MFs pump in Rs 1.78 lakh cr in debt mkts in Apr-Oct

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Mutual fund (MF) managers have pumped in over Rs 1.78 lakh crore in debt market during the April-October period of the current financial year, primarily on account of strong participation from retail investors.

Beside, they invested a net Rs 21,000 crore in equity markets during the period under review.

Industry experts attributed the inflows to increased participation from retail investors and positive sentiment that was boosted after long-stalled GST Constitution Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament in August this year.

According to the data released by the capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), mutual fund managers invested a net sum of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in April-October period of 2016-17. They had pumped in Rs 2.03 lakh crore between April and October in 2015-16.

For the entire 2015-16 financial year, fund managers had put in a net amount of Rs 2.73 lakh crore in the debt market.

This inflow has helped the mutual fund industry to reach over Rs 16 lakh crore mark in assets under management (AUM) at the end of September, as per the latest data.

In comparison, Foreign Portfolio Investors made a net investment of just Rs 3,000 crore into debt markets during the first seven months of the current fiscal (2016-17).

A mutual fund is an investment vehicle with a pool of funds collected from investors to buy securities such as stocks, bonds and money market instruments.