Diversified Mutual Funds: How to Diversify Investments using Mutual Funds
One of the most critical factors of mutual fund investment is diversification. It is an investment technique wherein investors spread capital amongst different investment sectors to mitigate risks and generate returns. It has many advantages when it comes to mutual fund investments. Read further to know how you can diversify using mutual funds.
What is Mutual Funds Diversification
While mutual fund diversification can reduce risk, it can also help the investor with continuous profits. The process also helps in earning higher returns and protects the investor against the downside of regular readjustment due to market developments.
When a person diversifies their investments, they spread the risk in different instruments. Such investments can lower the impact of a bad investment. For example, a person can get protection against an investment that is falling with an instrument that is rising. Different investment such as shares, stocks, bonds, etc. don’t fall at the same time, which is why a person should diversify to reduce the risk. Many investors allocate their assets in different sectors for diversification as it helps them earn higher returns and fend off the market risks.
Mutual Funds That Can Help in Diversification
When a person invests in mutual funds, they can allocate their investments in different sectors such as equity, debt, etc. They can spread the risk when they make such an allocation. One of the easiest ways to diversify investments is with mutual funds.
Here are different mutual funds that can help a person diversify their investments-
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Debt Mutual Funds
Debt mutual fund investments comprise of fixed income instruments, such a corporate and government bonds, treasury bills, corporate debt securities and other money market instruments, corporate bonds, etc. They offer higher liquidity. Debt funds can also offer higher yields over a long time. Moreover, such funds are low at risk. They are also tax-efficient when a person stays invested for a longer duration.
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Equity Mutual Funds
A person can invest in mid-cap, multi-cap, small-cap, and large-cap funds. An investor must know the amount of risk they want to take while investing in equities across industries and different asset classes. However, an investor can earn higher returns with equity funds compared to debt funds.
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Balanced Mutual Funds
The risk with debt funds is low compared to equity funds, but the returns can be high with equity funds in comparison to debt funds. However,balanced mutual funds are investments made in debt as well as equity funds. Such funds offer good diversification as they reduce the risk of equity and can help in garnering higher yields.
While mutual fund diversification helps in reducing the risk, it can impact higher yields as well. There are many cases when the market can rise or dip, but diversification helps investors protect themselves against such situations. If investors want to know how to diversify mutual funds, then they need to understand the market.
Importance of Mutual Funds Diversification
Diversified mutual funds help an investor find security with different instruments such as equity, debt, cash, etc. An investor can diversify even under such sectors. It offers a person more security for their investments.
For example, a person buys only stocks of a company. In such a situation, there is no diversification of investment. If the market falls, then the person can lose their entire investment as one cannot earn profits from other instruments.
However, a person should know the difference between diversification and invest in different mutual funds. Many people invest in two mutual funds which offer the same holdings. In such situations, the investments aren’t diversified. If their price dip, then the investor will lose money with the two mutual funds. An investor should diversify as per the holdings of the mutual funds.
Mutual Funds Diversification Benefits
Here are some benefits of diversification-
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Lowers risk
It is hard to know when a stock, shares, or sectors will dip or rise. An investor can’t know if they will generate higher returns. However, they can get protection with diversification. When an investor allocates funds in equity, debt, etc. they spread the risk in their portfolio. Such diversification can help them reduce risk and increase returns. A person can even diversify in the same investment as well. An equity investor can look for different market cap to lower the risk. Also, diversification has a significant impact on long-term investors. Many investors sell their stocks if they are losing value. In such a situation, the investor will earn meagre returns. Diversification can help if people invest for a long-term.
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Asset Allocation
One of the essential tools of diversification is asset allocation. When a person wants to diversify their investments, they must allocate their funds in different instruments. As an investor, one should allocate assets in such a way that it reduces risk and helps in gaining higher returns.
Investors can secure themselves against the threat of the market with diversification. It is crucial to allocate assets to minimise risk.