When the global financial sector is in turmoil, is it safe to invest in mutual funds?
If so, which funds to invest in? How to evaluate the best best mutual fund?
In an hour-long chat on
rediff.com on Wednesday, financial planning expert
Vinay Mahajan offered some valuable tips. Here is the transcript:
Vinay Mahajan says, Hello Friends, Welcome to this Chat Session.
dii asked, Hi, This question is really being hitting my mind all the time. whether to invest in stocks or MF. Please through some light.
Vinay Mahajan answers, at 2012-06-06 16:04:45Hi Dii, As an asset class both are same, if you are thinking about investing in Equity Mutual Fund. However, it is recommended to invest through Mutual Fund looking at the objective of the fund and risk associated and asset allocation.
Juhi asked, Hi, Good Afternoon. I have invested in 9 Mutual Funds (DSP Top 100, DSP Equity, HDFC Prudence, HDFC Top 200, Fidelity Tax, Reliance Regular Savings, ICICI Pru discovery, IDFC Small & Mid cap, Sundaram Tax). I want to trim this to just about 4 funds. However, with the current market situation most of the above funds are in RED. Does it make sense to withdraw from one fund to another at this point of time or should i wait till the market improves please. Thanks
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Juhi, You are right, you need to consolidate your portfolio else to many funds would mimick index fund. in present market conditions it is advisable to continue in these funds if you are looking for good returns in the longer run.
hasan asked, dii- u shud invest in stocks only if u know tech analysis and read some balace sheets.. plus u need to watch ur portfolio regularly with mfs managers do it for u
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Hasan, Technical Analysis is used for trading purpose, that is for intra-day or positional trades, which is done using targets and strict stop losses. For investment purpose we should look at companies fundamentals and therefore we should watch for companies financials. With regard to updating portfolio its a must to review it regularly. As underlying story / fundamentals may change or investment objectives may differ.
raj asked, fund managers in india are useless
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Raj, Fund Managers task is to meet stated objective of the funds. For eg. a Fund Manager, managing index fund would try to replicate performance of an index for you as an investor therefore decision point would be to select which fund / funds meet your investment objectives.
harsha asked, which is the best MF currently?
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Harsha, Investment should be done according to investment objective and keeping asset allocation in mind. Therefore funds which suits your requirement would be the best fund.
sudha asked, generally it is said that long term inv is good ,what exactly is long term ,how many months /years is it
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Sudha, It depends on the asset class that you are investing in. With regards to the equity market, in general 5 years and above is considered as a long term. However, it depends on sectors and economic cycle which can extend or reduce a time period to a bit.
vijay asked, hi sir, can tell me one can u tell me any one stock like if i invest 1L in perticular stock, v should get 1L dividend PA after 12 to 15 year apart from our principle amount
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Vijay, Would suggest you to explore Mutual Funds with dividend trigger option. Please refer the scheme details.
Pandit asked, I have SIPs in Reliance banking,Reliance Pharma,SBI FMCG,UTI Dividend yield,HDFC TOP 200,Reliance Growth,IDFC Premier Equity,Religare Contra for 3 years time horizon.Comment please.
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Pandit, At present SIP is a better option to create wealth in the longer run. You may continue however asses your goals keeping asset allocation in mind.
raj121 asked, I am investing in mf namely relaince banking and reliance regular saving scheme via SIP. Pl let me know if I will continue or switch them to relaince equity opprtunities and continue the Sip in reliance equity opportunities
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Raj, Define your investment objectives first then decide about investment vehicle. It is recommended to invest in large cap diversified funds than sectoral/thematic funds.
nag asked, hi sir, m earning 9500 per month but i dont know where i can save
Vinay Mahajan answers, Hi Nag, The God is in retail. Analyze in detail you expense pattern. With this you would be able to identify where you can save more. This could be either by curtailing expenses or by cheaper subsitution. However, saving alone is not sufficient, keep investing systematically.
raj121 asked, is investing in gold funds through MF a good option these days or not? Pl suggest
Vinay Mahajan answers, Dear Raj, There are various ways to invest in Gold. 1. Direct buying from exchanges (Spot Exchange/MCX), 2. Buying Gold ETF's, 3. Buying Gold Funds. Based on convenience
any of the above options can be selected. For a retail investor ETF could be one of the better options in terms of ease and understanding.