Ask us: on investments
The Hindu
Q. I have been running a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 towards SBI Nifty Index fund for the past year. Now,
Q. I have been running a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 towards SBI Nifty Index fund for the past year. Now, I can invest another ₹10,000 a month. Should I invest in another moderate risk fund or continue with the Nifty fund alone? Should I also invest as lump sum instead as it lets me invest on a date of my choice, preferably when the NAV is lesser?
Dr. Srijith
A. For a ₹20,000 monthly SIP, just 2 funds are too few. It is best to split the additional ₹10,000 in two funds. If you do not have other debt investments, make one of these funds a short-term debt fund. As the passive options in the moderate-risk space is limited, go for an active fund from the large, flexicap or value categories. If you can take some more risk, you can instead add an aggressive index fund that tracks the Nifty 500 or the Nifty Midcap 150. You can go up to ₹4,000 in these funds. It is best to use the SIP route to invest. Market highs and lows are clear only in hindsight. Markets can keep rising, or keep correcting through the month. Pegging a ‘good’ or ‘low’ NAV to invest on is not feasible.
Q. I’m a 28-year-old State government employee. What are the best options for investment?
Divya R.N.
A. It’s hard to answer this without more detail, so here are some general guidelines.
One, consider the purpose for which you intend to invest — such as for a home down payment, buying a car, retirement, or for regular income from the investment. Two, keep in mind the extent of risk you can bear. Generally speaking, for investment horizons of 5 years and longer, opt primarily for equity mutual funds as they allow better returns than FDs or gold. The higher the risk and longer the time-frame, the more you can allocate to equity funds (but don’t go beyond 80% in these). The rest of the allocation can be in short-duration or corporate bond debt funds.
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