India's economic fundamentals strong, investors prefer balanced risk strategies: AMFI CEO

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) While market volatility has made some investors cautious, we’re also witnessing a healthy shift towards hybrid and arbitrage funds -- a trend that shows maturing investor behaviour and a preference for balanced risk strategies in uncertain times, Venkat N Chalasani, CEO of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), said on Wednesday.

India’s economic fundamentals remain strong, and we continue to encourage investors to stay committed to their financial goals, he said while presenting the June data for the mutual fund industry.

The mutual fund industry’s assets under management (AUM) crossed Rs 74 lakh crore last month, setting a new milestone. This growth continues to be powered by strong retail participation and the steady rise in SIP inflows, which stood at Rs 27,269 crore for the month.

The number of contributing SIP accounts also touched an all-time high of 8.64 crore, underlining the growing trust in mutual funds as a disciplined investment vehicle.

Equity inflows came in at Rs 23,587 crore, marking the 52nd consecutive month of positive flows.

Chalasani said they are confident that the emphasis on establishing a robust mutual fund framework, coupled with standardised disclosure protocols and ongoing investor education initiatives, will propel the industry's growth and success.

“Our focus remains on deepening investor awareness and helping savers become long-term wealth creators. India’s economic fundamentals remain strong, and we continue to encourage investors to stay committed to their financial goals,” he mentioned.

Investor activity remained strong in June, with active equity and hybrid mutual funds witnessing heightened inflows.

“Other categories like large-cap, mid-cap, small cap and large and mid-cap Funds, also recorded impressive net inflows, reflecting investors’ long-term conviction in Indian markets,” said Gaurav Goyal, National Head - Sales and Marketing, Canara Robeco AMC.

Hybrid funds saw a significant uptick as well, with net inflows crossing Rs 23,000 crore. Arbitrage funds were the key contributors, followed by multi-asset allocation and balanced advantage funds, indicating a growing investor preference for diversified and balanced portfolios.

Naval Kagalwala, COO and Product Head at Shriram Wealth Ltd, suggested investors to diversify and allocate across categories and asset classes, in line with their risk profile.

--IANS

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