Investors pump in Rs 2 lakh crore in MF schemes during Apr-Jan

New Delhi, Feb 17: Total investments in mutual fund schemes in the first 10 months of the current fiscal rose to nearly Rs 2 lakh crore on the back of inflows in equity funds.

This was higher than Rs 1.6 lakh crore invested in the same period last fiscal. As per the latest data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), investors have put in Rs 1,94,820 crore in various mutual fund schemes.

Most of the money is being invested in liquid or money fund as well as and equity mutual fund schemes. A staggering Rs 1.14 lakh crore have been infused in liquid or 'money market' schemes and another Rs 56,000 crore pumped in equity schemes.

"Since early 2014, equity market sentiment took a turn for the better and we have noticed significant interest from FIIs on the back of expectations from the new government at the Centre. This has led to equity markets adopting a bullish tone," HSBC Global Asset Management India CEO Puneet Chaddha said.

"The growth in equity markets has been noticed by retail investors and since May 2014, we have seen month-on-month positive net sales in equity mutual funds," he added.

The addition in equity schemes is in line with BSE's benchmark Sensex surging by 30 per cent in the ten months of the current financial year.

This significant level of funds mobilisation has also led to increase in the total assets under management of MFs that surged to Rs 11.81 lakh crore as on January 31, 2015 from Rs 9.03 lakh crore in the year-ago period.

MF is an investment vehicle that pools funds from many investors for investing in securities such as stocks, bonds, money market instruments and similar assets.

PTI