A reader writes, “Sir, I started my first job a couple of months ago. I want to start investing in equity via mutual funds but I am worried about the market. The bull run from April 2020 to Oct 2021 was too early for me and now when I have money the market has started…

In this report, we look at how dynamic bond funds have altered their portfolio over the last few months in anticipation of an interest rate hike. Bond market sentiment is monitored via the bond yield which is inversely proportional to bond price. If yield fall, it implies existing bonds have become more valuable (higher price)….

The freefincal mutual fund portfolio overlap tool (first published July 2017 and updated May 2019) is now fully updated to work blazing fast on Google Sheets. The features of the tool are listed below. Updated Aug 2024 with SEBI classification of stock sectors! It allows you to compare the portfolio of five mutual funds. These…

In an update to our earlier reports, we compare the performance of actively managed small cap mutual funds with four benchmarks and discuss why it does not make sense to invest in small cap mutual funds. We shall compare every possible 3-year, 4-year and 5-year return of small cap funds between 1st Jan 2013 and…

We are happy to announce a new Google sheet-based mutual fund and stock investment tracker. The features of the sheet are presented below. Key features of the freefincal mutual fund and stock tracker: Update Feb 2024: A Sov Gold Bond Tracker on Google Sheets is free for those purchasing the tracker! Update April 2024: A NPS Portfolio…

A reader asks, “I notice that many large cap mutual funds have five-star ratings now. This was not the situation before the March 2020 crash. Can you please do a study on this?” Results of active large cap funds vs benchmark study will depend on the duration of the returns considered and when the return…

Somnath is 30 and salaried and hopes to retire by 55. In this case study, we shall find out how he can plan for financial freedom in retirement.  That is, we shall find out how Somnath can derive an inflation-protected income and be financially free after retirement. What is inflation-protected income? A retirement income that…

Days after we predicted (for once rightly!) “Parag Parikh AMC might rethink their foreign equity investment strategy. After all, the flexicap is their flagship fund and main profit source. They would not like prolonged or repeated disruption to their income”, the fund house has announced that Parag Parikh Flexicap will reopen for investment from March…

In this article, we discuss the difference between risk and volatility and why one must not misinterpret the difference! What is risk? Risk can be defined as any factor that can result in a loss of value. For example, if you buy something for Rs. 10 and after a year its market value is Rs….

In this article, we trace the growth of passive fund AUM in India over the last 10 years. Since 2015, the EPFO is a major investor in the Nifty and Sensex ETFs run by SBI and UTI. So we shall exclude these funds from the study. The total AUM of  ETFs and Index funds (excluding…

As readers may be aware, other than existing SIPs, Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund is closed for subscriptions from Feb 1st 2022, to avoid breaching the overseas investment limit set by RBI. This restriction is for all mutual funds invested in foreign equity except ETFs. Many investors (who do not use SIPs) would like to…

From time to time we keep pointing out that there is nothing special about a mutual fund SIP. It neither enhances returns nor reduces risk. It is merely an automated way of buying mutual fund units on the same day of each month. In response to our latest article and video on the topic – What…

A reader wants to know, “I have just started a SIP in an equity mutual fund. I plan to continue this for 10 years. What return can I expect?”.  The reader later clarified that he has no other investment planned for this goal. The honest answer to “What return can I expect from a 10-year…