How investors should invest in mutual funds in today's environment

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. At the Mint Money Festival 2026, where several attendees gathered to hear leading investment and personal finance experts share insights on managing money, a panel discussion on ‘How to Invest in Mutual Funds in Today’s Environment’ offered timely guidance on where investors should be allocating their money, what they should avoid, and what returns they could they realistically expect from their mutual fund investments over the long term.

All investment experts highlighted the importance of taking an asset allocation approach to investing, depending on an investor’s risk-appetite and goals. Sankaran Naren, executive director and chief investment officer of ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, said, he was worried that while people often talk about asset allocation, but in practice get caught up with “anti-asset allocation".

He spoke about it in the context of investor money chasing gold and silver ETFs (exchange traded funds) after the rally in gold and silver prices. “Over the last two years, since markets became costly, we have been recommending anything to do with asset allocation," Naren said.

“Hybrid funds, equity savings, balanced advantage, multi-asset, aggressive hybrid—these are the categories we have been recommending." “For people who think gold and silver have become too euphoric, we are now saying maybe avoid multi-asset," he added. Rajeev Thakkar, chief investment officer & director, PPFAS Mutual Fund, said, “Whether markets have done a sideways movement, moved down or whether they are up, typically it won’t affect any investor’s risk appetite or long-term goals.