Value Research Online

5 Criteria to Know If Zero-Based Budgeting Suits You

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:04:57 +0530

ZBB catches spending leaks no percentage rule finds – but only if your income is stable and you'll actually rebuild it monthly. Here are 5 criteria to check before you commit.

Resumption of subscriptions in international schemes of Invesco Mutual Fund

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:37:24 +0530

Invesco Mutual Fund has resumed subscriptions in its international scheme

Auto-Sweep FD vs Regular FD: Which Should You Choose?

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:01:06 +0530

Both earn the same FD rate. Auto-sweep suits fluctuating balances; regular FD suits stable surpluses. Here's the threshold-setting mistake that quietly kills the sweep's benefit.

What Does a Fund's Cash Allocation Tell You About Its Strategy?x`

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:49:33 +0530

High cash in a fund could mean valuation discipline, category mandate, or undeployed inflows – not a crash forecast. Here's how to read it correctly before reacting.

Thematic vs Sectoral Mutual Funds: Which Fits Your Goal?

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:18:21 +0530

Are you confused between thematic and sectoral mutual funds? Learn the real difference, how much to allocate, and which suits your investment goal best.

What Happens If You Buy a Mutual Fund Before the Record Date?

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:12:14 +0530

Think buying before an IDCW record date pays off? See the real NAV math, the tax bill it triggers, and why Section 94(7) mostly no longer applies to it.

IDCW Payout vs Growth Option: Which Is More Tax-Efficient?

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:59:46 +0530

IDCW is taxed at slab rate; growth defers tax to redemption. See real rupee comparisons, TDS rules, and the Section 87A exception before choosing.

Nesco: A gold mine that may take too long to dig

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:52:15 +0530

Nesco shares come with prime Mumbai land, near-full occupancy and little debt, but returns depend on how fast management turns unused FSI into earnings.

How to Choose a Sectoral Fund Without Overexposing Your Portfolio

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:29:39 +0530

Thinking of adding a sectoral fund? Learn how hidden sector overlap in your existing funds affects real exposure, and SEBI's new 2026 concentration cap.

How Are FD Interest Rates Decided? The Real Formula Banks Use

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:24:40 +0530

FD rates aren't set by the RBI repo rate alone. Learn the four factors banks use to price fixed deposits, plus DICGC limits, tax rules, and new 2026 disclosure norms.

When is your fund an exit?

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 06:15:00 +0530

Stuck with a fund that has not worked for years? Ashutosh Gupta on how to know when to exit a mutual fund and how to switch to a better one in a single step.

The three-year wait

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Value Research's three-year rule for rating funds still stands. This month’s cover story offers a four-test method to track a young fund during that wait.

10 promising new funds

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Value Research picked 10 new mutual funds, all under three years old, using a four-test framework. Here is why each one made the list, and what could go wrong.

The rule that set premiums free

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

A SEBI rule change let the Motilal Oswal Nasdaq Q50 ETF's premium to NAV jump past 80 per cent. Here's why, and how to check if you're overpaying.

The tax rate is the same. The compounding isn't

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Debt funds and FDs face the same tax rate, but FDs are taxed yearly while debt funds are taxed once, at sale. That timing gap can add up to lakhs over 20 years.

Why Fund Advisor stopped saying 'avoid'

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Value Research still says avoid new and sectoral funds. But if you already hold them, Fund Advisor now gives a proportion-based call instead of a flat no.

Steel over soap

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

ICICI Prudential Multicap Fund manager Lalit Kumar explains his business cycle approach, why steel is overweight, FMCG is nearly zero and what a bad broadcaster bet taught him.

'AUM is an output, never an input'

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Three years after buying L&T Mutual Fund, HSBC AMC's CEO Kailash Kulkarni answers for the lost first year, the small cap stumble and middling debt funds.

The NPS learns its ABCs, and so should you.

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

PFRDA has sorted every NPS scheme into categories A to E and fixed how they are named. Here's what changes, what doesn't and what to check before September.

Quality never goes out of fashion

Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Despite missing out on a rally, private banks take the lead over their public counterpartsDespite missing out on a rally, private banks take the lead over their public counterparts