Mutual funds in India can be broadly classified into equity funds and debt funds. Equity mutual funds invest in stocks and equity-based securities, while debt funds invest in fixed income securities such as bonds, debentures, and commercial paper. Equity investments are riskier than debt investments, but they offer better returns over the long term. Mutual funds are also categorized into large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and multi-cap funds. The investment objective of a fund is to provide long-term capital appreciation while preserving the principal amount invested.
Further, mutual fund schemes can be categorised as:
Open-ended fund: This is a fund where an investor can invest, enter, exit, or redeem at their convenience. It does not have a fixed maturity date
Close-ended fund : A close-ended mutual fund has a fixed maturity date. An investor can online invest in this type of mutual fund scheme when it goes live as an NFO (New Fund Offer). Their money gets redeemed automatically when the fund matures. These funds are listed on stock exchange(s).
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