Alternate Investment

India's mutual fund industry has quietly crossed another milestone. As of July 2026, industry-wide assets under management (AUM) touched ₹85.76 lakh crore, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) up nearly six-fold from ₹15.18 lakh crore just a decade earlier, in July 2016. The Securities and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) own Annual Report for 2025-26 puts average AUM for the year at ₹73.7 lakh crore, a 12.2% year-on-year increase, with activ

Most seasoned mutual fund investors don't pick one fund and stop there. They build a portfolio in two layers. The first layer, called the core, is made up of diversified equity funds meant to be held for years, forming the bulk of the portfolio. The second layer, the satellite, is a smaller allocation to funds with a sharper, more tactical purpose a specific theme, sector, or asset class that can add extra return or act as a hedge, without derailing the whole portfolio if it

If you've bought a mutual fund in India, you've likely seen two versions of the same scheme: a Direct Plan and a Regular Plan. Both invest in the same portfolio of stocks or bonds, managed by the same fund manager. The only structural difference is cost, and cost compounded over years is a bigger deal than most investors realise. This raises a fair question: if a direct plan is cheaper, does that automatically mean it earns you more money? The short answer is yes, in a mechan

That first salary credit is exciting and it's also the best time to set financial habits that compound for years. Most young earners focus only on how much they make, not how well they organise it. Here are five practical steps that make the difference between money that just passes through your account and money that actually starts working for you. 1. Three Bank Accounts A single account trying to hold your income, your savings, and your monthly expenses at once makes it ha

How different investments have preserved and grown real wealth over the last five years. Horizon ≈ 5 years · 2020–2025 Currency INR Measure CAGR, point-to-point Inflation quietly erodes wealth: money left idle loses purchasing power every year. Between FY2021 and FY2025, India's consumer price inflation averaged roughly 5.5%, so any asset returning less than that lost real value. Over this five-year window, several asset classes cleared that bar comfortably. Indian equi

Discover four government schemes—PMMY, Stand-Up India, PMEGP, and SAMRIDH—that help Indian entrepreneurs access funding, loans, and startup support.

A simple guide to how digital tokens are changing the way we own bonds, real estate and cash Imagine being able to buy a small slice of a commercial building in Mumbai, or a piece of a government bond, for the price of a dinner out and having that ownership recorded instantly and safely on a digital system that cannot be tampered with. This is the basic idea behind tokenization, one of the biggest shifts underway in global and Indian finance today. Tokenization is not crypto

The Government of India offers several social security schemes that provide affordable insurance, healthcare, and retirement benefits for every citizen. This guide explains four essential schemes—Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), and Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY—covering their eligibility, benefits, and why they are important for your family's financial security.

FCNR(B) deposits let NRIs earn tax-free interest in US dollars while protecting savings from currency fluctuations. This guide explains how FCNR(B) accounts work, their benefits, eligibility, interest rates, tenure options, tax implications, and why they are considered one of the safest dollar-denominated investment choices for Indians living abroad.

India's retail inflation climbed to 4.38% in June 2026, its highest level in 18 months, as a delayed monsoon sent vegetable prices soaring and global energy costs fed through to transport. The RBI held rates steady but raised its own inflation forecast — signalling more price pressure ahead.

India's newest fund category is growing faster than almost anyone predicted. Here is what Specialised Investment Funds actually are, why they matter, and what to watch before you write the cheque. Specialised Investment Funds are suddenly everywhere. Assets have crossed ₹10,000 crore, fund houses are launching new strategies every month, and India’s biggest AMCs are racing to be part of what could become the next evolution of investing. Recently, HSBC Mutual Fund launched its

It sounds like the perfect idea. Buy gold with just a few taps on your phone, skip the jeweller, and own pure 24K gold stored safely in a vault somewhere. That is the promise of digital gold, and it has taken India by storm.

Gold, revered for centuries as a store of wealth and a hedge against uncertainty, seldom moves in straight lines. It is subject to powerful economic forces that can trigger sharp rises or falls. Throughout recent history, gold has experienced notable corrections surpassing 25%, usually amid shifts in interest rates, the strength of the US dollar, and broader market sentiment. Understanding these cycles can help investors navigate today’s complex market and anticipate what the

Everyone’s talking about silver exploding past $47 an ounce. Social media is buzzing, and investors are scrambling to get in before “it’s too late”. But before you let the hype push you into a FOMO buy, let’s look at the facts straight from the Silver Institute’s latest report. Is a silver correction coming? Silver Supply & Demand Data – Silver Institute According to their 2025 forecast: Mine production is up 1.9% Total supply is up 1.5% But industrial demand is actually down

Global gold demand held steady in volume terms at 1,249 tonnes in Q2, up 3% year-on-year, but in value it surged to a record-breaking US$132 billion. Prices averaged over US$3,280/oz, making this one of the strongest pricing environments on record. It begs the question every investor is asking: Should I buy gold now, or is the rally peaking?

Think of it as a home loan in reverse. Instead of you paying EMIs to a bank, the bank pays you either monthly, quarterly, or as a lump sum against the value of your house or apartment.

Overall silver demand has increased substantially, growing at an estimated annual rate of 16-17%. Pre-2022, annual demand figures typically ranged from 900 to 1100 million ounces. In contrast, from 2022 to 2024, demand has consistently exceeded 1200 million ounces.