Mutual Funds in India

 

Mutual Fund is a convenient medium through which a common man can invest in the equity market. A Mutual Fund is actually a trust that pools the savings of a number of investors who share a common financial goal. The money so collected is invested in capital market instruments such as shares, debentures and other securities. Professional Managers known as investment bankers are employed by mutual fund houses to make investment decisions on behalf of common investor. The income earned through these investments and the capital appreciation realized are shared by its unit holders in proportion to the number of units owned by them. Thus the Mutual Funds offer the common man an opportunity to invest in a diversified professionally managed basket of securities at a relatively low cost.

The mutual fund industry in India started in 1963 with the formation of Unit Trust of India, at the initiative of the Government of India and Reserve Bank. In the last few years Indian Mutual Fund industry has grown at a rapid pace. Some of the top performing and best mutual funds in India are: SBI Mutual Funds, UTI Mutual Funds, Prudential ICICI Mutual Funds and HDFC Mutual Funds.