Market fall exposes flaws in aggressive mutual fund bets. Time for a reset?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mutual fund investors, especially those who entered the market after 2020, are now facing an unfamiliar situation. For investors who entered the market post-Covid, investing in mutual funds looked so easy, with little worry about drawdowns and consistent annual profits between 2020 and 2024. Investors buying mutual funds had a good experience, which gave them confidence to significantly scale up their investments based on near-term past performance.This ramp-up happened very quickly as they added more money and generated returns for four successive years.
But in 2025, the experience seems to have reversed for many. Fund investing, which they once saw as easy to manage independently, suddenly looks very discomfiting and complex in 2026. Investors feel unsure if their portfolios are constructed correctly, whether their choices carry good long-term prospects, and doubt their capability to generate returns.However, this comes at a time when they have aggressively invested their savings and built significantly large mutual fund portfolios.
The portfolios had grown without the right supporting investment principles at play. The vulnerability of their portfolios was suddenly exposed, causing distress.The primary concern for portfolios, whether managed DIY (do-it-yourself) or with professional advice, is the lack of adequate defence. Investors started the calendar year aggressively by hoping it would be decent for equities.
However, March turned things upside down and exposed the vulnerability of several mutual fund portfolios. Investors are experiencing a shake-up when they were least prepared.First, their fresh investments in precious metals dropped sharply. Then, equity fund portfolios began
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