Inflows into equity MFs jump 12% in August

New Delhi: Investors pumped in over Rs 9,000 crore into equity mutual funds in August, a sharp rise of 12 per cent from the preceding month, despite volatile stock markets.

Open-ended equity schemes witnessed an infusion of Rs 9,152 crore, while there was a small outflow of Rs 62 crore from close-ended equity plans, taking total equity inflows to Rs 9,090 crore last month, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). In comparison, net inflows in equity plans stood at Rs 8,092 crore in July this year and Rs 8,375 crore in August 2018. The latest inflow has helped in raising the asset base of equity mutual funds (MFs) to Rs 7,16,034 crore at the end of August from Rs 7,15,939 crore in the preceding month.

The 44-player mutual fund industry, which mainly depends on systematic investment plans or SIPs for inflows in equity funds, has seen a marginal drop in SIP investment.

Investors pumped in Rs 8,231 crore through SIPs in August, marginally lower than Rs 8,324 crore collected in the preceding month.

SIP is an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amount periodically instead of lumpsum.