A reader asks, “Sir, a buddy really useful ICICI Prudential Brief Time period Fund is an acceptable selection for my want which is three years away. The AMC web site says the fund can be utilized for durations above six months. Are you able to please let me know if that is true and if I can proceed with the funding?”
ICICI Prudential Brief Time period Fund is “an open-ended short-term debt scheme investing in devices such that the Macaulay period of the portfolio is between 1 Yr and three Years.”
What does this imply? If we contemplate the fund portfolio a composite bond, it is going to take wherever between 1 to three years to recoup your funding (on the value you bought). Learn extra: Why it’s essential fear about period in case your mutual funds spend money on bonds.
This can be a crude definition and assumes the bond portfolio doesn’t change through the time you spend money on the fund, which is impractical. The weighted common tenure of the bonds within the portfolio will likely be greater than the Macaulay period. Typically will probably be just some months extra and generally a number of years extra.
The upper the Macaulay period and better the typical portfolio maturity greater would be the volatility within the NAV. The modified period is one other measure of NAV volatility (see the above hyperlink on period for a proof).
For instance, the present Macaulay period of the fund is about 2.3 years, whereas the typical portfolio maturity is about six years! As one can see from the chart under, the burden of long run bonds has elevated within the portfolio, however the Macaulay period remains to be low. It is because Macaulay period elements in curiosity funds made. So greater the tenure of the bond, the upper the distinction between bond tenure and Macaulay period. One can mess around with this bond period calculator to see how this works.

So we are able to solely perceive this in relative phrases. The present Macaulay period of ICICI Cash Market Fund is about 0.32 years, with a mean portfolio maturity of 0.34 years. The Modified Period is 0.3191 years. So we are able to anticipate ICICI Prudential Brief Time period Fund to be a bit extra risky than the Cash Market Fund.
Unstable right here means the fund will react strongly to bond market provide vs demand forces. Some individuals name this rate of interest threat. Whereas this isn’t totally incorrect, relying on macro-economic elements and particular circumstances, totally different bond market segments can have totally different shopping for vs promoting pressures.
We suggest buyers solely take a look at the typical portfolio maturity and never the Macaulay or Modified period for estimating NAV volatility.
Why? The present Macaulay period of ICICI Gilt Fund is about 1.9354 years, with a mean portfolio maturity of 10.13 years. The Modified period is 1.93 years. If we thought of the Macaulay or Modified durations, we is likely to be led to the wrong assumption that the gilt fund is at present as risky because the short-term fund.
The five-year rolling returns of the three funds are in contrast under. We will see that the short-term fund has volatility in between that of a gilt fund and a cash market fund.

To find out an appropriate period of funding, the Macaulay period can be utilized whether it is ruled by SEBI guidelines to be range-bound. On this case, it’s 1-3 years. So we suggest utilizing it for durations a lot greater than three years. No less than 5 years or extra, ideally six years or extra (2 x3 years).
For funds not ruled by range-bound Macaulay durations, e.g. liquid funds, company bond funds, gilt funds and so on., the typical portfolio maturity can be utilized to find out volatility and funding period.
Additionally, it should be stored in thoughts that ICICI Prudential Brief Time period Fund invests a good portion of its portfolio in company bonds. That is prone to credit standing downgrades and defaults. It is crucial to not be swayed by the dominant AAA score under. That’s topic to vary.

Such a credit standing profile might solely be appropriate for knowledgeable buyers.
In abstract, by no means go by any AMCs advice of appropriate funding period. Examine previous factsheets to seek out out the credit standing profile of the portfolio and its common maturity. In your want which is three years away, a cash market fund is extra appropriate than a short-term fund. For suggestions, see: Handpicked Checklist of Mutual Funds Jul-Sep 2022 (PlumbLine).
Do share this text with your pals utilizing the buttons under.
Use our Robo-advisory Excel Instrument for a start-to-finish monetary plan! ⇐ Greater than 1000 buyers and advisors use this!
- Do you could have a remark in regards to the above article? Attain out to us on Twitter: @freefincal or @pattufreefincal
- Be a part of our YouTube Neighborhood and discover greater than 1000 movies!
- Have a query? Subscribe to our e-newsletter with this manner.
- Hit ‘reply’ to any e mail from us! We don’t provide personalised funding recommendation. When you’ve got a generic query we are able to write an in depth article with out mentioning your identify.
Discover the location! Search amongst our 2000+ articles for info and perception!
About The Creator
Dr M. Pattabiraman(PhD) is the founder, managing editor and first writer of freefincal. He’s an affiliate professor on the Indian Institute of Expertise, Madras. He has over 9 years of expertise publishing information evaluation, analysis and monetary product growth. Join with him by way of Twitter or Linkedin or YouTube. Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You might be wealthy too with goal-based investing (CNBC TV18) for DIY buyers. (2) Gamechanger for younger earners. (3) Chinchu Will get a Superpower! for youths. He has additionally written seven different free e-books on varied cash administration matters. He’s a patron and co-founder of “Payment-only India,” an organisation for selling unbiased, commission-free funding recommendation.
Our flagship course! Study to handle your portfolio like a professional to attain your targets no matter market situations! ⇐ Greater than 2800 buyers and advisors are a part of our unique group! Get readability on methods to plan on your targets and obtain the required corpus it doesn’t matter what the market situation is!! Watch the primary lecture totally free! One-time fee! No recurring charges! Life-long entry to movies! Scale back concern, uncertainty and doubt whereas investing! Learn to plan on your targets earlier than and after retirement with confidence.
Our new course! Improve your earnings by getting individuals to pay on your expertise! ⇐ Greater than 675 salaried workers, entrepreneurs and monetary advisors are a part of our unique group! Learn to get individuals to pay on your expertise! Whether or not you’re a skilled or small enterprise proprietor who desires extra purchasers by way of on-line visibility or a salaried particular person wanting a facet earnings or passive earnings, we’ll present you methods to obtain this by showcasing your expertise and constructing a group that trusts you and pays you! (watch 1st lecture totally free). One-time fee! No recurring charges! Life-long entry to movies!
Our new guide for youths: “Chinchu will get a superpower!” is now obtainable!

Most investor issues might be traced to an absence of knowledgeable decision-making. We have all made dangerous choices and cash errors once we began incomes and spent years undoing these errors. Why ought to our youngsters undergo the identical ache? What is that this guide about? As mother and father, if we needed to groom one potential in our youngsters that’s key not solely to cash administration and investing however to any facet of life, what wouldn’t it be? My reply: Sound Choice Making. So on this guide, we meet Chinchu, who’s about to show 10. What he desires for his birthday and the way his mother and father plan for it and train him a number of key concepts of resolution making and cash administration is the narrative. What readers say!

Should-read guide even for adults! That is one thing that each guardian ought to train their children proper from their younger age. The significance of cash administration and resolution making primarily based on their desires and wishes. Very properly written in easy phrases. – Arun.
Purchase the guide: Chinchu will get a superpower on your youngster!
How you can revenue from content material writing: Our new e-book for these involved in getting facet earnings by way of content material writing. It’s obtainable at a 50% low cost for Rs. 500 solely!
Wish to verify if the market is overvalued or undervalued? Use our market valuation device (will work with any index!), otherwise you purchase the brand new Tactical Purchase/Promote timing device!
We publish mutual fund screeners and momentum, low volatility inventory screeners each month.
About freefincal & its content material coverage Freefincal is a Information Media Group devoted to offering authentic evaluation, stories, evaluations and insights on developments in mutual funds, shares, investing, retirement and private finance. We accomplish that with out battle of curiosity and bias. Comply with us on Google Information. Freefincal serves greater than three million readers a 12 months (5 million web page views) with articles primarily based solely on factual info and detailed evaluation by its authors. All statements made will likely be verified from credible and educated sources earlier than publication. Freefincal doesn’t publish any paid articles, promotions, PR, satire or opinions with out information. All opinions introduced will solely be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible proof/information. Contact info: letters {at} freefincal {dot} com (sponsored posts or paid collaborations won’t be entertained)
Join with us on social media
Our publications
You Can Be Wealthy Too with Purpose-Primarily based Investing
Printed by CNBC TV18, this guide is supposed that will help you ask the precise questions, and search the right solutions, and because it comes with 9 on-line calculators, you may also create customized options on your way of life! Get it now.
Gamechanger: Overlook Startups, Be a part of Company & Nonetheless Reside the Wealthy Life You Need

Your Final Information to Journey
That is an in-depth dive evaluation into trip planning, discovering low-cost flights, funds lodging, what to do when travelling, and the way travelling slowly is healthier financially and psychologically with hyperlinks to the net pages and hand-holding at each step. Get the pdf for Rs 199 (prompt obtain)