Portfolios

September Snapshot: FPIs Extend Equity Selloff, While DIIs and MFs Lead with Robust Inflows Across Equities

September’s Sectoral Moves: FPIs Dump IT & Healthcare

• IT & Healthcare Lead the Sell-Off: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) continued their sectoral reshuffling in September, aggressively trimming positions in Information Technology (₹6,050 Cr) and Healthcare (₹6,122 Cr) — the two worst-hit sectors of the month. Selling in IT was broad-based, with ₹2,014 Cr offloaded in the first half and ₹4,036 Cr in the second, as global tech valuations remained under pressure. Healthcare mirrored this trend, witnessing ₹1,601 Cr of sales early in the month and ₹4,521 Cr later after Trump’s pharma tariff.
• Consumer and Realty Stocks See Continued Outflows: FPIs also pared exposure in FMCG (₹4,202 Cr), Consumer Durables (₹3,627 Cr) and Consumer Services (₹3,360 Cr) amid concerns over stretched valuations and moderating consumption trends. Sectors like Power (₹2,693 Cr), Telecommunication (₹2,422 Cr) and Realty (₹2,259 Cr) too witnessed steady selling.

Selective Buying in Domestic Plays: FPIs Rotate into Automobiles and Capital Goods

• Automobiles and Capital Goods Emerge as Bright Spots: Amid the widespread selloff, FPIs selectively turned buyers in domestic-oriented sectors. The Automobile sector led with net inflows of ₹3,641 Cr, supported by sustained demand momentum and robust festival season outlook. Capital Goods followed closely with ₹3,010 Cr of net buying, driven by renewed optimism in infrastructure spending and corporate capex recovery.
• Metals, Financials & Construction Attract Interest: FPIs also added to positions in Metals & Mining (₹1,840 Cr), Financial Services (₹992 Cr) and Construction (₹856 Cr), signaling selective re-entry into cyclical and growth-linked sectors. Even Media & Entertainment (₹77 Cr) turned positive during the month.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

Mutual Fund Industry Average AUM Scales Fresh Peak at ₹77.15 Lakh Cr in Q2FY26

Record High AUM on Robust Inflows & SIP Momentum: The mutual fund industry’s average assets under management (AUM) touched a historic peak of ₹77.15 lakh crore in the July–September 2025 quarter, marking a 6.94% quarter-on-quarter surge. This stellar growth was powered by consistent retail participation, steady SIP inflows, and broad-based investor confidence. Notably, during the first half of FY 2026, the industry clocked an impressive 14.42% rise in average AUM, reaffirming the sector’s expanding footprint in India’s investment landscape.

SBI Mutual Fund Scales New Peak at ₹11.99 Lakh Cr AAUM : SBI Mutual Fund achieved a record average AUM of ₹11.99 lakh crore in the July–September 2025 quarter, setting a new industry benchmark. This milestone marks the 23rd consecutive quarter of its dominance as India’s largest fund house, reflecting unwavering investor trust, robust distribution strength, and sustained market leadership across categories.

Fund Houses Ride the Wave of Inflows & SIP Strength:  Buoyed by robust investor inflows and steady SIP contributions, the mutual fund industry’s leaders delivered impressive AUM growth in the July–September 2025 quarter. ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund topped the charts with the highest absolute increase of ₹70,511 crore in average AUM, with SBI, HDFC and Nippon India Mutual Fund following behind.

Industry Leadership Remains Stable, Tata MF Rejoins Top 10: The mutual fund industry continues to showcase remarkable structural stability, with the top 3 and top 8 fund houses maintaining their rankings for an uninterrupted 17th consecutive quarter. In a key development this quarter, Tata Mutual Fund made a strong comeback into the top 10 league, surpassing Mirae and DSP Mutual Fund. Meanwhile, Mirae Asset Mutual Fund slipped out of the top ten in terms of average AUM, marking a noteworthy reshuffle in the industry leaderboard.

Rising Contenders Gain Ground; Jio BlackRock Makes a Strong Debut: Tata, PPFAS, Motilal Oswal, Bajaj Finserv, and WhiteOak Capital Mutual Fund have climbed the ranks, marking strong progress over previous quarters. A major highlight this quarter was the debut of Jio BlackRock Mutual Fund, which entered the industry with an impressive average AUM of ₹12,890 crore, securing a spot near the top 30 fund houses.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

September Fortnight Review: DIIs and MFs Lead Buying Against FPI Exit Pressure

FPI Selling Concentrated in Consumer & Power – FPIs executed sharp exits from Consumer Services (₹3,246 Cr) and Power (₹2,107 Cr), followed closely by Information Technology (₹2,014 Cr) and Realty (₹1,927 Cr). Additional pressure came from Healthcare (₹1,601 Cr), Telecommunication (₹1,505 Cr) and Oil & Gas (₹1,502 Cr), while moderate selling was seen in Construction Materials (₹1,193 Cr). The selling pattern highlights a clear retreat from consumption-heavy and defensives.

FPI Buying Anchored in Autos, Financials & Capital Goods – On the buying side, FPIs favored cyclical and growth-linked sectors, led by Automobile & Auto Components (₹1,908 Cr), Financial Services (₹1,634 Cr) and Capital Goods (₹1,518 Cr). Strong inflows also went into Metals & Mining (₹1,394 Cr), while modest accumulation was noted in Services (₹236 Cr), Construction (₹130 Cr) and Chemicals (₹23 Cr). The trend reflects a preference for sectors aligned with India’s domestic growth momentum and infrastructure cycle.

FPIs Extend Equity Selloff in September: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) continued exiting Indian equities in the first half of September, extending the selloff seen in July and August. However, the pace of outflows has moderated, with net withdrawals of ₹9,759 Cr so far this month, led by ₹10,175 Cr in secondary market selling, partly offset by ₹416 Cr in IPOs. If the trend persists, September will mark the sixth month of equity outflows in 2025, highlighting sustained caution among global investors.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

Market Correction Drags Down MFs AUM in August: Equity MFs net AUM slipped 0.58% to ₹33.09 Lakh Cr in August from ₹33.28 Lakh Cr in July, while the overall mutual fund industry’s net AUM dipped 0.23% to ₹75.19 Lakh Cr. The decline came despite good inflows and near-record SIP contributions, as moderate market corrections weighed on valuations, ultimately capping overall asset growth.

MFs Eye Fresh Opportunities in Select IPOs: Equity mutual funds displayed strong primary-market appetite, allocating selectively to newly listed companies. Major IPO allocations included Vikram Solar (20 schemes; 2.74%), JSW Cement (19 schemes ; 4.91%), Aditya Infotech (17 schemes; 4.59%) and Bluestone Jewellery & Lifestyle, highlighting investor enthusiasm for fresh listings.

Mutual Funds Expand Portfolios with New Stock Additions: Schemes actively bought into Eternal, Clean Science & Technology, One97 Communications, Sai Life Sciences, InterGlobe Aviation, Hyundai Motor, FSN E-Commerce, Apollo Hospitals, PB Fintech and Delhivery, showcasing a broader push into technology, healthcare, auto, consumer services and financial platforms.

Funds Restructure Portfolios with Targeted Exits: On the sell side, mutual funds trimmed or exited Siemens Energy India, ABB India, PNB Housing Finance, PG Electroplast, Suzlon Energy, Hindalco, Shriram Finance, BSE, Divi’s Laboratories, SBI Cards, Eicher Motors and Prestige Estates, signalling strategic portfolio realignment.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

Record Buying – Equity MFs Deploy Cash Aggressively: Equity mutual funds pared down their cash reserves to ₹1.98 Lakh Cr in August 2025 from ₹2.07 Lakh Cr in July, marking a clear shift towards active deployment. The cutback coincided with the calendar year’s highest monthly equity purchases of ₹64,889 Cr, underscoring fund managers’ conviction to seize opportunities created by sharp FPI selling. The move highlights a strategy of utilizing existing liquidity to strengthen market positioning.

AMC Cash Ratio Dips After July Uptick: The average cash holding ratio among the top 20 AMCs slipped to 4.82% in August, after rising to 5.94% in July and continues to stay well below the 5% mark.

PPFAS MF continues to maintain the highest cash-to-AUM ratio at 22.33% (₹26,926 Cr), highlighting its highly cautious stance. Quant MF follows with a sizable 10.72% (₹9,035 Cr), while HDFC MF holds 6.30% (₹26,494 Cr), staying well above the industry average in liquidity.

Parag Parikh & SBI Contra Lead in Cash Proportion: Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund continues to top the list with 22.71% of AUM in cash (₹26,129 Cr), followed closely by SBI Contra Fund at 21.57% (₹10,064 Cr), underscoring a strong liquidity stance. HDFC Flexi Cap Fund holds 11.38% (₹9,327 Cr), signalling ample readiness to deploy funds when valuations turn attractive.

Contra & Flexi Cap Funds Lead the Cash Pile: Contra Funds continue to hold the largest liquidity cushion with 16.38% of AUM in cash (₹11,486 Cr), reflecting a highly defensive stance. Flexi Cap Funds follow with 9.70% (₹48,106 Cr), indicating fund managers’ preference to keep ample dry powder to deploy during market volatility.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

Growth Momentum Cools: Mutual Fund industry’s Average AUM eases 0.38% to ₹76.71 lakh crore in August, retreating from July’s record peak.

Equity Flows Moderate: Inflows slip 22% MoM to ₹33,430 crore, yet equity funds log their 54th straight month of gains.

Midcaps Shine Bright: Mid Cap funds hit record inflows, while Flexi Cap and Small Cap categories stay in strong demand.

Hybrid Spotlight: Arbitrage funds lead with ₹6,667 crore inflows; Multi Asset Allocation funds also see robust traction.

Bullion Beckons: Gold ETF inflows surge to a 7-month high of ₹2,190 crore; silver ETFs hold steady at ₹1,760 crore.

Debt Turns Weak: Debt funds face ₹7,980 crore outflows; Liquid funds reverse sharply with a ₹13,350 crore pullout.

For more details read through our comprehensive Mutual Fund Flow Report for August, 2025.

August Snapshot: FPIs Extend Equity Selloff, DIIs and MFs Lead with Strongest Monthly Inflows of 2025

August’s Sectoral Moves: FPIs Cut Financials & Information Technology

• Financials & IT Lead the Sell-Off: FPIs pared down positions heavily in Financial Services (₹23,288 Cr) and Information Technology (₹11,285 Cr), the hardest-hit sectors in August. Financials saw outflows of ₹13,471 Cr in the first half and ₹9,817 Cr in the second, while IT recorded ₹6,380 Cr selling early in the month and ₹4,905 Cr in the latter half.
• Oil, Power & Consumer Plays Under Fire: Selling pressure also extended to Oil & Gas (₹6,108 Cr) and Power (₹4,066 Cr), while Consumer Durables (₹1,969 Cr), Healthcare (₹1,417 Cr), Realty (₹1,245 Cr) and FMCG (₹1,097 Cr) witnessed moderate but steady exits.

Selectively Buy Domestic Plays: Telecom & Autos Attract Inflows

• Telecom & Autos Emerge as FPI Favorites: FPIs placed big bets on Telecommunication, emerging as the top buy with ₹5,766 Cr of net inflows. Interestingly, flows were sharply front-loaded, with a massive ₹7,446 Cr infusion in the first half, partly offset by profit booking of ₹1,680 Cr in the second. The Automobile sector also saw renewed interest, ending August with ₹1,803 Cr of net buying—despite a weak start marked by ₹814 Cr of outflows in the first half, FPIs turned strong buyers with ₹2,617 Cr in the latter half, underscoring confidence in India’s domestic demand story.
• Broader Domestic Bets Gain Traction: FPIs also bought into Construction Materials (₹2,475 Cr), Services (₹2,351 Cr) and Capital Goods (₹1,896 Cr), showing selective optimism, while Chemicals (₹1,571 Cr), Construction (₹1,356 Cr) and Media & Entertainment (₹165 Cr) added to diversified domestic bets.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

August Fortnight Review: DIIs and MFs Lead Record Buying Against FPI Exit Pressure

FPI Selling Intensifies in Financials & Technology – FPIs executed sharp exits from large-weight sectors, led by Financial Services (₹13,471 Cr) and Information Technology (₹6,380 Cr), reflecting global risk-off sentiment. Heavy selling also hit Oil & Gas (₹4,091 Cr) and Power (₹2,358 Cr), while moderate withdrawals were seen across Healthcare (₹2,095 Cr), Realty (₹1,211 Cr), FMCG (₹1,150 Cr) and Consumer Durables (₹1,133 Cr). The selling pattern underscores a move away from defensives and heavyweights, balancing selective accumulation in infrastructure-oriented themes.

FPI Buying Concentrated in Telecom & Infrastructure Plays – In the first half of August 2025, FPIs showed strong buying interest in select sectors, led by Telecommunication with ₹7,446 Cr inflows, making it the standout gainer. Infrastructure-linked sectors also attracted healthy investments with Construction Materials (₹1,690 Cr), Construction (₹1,378 Cr) and Capital Goods (₹1,132 Cr) drawing attention. Modest inflows were also seen in Metals & Mining (₹606 Cr), Chemicals (₹410 Cr) and Services (₹384 Cr), signaling FPI preference for growth-driven and cyclical opportunities.

FPI Equity Selling Surges Beyond July Levels – Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) stepped up their equity sell-off in the first half of August 2025, recording a net outflow of ₹20,975 Cr—sharply higher than the ₹17,741 Cr withdrawn in July. This includes a secondary market sell-off of ₹23,554 Cr, partially offset by ₹2,579 Cr of investment in primary markets, reflecting selective interest in new listings. With this, net FPI equity outflows for calendar year 2025 have soared to ₹1.16 Lakh Cr, highlighting their sustained bearish stance on Indian equities so far this year.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

Equity MFs AUM Slips Despite Record MF Peak: The Mutual Fund industry’s net AUM climbed to a record ₹75.37 Lakh Cr in July, yet equity MFs net AUM eased 0.57% to ₹33.28 Lakh Cr from its fresh peak of ₹33.47 Lakh Cr in June. This setback came despite record inflows and all-time-high SIP contributions, as market corrections weighed on valuations.

Mutual Funds Rush to IPOs in July: Mutual funds showed strong primary-market appetite, investing in several high-profile IPOs. Major allocations went to Anthem Biosciences (67 schemes; 5.98%), HDB Financial Services (44; 3.89%), Aditya Infotech (23; 2.53%), Travel Food Services (21; 4.07%), NSDL (20; 2.48%), Indiqube Spaces (18; 5.67%), and M&B Engineering (14; 7.85%).

Mutual Funds Expand Portfolios with New Stock Additions: Stocks like State Bank of India, Swiggy, Gabriel India, Navin Fluorine, Glenmark Pharma, Mahindra & Mahindra, RBL Bank and Eternal were actively added as fresh investments by several equity mutual fund schemes in July, reflecting a growing appetite across banking & financials, consumer services, chemicals, healthcare and auto-related sectors.

Funds Restructure Portfolios with Targeted Exits: Many equity mutual fund schemes fully exited stocks like IEX, Indian Hotels, Axis Bank, United Spirits, Mankind Pharma, Info Edge, SBI Cards, Siemens Energy India, HAL, Reliance Industries, BSE, InterGlobe Aviation, Max Financial and Cipla, reflecting profit booking and portfolio reshuffling amid shifting market dynamics.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.

Cash Holdings Rise Despite Aggressive Buying: Equity mutual funds increased cash reserves to ₹2.07 lakh crore in July 2025, up from ₹2.04 lakh crore in June, even as they bought equities worth ₹47,019 crore in July. The rise was aided by record inflows and a drop in equity valuations during the market correction.

AMC Cash Ratios Breach 5% Mark: The average cash holding ratio among the top 20 AMCs climbed to 5.94% in July from 4.88% in June, decisively crossing the 5% level. This reflects a cautious stance, with fund managers prioritising liquidity over full equity deployment amid uncertain market conditions.

Cash-Heavy Mutual Funds: PPFAS Tops with 21.36%, SBI Holds ₹34,592 Cr –SBI Mutual Fund holds the largest cash pile at ₹34,592 crore (4.75% of AUM), followed by ICICI Prudential MF with ₹27,999 crore (5.98%). HDFC MF ranks close with ₹27,031 crore (6.43%), reflecting substantial liquidity positions among the biggest fund houses. PPFAS MF stands out with the highest cash-to-AUM ratio at 21.36% (₹25,375 crore), followed by Quant MF at 9.12% (₹7,978 crore) and Motilal Oswal MF at 8.61% (₹9,031 crore), signalling a notably cautious approach.

Parag Parikh & SBI Contra Lead in Cash Proportion: Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund tops with 21.66% of AUM in cash (₹24,532 crore), followed by SBI Contra Fund at 19.86% (₹9,325 crore) and Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund at 17.96% — signalling a strong liquidity stance to deploy capital when opportunities arise.

Contra & Flexi Cap Funds Lead the Cash Pile: Contra Funds hold the largest liquidity cushion in terms of percentage with 15.14% of AUM in cash (₹10,706 crore), followed by Flexi Cap Funds at 9.67% (₹47,698 crore). This indicates a defensive stance, keeping ample cash to capitalise on market corrections.

For a comprehensive understanding and more insights, please go through our detailed report.