Abhishek Kumar, Business Standard

Stories by Abhishek Kumar, Business Standard

Gold holding of domestic ETFs surges to 6th highest globally

Gold holding of domestic ETFs surges to 6th highest globally

Rediff.com   20 hours ago

Domestic gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw their holdings jump 65 per cent to 95 tonnes in 2025, elevating Indian ETFs to sixth place globally, going by holdings of the yellow metal. At the end of 2024, they ranked eighth with 57.5 tonnes of holding, according to an analysis of data from the World Gold Council (WGC).

Multi-Asset Funds Fastest Growing MF Category

Multi-Asset Funds Fastest Growing MF Category

Rediff.com   2 days ago

'Multi-asset funds have cornered 30 per cent of hybrid fund inflows in 2025, reflecting a growing preference for diversified portfolios that combine equity, debt and commodities.'

'Equity Market Poised For Comeback In 2026'

'Equity Market Poised For Comeback In 2026'

Rediff.com   7 days ago

'The bigger unknown remains global geopolitics, which is inherently unpredictable, including developments in our neighbourhood.' 'Another concern is the increasing tilt of government finances towards welfare subsidies, especially at the state level.' 'This could constrain capital expenditure, which is critical for long-term growth.'

How Will Equity Market Fare In 2026?

How Will Equity Market Fare In 2026?

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2026

Global risks include a potential delay in the US-India trade agreement, the possibility of a sharp correction in US equity markets, and renewed geopolitical tensions.

Equity MF Inflows Dip As Redemptions Spike

Equity MF Inflows Dip As Redemptions Spike

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2026

2025 marked a shift in investor preference when it comes to MF schemes.

Gold, Silver ETFs Cross Rs 2 Trillion AUM

Gold, Silver ETFs Cross Rs 2 Trillion AUM

Rediff.com   8 Jan 2026

Gold ETFs attracted around Rs 11,700 crore, the highest in a calendar month.

Northern Borders 'Stable Yet Sensitive': Defence Ministry

Northern Borders 'Stable Yet Sensitive': Defence Ministry

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2026

The deployment of the army in all sectors along the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border between India and China, is 'robust, well poised and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency'.

MF Investor Growth Hit Slow Lane In 2025

MF Investor Growth Hit Slow Lane In 2025

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2026

'The volatility in the stock markets since September 2024 has hurt the pace of accretion of new investors.'

3.84 Trillion Spent On These Weapons...

3.84 Trillion Spent On These Weapons...

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2026

The largest tranche came in July, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with the DAC according acceptance of necessity -- or initial approval -- for 10 capital acquisition proposals amounting to approximately 1.05 trillion through indigenous sourcing.

Direct equity investors take money off table in 2025, a first since Covid

Direct equity investors take money off table in 2025, a first since Covid

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2025

The post-Covid euphoria surrounding direct equity investing has ebbed in 2025. Individual investors have turned net sellers in the domestic equity market, pulling out about 8,461 crore so far this year - a sharp reversal from the record purchases seen in 2024, according to a report by the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE).

SIP inflows top Rs 3 trn in 2025 for first time as investors stay steady

SIP inflows top Rs 3 trn in 2025 for first time as investors stay steady

Rediff.com   27 Dec 2025

Inflows into mutual fund (MF) schemes via systematic investment plans (SIPs) have topped Rs 3 trillion for the first time in a calendar year, as investors increasingly rely on the staggered investment route amid market volatility.

Gold-silver rush pushes passive fund share in MF AUM to record in 2025

Gold-silver rush pushes passive fund share in MF AUM to record in 2025

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2025

Passive funds have resumed gaining ground in the mutual fund (MF) industry after a slowdown in 2024, with their share of assets under management (AUM) reaching an all-time high in 2025. The surge has been driven largely by robust inflows into gold and silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

'Listing Does Not Alter Our Investment Philosophy'

'Listing Does Not Alter Our Investment Philosophy'

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2025

'We operate in an economy that is structurally positioned for long-term growth. As market levels rise over time, our AUM grows in line.'

Hungry IPOs Carve A Heft Slice Of Mutual Funds

Hungry IPOs Carve A Heft Slice Of Mutual Funds

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2025

In November, six primary market issuances accounted for more than 13,000 crore of net equity investments by MFs.

SIM-Binding Standoff: Telcos Vs Apps

SIM-Binding Standoff: Telcos Vs Apps

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2025

App-based communication services providers and Indian telcos are at loggerheads over the SIM-binding directions issued by the department of telecom, which are to be complied with by the end of February 2026.

Trai Launches Digital Consent Pilot

Trai Launches Digital Consent Pilot

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2025

A national rollout will take place after the pilot test in which SBI, PNB, Axis Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank are participating.

ICICI Pru AMC sets price band for IPO, seeks Rs 1.07 trillion valuation

ICICI Pru AMC sets price band for IPO, seeks Rs 1.07 trillion valuation

Rediff.com   9 Dec 2025

ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company has set a price band of Rs 2,061- Rs 2,165 per share for its Rs 10,600-crore initial public offering (IPO) that will open on Friday. At the upper end of the band, the country's largest asset manager will command a valuation of Rs 1.07 trillion.

Mutual Fund Equity Purchases Hit Record High In 2025

Mutual Fund Equity Purchases Hit Record High In 2025

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2025

The continued MF buying has pushed the equity holding of MFs to over Rs 50 trillion for the first time.

SIP inflows into equity MFs from small towns cross Rs 10K cr mark

SIP inflows into equity MFs from small towns cross Rs 10K cr mark

Rediff.com   4 Dec 2025

SIP inflows into active equity schemes from areas beyond the top 30 cities (B30), which first crossed this milestone in September 2025, stood at Rs 10,080 crore in October, industry data shows.

Active banking funds fail to capitalise on PSU rally: Value Research data

Active banking funds fail to capitalise on PSU rally: Value Research data

Rediff.com   29 Nov 2025

Sectoral funds, focused exclusively on public sector banks (PSBs), have delivered the strongest returns among domestic mutual fund (MF) categories over the past six months. However, active banking funds have significantly lagged because of their heavy tilt towards private lenders.