Reduce your portfolio risk with international funds

International funds tend to do well when Indian markets are in a bear phase

International funds are doing very well currently. Eighteen of these funds have given a return in the range of 15-26.19 per cent over the past one year, according to data from Value Research. This is not a geography-specific phenomenon. The list includes European, Chinese, US, Asian, emerging market (EM), diversified global equity funds, and so on. 

Experts attribute two reasons for the sound performance of these funds. “Interest rates continue to be low — between zero and 2 per cent — in developed markets. In such a scenario, investors don’t have too many alternatives, besides equities. As for emerging markets,