Reliance Capital (up 5.3%), HDFC (up 2.72%), Aditya Birla Nuvo (up 2.44%), IDFC (up 2.06%), ICICI Bank (up 1.04%) and State Bank of India (up 0.74%), edged higher. However, Religare Enterprises was down 0.84% The BSE Sensex rose 169.21 points, or 0.96% at 17,860.29. The Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi), last Thursday (16 August 2012), announced measures to increase in penetration of mutual fund products and energising distribution network. The stock market regulator has decided to allow fungibility of Total Expense Ratio (TER) of mutual funds. To improve the geographical reach of mutual funds and, bring in long term money from smaller towns, asset management companies (AMCs) are allowed to charge additional TER up to 30 basis points (bps) depending upon the extent of new inflows from locations beyond top 15 cities, Sebi said in a release. AMCs will be able to charge 30 bps if the new inflows from these cities/ towns are minimum 30% of the total inflows. In case of lesser inflows the proportionate amount will be allowed as additional TER, Sebi said. To avoid differential treatment in the same scheme to different classes of investors, it has been decided that all new investors will be subjected to single expense structure under a single plan, Sebi said. However, to be fair to direct investors and promote direct investment, it was decided to have a separate plan for direct investments, with a lower expense ratio, Sebi said. Meanwhile, Sebi has capped brokerage and transaction cost chargeable to the scheme for execution of trade at 12 bps in case of cash market transactions and 5 bps in case of F&O transactions. In order to help enhance the reach of mutual fund products amongst small investors, who may not be tax payers and may not have PAN/bank accounts such as farmers, small traders/businessmen/workers, cash transactions in mutual fund schemes to the extent of Rs 20,000 will be allowed subject to compliance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) requirements as allowed in case of some other financial products. In order to encourage long term holding and to reduce churn and align the interests of the AMCs/distributors with that of the investors, it was decided that the entire exit loads would be credited to the scheme while the AMCs will be able to charge an additional TER to extent of 20 bps, Sebi said. This will not result in any additional cost to the investors. Claw back of additional TER (in the case of inflows from cities beyond top 15 cities) would be provided to the extent the investments are redeemed within a period of 1 year, Sebi said. As on 31 March 2012, State Bank of India held 63% in SBI Funds Management, HDFC held 59.98% in HDFC Asset Management Company and ICICI Bank held 51% in ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company. Reliance Capital operates Reliance Capital Asset Management Company. Aditya Birla Nuvo operates Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company. Religare operates AEGON Religare Life Insurance Company. IDFC operates IDFC Asset Management Company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News |