Five mutual fund myths

It is easy, even for an intelligent investor, to be taken in by the hype surrounding a mutual fund scheme. Such misconceptions can impact the investments, which is why they need to be debunked. Here are the five common myths:

1. A fund with a net asset value (NAV) of Rs 10 is cheaper than the one whose NAV is Rs 50:
 
The NAV of a mutual fund represents the market value of all its investments. Any capital appreciation in the fund scheme will depend on the price movement of its underlying securities. Suppose you invest Rs 1,000 each in Fund A (a new scheme with an NAV of Rs 10) and Fund B (an older scheme with an NAV of Rs 50).

You will get 100 units of Fund A and 20 units of Fund B. Let's assume that both the schemes invest in just one stock, quoting at Rs 100. If the stock appreciates by 10%, the NAVs of the two will rise by 10%, to Rs 11 and Rs 55, respectively. In both cases, the value of investment rises to Rs 1,100-an identical gain of 10%.

Fund B's NAV is higher as it has been around for a longer time and had bought the scrip earlier, which appreciated. Any subsequent rise and fall in the funds' NAVs will depend on how the scrip moves.

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