UNDERSTANDING MUTUAL FUND

Mutual fund is a trust that pools money from a group of investors (sharing common financial goals) and invest the money thus collected into asset classes that match the stated investment objectives of the scheme. Since the stated investment objectives of a mutual fund scheme generally forms the basis for an investor's decision to contribute money to the pool, a mutual fund can not deviate from its stated objectives at any point of time. Every Mutual Fund is managed by a fund manager, who using his investment management skills and necessary research works ensures much better return than what an investor can manage on his own. The capital appreciation and other incomes earned from these investments are passed on to the investors (also known as unit holders) in proportion of the number of units they own.

When an investor subscribes for the units of a mutual fund, he becomes part owner of the assets of the fund in the same proportion as his contribution amount put up with the corpus (the total amount of the fund). Mutual Fund investor is also known as a mutual fund shareholder or a unit holder. Any change in the value of the investments made into capital market instruments (such as shares, debentures etc) is reflected in the Net Asset Value (NAV) of the scheme. NAV is defined as the market value of the Mutual Fund scheme's assets net of its liabilities. NAV of a scheme is calculated by dividing the market value of scheme's assets by the total number of units issued to the investors. For example: A. B. C. If the market value of the assets of a fund is Rs. 100,000 The total number of units issued to the investors is equal to 10,000. Then the NAV of this scheme = (A)/(B), i.e. 100,000/10,000 or 10.00

D. Now if an investor 'X' owns 5 units of this scheme E. Then his total contribution to the fund is Rs. 50 (i.e. Number of units held multiplied by the NAV of the scheme)

ADVANTAGES OF MUTUAL FUND

S. No. Advantage Particulars Mutual Funds invest in a well-diversified portfolio 1. Portfolio Diversification of securities which enables investor to hold a diversified investment portfolio (whether the amount of investment is big or small). Fund manager undergoes through various 2. Professional Management research works and has better investment management skills which ensure higher returns to the investor than what he can manage on his own. Investors acquire a diversified portfolio of 3. Less Risk securities even with a small investment in a Mutual Fund. The risk in a diversified portfolio is lesser than investing in merely 2 or 3 securities. Low 4. Transaction Costs Due to the economies of scale (benefits of larger volumes), mutual funds pay lesser transaction costs. These benefits are passed on to the investors. An investor may not be able to sell some of the 5. Liquidity shares held by him very easily and quickly, whereas units of a mutual fund are far more liquid. Mutual funds provide investors with various schemes with different investment objectives. 6. Choice of Schemes Investors have the option of investing in a scheme having a correlation between its investment objectives and their own financial goals. These schemes further have different plans/options Funds provide investors with updated 7. Transparency information pertaining to the markets and the schemes. All material facts are disclosed to investors as required by the regulator.

Investors also benefit from the convenience and flexibility offered by Mutual Funds. Investors can switch their holdings from a debt scheme to an 8. Flexibility equity scheme and vice-versa. Option of systematic (at regular intervals) investment and withdrawal is also offered to the investors in most open-end schemes. Mutual Fund industry is part of a well-regulated investment environment where the interests of 9. Safety the investors are protected by the regulator. All funds are registered with SEBI and complete transparency is forced.

DISADVANTAGES OF MUTUAL FUND

S. No. Disadvantage Particulars Investor has to pay investment management fees and fund distribution costs as a percentage of the value of his investments (as long as he holds the units), irrespective of the performance of the fund. The portfolio of securities in which a fund invests is a decision taken by the fund manager. 2. No Customized Portfolios Investors have no right to interfere in the decision making process of a fund manager, which some investors find as a constraint in achieving their financial objectives. Difficulty in 3. Selecting a Suitable Fund Scheme Many investors find it difficult to select one option from the plethora of funds/schemes/plans available. For this, they may have to take advice from financial planners in order to invest in the right fund to achieve their objectives.

Costs Control 1. Not in the Hands of an Investor

TYPES OF MUTUAL FUNDS

General Classification of Mutual Funds Open-end Funds | Closed-end Funds Open-end Funds Funds that can sell and purchase units at any point in time are classified as Open-end Funds. The fund size (corpus) of an open-end fund is

variable (keeps changing) because of continuous selling (to investors) and repurchases (from the investors) by the fund. An open-end fund is not required to keep selling new units to the investors at all times but is required to always repurchase, when an investor wants to sell his units. The NAV of an open-end fund is calculated every day. Closed-end Funds Funds that can sell a fixed number of units only during the New Fund Offer (NFO) period are known as Closed-end Funds. The corpus of a Closed-end Fund remains unchanged at all times. After the closure of the offer, buying and redemption of units by the investors directly from the Funds is not allowed. However, to protect the interests of the investors, SEBI provides investors with two avenues to liquidate their positions: 1. Closed-end Funds are listed on the stock exchanges where investors can buy/sell units from/to each other. The trading is generally done at a discount to the NAV of the scheme. The NAV of a closed-end fund is computed on a weekly basis (updated every Thursday). 2. Closed-end Funds may also offer "buy-back of units" to the unit holders. In this case, the corpus of the Fund and its outstanding units do get changed.

Load Funds | No-load Funds Load Funds Mutual Funds incur various expenses on marketing, distribution, advertising, portfolio churning, fund manager's salary etc. Many funds recover these expenses from the investors in the form of load. These funds are known as Load Funds. A load fund may impose following types of loads on the investors:

Entry Load - Also known as Front-end load, it refers to the load charged to an investor at the time of his entry into a scheme. Entry load is deducted from the investor's contribution amount to the fund.

Exit Load - Also known as Back-end load, these charges are imposed on an investor when he redeems his units (exits from the scheme). Exit load is deducted from the redemption proceeds to an outgoing investor.

Deferred Load - Deferred load is charged to the scheme over a period of time. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) - In some schemes, the percentage of exit load reduces as the investor

stays longer with the fund. This type of load is known as Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. No-load Funds All those funds that do not charge any of the above mentioned loads are known as No-load Funds. Tax-exempt Funds | Non-Tax-exempt Funds Tax-exempt Funds Funds that invest in securities free from tax are known as Tax-exempt Funds. All open-end equity oriented funds are exempt from distribution tax (tax for distributing income to investors). Long term capital gains and dividend income in the hands of investors are tax-free. Non-Tax-exempt Funds Funds that invest in taxable securities are known as Non-Tax-exempt Funds. In India, all funds, except open-end equity oriented funds are liable to pay tax on distribution income. Profits arising out of sale of units by an investor within 12 months of purchase are categorized as shortterm capital gains, which are taxable. Sale of units of an equity oriented fund is subject to Securities Transaction Tax (STT). STT is deducted from the redemption proceeds to an investor.

BROAD MUTUAL FUND TYPES

1. Equity Funds Equity funds are considered to be the more risky funds as compared to other fund types, but they also provide higher returns than other funds. It is advisable that an investor looking to invest in an equity fund should invest for long term i.e. for 3 years or more. There are different types of equity funds each falling into different risk bracket. In the order of decreasing risk level, there are following types of equity funds: a. Aggressive Growth Funds - In Aggressive Growth Funds, fund managers aspire for maximum capital appreciation and invest in less researched shares of speculative nature. Because of these speculative investments Aggressive Growth Funds become more volatile and thus, are prone to higher risk than other equity funds. b. Growth Funds - Growth Funds also invest for capital appreciation (with time horizon of 3 to 5 years) but they are different from Aggressive Growth Funds in the sense that they invest in companies that are expected to outperform the market in the future. Without entirely adopting speculative strategies, Growth Funds invest in those companies that are expected to post above average earnings in the future. c. Speciality Funds - Speciality Funds have stated criteria for investments and their portfolio comprises of only those companies that meet their criteria. Criteria for some speciality funds could

be to invest/not to invest in particular regions/companies. Speciality funds are concentrated and thus, are comparatively riskier than diversified funds.. There are following types of speciality funds: i. Sector Funds: Equity funds that invest in a particular sector/industry of the market are known as Sector Funds. The exposure of these funds is limited to a particular sector (say Information Technology, Auto, Banking, Pharmaceuticals or Fast Moving Consumer Goods) which is why they are more risky than equity funds that invest in multiple sectors. ii. Foreign Securities Funds: Foreign Securities Equity Funds have the option to invest in one or more foreign companies. Foreign securities funds achieve international diversification and hence they are less risky than sector funds. However, foreign securities funds are exposed to foreign exchange rate risk and country risk. iii. Mid-Cap or Small-Cap Funds: Funds that invest in companies having lower market capitalization than large capitalization companies are called Mid-Cap or Small-Cap Funds. Market capitalization of Mid-Cap companies is less than that of big, blue chip companies (less than Rs. 2500 crores but more than Rs. 500 crores) and Small-Cap companies have market capitalization of less than Rs. 500 crores. Market Capitalization of a company can be calculated by multiplying the market price of the company's share by the total number of its outstanding shares in the market. The shares of Mid-Cap or Small-Cap Companies are not as liquid as of Large-Cap Companies which gives rise to volatility in share prices of these companies and consequently, investment gets risky. iv. Option Income Funds*: While not yet available in India, Option Income Funds write options on a large fraction of their portfolio. Proper use of options can help to reduce volatility, which is otherwise considered as a risky instrument. These funds invest in big, high dividend yielding companies, and then sell options against their stock positions, which generate stable income for investors. d. Diversified Equity Funds - Except for a small portion of investment in liquid money market, diversified equity funds invest mainly in equities without any concentration on a particular sector(s). These funds are well diversified and reduce sector-specific or company-specific risk. However, like all other funds diversified equity funds too are exposed to equity market risk. One prominent type of diversified equity fund in India is Equity Linked Savings Schemes (ELSS). As per the mandate, a minimum of 90% of investments by ELSS should be in equities at all times. ELSS investors are eligible to claim deduction from taxable income (up to Rs 1 lakh) at the time of filing the income tax return. ELSS usually has a lock-in period and in case of any redemption by the investor before the expiry of the lock-in period makes him liable to pay income tax on such income(s) for which he may have received any tax exemption(s) in the past. e. Equity Index Funds - Equity Index Funds have the objective to match the performance of a specific stock market index. The portfolio of these funds comprises of the same companies that form the index and is constituted in the same proportion as the index. Equity index funds that follow broad indices (like S&P CNX Nifty, Sensex) are less risky than equity index funds that follow narrow sectoral indices (like BSEBANKEX or CNX Bank Index etc). Narrow indices are less diversified and therefore, are more risky. f. Value Funds - Value Funds invest in those companies that have sound fundamentals and whose share prices are currently under-valued. The portfolio of these funds comprises of shares that are trading at a low Price to Earning Ratio (Market Price per Share / Earning per Share) and a low Market to Book Value (Fundamental Value) Ratio. Value Funds may select companies from

diversified sectors and are exposed to lower risk level as compared to growth funds or speciality funds. Value stocks are generally from cyclical industries (such as cement, steel, sugar etc.) which make them volatile in the short-term. Therefore, it is advisable to invest in Value funds with a longterm time horizon as risk in the long term, to a large extent, is reduced. g. Equity Income or Dividend Yield Funds - The objective of Equity Income or Dividend Yield Equity Funds is to generate high recurring income and steady capital appreciation for investors by investing in those companies which issue high dividends (such as Power or Utility companies whose share prices fluctuate comparatively lesser than other companies' share prices). Equity Income or Dividend Yield Equity Funds are generally exposed to the lowest risk level as compared to other equity funds. 2. Debt / Income Funds Funds that invest in medium to long-term debt instruments issued by private companies, banks, financial institutions, governments and other entities belonging to various sectors (like infrastructure companies etc.) are known as Debt / Income Funds. Debt funds are low risk profile funds that seek to generate fixed current income (and not capital appreciation) to investors. In order to ensure regular income to investors, debt (or income) funds distribute large fraction of their surplus to investors. Although debt securities are generally less risky than equities, they are subject to credit risk (risk of default) by the issuer at the time of interest or principal payment. To minimize the risk of default, debt funds usually invest in securities from issuers who are rated by credit rating agencies and are considered to be of "Investment Grade". Debt funds that target high returns are more risky. Based on different investment objectives, there can be following types of debt funds: a. Diversified Debt Funds - Debt funds that invest in all securities issued by entities belonging to all sectors of the market are known as diversified debt funds. The best feature of diversified debt funds is that investments are properly diversified into all sectors which results in risk reduction. Any loss incurred, on account of default by a debt issuer, is shared by all investors which further reduces risk for an individual investor. b. Focused Debt Funds* - Unlike diversified debt funds, focused debt funds are narrow focus funds that are confined to investments in selective debt securities, issued by companies of a specific sector or industry or origin. Some examples of focused debt funds are sector, specialized and offshore debt funds, funds that invest only in Tax Free Infrastructure or Municipal Bonds. Because of their narrow orientation, focused debt funds are more risky as compared to diversified debt funds. Although not yet available in India, these funds are conceivable and may be offered to investors very soon. c. High Yield Debt funds - As we now understand that risk of default is present in all debt funds, and therefore, debt funds generally try to minimize the risk of default by investing in securities issued by only those borrowers who are considered to be of "investment grade". But, High Yield Debt Funds adopt a different strategy and prefer securities issued by those issuers who are considered to be of "below investment grade". The motive behind adopting this sort of risky strategy is to earn higher interest returns from these issuers. These funds are more volatile and bear higher default risk, although they may earn at times higher returns for investors. d. Assured Return Funds - Although it is not necessary that a fund will meet its objectives or provide assured returns to investors, but there can be funds that come with a lock-in period and offer assurance of annual returns to investors during the lock-in period. Any shortfall in returns is

suffered by the sponsors or the Asset Management Companies (AMCs). These funds are generally debt funds and provide investors with a low-risk investment opportunity. However, the security of investments depends upon the net worth of the guarantor (whose name is specified in advance on the offer document). To safeguard the interests of investors, SEBI permits only those funds to offer assured return schemes whose sponsors have adequate net-worth to guarantee returns in the future. In the past, UTI had offered assured return schemes (i.e. Monthly Income Plans of UTI) that assured specified returns to investors in the future. UTI was not able to fulfill its promises and faced large shortfalls in returns. Eventually, government had to intervene and took over UTI's payment obligations on itself. Currently, no AMC in India offers assured return schemes to investors, though possible. e. Fixed Term Plan Series - Fixed Term Plan Series usually are closed-end schemes having short term maturity period (of less than one year) that offer a series of plans and issue units to investors at regular intervals. Unlike closed-end funds, fixed term plans are not listed on the exchanges. Fixed term plan series usually invest in debt / income schemes and target short-term investors. The objective of fixed term plan schemes is to gratify investors by generating some expected returns in a short period. 3. Gilt Funds Also known as Government Securities in India, Gilt Funds invest in government papers (named dated securities) having medium to long term maturity period. Issued by the Government of India, these investments have little credit risk (risk of default) and provide safety of principal to the investors. However, like all debt funds, gilt funds too are exposed to interest rate risk. Interest rates and prices of debt securities are inversely related and any change in the interest rates results in a change in the NAV of debt/gilt funds in an opposite direction. 4. Money Market / Liquid Funds Money market / liquid funds invest in short-term (maturing within one year) interest bearing debt instruments. These securities are highly liquid and provide safety of investment, thus making money market / liquid funds the safest investment option when compared with other mutual fund types. However, even money market / liquid funds are exposed to the interest rate risk. The typical investment options for liquid funds include Treasury Bills (issued by governments), Commercial papers (issued by companies) and Certificates of Deposit (issued by banks). 5. Hybrid Funds As the name suggests, hybrid funds are those funds whose portfolio includes a blend of equities, debts and money market securities. Hybrid funds have an equal proportion of debt and equity in their portfolio. There are following types of hybrid funds in India: a. Balanced Funds - The portfolio of balanced funds include assets like debt securities, convertible securities, and equity and preference shares held in a relatively equal proportion. The objectives of balanced funds are to reward investors with a regular income, moderate capital appreciation and at the same time minimizing the risk of capital erosion. Balanced funds are appropriate for conservative investors having a long term investment horizon. b. Growth-and-Income Funds - Funds that combine features of growth funds and income funds are known as Growth-and-Income Funds. These funds invest in companies having potential for capital

appreciation and those known for issuing high dividends. The level of risks involved in these funds is lower than growth funds and higher than income funds. c. Asset Allocation Funds - Mutual funds may invest in financial assets like equity, debt, money market or non-financial (physical) assets like real estate, commodities etc.. Asset allocation funds adopt a variable asset allocation strategy that allows fund managers to switch over from one asset class to another at any time depending upon their outlook for specific markets. In other words, fund managers may switch over to equity if they expect equity market to provide good returns and switch over to debt if they expect debt market to provide better returns. It should be noted that switching over from one asset class to another is a decision taken by the fund manager on the basis of his own judgment and understanding of specific markets, and therefore, the success of these funds depends upon the skill of a fund manager in anticipating market trends. 6. Commodity Funds Those funds that focus on investing in different commodities (like metals, food grains, crude oil etc.) or commodity companies or commodity futures contracts are termed as Commodity Funds. A commodity fund that invests in a single commodity or a group of commodities is a specialized commodity fund and a commodity fund that invests in all available commodities is a diversified commodity fund and bears less risk than a specialized commodity fund. "Precious Metals Fund" and Gold Funds (that invest in gold, gold futures or shares of gold mines) are common examples of commodity funds. 7. Real Estate Funds Funds that invest directly in real estate or lend to real estate developers or invest in shares/securitized assets of housing finance companies, are known as Specialized Real Estate Funds. The objective of these funds may be to generate regular income for investors or capital appreciation. 8. Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) Exchange Traded Funds provide investors with combined benefits of a closed-end and an open-end mutual fund. Exchange Traded Funds follow stock market indices and are traded on stock exchanges like a single stock at index linked prices. The biggest advantage offered by these funds is that they offer diversification, flexibility of holding a single share (tradable at index linked prices) at the same time. Recently introduced in India, these funds are quite popular abroad. 9. Fund of Funds Mutual funds that do not invest in financial or physical assets, but do invest in other mutual fund schemes offered by different AMCs, are known as Fund of Funds. Fund of Funds maintain a portfolio comprising of units of other mutual fund schemes, just like conventional mutual funds maintain a portfolio comprising of equity/debt/money market instruments or non financial assets. Fund of Funds provide investors with an added advantage of diversifying into different mutual fund schemes with even a small amount of investment, which further helps in diversification of risks. However, the expenses of Fund of Funds are quite high on account of compounding expenses of investments into different mutual fund schemes. * Funds not yet available in India

Risk Heirarchy of Different Mutual Funds Thus, different mutual fund schemes are exposed to different levels of risk and investors should know the level of risks associated with these schemes before investing. The graphical representation hereunder provides a clearer picture of the relationship between mutual funds and levels of risk associated with these funds:

Mutual Fund Schemes

With an increase in interest and awareness about mutual funds amongst investors, there has also been a steady increase in the number of mutual fund schemes offered in India by as many as 35 Asset Management Companies (as on December 2006). Different schemes are introduced to suit different needs of investors. Mutual funds schemes may have different investment objectives which can be to earn recurring income for investors or growth of their invested capital or both. So investors should choose a scheme whose investment objestive matches their personal objectives. To achieve the scheme's investment objectives, the fund manager, as per his own understanding, invests in a portfolio of asset classes which he thinks may provide the best returns to investors in the future. Different assets are exposed to a different level of risk. For example, investing in equities is riskier than investing in debt and investing in debt is slightly riskier than investing in moneymarket instruments. However, riskier investment options have a higher potential to provide higher returns.

Mutual Fund Schemes Comparison Below is a comparison between different mutual fund schemes on the basis of their investment objectives, portfolio of investments and the level of risk associated.

Equity Funds Types Investment Objectives Aggressive Growth Funds Growth Funds Capital Appreciation Capital Appreciation Invest in less researched shares of speculative nature Invest in companies that are expected to outperform the market in the future Specialty Funds Capital Appreciation They follow a stated criteria for investments and their portfolio comprises of only those companies that meet their criteria. Diversified Equity Funds Capital Appreciation A small portion of investment in liquid money market, diversified equity funds invest mainly in equities without concentration on a particular sector. Equity Index Funds Capital Appreciation Portfolio of these funds comprises of the same companies that form the index and is constituted in the same proportion as the index. Risk associated is the same as that of the benchmark index. Broader indices (like S&P CNX Nifty or BSE Sensex) are less risky than narrow indices (like BSEBANKEX or CNX Bank Index) Value Funds Capital Appreciation Value funds invest in those companies that have sound fundamentals and whose share prices are currently under-valued. Equity Income To generate high Investments are made in These funds are generally These funds are exposed to a lower risk level as compared to growth funds or speciality funds Well diversified and reduce sector-specific or companyspecific risk Concentrated and hence are riskier than diversified funds Volatile but less than Aggressive growth funds Highly Volatile Portfolio of Investments Risk Associated

or Dividend Yield Funds

recurring income appreciation

those companies which as Power or Utility companies).

exposed to the lowest risk level as compared to other equity funds

and steady capital issue high dividends (such

Income / Debt Funds and Money Market Funds Types Diversified Debt Funds Investment Objectives To generate fixed current income Portfolio of Investments These funds invest in all securities issued by entities belonging to all sectors of the market High Yield Debt funds To earn higher interest returns Invest in securities issued by those issuers who are considered to be of "below investment grade" Assured Return Funds To offer assurance of annual returns to investors through out the stated lock-in period Fixed Term Plan Series To generate some expected returns in a short period MoneyMarket Funds Recurring income and capital safety Invest in short-term (maturing within one year) interest bearing debt instruments Safest mutual fund investment option, interst rate risk remains Usually invest in debt / income schemes Low risk fund More volatile and bear higher default risk than diversified debt funds Risk Associated Low volatility, default risk remains

Predominantly debt securities A low-risk investment opportunity

Hybrid Funds Types Balanced Funds Investment Objectives To generate regular income, moderate capital appreciation and at the same time minimizing the risk of capital erosion GrowthFunds Capital growth and some These funds invest in companies having potential for capital appreciation and those known for issuing Safer as compared to growth funds and riskier than income funds Portfolio of Investments Debt securities, convertible securities, and equity and preference shares held in a relatively equal proportion Risk Associated Limited risk to principal and moderate longterm growth

and-Income current income

high dividends Asset Allocation Funds Capital Growth and income generation These funds invest in financial assets or nonfinancial (physical) assets Success of these funds depends upon the skills of a fund manager in anticipating market trends

Mutual Fund Industry in India

The Evolution The formation of Unit Trust of India marked the evolution of the Indian mutual fund industry in the year 1963. The primary objective at that time was to attract the small investors and it was made possible through the collective efforts of the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India. The history of mutual fund industry in India can be better understood divided into following phases: Phase 1. Establishment and Growth of Unit Trust of India - 1964-87 Unit Trust of India enjoyed complete monopoly when it was established in the year 1963 by an act of Parliament. UTI was set up by the Reserve Bank of India and it continued to operate under the regulatory control of the RBI until the two were de-linked in 1978 and the entire control was tranferred in the hands of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI). UTI launched its first scheme in 1964, named as Unit Scheme 1964 (US-64), which attracted the largest number of investors in any single investment scheme over the years. UTI launched more innovative schemes in 1970s and 80s to suit the needs of different investors. It launched ULIP in 1971, six more schemes between 1981-84, Children's Gift Growth Fund and India Fund (India's first offshore fund) in 1986, Mastershare (Inida's first equity diversified scheme) in 1987 and Monthly Income Schemes (offering assured returns) during 1990s. By the end of 1987, UTI's assets under management grew ten times to Rs 6700 crores. Phase II. Entry of Public Sector Funds - 1987-1993 The Indian mutual fund industry witnessed a number of public sector players entering the market in the year 1987. In November 1987, SBI Mutual Fund from the State Bank of India became the first non-UTI mutual fund in India. SBI Mutual Fund was later followed by Canbank Mutual Fund, LIC Mutual Fund, Indian Bank Muatual Fund, Bank of India Mutual Fund, GIC Mutual Fund and PNB Mutual Fund. By 1993, the assets under management of the industry increased seven times to Rs. 47,004 crores. However, UTI remained to be the leader with about 80% market share. Mobilisation as % of gross Domestic

1992-93

Amount Mobilised

Assets Under Management

Savings UTI Public Sector Total 11,057 1,964 13,021 38,247 8,757 47,004 5.2% 0.9% 6.1%

Phase III. Emergence of Private Secor Funds - 1993-96 The permission given to private sector funds including foreign fund management companies (most of them entering through joint ventures with Indian promoters) to enter the mutal fund industry in 1993, provided a wide range of choice to investors and more competition in the industry. Private funds introduced innovative products, investment techniques and investor-servicing technology. By 1994-95, about 11 private sector funds had launched their schemes. Phase IV. Growth and SEBI Regulation - 1996-2004 The mutual fund industry witnessed robust growth and stricter regulation from the SEBI after the year 1996. The mobilisation of funds and the number of players operating in the industry reached new heights as investors started showing more interest in mutual funds. Invetors' interests were safeguarded by SEBI and the Government offered tax benefits to the investors in order to encourage them. SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996 was introduced by SEBI that set uniform standards for all mutual funds in India. The Union Budget in 1999 exempted all dividend incomes in the hands of investors from income tax. Various Investor Awareness Programmes were launched during this phase, both by SEBI and AMFI, with an objective to educate investors and make them informed about the mutual fund industry. In February 2003, the UTI Act was repealed and UTI was stripped of its Special legal status as a trust formed by an Act of Parliament. The primary objective behind this was to bring all mutal fund players on the same level. UTI was re-organised into two parts: 1. The Specified Undertaking, 2. The UTI Mutual Fund Presently Unit Trust of India operates under the name of UTI Mutual Fund and its past schemes (like US-64, Assured Return Schemes) are being gradually wound up. However, UTI Mutual Fund is still the largest player in the industry. In 1999, there was a significant growth in mobilisation of funds from investors and assets under management which is supported by the following data: GROSS FUND MOBILISATION (RS. CRORES) FROM 01-April98 01-April99 TO 31March-99 31March-00 UTI PUBLIC SECTOR 1,732 PRIVATE SECTOR 7,966 TOTAL

11,679

21,377

13,536

4,039

42,173

59,748

01-April00 01-April01 01-April02 01-Feb.03 01-April03 01-April04 01-April05

31March-01 31March-02 31-Jan03 31March-03 31March-04 31March-05 31March-06

12,413

6,192

74,352

92,957

4,643

13,613

1,46,267

1,64,523

5,505

22,923

2,20,551

2,48,979

7,259*

58,435

65,694

68,558

5,21,632

5,90,190

- 1,03,246

7,36,416

8,39,662

- 1,83,446

9,14,712 10,98,158

ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT (RS. CRORES) AS ON 31March-99 UTI PUBLIC SECTOR 8,292 PRIVATE SECTOR TOTAL

53,320

6,860 68,472

Phase V. Growth and Consolidation - 2004 Onwards The industry has also witnessed several mergers and acquisitions recently, examples of which are acquisition of schemes of Alliance Mutual Fund by Birla Sun Life, Sun F&C Mutual Fund and PNB Mutual Fund by Principal Mutual Fund. Simultaneously, more international mutal fund players have entered India like Fidelity, Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund etc. There were 29 funds as at the end of March 2006. This is a continuing phase of growth of the industry through consolidation and entry of new international and private sector players.

Systematic Investment Plan - An easy way to invest in Mutual Funds

Introduction Stock markets all over the world are prone to volatility which is proved by the movements in stock markets in the past. Investors invest in stock markets with some objective in mind. In doing so, there is always a dilemna in investors' mind that ponders over the right time to invest. Many investors keep waiting for the markets to come down and a lot of times, markets move in just the opposite direction leaving such investors with no option but to keep their money idle or to invest at even higher levels. Concept of Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) Just like banks and Post office offers recurring deposit schemes, mutual funds offer an SIP option. Investors opting for an SIP option commit investing a pre-specified sum of money at regular intervals (generally every month) in a particular mutual fund scheme. Each periodic investment entitles investors to recieve units of that mutual fund scheme, which is subject to its NAV prevailing at that time. Working of SIP Let us take an example to understand how an SIP works. Suppose 'X' decides to invest in a mutual fund through SIP. He commits making a monthly investment of Rs

1000 for a period of twelve months (starting 1st January 2006) in a fund named 'ABC'. The payment can be done by issuing twelve post-dated cheques of Rs 1000 each or through ECS facility (if available). Monthly Date Investment (a) Jan 1 Feb 1 Mar 1 Apr 1 May 1 Jun 1 Jul 1 Aug 1 Sep 1 Oct 1 Nov 1 Dec 1 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Rs 1000 Number of Units (a)/(b) 21.603 20.799 18.947 17.743 17.117 17.724 16.093 14.797 13.947 13.125 11.909 11.121

NAV (b) 46.29 48.08 52.78 56.36 58.42 56.42 62.14 67.58 71.70 76.19 83.97 89.92

Brief Summary Monthly Investment: Rs. 1000 Period of investment: 12 months (1st Jan 2006 to 1st Dec 2006) Total amount invested: Rs. 12,000 Total number of units credited to 'X': 194.925 Average cost/unit: Rs 61.5621 Note: Entry and exit loads are applicable while investing through SIP option also. However, in this example, load has not been taken into consideration for the purpose of simplification. Benefits to 'X'

Convenience and affordability because of an easy payment method Helps X to develop the habit of disciplined investing as he/she is compelled to fulfill his/her commitment of making a fixed payment every month

Rupee cost average benefit - By investing through the SIP route, 'X' recieves 194.925

units at an average cost of Rs. 61.5621. However, had 'X' invested the whole of Rs. 12000 at one go, he would have recieved a different number of units. Suppose 'X' had invested Rs. 12000 on:

o o o

1st Jan 2006 - He would have recieved 259.24 units 1st Jul 2006 - He would have recieved 193.11 units 1st Dec 2006 - He would have recieved 133.45 units

Since, it is not so simple for anybody to perfectly time the market, it makes a more sensible approach to invest through SIP option (for long-term, say 3 to 5 years). It actually makes the volatility in the stock markets work for investors. This example helps us to understand how SIP allows 'X' to take benefit of all the highs and lows of the market during this twelve months time period.

Flexibilty to redeem units at any time or making a change in the monthly investment amount

Advantages of SIP

Rupee cost averaging - SIPs are based on the concept of Rupee cost averaging. It helps investors to limit their purchases in rising markets and expand them in falling markets. It helps to tap the tops and bottoms of a stock market thus averaging out the cost per unit of a mutual fund scheme (see example given above).

Disciplined Saving - SIPs play a vital role in helping us improve our investment habits. It reminds investors of their commitment to contribute a specified amount to the pool at regular intervals. This makes investors more disciplined in their approach towards investment which finally helps them in saving more money (as this monthly investment could otherwise be used for spending on unnecessary items).

Compounding Benefits - Because of the power of compounding, investors who start early get the maximum advantage. SIPs have provided maximum returns when investments are made for a long period of time (i.e. for 3 to 5 years) and investors who follow this strategy gain from the compounding effect of returns on their investments.

Risk-free from Timing - Many invetors try to time the market and faill most of the time for the simple reason that it is virtually not possible for anybody to time the market. SIPs enable investors to capitalise on upside and downside movements in the market and be care-free from the tedious task of timing the market. Investors opting for SIPs don't need to worry about the daily movements in the market. Disadvantages of SIP

No downside Protection - Investors should remember that despite of all the advantages that SIPs have, they are subject to market risks and do not protect investors from making a loss or ensure them profits in falling markets.

Portfolio risk remains - SIPs are also subject to security risk. Mutual fund schemes investing in portfolios that turns out to generate negative returns are bound to make investors incur a loss even if the investment is made through SIPs.

Ideal Profile of Investors Investors opting to invest through an SIP option should: 1. 2. 3. 4. have a long-term investment horizon, be willing to invest regularly, keep patience, and who can not invest enough amount at one go

Before opting for SIPs SIP option is available for all types of funds. This arises the need for investors to do a little homework in order to get the maximum returns out of their investment.

Defining the investment objective Investors should invest with a clear objective in their mind. It helps to figure out an indicative time period for which the investments would have to be made.

Determining the investment surplus Investors should estimate the amount that they can afford to invest on a periodical basis. Investors should be conservative while making this estimate as an over estimated periodical investment amount may turn out to be a burden for investors.

Matching periodicity to fund flows SIPs are available in monthly and quarterly options. Investors should opt for an option that is in

tandem with the periodicity of cash inflows.

Selecting an appropriate scheme category Before investing investors should take the risk- return profile of a scheme into consideration. Investors should choose a scheme that suits their investment objective. For example: Equity funds are recommended to investors who have a high risk taking capacity, debt funds for risk-averse investors and balanced funds for investors with moderate risk taking capacity.

Performing fund manager All fund schemes are managed by a fund manager. Investors should select a scheme which is managed by a proven and successful fund manager. However, past performances do not assure good returns in the future, but do form a basis for decision making.

Ignore the market swings In the short term, sentiments drive the movements in the market. Therefore, investors shold not let a short term correction or fall in the markets to bother them. As long as the long term prospects are intact, the investments are safe.

Periodical review of investments After selecting an appropriate scheme and making investment in it, investors should continuously monitor the performance of similar schemes to the one in which the investment is done. This enables investors to compare the performance of their scheme with corresponding schemes and make necessary adjustments, if required.