Introduction to Mutual Funds
WHAT ARE MUTUAL FUNDS?
A mutual fund is a collective investment vehicle that collects & pools money from a number of investors and invests the same in equities, bonds, government securities, money market instruments.
The money collected in mutual fund scheme is invested by professional fund managers in stocks and bonds etc. in line with a scheme’s investment objective. The income / gains generated from this collective investment scheme are distributed proportionately amongst the investors, after deducting applicable expenses and levies, by calculating a scheme’s “Net Asset Value” or NAV. In return, mutual fund charges a small fee.
In short, mutual fund is a collective pool of money contributed by several investors and managed by a professional Fund Manager.
Mutual Funds in India are established in the form of a Trust under Indian Trust Act, 1882, in accordance with SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996.
The fees and expenses charged by the mutual funds to manage a scheme are regulated and are subject to the limits specified by SEBI.
How a mutual fund works?
One should avoid the temptation to review the fund's performance each time the market falls or jumps up significantly. For an actively-managed equity scheme, one must have patience and allow reasonable time - between 18 and 24 months - for the fund to generate returns in the portfolio.
When you invest in a mutual fund, you are pooling your money with many other investors. Mutual fund issues “Units” against the amount invested at the prevailing NAV. Returns from a mutual fund may include income distributions to investors out of dividends, interest, capital gains or other income earned by the mutual fund. You can also have capital gains (or losses) if you sell the mutual fund units for more (or less) than the amount you invested.
Mutual funds are ideal for investors who –
- lack the knowledge or skill / experience of investing in stock markets directly.
- want to grow their wealth, but do not have the inclination or time to research the stock market.
- wish to invest only small amounts.
Why invest in Mutual Funds?
As investment goals vary from person to person – post-retirement expenses, money for children’s education or marriage, house purchase, etc. – the investment products required to achieve these goals too vary. Mutual funds provide certain distinct advantages over investing in individual securities. Mutual funds offer multiple choices for investment across equity shares, corporate bonds, government securities, and money market instruments, providing an excellent avenue for retail investors to participate and benefit from the uptrends in capital markets. The main advantages are that you can invest in a variety of securities for a relatively low cost and leave the investment decisions to a professional manager.