Rather than taking the chance of active trading, would you rather make huge returns passively? Investing in an ETF or an exchange-traded fund may be a good option for you.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are similar to index funds in that both allow you to put your money to work buying and selling a group of assets that all fall under the same broad heading. By investing in many firms, you can reduce the overall market risk of your share portfolio. But unlike index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be bought and sold whenever the market is open on the Stock Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
What are the types of ETFs?
The underlying assets of an ETF determine its classification. Thus, while the Sensex and Nifty make up the vast majority of ETFs, there are additional varieties available. Let’s check out a few of them.
1. Equity ETFs
Equity ETFs, often known as stock ETFs, invest in businesses within a certain market. Those lists compile the stocks in a certain industry that have shown the most promise or the greatest gains. Investing in an industry-specific ETF might be a good idea if you believe the sector as a whole will develop, but it is unclear which specific firms will provide the highest profits. Dividends will increase in line with the value of the ETF’s underlying holdings. As a result, the underperformance of a few stocks will not have a major impact on your bottom line.
2. Bond ETFs
Bond ETFs are exchange-traded funds that only trade in fixed-income securities like government bonds and debentures. You might think of them as a basket of investments with varying costs and terms. You will get monthly dividend payments for interest income and yearly dividend payments for capital gains on these bonds. Given the large number of bonds held by an ETF, some of them will be approaching their coupon payment dates. This ensures that your investment will provide consistent revenue.
3. Commodity ETFs
At the moment, gold and silver are the only two commodities that may be traded via ETFs in India. With them, you may make a virtual investment in commodities like gold and silver without taking on the real risk of actually owning the metals or the money. Also, commodity ETF values are similar to their respective bullion markets. To avoid the hassle and difficulty of selling physical gold or silver in an instant, consider investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) instead.
4. International ETFs
Foreign securities can be purchased using these ETFs. Investing in a basket of foreign-listed firms is now possible without the need to find a broker with international connections. If you just have a modest amount of money to invest, you may still participate in these indices thanks to the use of the Indian rupee. The MOSL NASDAQ 100, the Mirae Asset NYSE FANG+ETF, and the HDFC World Index Fund are three of the most widely held exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in India.
5. Currency ETFs
The best ETF fund that trades in currencies provides access to the foreign exchange market. Profits can be made by investing in the growth of a basket of currencies held in an EFT, regardless of their origin. The volatility in value between two currencies can be capitalized on by purchasing a pair of those currencies and holding them.
How Does an ETF Work?
Mutual funds serve as a good starting point for understanding how an ETF operates. It is the asset management firm with which you will be interacting when purchasing shares in a mutual fund (AMC). Their role is to aggregate the money they’ve raised from investors and utilize it to purchase genuine stock in firms.
A custodian holds these shares on behalf of the mutual fund and its unitholders. Contact the fund house now if you want to sell your shares. You are dealing with the fund house, not the firm in which you have invested, during this entire process. Therefore, when you invest in mutual funds, you know there will always be a buyer for your shares if and when you decide to sell.
Exchange-traded funds are unique in this respect. The purchasing and selling of ETFs are subject to the availability of buyers and sellers on the stock market. Only until you’ve found a suitable counterparty will you be allowed to sell your units.
Another key distinction between ETFs and mutual funds is how prices are determined. Mutual fund investors are issued units based on their investment in the fund at the end of the trading day (NAV). Every investor, whether they put in Rs 1,000 or Rs 10,000,000, receives the same NAV after each trading day.
But in the case of exchange-traded funds, the price discovery happens on a real-time basis. As a result, ETF units may be purchased by investors at a wide range of prices. To better understand ETFs, let’s weigh their benefits and drawbacks.
5 Important Advantages of ETFs: Pros of Exchange Traded Funds
- ETFs allow investors to spread their bets around: By purchasing an ETF, an investor is effectively purchasing a group of equities. Because gains in one asset can offset losses in another, this is a useful strategy for diversification.
- Second, most ETFs have low management fees since they are passively managed. This results in reduced expense ratios, which is good news for investors looking to save money on fund administration costs. Nifty BeEs and HDFC Index Fund Nifty 50 Plan, for instance, both put money into the same 50 stocks. However, HDFC Index Fund – Nifty 50 Plan charges 0.40% in expenses, whereas Nifty BeEs just charge 0.05%. Therefore, lower overhead is a major benefit of ETFs.
- ETFs provide flexibility: ETFs give strong exposure to diverse asset classes and industries. This lets investors create a portfolio without any difficulty.
- Fourth, ETFs are open and transparent about their holdings, as required by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for index ETFs. So, ETF investors are constantly aware of exactly where the fund is invested.
- ETFs permit intraday trading: This is one of the greatest advantages of ETFs. The NAV of a mutual fund is published daily. In contrast, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) allow purchases and sales to take place at any time. Let’s pretend the market dropped 500 points, or 2%, at noon. By 3.30, though, the market had gained 200 points and ended higher.
Conclusion
The best ETF fund combines the reliability of a mutual fund with the potential profits of stocks. They don’t confine your earnings to the success of a particular enterprise or asset. They also provide you with the freedom to quickly shift your assets if a specific asset is underperforming. With so many upsides, it’s easy to see why ETFs should be on your list of potential investments. So, start looking into ETFs to find the one that best fits your needs.
When in doubt, company owners and professionals can go to the experts at Piramal Finance for tailored financial services.