Value Research Online

Your fund trailed its benchmark. Now what?

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:25:41 +0530

Not all fund underperformance is the same. Cyclical, structural and closet-index lag require different responses. Here's the checklist for reading which kind you are dealing with.

The one thing your portfolio cannot do for you

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:28:22 +0530

A careful investor of 30 years left no record of where his portfolio was. His family is still searching. Here is the two-part solution that protects everything you have built.

When the world is in chaos, your plan shouldn't

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:05:30 +0530

Gold is falling despite a war; Indian markets look cheap but dangerous. The right response depends not on headlines but on how long your money can stay invested.

I was wrong about gold. Here's what I've learned.

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:12:11 +0530

After years of dismissing gold, a veteran investor revisits the case for owning 5-10 per cent gold as portfolio insurance in a riskier world. We dig deeper.

Is your fund distributor a 15% partner in your wealth?

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:50:50 +0530

Regular mutual fund plans can quietly take 10-20 per cent of your lifetime wealth through commissions. Here’s why it’s worth switching to direct plans.

When fear feels logical

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:52:12 +0530

Technology funds are under pressure amid fears of AI-led disruption. Before exiting, assess your technology exposure and rebalance thoughtfully, not emotionally.

Why 'Hold' feels stuck and why we're slow to pull trigger

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:14:42 +0530

Hold isn’t hesitation. It avoids unnecessary exit tax while you reduce fund concentration gradually. Here’s when ‘Hold’ becomes ‘Sell’ and why patience pays.

Does your EPF count in your debt allocation? Yes.

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:04:18 +0530

EPF is your largest fixed-income asset. Here’s why it should belong in your debt allocation and how to add it manually in the Value Research portfolio tracker.

Silver mirage

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:52:27 +0530

Silver often surges after long dull phases, but most investors join late. This piece explains timing traps, ETF behaviour and how to hold silver sensibly today.

The Scott Adams test: Why boring advice still wins

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:18:20 +0530

Scott Adams’ quiet checklist cuts personal finance down to essentials. This piece explains why restraint, simplicity and doing less often matter more for investors.

Retirement is an accumulation problem

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:15:01 +0530

Retirement is not a withdrawal problem. It is an accumulation problem. Here’s why starting late is the biggest risk, rather than not picking the perfect fund.

The Mercedes investor's SIP confusion

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:59:42 +0530

SIPs aren’t for small investors alone. Even with crores to invest, systematic investing helps manage timing risk, behaviour and market uncertainty.

The year, minus the noise

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:06:46 +0530

Buffett’s cash pile, gold’s rise and crypto’s fall all point to one lesson: ignore predictions and stick to disciplined, low-cost investing.

The easiest leak to fix

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 19:03:18 +0530

A real SIP comparison shows how direct plans beat regular plans by over 10 years and why small cost differences quietly destroy compounding.

Avadhut Sathe: The trader lost money, the business didn't

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 17:58:23 +0530

SEBI’s order against Avadhut Sathe shows a familiar pattern: trading lost money, selling trading made money. For investors, the lesson is unchanged – SIPs and discipline win.

When, not if

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:23:23 +0530

Warren Buffett reminds investors that market crashes are inevitable. Here is why declines of over 50 per cent are not unusual, why most investors are unprepared and how to build resilience.

When it comes to funds, fit beats fame

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:56:14 +0530

A fund’s past returns may tempt you, but the right fund is one you can stick with. Here’s why aligning fund choice with your goals is smarter than chasing stars.

Messy portfolios. Quiet compounding.

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:35:18 +0530

A little portfolio chaos is fine if your funds are compounding quietly. Frequent clean-ups can hurt more than they help, especially with taxes and timing risks. Here’s why messy-but-growing often beats tidy-but-taxed.

The best always comes with a worst

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:18:03 +0530

Every great performer, whether Apple, NVIDIA or your favourite mutual fund, has lived through gut-wrenching lows. Over 25 years of data show why patience beats timing, and why the best long-term investors embrace volatility instead of fearing it.

Why your retirement needs multiple buckets

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:50:45 +0530

Retirement isn’t a single goal but a series of life stages. Here’s why dividing your savings into different buckets can make your post-retirement years smoother and more sustainable.