Mastering Exchange-Traded Funds: Key Tips for Investors | Fusion - WeRIndia

The surge in demand for Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) has transformed the investment landscape, resembling the workings of mutual funds while offering the convenience of stock trading.

These investment vehicles, numbering over 174 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) website as of June 30, 2023, enable passive investing by tracking specific indices or asset groups through pooled funds.

There are many types of ETFs. Some of them are index ETFs, fixed-income ETFs, commodity ETFs, leveraged ETFs, style ETFs, inverse ETFs etc.

Investing in ETFs has many benefits. Some of them are transparency, ease of trade etc. However, certain risks like illiquidity, high trading costs etc., are associated with the trading of ETFs.

Before diving into the world of ETFs, prospective investors should consider a few crucial factors:

• Avoid hasty decisions during the market’s initial minutes.
• Low trading volumes within the first 15-30 minutes can lead to volatile price swings due to limited liquidity.
• When dealing with ETFs, using limit orders is a prudent practice. Despite their growth, many ETFs still experience low trading volumes.
• Relying on market orders can result in transactions executed at significantly divergent prices from recent trades.
• In times of market turbulence, ETFs may exhibit noticeable premiums or discounts.
• Investors should aim for prices close to the indicative Net Asset Value (iNAV) when trading ETFs.
• Not all ETFs maintain consistent trading activity. Potential investors must scrutinize both daily and historical trading volumes while considering an ETF investment.
• Creating a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) for ETFs offers consistency similar to mutual funds.
• Furthermore, setting up an e-mandate streamlines automatic fund transfers for SIPs.

ETFs provide an appealing mix of diversification, flexibility, and ease of trading.

However, they come with their own set of intricacies that demand careful consideration.

As the investment world evolves, mastering the art of ETF investment can lead to profitable and well-informed financial decisions.

Photo by Carlos Muza on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)

Image Reference: https://unsplash.com/photos/hpjSkU2UYSU