Dear Investors,
Indian equity market saw correction in the month of May 2018 with S&P BSE Sensex delivering 0.5% returns. Performance down the capitalization curve was weak with the large cap BSE Sensex outperforming the BSE Mid Cap and BSE Small Cap. Higher global crude oil prices was the key concern for the market correction, which also led to pressure on Indian currency & bond markets. Mutual funds saw equity inflows amounting to Rs. 17,444 crore and outflows from debt schemes amounted to Rs. 67,444 crore in the month of May 2018.
Mutual fund investments by way of SIP has gained significant acceptance among investors over the last two years. SIP Inflows grew 153% from Rs. 43,921 crore in FY16-17 to Rs. 67,190 crore in FY17-18. This shows a shifting trend towards disciplined investing among investors to plan for a better future. Wealth creation is a long-term journey and is a function of systematic investments coupled with patience and sound decisions. However, there is another important factor in investment planning that can be missed by many i.e. stepping up your investments.
You would have planned for an investment amount based on your current standard of living and a corpus you aim to build. One factor that must be explicitly considered while planning for your goal is rise in prices i.e. you need to plan for what value your investments would have post inflation. While SIP is a recognized mode of investment, it needs stepping up every year, with increase in income to preserve the purchasing power of money. The need to step up any investment has its basis in the fact that the value of currency is eroding with time. According to consumer price index, a product for which you spend Rs. 10,000 in FY 2012, will cost you Rs. 14,600 as on May 31, 2018.
Although stepping up your investments every year may seem difficult in theory, but when carried out, it would protect you against the adverse effects of inflation and help you reach your goals in real terms. One of the easiest ways to go about is to increase your SIP amount with rise in income every year. Though, everyone has plans for the extra money that we receive every year, be it a vacation or buying a car a part of it should also be dedicated to your long-term investments. You can simply do so by using the SIP Top-up facility wherein you can pre-define the intervals and the amount by which you would want to increase your existing SIP. A periodic increase in investments in tandem with annual bonus and increment, would be beneficial in the long run.
At SBI Mutual Fund, we aim at providing our investors with all the facilities that can help you with your investments and future goals. You may get in touch with your financial advisor or visit our website for information on SBI Mutual Fund product.
Warm Regards,
Anuradha Rao
Managing Director & CEO
