Balanced schemes gain traction

Retail investors preferred to have more balanced approach when it comes to investments in mutual funds (MFs) in 2017. At a time stock markets have returned 25% and equity schemes did even much better, there is an increasing trend among investors to opt for balanced funds. These funds, which typically invest in equity and debt instruments, provide some safety as assets are allocated to different classes. Though returns may not be higher than what a pure equity scheme offers, but during a weak market, these funds tend to be less affected. In 2017, investors have poured in over Rs 76,000 crore — more than half of what they pumped in equity schemes. Such robust inflows and reasonable performance of these schemes have aided overall balanced assets to catapult to over Rs 1.55 against Rs 71,000 crore last year.