Based on your goals and your investment horizon, Mutual Funds give you the option to invest your money across various asset classes like equity, debt and gold. This allows you to diversify your investments and strive to reduce your portfolio risk.

The different types of Mutual Funds are as follows –

Equity Funds / Growth Funds

Funds that invest in equity shares are called equity funds. They carry the principal objective of capital appreciation of the investment over a medium to long-term investment horizon. Equity Funds are high risk funds and their returns are linked to the stock markets. They are best suited for investors who are seeking long term growth. There are different types of equity funds such as Diversified funds, Sector specific funds and Index based funds.

Diversified Funds

These funds provide you the benefit of diversification by investing in companies spread across sectors and market capitalisation. They are generally meant for investors who seek exposure across the market and do not want to be restricted to any particular sector.

Sector Funds

These funds invest primarily in equity shares of companies in a particular business sector or industry. While these funds may give higher returns, they are riskier as compared to diversified funds. Investors need to keep a watch on the performance of those sectors/industries and must exit at an appropriate time.

Index Funds

These funds invest in the same pattern as popular stock market indices like CNX Nifty Index and S&P BSE Sensex. The value of the index fund varies in proportion to the benchmark index. NAV of such schemes rise and fall in accordance with the rise and fall in the index. This would vary as compared with the benchmark owing to a factor known as “tracking error”.

Tax Saving Funds

These funds offer tax benefits to investors under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Opportunities provided under this scheme are in the form of tax rebates under section 80 C of the Income Tax Act, 1961. They are best suited for long investors seeking tax rebate and looking for long term growth.

Debt Fund / Fixed Income Funds

These Funds invest predominantly in rated debt / fixed income securities like corporate bonds, debentures, government securities, commercial papers and other money market instruments. They are best suited for the medium to long-term investors who are averse to risk and seeking regular and steady income. They are less risky when compared with equity funds.

Liquid Funds / Money Market Funds

These funds invest in highly liquid money market instruments and provide easy liquidity. The period of investment in these funds could be as short as a day. They are ideal for Corporates, institutional investors and business houses who invest their funds for very short periods.

Gilt Funds

These funds invest in Central and State Government securities and are best suited for the medium to long-term investors who are averse to risk. Government securities have no default risk.

Balanced Funds

These funds invest both in equity shares and debt (fixed income) instruments and strive to provide both growth and regular income. They are ideal for medium- to long-term investors willing to take moderate risks.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) track an index, a commodity or a basket of assets as closely as possible, but trade like shares on the stock exchanges. They are backed by physical holdings of the commodity, and invest in stocks of companies, precious metals or currencies. ETFs give you the flexibility to buy and sell units throughout the day, on the stock exchanges.