INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
MUMBAI: Collections through systematic investment plans (SIP) in mutual funds rose about 9% in May from April to touch an all-time monthly
record of ₹7,304 crore, rebounding from a dip registered in the first month of FY19.
The ₹614-crore rise comes after collections through
SIPs had fallen to ₹6,690 crore in April, compared with ₹7,119 crore garnered in the last month of the previous FY.
May was a volatile
month for equities, with events such as the Karnataka state elections, rising crude prices, Italian political indecision, and hardening bond
yields keeping the markets on the edge.
Most investors buy SIP in equity funds and balanced funds
Monthly SIP collections have increased from ₹1,206 crore in March 2014 to ₹2,719 crore in March 2016 and ₹7,304 crore in May 2018
Overall SIP collection for the financial year 2017-18 stood at ₹67,190 crore, compared with ₹43,921crore in the previous year, a rise of
53%.
“Earlier, only independent financial advisors, banks and national distributors were selling mutual funds
In the past few months, we are seeing a new stream of stock brokers also selling mutual fund SIPs
This is helping numbers move up,” said Swarup Mohanty, chief executive officer, Mirae Asset Management
He points out that despite the correction in the markets, investors have not stopped their SIPs but are adding more.
The industry has been
running its advertisement campaigns and educating investors across the country on the importance of long-term investing and allocating money
to equities as an asset class.
Investors have had a good experience in SIPs over the last three years, and that has given them confidence to
continue and add more to their defined plans.
“Increasing awareness on savings, how rupee cost averaging can reduce equity volatility and
the importance of long-term savings have led to a rise in SIP numbers,” said Harshvardhan Roongta, chief financial planner, Roongta
Securities.
Retail investors have taken to investing using SIPs in a big way over the last three years due to poor returns in competing
asset classes such as gold and real estate
SIPs give the benefit of rupee cost averaging and eliminate market timing as investors put in a fixed amount every month, irrespective of
the level of the broader market.
Investors can start SIPs, both online and offline, for as low as ₹500
There is flexibility to start or stop an SIP, and top it up at any point of time: There is also no penalty on early closures.
