8 Main Differences Between Stock and Mutual Fund

What is stock and mutual fund investing?

Stock market investing suggests investing directly within the stocks of the company. Here, you’re buying the businesses listed on the stock market with associate degree expectations to earn profits once the worth of that stock goes up.

On the opposite hand, a mutual fund may be a collective investment that pools the money of an outsized range of investors to get a variety of securities like stocks, FDs, bonds, etc. An expert mutual fund manager manages this fund. once you purchase a share within the mutual fund, you’ve got a tiny low stake all told investments enclosed in this fund. Hence, by owning a mutual fund, the capitalist participates in the gains or losses of the fund’s portfolio.

Also Read: List of Top 10 Cheapest Stock Brokers in India

8 key differences between Stock and Mutual Fund

Here are the main differences between stock and mutual fund investments:

1. Cost of Investment

While finance in mutual funds, you’ve got to pay completely different charges like associate degree expense quantitative relation, load fee (entry load, exit load), etc. For the highest mutual funds, the expense quantitative relation is as high as two 5-3%.
On the opposite hand, if you invest within the stock exchange, you’ve got to open your business relationship (which includes gap account charges), and you’ve got to pay some annual maintenance charges too. Further, there are additionally completely different prices when transacting in stocks like brokerage, STT, stamp duty, etc.

Nevertheless, if you compare the costs concerned with available and mutual funds, you’ll be able to notice that the prices of finance in stocks are still lower. this is often a result of managing a fund consisting of plenty of expenses like management fees, the remuneration of the managers/employees, administration charges, operational charges, etc. However, for finance in stocks- the foremost vital burden is just the brokerage.

2. Volatility in Investment

Direct finance in stocks has additional volatility in comparison to mutual funds. this is often as a result of once you invest in shares- you typically purchase 10-15 stocks.

On the opposite hand, the fund consists of a wide-ranging portfolio with investments in numerous securities like stocks, bonds, mounted deposits, etc. Even equity-based mutual funds invest in a minimum of 50-100 stocks. thanks to the broad diversification, the volatility within the mutual funds may be less compared thereto shares.

3. Come Back Potential

Stock market finance includes a terribly high comeback potential. Most of the investors within the world and Republic of India like Warren Buffett, RK Damani, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, etc. have engineered their wealth by financing directly within the stock exchange.

However, this is often just one aspect of the story.

4. Tax Saving

If you invest in ELSS (Equity coupled saving scheme) below mutual funds, you’ll be able to get pleasure from a write-down of up to ₹1.5 lakhs in a very year below section 80c of the Revenue Enhancement Act.
another advantage of finance within the fund is that you just don’t have to be compelled to pay tax if the fund sells any stock from its portfolio as long as you’re holding the fund.

On the opposite hand, once you sell stock whereas finance directly within the stock exchange, you’ve got to pay a tax, regardless of what’s the situation. There aren’t any tax edges whereas finance is within the stock exchange. you’ve got to pay a tax of ( 15 August one945|V-J Day|15 August 1945|V-day ) on short-run capital gains and a tax of 100% (above a profit of ₹ 1 lakh) on long-run capital gains.

5. Monitoring

Investing within the stock exchange needs frequent watching. this is often a result of the stock exchange finance may be a personal factor. Here, nobody goes to try and do this for you and thus you’ve got to watch your stocks yourself. Moreover, thanks to the high volatility of the share market, the frequency of watching ought to be higher. a minimum of quarterly or half-yearly.

On the opposite hand, for the fund -there are fund managers UN agency pays attention to the investments and creates the buy/sell call on your behalf. That’s why, once you invest in mutual funds, you do not ought to monitor your fund an abundance of times. Anyways, you ought to watch your funds a minimum per annum in order that you’ll be able to make sure that your fund’s performance is in line with your goals.

6. SIP Investment

Mutual funds investment provides you with an associate degree choice of a scientific investment setup.

A Systematic Investment setup refers to periodic investment. As an example, the capitalist will invest a hard and fast quantity, say Rs 1,000 or 5,000, each month (or quarterly or six months) to get some units of the fund. SIP helps in finance automation and it brings discipline to the investment strategy.

On the other hand, there’s no choice of SIP obtainable available market finance.

On the other hand, the fund offers you a chance to speculate in a very wide-ranging portfolio. Here, you’ll be able to invest in a very style of plus categories. For example- debt mutual funds, equity-based mutual funds, gold funds, hybrid funds, etc.

7. The time needed for finance

The total time required for direct finance available may be at on additional compared thereto of a fund. this is often a result of a fund manager managing a fund.

However, for direct investment within the stock exchange, you’ve got to try and do your analysis. Here, you’ve got to search out the simplest attainable stock for finance yourself, which needs plenty of study, time, and effort

8. Easy Investment

For investment in the stock exchange, you’ve got to open your business relationship with the assistance of a broker. Here, you need to open your Demat and Commercialism account which might take as long as per week to open.

On the other hand, you’ll be able to begin investing in a mutual fund within ten minutes. You don’t need any business relationship to start out investment in mutual funds.