutual Fund CEO Sandeep Bagla told PTI. Individually, mid-cap funds saw an inflow of Rs 14,756 crore, and small-cap funds attracted Rs 15,586 crore in the first half of FY25. This aggregates the total inflow to Rs 30,342 crore, the data showed. In addition, the stress test in March 2024 has also played a role, reinforcing confidence by ensuring that fund managers are prepared to handle market volatility, Feroze Azeez, Deputy CEO, Anand Rathi Wealth Ltd, said. "With the mid-cap and small-cap segments projected to grow at 20 percent and 25 percent, respectively, in FY25, we expect inflows to remain strong, especially as SIP inflows continue to hit new peaks," he told media.

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Simply Put: Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

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Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

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Assets Under Management of equity mutual funds surged 5.4% sequentially in July: PL Wealth Management

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Investors pour in Rs 30,350 crore in mid and small cap funds in the first half of 2024

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