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Best mid cap mutual funds to invest in July 2025

Best mid cap mutual funds to invest in July 2025

Time of Indiaa day ago
Many mutual fund investors are worried about the valuations in the mid cap space. Mid cap stocks have witnessed a robust rally in the longer term. Investors made handsome returns on their investments in mid cap funds. That could explain why investors are anxious about their investments. What should investors do?
Before answering that question, let us cover the basics. Mid cap schemes invest in mid cap stocks or in stocks of medium-sized companies. As per Sebi norms, the
mid cap mutual funds
are mandated to invest in companies that are between 101 and 250 in the market capitalisation. These companies can be leaders of tomorrow. That's what makes them great bets. If these companies live up to the promise, the market will reward the investors handsomely.
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What happens when these companies don't live up to their promises? Well, the market punishes such companies. And some of these companies would have managements that are not clean. In fact, corporate governance is an area that plagues many mid cap and small cap companies. Markets, again, punish such companies severely.
This is what makes investing in mid cap companies risky. Being a mutual fund investor, you cannot overlook these aspects of investing in mid cap companies. You should invest in these schemes only if you have very high risk tolerance. You should also have a longer investment horizon of, say, seven to 10 years. A longer investment horizon would help investors to navigate the volatility better.
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Sure, the valuations have peaked. So, investors shouldn't look for quick gains. Now is the time for great caution. Proceed with your regular investments. However, be prepared for some volatility and short-term losses.
If you are convinced that mid cap schemes are the best suited for you, here are our recommended mid cap schemes. Please follow our monthly update to find out regularly how your schemes are performing.
Invesco India Midcap Fund
has been in the first quartile in the last two months. The scheme had been in the second quartile earlier. Axis Mid Cap Fund has been in the third quartile in the last two months. The scheme had been in the fourth quartile earlier.
Tata Midcap Growth Fund
has been in the third quartile in the last seven months. The scheme had been in the second quartile earlier.
PGIM India Mid cap Opportunities Fund
has been in the fourth quartile for the last 15 months
Also Read |
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Best mid cap mutual funds to invest in July 2025:
Axis Midcap Fund
PGIM India Midcap Opportunities Fund
Invesco India Midcap fund
Kotak Emerging Equity Fund
Tata Midcap Growth Fund
Our methodology:
ETMutualFunds has employed the following parameters for shortlisting the Equity mutual fund schemes.
1. Mean rolling returns:
Rolled daily for the last three years.
2. Consistency in the last three years:
Hurst Exponent, H is used for computing the consistency of a fund. The H exponent is a measure of randomness of NAV series of a fund. Funds with high H tend to exhibit low volatility compared to funds with low H.
i) When H = 0.5, the series of returns is said to be a geometric Brownian time series. This type of time series is difficult to forecast.
ii) When H <0.5, the series is said to mean reverting.
iii) When H>0.5, the series is said to be persistent. The larger the value of H, the stronger is the trend of the series
3. Downside risk:
We have considered only the negative returns given by the mutual fund scheme for this measure.
X =Returns below zero
Y = Sum of all squares of X
Z = Y/number of days taken for computing the ratio
Downside risk = Square root of Z
4. Outperformance:
It is measured by Jensen's Alpha for the last three years. Jensen's Alpha shows the risk-adjusted return generated by a mutual fund scheme relative to the expected market return predicted by the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). Higher Alpha indicates that the portfolio performance has outstripped the returns predicted by the market.
Average returns generated by the MF Scheme =
[Risk Free Rate + Beta of the MF Scheme * {(Average return of the index - Risk Free Rate}
5. Asset size:
For Equity funds, the threshold asset size is Rs 50 crore
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Retail traders provide liquidity but need guardrails, warns Sunil Subramaniam
Retail traders provide liquidity but need guardrails, warns Sunil Subramaniam

Economic Times

time16 minutes ago

  • Economic Times

Retail traders provide liquidity but need guardrails, warns Sunil Subramaniam

"In India, all these people trade through brokers who are regulated by SEBI. SEBI must act through brokers—track investors' behavior. If someone is consistently throwing in large sums to recover losses, they should be restricted. Many of their families may not even know how much is being risked. So, brokers need to play a role—either voluntarily or through regulation," says Sunil Subramaniam, Market Expert. ADVERTISEMENT Not once, not twice, but for as long as markets have existed, we know that trading, over the long term, does not create wealth. It only destroys it, causes stress, and impacts an individual's overall wealth positioning. So, if the data clearly shows that trading is not favorable for retail investors, why is this activity still growing? Sunil Subramaniam: I like that you called it 'activity' and not 'investing,' which is a mistake many people make. I chose my words carefully. SIP is investing; trading is activity. Sunil Subramaniam: Exactly. What we're seeing is the gambling instinct in people. It's clear. In the absence of widespread lotteries or casinos across India, trading has become a vehicle for people to indulge that instinct. And when you look at it from that lens, in gambling, the house always wins—the casino wins, the lottery provider wins. So, it's not surprising. Now, regarding these losses—it's not that every single trade results in a loss. Traders win sometimes, but overall, they lose more. Ask any gambler: the more they lose, the more they bet. That's the core of gambling—chasing one big trade to wipe out all past losses. That's human nature, and you can't go against that context, two points come up. First, SEBI has been consistent in highlighting the risks and simplifying things to reduce potential losses. Around 20 lakh people have already stopped trading—from 60 lakh down to about 41 lakh. That's a positive move—a 27–30% drop. It shows that people are learning or becoming more cautious. Hopefully, next year, we'll see further we cannot ignore the Jane Street episode. Under normal circumstances, odds are already stacked against retail traders, but over the past couple of years, we've seen what could be described as price rigging—especially in the index. That's worsened the situation. Investigations have not stopped at just one player. Other HFTs are being examined too, which is encouraging. ADVERTISEMENT So, next year's data may show not just fewer traders due to fear or awareness, but also a possible decline in the total losses. And one final point: we tend to treat these people as the black sheep, saying they're reckless. But they provide essential liquidity to the market. As a developing market, India still lacks deep liquidity across segments. These retail participants help build that course, we must make it safer for them. They need to understand the risks, avoid chasing losses, and practice risk management. Brokers also have a role here. Instead of banning such trading, we should focus on educating participants. Financial literacy is key. Regulators should also crack down on bad actors, especially institutions. ADVERTISEMENT Yes, 91% are losing money, but the number of such participants has come down. Those who remain are typically the more aggressive gamblers, which explains why per-person and total losses have reached ₹1 lakh crore. SEBI will likely take further action. Many recent changes are still playing out. But overall, we have a proactive regulator, willing to take on big players and educate the public. There's only so much more SEBI can do, but they're doing an excellent job. Over time, I believe more retail investors will shift away from gambling-based trading and towards informed investing. That's where AMCs and mutual fund distributors must step in. We have more than twice the number of Demat accounts compared to unique mutual fund folios. These people must be targeted for education—teach them that while risk exists, it can be managed with diversification and professional advice. ADVERTISEMENT This is all part of a long journey. As a developing market, we will face these teething problems. But they're necessary steps toward building a healthy, well-regulated, deep capital market. One observation—the total loss figure has actually come down in Q4. Perhaps that's due to SEBI's curbs on weekly expiries. What more can the regulator do to curb the temptation of this so-called 'activity'? Sunil Subramaniam: I'm currently based in Singapore, and here we have Marina Bay Sands—the casino. What do they do? They track people who've incurred heavy losses and ban them because their behavior becomes addictive. ADVERTISEMENT Similarly, in India, all these people trade through brokers who are regulated by SEBI. SEBI must act through brokers—track investors' behavior. If someone is consistently throwing in large sums to recover losses, they should be restricted. Many of their families may not even know how much is being risked. So, brokers need to play a role—either voluntarily or through finfluencers are a big factor influencing retail traders. Regulating finfluencers and ensuring that brokers communicate risks—not just rewards—is critical. They must not oversell the idea of potential profits while ignoring the downside. But what more can the regulator do to reduce this kind of participation from traders? Equity penetration in India is still in single digits, compared to developed countries. Yet the number of traders is growing exponentially. Sunil Subramaniam: I wouldn't say we need to discourage this. When capital market penetration expands, more people will come in. The issue is whether they enter as investors or as traders. That's where the challenge lies. SEBI, just like the mutual fund industry allocates 2 basis points for investor awareness, should enforce a similar model for brokers. A portion of brokerage revenue should be used for financial literacy campaigns. Ultimately, people must be taught to enter the capital markets the right many enter via Demat accounts and directly into equities, only later transitioning to mutual funds. That's not ideal. Education must come curbing entry outright isn't the answer. These traders do provide liquidity. They also get to channel their gambling instinct in a regulated environment. So yes, we must regulate and guide—but not me, financial literacy is the top priority. Secondly, SEBI has advanced AI tools—that's how they uncovered Jane Street's role. Those tools can be used to study investor behavior: how losses impact decision-making, whether risk-taking increases, etc. Understanding emotional and behavioral patterns is a regulator, SEBI is already doing well—cracking down on institutional manipulation, reducing trading days, aligning expiry dates—all good steps. But the ultimate balance is this: bring more people into markets, but guide them to do it right—not through speculation but long-term investing. There are no easy fixes. But we need to keep moving forward. Equity participation must increase—but so must education, awareness, and regulation.

Retail traders provide liquidity but need guardrails, warns Sunil Subramaniam
Retail traders provide liquidity but need guardrails, warns Sunil Subramaniam

Time of India

time17 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Retail traders provide liquidity but need guardrails, warns Sunil Subramaniam

"In India, all these people trade through brokers who are regulated by SEBI. SEBI must act through brokers—track investors' behavior. If someone is consistently throwing in large sums to recover losses, they should be restricted. Many of their families may not even know how much is being risked. So, brokers need to play a role—either voluntarily or through regulation," says Sunil Subramaniam , Market Expert. Not once, not twice, but for as long as markets have existed, we know that trading, over the long term, does not create wealth. It only destroys it, causes stress, and impacts an individual's overall wealth positioning. So, if the data clearly shows that trading is not favorable for retail investors, why is this activity still growing? Sunil Subramaniam: I like that you called it 'activity' and not 'investing,' which is a mistake many people make. I chose my words carefully. SIP is investing; trading is activity. Sunil Subramaniam: Exactly. What we're seeing is the gambling instinct in people. It's clear. In the absence of widespread lotteries or casinos across India, trading has become a vehicle for people to indulge that instinct. And when you look at it from that lens, in gambling, the house always wins—the casino wins, the lottery provider wins. So, it's not surprising. Now, regarding these losses—it's not that every single trade results in a loss. Traders win sometimes, but overall, they lose more. Ask any gambler: the more they lose, the more they bet. That's the core of gambling—chasing one big trade to wipe out all past losses. That's human nature, and you can't go against it. Given that context, two points come up. First, SEBI has been consistent in highlighting the risks and simplifying things to reduce potential losses. Around 20 lakh people have already stopped trading—from 60 lakh down to about 41 lakh. That's a positive move—a 27–30% drop. It shows that people are learning or becoming more cautious. Hopefully, next year, we'll see further decline. Live Events Second, we cannot ignore the Jane Street episode. Under normal circumstances, odds are already stacked against retail traders, but over the past couple of years, we've seen what could be described as price rigging—especially in the index. That's worsened the situation. Investigations have not stopped at just one player. Other HFTs are being examined too, which is encouraging. So, next year's data may show not just fewer traders due to fear or awareness, but also a possible decline in the total losses. And one final point: we tend to treat these people as the black sheep, saying they're reckless. But they provide essential liquidity to the market. As a developing market, India still lacks deep liquidity across segments. These retail participants help build that liquidity. Of course, we must make it safer for them. They need to understand the risks, avoid chasing losses, and practice risk management. Brokers also have a role here. Instead of banning such trading, we should focus on educating participants. Financial literacy is key. Regulators should also crack down on bad actors, especially institutions. Yes, 91% are losing money, but the number of such participants has come down. Those who remain are typically the more aggressive gamblers, which explains why per-person and total losses have reached ₹1 lakh crore. SEBI will likely take further action. Many recent changes are still playing out. But overall, we have a proactive regulator, willing to take on big players and educate the public. There's only so much more SEBI can do, but they're doing an excellent job. Over time, I believe more retail investors will shift away from gambling-based trading and towards informed investing. That's where AMCs and mutual fund distributors must step in. We have more than twice the number of Demat accounts compared to unique mutual fund folios. These people must be targeted for education—teach them that while risk exists, it can be managed with diversification and professional advice. This is all part of a long journey. As a developing market, we will face these teething problems. But they're necessary steps toward building a healthy, well-regulated, deep capital market. One observation—the total loss figure has actually come down in Q4. Perhaps that's due to SEBI's curbs on weekly expiries. What more can the regulator do to curb the temptation of this so-called 'activity'? Sunil Subramaniam: I'm currently based in Singapore , and here we have Marina Bay Sands—the casino. What do they do? They track people who've incurred heavy losses and ban them because their behavior becomes addictive. Similarly, in India, all these people trade through brokers who are regulated by SEBI. SEBI must act through brokers—track investors' behavior. If someone is consistently throwing in large sums to recover losses, they should be restricted. Many of their families may not even know how much is being risked. So, brokers need to play a role—either voluntarily or through regulation. Also, finfluencers are a big factor influencing retail traders. Regulating finfluencers and ensuring that brokers communicate risks—not just rewards—is critical. They must not oversell the idea of potential profits while ignoring the downside. But what more can the regulator do to reduce this kind of participation from traders? Equity penetration in India is still in single digits, compared to developed countries. Yet the number of traders is growing exponentially. Sunil Subramaniam: I wouldn't say we need to discourage this. When capital market penetration expands, more people will come in. The issue is whether they enter as investors or as traders. That's where the challenge lies. SEBI, just like the mutual fund industry allocates 2 basis points for investor awareness, should enforce a similar model for brokers. A portion of brokerage revenue should be used for financial literacy campaigns. Ultimately, people must be taught to enter the capital markets the right way. Today, many enter via Demat accounts and directly into equities, only later transitioning to mutual funds. That's not ideal. Education must come first. But curbing entry outright isn't the answer. These traders do provide liquidity. They also get to channel their gambling instinct in a regulated environment. So yes, we must regulate and guide—but not ban. For me, financial literacy is the top priority. Secondly, SEBI has advanced AI tools—that's how they uncovered Jane Street's role. Those tools can be used to study investor behavior: how losses impact decision-making, whether risk-taking increases, etc. Understanding emotional and behavioral patterns is essential. As a regulator, SEBI is already doing well—cracking down on institutional manipulation, reducing trading days, aligning expiry dates—all good steps. But the ultimate balance is this: bring more people into markets, but guide them to do it right—not through speculation but long-term investing. There are no easy fixes. But we need to keep moving forward. Equity participation must increase—but so must education, awareness, and regulation.

Retail traders lose Rs 1.05 lakh crore in FY25 amid Jane Street manipulation allegations
Retail traders lose Rs 1.05 lakh crore in FY25 amid Jane Street manipulation allegations

Economic Times

time2 hours ago

  • Economic Times

Retail traders lose Rs 1.05 lakh crore in FY25 amid Jane Street manipulation allegations

Mumbai: The Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi) latest study showed that retail traders in equity derivatives made losses of ₹1.05 lakh crore in FY25, a 41% increase from ₹74,812 crore in FY24. The report was published Monday, hot on the heels of an interim order against US trading giant Jane Street, which has been accused by the regulator of manipulating India's stock indices to profit from its equity derivative bets. A look at the interlinkages: ADVERTISEMENT What is the Sebi order about? The interim, ex-parte order probes into alleged index manipulation by Jane Street involving bank shares and the Bank Nifty index futures and options (F&O). Sebi's investigations showed that the trading firm was engaged in manipulative trades on the expiry days of Bank Nifty derivatives that pushed the outcome in its favour. How and when did the alleged manipulation happen? According to the Sebi probe, the manipulation by Jane Street occurred on expiry days of index options. The expiry day is the last day until which the derivative contracts - weekly and monthly - are valid. It is the day when contracts are most actively traded. On the expiry day, the smallest of the price moves in shares (cash market) and futures can result in big profits or losses in options. That's what Sebi has accused Jane Street of doing: Manipulating shares in the cash market and futures prices to make outsized profits through options. Shares, futures, and options: How are they interlinked? Prices or values of shares, futures and options move together in a liquid market. If they don't, traders step in to take advantage of the price anomalies in these contracts. Such trades are known as arbitrage, which end up linking price moves of shares and derivatives. It's often seen that when a stock price moves in the cash market, its futures and options values also move in the same direction. If arbitrage is legal, why has Jane Street's trading strategy been termed manipulation? This is because the American firm's trades in shares and futures, according to Sebi, were aimed at steering the option values in their favour. In this trading strategy, the regulator alleged Jane Street made losses in shares and futures, while earning big money in options. The Sebi probe showed the alleged intraday index manipulation through an analysis of the trading on January 17, 2024. Step 1: Jane Street bought a large quantity of shares and futures that are constituents of the Bank Nifty index, such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank, among others, earlier in the day. It was the single biggest buyer then. This resulted in the Bank Nifty index going up. ADVERTISEMENT Step 2: Simultaneously, they sold Bank Nifty call options and bought Bank Nifty put options. When a trader buys a put option, s/he is betting that the index will fall. Similarly, when a trader sells a call option, s/he is betting that the market will not rise. So, isn't buying Bank Nifty put options and selling its call options the exact opposite of the trade where it purchased shares and futures of Bank Nifty constituents? Yes, but don't let that confuse you. This is where the strategy, described by Sebi as manipulative, unfolded. ADVERTISEMENT Step 3: After midday, Jane Street started aggressively selling bank shares and liquidating bullish futures positions that it had accumulated in the morning. This put downward pressure on the Bank Nifty, resulting in its Bank Nifty call and put option bets turning profitable (please note that the option wagers were betting on the Bank Nifty falling). In this trading strategy, Jane Street made profits from Bank Nifty index options of Rs 734.93 crore, while it booked losses of Rs 61.6 crore in the cash and futures segment on January 17. This trade could have helped the firm make an approximate net profit of Rs 673 crore on a single day, according to the Sebi probe. So, the profits came from options, where small index movements resulted in a big payoff. ADVERTISEMENT Was this a one-off instance? According to the Sebi probe, this trading strategy was repeated on 15 expiry days. Moreover, Jane Street allegedly ignored Sebi's caution letter and continued these trades despite the warnings Is Sebi's analysis of retail traders losing money in derivatives linked to the Jane Street probe? ADVERTISEMENT Sebi has not explicitly stated any linkages between the Jane Street probe and the separate study on retail traders losing money in derivatives trading. But the timing of the Sebi publication, soon after its unprecedented order against Jane Street, has sparked such a debate. That said, the regulator, in the order against Jane Street, said: 'JS Group was undertaking an intentional, well-planned, and sinister scheme and artifice to manipulate cash & futures markets and, hence, manipulate the Bank Nifty index level, to entice small investors to trade at unfavourable and misleading prices, and to the advantage of the JS Group.' What are Jane Street's chances of winning against the Sebi order? According to media reports, the trading firm plans to challenge Sebi's ban on Jane Street from trading in India. Lawyers and market participants are of the view that the firm's trades involving Bank Nifty are not illegal per se and are allowed within the regulatory ambit. Sebi, on the other hand, may argue that Jane Street's trades have been detrimental to the interests of retail traders, most of whom have been losing money in equity derivative trades.

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