New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI): Retail investors continued to demonstrate confidence in mutual funds in July 2026, with systematic investment plan (SIP) inflows reaching a four-month high of Rs 31,961 crore, reflecting sustained participation despite market volatility, according to the latest data released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).

AMFI data for July 2026 showed that active equity funds received net inflows of Rs 24,697.39 crore during the month. Among equity categories, small cap funds attracted the highest inflows at Rs 7,767.50 crore, followed by mid cap funds at Rs 6,192.31 crore. Large cap funds, however, witnessed an outflow of Rs 1,321.69 crore.

Industry experts said the trend indicated that investors were continuing to look beyond short-term market movements and maintain a long-term investment approach.

'Looking at July's AMFI data, we can see that retail investors are continuing to look beyond short term market volatility and stay committed to equities. SIP inflows reached a four month high of Rs 31,961 crore in July, up 12.3 per cent year on year, reflecting the growing discipline of investors who continue to invest through market cycles,' said Feroze Azeez, Joint CEO, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited.

He added that while equity fund inflows moderated by around 15 per cent month-on-month, the trend did not indicate a broad-based retreat from growth-oriented segments.

'What stands out is that the moderation has not led to a broad based retreat from growth oriented segments, as small cap funds attracted Rs 7,768 crore, the highest among equity categories, while mid cap funds received Rs 6,192 crore. In contrast, large cap funds saw an outflow of Rs 1,322 crore,' Azeez said.

According to him, the divergence in category-wise flows suggested that investors continued to see higher long-term growth potential in mid and small cap segments while remaining selective amid volatility.

'Importantly, active funds continue to account for around 74 per cent of total equity AUM, highlighting that investors still have a strong preference for active management,' he added.

However, experts also cautioned investors about the risks associated with elevated valuations in certain market segments.

Vikas Gupta, CEO & Strategist, OmniScience Capital, said retail investors continued to focus on mid and small cap equities, while large cap and flexi cap categories remained comparatively behind in terms of inflows.

'The focus on mid and smallcap equities remains with retail investors. Comparatively large cap and flexicap are behind in terms of inflows. Possibly indicates chasing earnings and stock price momentum by the retail,' Gupta said.

He added that the current valuations in some segments required investors to exercise caution.

'The point of concern with the small and midcap chase is that the respective indexes show significantly high PEs indicating that the underlying stocks are probably overvalued and the price will be sustained only as long as those companies are able to maintain the expected earnings growth,' Gupta said.

'Investors should be aware of this risk while allocating to this segment of the market at current valuations,' he added.

The AMFI data also showed that total open-ended mutual fund assets under management stood at Rs 85.59 lakh crore as on July 31, 2026. (ANI)