Equity mutual fund assets hit record Rs 48.5 lakh crore in July

Equity mutual fund assets climbed to an all-time high of Rs 48.5 lakh crore in July, representing 56 per cent of the industry's total average assets under management (AAUM), according to the latest NSE Market Pulse report.

Active equity schemes registered a 13.3 per cent year-on-year growth and accounted for nearly 78 per cent of total equity AUM. Their share of the overall mutual fund industry's AAUM also rose to 44 per cent.

Within open-ended equity schemes, flexi-cap funds led with a 15.6 per cent share of assets, followed by thematic funds at 14.6 per cent, mid-cap funds at 13.6 per cent, and small-cap funds at 11.5 per cent. Together, these four categories accounted for more than 55 per cent of equity AUM.

Investor participation through systematic investment plans (SIPs) remained robust, with monthly contributions at Rs 31,961 crore in July — staying above the Rs 30,000 crore mark for the fifth consecutive month. Cumulative SIP inflows for the first four months of FY27 reached Rs 1.3 lakh crore, up 15.4 per cent year-on-year.

SIP assets crossed Rs 18 lakh crore for the first time, touching Rs 18.2 lakh crore in July and comprising 21.1 per cent of the industry's total assets.

Passive funds also scaled a fresh peak, with AAUM rising 23.3 per cent year-on-year to Rs 15.5 lakh crore. Equity passive funds accounted for nearly 68 per cent of passive assets, while gold and silver ETFs saw strong growth.

In contrast, debt fund AAUM slipped 0.4 per cent year-on-year to Rs 21.7 lakh crore, dragged down by a sharp contraction in passive debt funds, while active debt assets remained largely flat.

The July data underscores continued expansion in the equity-oriented segment of the mutual fund industry, even as debt assets stay comparatively subdued.