Exchange Traded Funds
Context:
Gold Exchange Traded Fund(ETFs) have seen a massive surge in inflows, driven by various global and domestic factors.
Gold ETF’s:
A Gold Exchange Traded Fund (Gold ETF) is a type of Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)
Tracks the domestic price of physical gold
Is traded on stock exchanges (NSE/BSE) just like shares.
Key Drivers for Investment:
Safe-Haven Appeal:
Amidst surging geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainties, investors are turning to gold as a "safe-haven" asset.
Portfolio Diversification:
Investors use Gold ETFs to hedge against equity-related risks and diversify their portfolios.
Tax Clarity:
The Union Budget 2025-26 provided clear tax norms for Gold ETFs, aligning them with individual tax slabs, which has made them a more attractive investment.
Price Rally:
A strong rally in gold prices has also attracted significant investor interest
Basics of ETFs
What is an ETF?
An Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) is a type of mutual fund scheme that is listed and traded on a stock exchange, just like a regular stock.
It combines the features of an open-ended index fund with the trading flexibility of a stock.
Regulated by: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) under SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996
How does it work?
Most ETFs are passively managed.
They are a type of index fund.
It means their portfolio is designed to mirror a specific underlying index (like the Nifty 50 or S&P BSE Sensex).
The fund holds securities in the same proportion as their weightage in the index.
The goal is not to "beat the market" but to replicate the market's return.
Thus, it avoids the risk of a fund manager underperforming the index.
Key Features:
Unlike traditional mutual funds that have only one Net Asset Value (NAV) at the end of the day, ETFs can be bought and sold at real-time market prices throughout the trading day.
They typically have lower expense ratios than actively managed funds because they don't require active stock-picking.
Operational costs are also lower.
The underlying holdings of the ETF are known as they mirror the index.
They can be easily traded on the stock exchange through a trading and demat account.
ETFs do not have an exit load.
But brokerage charges and Securities Transaction Tax (STT) apply just as they do for stocks.
Types of ETFs
Type
Underlying Asset
Tracking
Key Benefits
Equity ETF
Equity Index (e.g., Nifty 50)
Tracks the performance of the benchmark equity index.
• Lower expense ratio.
• Real-time pricing and trading flexibility.
Fixed Income ETF
Fixed Income Instruments (e.g., Govt. Bonds)
Tracks the performance of a fixed-income benchmark index.
•Lower expense ratio.
•Liquid ETFs can be used to park cash or as margin for derivatives.
Gold ETF
Gold
Tracks the domestic price of physical gold.
• Efficient way to take exposure to gold.
• No storage/security concerns.
• No STT (classified as a debt fund).