Equity mutual funds are investment vehicles that invest in a diversified portfolio of equities and equity-related instruments with money pooled from multiple investors. These schemes are overseen by proficient fund managers, who invest in different instruments to accomplish the scheme’s investment targets. Here are a few considerations while investing in equity funds:
Equity mutual funds' primary objective is long-term capital appreciation. The value of the fund's units is directly proportional to the performance of the portfolio's underlying investments.
Equity funds are riskier when compared to debt or hybrid funds as a significant amount of the corpus is invested in stocks and related products. However, over the long term, these funds potentially deliver higher returns in comparison to other types of mutual funds.
The price of every unit held by equity mutual fund investors is known as the Net Asset Value. NAV is derived by dividing the total value of the fund corpus by the number of outstanding units.
Some mutual fund schemes might levy an exit load in the event that investors redeem their units within a predetermined period. Investors ought to likewise know about the expense ratio, which addresses the yearly charges and costs as a percentage of the fund's average value.
Capital gains tax applies to gains from equity mutual funds. The tax rates depend on the holding period and the type of gains, which can either be short-term or long-term.
Market conditions, economic factors, and the stock market's overall performance all have an impact on the performance of equity mutual funds.
It is essential for investors to evaluate their risk tolerance, financial objectives, and investment time horizon prior to investing in equity mutual funds. It is recommended to seek guidance from professional experts if necessary to make an informed investment decision.