New MF norms to be effective from October

Market regulator Sebi on Wednesday notified wide-ranging reforms for mutual fund sector in India, which would provide incentives to fund houses for expanding to small cities but might result in additional costs for investors.

The changes, which would come into effect from next month, would require fund houses to make half-yearly financial results within one month of the end of every six-month period, Sebi said in a notification.

The decisions were approved by Sebi's board in its last meeting on August 16 with an aim to re-energise the mutual fund industry, by expanding its distribution network among other steps.

Notifying the proposals approved by its board, Sebi said on Wednesday that the fund houses might charge investment and advisory fees on their schemes, which would have to be fully disclosed in the offer document.

In case of a fund of funds scheme, the total expenses of levied on the scheme would be capped at 2.50 per cent of the daily net assets of the scheme.

In addition to the total expenses already levied on schemes, Sebi would allow the fund houses to levy brokerage and transaction costs, which is incurred for the purpose of execution of trade and is included in the cost of investment, with a ceiling of 0.12 per cent in case of cash market and 0.05 per cent in case of derivatives transactions.

Besides, mutual funds can charge additional expenses of up to 0.30 per cent of daily net assets, if the new inflows from places other than top-15 cities are 30 per cent of the gross new inflows in the scheme, or are 15 per cent of the average assets under management (year to date) of the scheme, whichever is higher.