Types or Classification of Mutual Funds

A – On the basis of Objective

Equity Funds/ Growth Funds

Funds that invest in equity shares are called equity funds. They carry the principal objective of capital appreciation of the investment over the medium to long-term. They are best suited for investors who are seeking capital appreciation. There are different types of equity funds such as Diversified funds, Sector specific funds and Index based funds.

Diversified funds

These funds invest in companies spread across sectors. These funds are generally meant for risk-averse investors who want a diversified portfolio across sectors.

Sector funds

These funds invest primarily in equity shares of companies in a particular business sector or industry. These funds are targeted at investors who are bullish or fancy the prospects of a particular sector.

Index funds

These funds invest in the same pattern as popular market indices like S&P CNX Nifty or CNX Midcap 200. The money collected from the investors is invested only in the stocks, which represent the index. For e.g. a Nifty index fund will invest only in the Nifty 50 stocks. The objective of such funds is not to beat the market but to give a return equivalent to the market returns.

Tax Saving Funds

These funds offer tax benefits to investors under the Income Tax Act. Opportunities provided under this scheme are in the form of tax rebates under the Income Tax act.

Debt/Income Funds

These funds invest predominantly in high-rated fixed-income-bearing instruments like bonds, debentures, government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments. They are best suited for the medium to long-term investors who are averse to risk and seek capital preservation. They provide a regular income to the investor.

Liquid Funds/Money Market Funds

These funds invest in highly liquid money market instruments. The period of investment could be as short as a day. They provide easy liquidity. They have emerged as an alternative for savings and short – term fixed deposit accounts with comparatively higher returns. These funds are ideal for corporates,institutional investors and business houses that invest their funds for very short periods.

Gilt Funds

These funds invest in Central and State Government securities. Since they are Government backed bonds they give a secured return and also ensure safety of the principal amount. They are best suited for the medium to long-term investors who are averse to risk.

Balanced Funds

These funds invest both in equity shares and fixed-income-bearing instruments (debt) in some proportion. They provide a steady return and reduce the volatility of the fund while providing some upside for capital appreciation. They are ideal for medium to long-term investors who are willing to take moderate risks.

b) On the basis of Flexibility

Open-ended Funds

These funds do not have a fixed date of redemption. Generally they are open for subscription and redemption throughout the year. Their prices are linked to the daily net asset value (NAV). From the investors’ perspective, they are much more liquid than closed-ended funds.

Close-ended Funds

These funds are open initially for entry during the Initial Public Offering (IPO) and thereafter closed for entry as well as exit. These funds have a fixed date of redemption. One of the characteristics of the close-ended schemes is that they are generally traded at a discount to NAV; but the discount narrows as maturity nears. These funds are open for subscription only once and can be redeemed only on the fixed date of redemption. The units of these funds are listed on stock exchanges (with certain exceptions), are tradable and the subscribers to the fund would be able to exit from the fund at any time through the secondary market