Buying individual shares is distinct from investing in a mutual fund. Unlike stock, mutual fund shares do not allow investors to vote. A mutual fund share represents several equity investments as opposed to a single securities. Let us understand the types of mutual funds in this topic.
Mutual funds pool investor capital and use it to acquire securities such as stocks and bonds. The value of a mutual fund is determined by the performance of its shares. When you purchase a unit or share of a mutual fund, you are purchasing the portfolio’s performance, or more precisely, a percentage of the portfolio’s worth.
Depending on Risk Analysis
Let us understand first and foremost types of mutual funds depending on the risk analysis as follows.
High Risk Funds of Investment
High-risk mutual funds require active fund management in order to attract investors willing to undertake risks in exchange for high interest and dividend returns. Due to their susceptibility to market volatility, they must be examined frequently. You can expect a return of 15 percent on your investment, although the majority of high-risk funds offer returns of up to 20 percent.
Moderately Risky Investments
The fund management assumes a modest amount of risk by investing in both debt and equity funds. The average return is between 9 and 12 percent, and the volatility of the NAV is moderate.
Low Risk Funds of Investment
Investors are wary of risky investments in the case of a currency depreciation or national catastrophe. The combination of liquid, ultra-short-term, and arbitrage funds is suggested by fund managers. It is possible to achieve a 6-8 percent return, but investors will have the option to switch when valuations stabilise.
Exceptionally Lowest Risk Fund
Due to their low risk, liquid and ultrashort-term funds offer small returns (6 percent at best). This method allows investors to achieve their short-term financial goals while safeguarding their investments.
Depending on the Asset Type
Let us understand the main types of mutual funds depending on the asset type as follows.
Hybrid Funds
Homogeneous funds (sometimes referred to as Balanced Funds) are a well-balanced combination of bonds and equities that fall between equity and debt funds. The ratio can be constant or changeable.
Essentially, it combines the benefits of two mutual funds by investing 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds, or vice versa. Hybrid funds offer investors who favour higher risks for the advantage of “debt plus returns” over lower but more stable income schemes.
Mutual Funds for Equity Investment
Stock funds are mutual funds that invest primarily in equities. They invest money from a varied collection of individuals in the shares/stocks of numerous firms. These funds’ gains and losses are entirely dependent on the success of the stock market (price increases or declines). Additionally, equity funds can provide substantial returns over time. Therefore, the risk associated with these funds is greater than that of other funds.
Fixed-Income Funds
That is it. The funds acquire government and corporate obligations. The fund portfolio is advantageous to investors. Bond funds search out and sell low-cost bonds actively. These funds may outperform certificates of deposit. Bond mutual funds purchase and sell bonds. A fund that significantly invests in junk bonds is more risky. As interest rates rise, the value of bond funds decreases.
Mutual Funds for Debt Investment
Debt funds invest heavily in fixed-income products, including bonds, equities, and Treasury bills. Among other fixed income instruments, they invest in Gilt Funds, Liquid Funds, Short-Term Plans, Long-Term Bonds, and Monthly Income Plans. Low-risk, consistent income (interest and capital appreciation) assets.
Index Funds
Index funds are now popular. Outperforming the competition is difficult and expensive. The S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the NYSE. In this technique, savings are prioritised over returns. These funds appeal to low-income investors.
Money Market Mutual Funds
Investors exchange stocks on the stock exchange. Additionally, investors can invest in the money market, often known as the capital markets or cash markets. The fund’s management is responsible for investing your money and distributing monthly dividends. Investing in mutual funds for a short period of time (no more than 13 months) can greatly reduce investment risk.
Balanced Funds
Balanced funds comprise stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and alternative assets. The objective is to restrict exposure to risk across asset types of mutual funds. A fund that invests in diverse assets is an asset allocation fund. There are two sorts of mutual funds that cater to diverse investor groups.
Some mutual funds offer a diversified portfolio through a single investment. Others employ a system of dynamic % allocation. The markets and investor lives are ever in flux. Any asset class is suitable. To maintain communication with the portfolio manager.
Depending on the Goals
Let us understand the primary types of mutual funds depending on the goals as follows.
Income Funds
Profit-sharing funds are a debt types of mutual funds that invests in bonds, CDs, and other securities. By keeping the portfolio in sync with interest rate fluctuations without jeopardising the portfolio’s creditworthiness, professional fund managers have historically offered higher returns than deposit accounts. They are appropriate for risk-averse investors with a two- to three-year horizon.
Growth Funds
Growth funds usually invest a significant proportion of their assets in equities and growth industries, making them ideal for those with additional capital to invest in riskier (but potentially higher return) plans.
Tax-Saving Funds
The popularity of equity-linked savings schemes, or ELSS, has increased across all sorts of investors. They offer the shortest lock-in time at three years, making them the optimal choice for the majority of customers. Reported non-taxable returns on stocks (and similar items) and other assets range between 14 and 16 percent. These funds are appropriate for salaried investors seeking portfolio diversification.
Liquid Funds
Similar to income and bond funds, liquid funds invest in debt securities and money market funds with 91-day maturities. The maximum amount that may be invest is 10 lakh rupees. The method of calculating Net Asset Value differentiates liquid funds from other debt funds. A cash fund’s NAV is calculated for 365 days (including Sundays), whereas the NAV of other funds is calculated only for business days.
Fixed Maturity Funds
Many investors seek to invest near the end of the year in order to take advantage of triple indexation tax benefits. Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs), which invest in bonds, securities, money market funds, and other similar investments, are an ideal option for those concerned with the direction of the debt market.
As a closed-end plan, FMP has a maturity period between one month and five years (like FDs). The fund management ensures that the funds are invested for the same duration as the FMP, allowing for the collection of interest when the FMP matures.
Aggressive Growth Funds
The Aggressive Growth Fund is design to achieve substantial financial profits. The fund can be selected regardless of market volatility based on its beta (the measure of the fund’s movement relative to the market). If the beta of the market is one, an aggressive growth fund will have a beta of 1.5 or above.
Pension Funds
Over time, a portion of your salary saved in a specific pension fund can cover most scenarios (such as a medical emergency or the wedding of your children). No matter how substantial the savings, they will ultimately run out. The Employees’ Pension Fund (EPF) is another alternative, although banks, insurance companies, and other organisations also provide rewarding schemes.
Depending on Specialized Investment Funds
Let us understand the top types of mutual funds depending on the specialized investment funds as follows.
Emerging Market Funds
Historically, investments in emerging economies have been high-risk and have yielded negative returns. The Indian stock exchange is a lucrative investment market. As with all markets, they are susceptible to market volatility. In the coming decades, the vast majority of global growth will be attributable to the rapid economic expansion of developing nations.
Foreign Funds
Even when the Indian stock market is performing well, investors who wish to diversify their portfolios internationally might receive extraordinary returns from foreign mutual funds. An investor may employ a hybrid method (investing 60% in domestic shares and 40% in international funds), a feeder approach (investing local funds in global enterprises), or a theme-based allocation technique (e.g., gold mining).
Sector Funds
Often referred to as theme-based mutual funds, sector funds invest primarily in a single industry. This is because these funds invest in specialised sectors and a limited number of securities, which raises the risk. Investors must keep track of the numerous advancements affecting their sector. In contrast, sector funds generate exceptional returns.
In recent years, certain businesses, such as banking, information technology, and pharmaceuticals, have had significant and persistent growth, and the forecast for these sectors is optimistic.
Index Funds
Index funds are the finest investment option for passive investors. There is no fund manager in charge of the fund. An index fund invests in stocks that are comparable to the index fund in terms of price and ratio. When they cannot outperform the market, they play it safe by matching the index, which is why they are unpopular in India.
ETF Mutual Funds
It is a stock exchange-traded index mutual fund. As a result of exchange-traded funds, which offer investors global exposure to stock markets and specialised industries, a new universe of investing options has emerged. As with mutual funds, the price of an ETF may change during the day.
Funds of Funds
Multi-manager mutual funds, often known as “Funds of Funds,” invest in many fund categories to maximise diversification’s benefits. Investing in a single fund that invests in numerous funds, as opposed to multiple funds, gives more diversification and cheaper expenses.
Funds of Global Investment
Despite having similar linguistic definitions, global and international currency are distinct concepts. In addition to investing in worldwide markets, a global fund may also invest in your home country or other nations.
International finances are mostly concerned with currency rates. Global funds are risky investments owing to regulatory changes, market and currency volatility, but they can serve as a hedge against inflation and have historically generated high returns over the long term.
Gift Funds
Instruct your family to save for the future by investing in a mutual fund or structured investment plan (SIP) that you have established. The initial investment can only be presented to your partner once.
Real Estate Funds
Despite the Indian real estate boom, many investors are still hesitant to participate in such projects due to the multiple inherent risks. Investing in a real estate fund is a superior alternative than buying individual properties. While offering liquidity, a long-term investment reduces the hazards and legal complexity of house ownership.
Depending on the Structure
Other attributes are use to categorize mutual funds (like risk profile, asset class, etc.). Regardless of the structural classification – open-ended funds, closed-ended funds, and interval funds – the primary distinction is the capacity to buy and sell individual mutual fund units.
Interval Funds
Interval funds are a combination of open-end and closed-end mutual funds. These funds are only accessible for purchase or redemption at the fund house’s designated times. For the subsequent two years, no other transactions will be approved. These products are suitable for investors seeking to lay aside a lump sum for a short-term financial objective (three to twelve months).
Open-Ended Funds
In open-ended funds, there is no time limit or maximum number of units that can be traded at any particular time. Investors are able to trade mutual funds at any time and leave at the current net asset value (NAV) (Net Asset Value). The only reason the unit capital fluctuates is because fresh participants enter and exit the market. If it so chooses, an open-ended fund may refuse to accept new investors (or cannot manage significant funds).
Closed-Ended Funds
Closed-end funds allow investors to invest a fixed amount of unit capital. This means that the fund company cannot distribute more units than the amount agreed upon. During the New Fund Offer (NFO) period, investors can purchase units of certain funds. The maturity date for NFOs is predetermined, and fund managers can accept any fund size. In order to exit the schemes, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposes that investors repurchase assets or list them on public exchanges.
Conclusion
Investors can choose from a broad pool of managers, each with their unique management style and objectives. Investment strategies include value, growth, established, emerging, income, and macroeconomic investment. A single manager may also oversee funds employing various investing strategies. I hope you found this information on types of mutual funds useful.
