Will the introduction of hybrid index funds be helpful to investors?

On 1st July 2024, SEBI released a consultation paper for “Introduction of Mutual Funds Lite Regulations (MF LITE) for passively managed Mutual Funds Schemes.” aimed to “reduce the compliance requirement, foster innovation, encourage competition and promote ease of entry for the MFs interested in launching only passive schemes”. In this paper, SEBI has proposed the…

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How new SEBI rules will affect the income of finfluencers

SEBI released decisions made in its board meeting on June 27th 2024, which will significantly impact the income of finfluencers. The circular says: 1.1 The persons regulated by the Board and the agents of such persons shall not have any association, like, any transaction involving money or money’s worth, referral of a client, interaction of…

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Quant MF SEBI Probe: To exit or not to exit, that is the question

Neil Borate of LiveMint reported on June 25th 2024, that “₹800 crore has been redeemed from Quant since news broke of Sebi’s search and seizure operation on suspicion of front-running”. On June 26th 2024, Moneycontrol reported Quant Mutual Fund net equity outflow at Rs 1,398 crore or 1.5% of AUM post-SEBI front-running probe. Investors are…

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Quant MF Front Running Allegations: What should investors do?

On June 23rd 2024, Moneycontrol reported that SEBI conducted search and seizure operations at two locations of Quant Mutual Fund on suspected front-running. In response, the AMC has confirmed via email to investors that it has received inquiries from SEBI but has not added more information. At the time of writing, information on this (first,…

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Which debt mutual funds are suitable for short-term and long-term goals?

A reader wants to know, “Which debt mutual funds are suitable for short-term and long-term goals?” A discussion. A related question is whether debt funds are still relevant as there is no tax advantage compared to fixed deposits. Yes, debt funds are still relevant because they are necessary for rebalancing a portfolio. Also, unlike FDs,…

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Why the NPS must be modified to accommodate changing needs

We discuss modifications that can make the National Pension Scheme (NPS an attractive retirement solution accommodating changing needs. The New Tax Regime has made redundant the “extra Rs. 50,000 tax saving” (or reduction in taxable income). So, finally, NPS can attract the right kind of investor. The new-generation retiree wants the flexibility to retire early…

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What are some tax-efficient alternatives for debt mutual funds?

A reader says, “Given the changes in debt fund indexation benefits, I come across market veterans recommending equity savings and multi-asset funds as alternatives. I have the SBI, Kotak and Parag Parikh conservative hybrid funds in three different portfolios in my family. Would you continue to recommend these conservative hybrid funds for a long term…

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Which mutual funds are still taxed at 20% with indexation benefits?

A reader says, ” Can you please let me know funds with indexation benefits apart from Parag Parikh Dynamic asset allocation fund and  Edelweiss Multi Asset Allocation Fund excluding EquitySavings and Arbitrage?” A discussion. Let us begin with some context. Note: Tax rules change often. The rules mentioned here are valid as of April 2024…

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The truth about active large cap mutual fund performance

Recently, there was some buzz on social media and a few articles about how large cap mutual funds have made a “comeback”. In this article, we discuss the performance consistency of these funds using the freefincal equity mutual fund outperformance screener (published monthly). Disclaimer: Fund performance reports present return and risk analysis of a fund with…

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