While some investors might be looking at long-term investment options, others want to park their money in instruments for a short- to medium-term. Including a debt component through a short-duration mutual fund can help an investor lower risk and generate returns while diversifying their portfolio. In this article, we will take a look at the best short-duration mutual funds, who should invest in them, and the key advantages & risks of investing in a short-duration fund.
A short-duration mutual fund is a debt mutual fund that invests in fixed-income securities with shorter maturities. The average maturity of a short-duration mutual fund is 1-3 years. A short-duration mutual fund invests in corporate debt with short maturities, government securities, and money market instruments.
The shorter maturity of a short-duration fund makes it less sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than a medium- or long-duration mutual fund.
The primary goal of a short-duration mutual fund is to offer investors more liquidity than longer-duration funds while capturing returns that are higher than those of funds with lower maturity durations.
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| Fund Name | Category | Risk | NAV | Expense Ratio | 1Y Returns | 3Y Returns | 5Y Returns | Rating | Fund Size (in Cr) | Exit Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICICI Prudential Short Term Fund | Debt | Moderate | 67.40 | 0.45 | 8.8% | 8.5% | 7.1% | 5 | ₹22,387 | - |
HDFC Short Term Debt Fund | Debt | Moderate | 33.93 | 0.4 | 8.6% | 8.3% | 6.6% | 5 | ₹17,946 | - |
Nippon India Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 58.98 | 0.38 | 9.1% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 4 | ₹9,296 | - |
Axis Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 34.67 | 0.38 | 9.2% | 8.4% | 6.7% | 4 | ₹12,345 | - |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Short Term Direct Fund | Debt | Moderate | 52.88 | 0.37 | 8.9% | 8.3% | 6.9% | 4 | ₹10,962 | - |
Baroda BNP Paribas Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 32.55 | 0.44 | 8.7% | 8.3% | 6.5% | 4 | ₹300 | - |
Mahindra Manulife Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 13.62 | 0.28 | 8.6% | 8.3% | NA | 4 | ₹72 | - |
Kotak Bond Short Term Fund | Debt | Moderate | 58.81 | 0.39 | 8.5% | 8.2% | 6.4% | 3 | ₹18,155 | - |
Mirae Asset Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 17.13 | 0.23 | 8.9% | 8.2% | 6.4% | 3 | ₹696 | - |
SBI Short Term Debt Fund | Debt | Moderate | 35.04 | 0.4 | 8.8% | 8.2% | 6.3% | 3 | ₹17,441 | - |
Sundaram Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 49.09 | 0.3 | 8.4% | 8.2% | 7.8% | 3 | ₹193 | - |
UTI Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 34.59 | 0.37 | 8.3% | 8.1% | 7.5% | 3 | ₹3,381 | - |
LIC MF Short Duration Fund | Debt | Moderate | 15.96 | 0.36 | 8.7% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 3 | ₹152 | - |
DSP Short Term Fund | Debt | Moderate | 51.90 | 0.35 | 8.5% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 3 | ₹3,835 | - |
Tata Short Term Bond Fund | Debt | Moderate | 54.20 | 0.34 | 8.2% | 8.0% | 6.2% | 3 | ₹3,305 | - |
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Now let us jump and check about these top 15 mutual fund schemes.
Fund Performance: The ICICI Prudential Short Term Fund has given 8.5% annualized returns in the past three years and 7.09% in the last 5 years. The ICICI Prudential Short Term Fund comes under the Debt category of ICICI Prudential Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in ICICI Prudential Short Term Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹22,387Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.8% |
Fund Performance: The HDFC Short Term Debt Fund has given 8.31% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.62% in the last 5 years. The HDFC Short Term Debt Fund comes under the Debt category of HDFC Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in HDFC Short Term Debt Fund via lump sum is ₹100 and via SIP is ₹100.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹100 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹17,946Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.6% |
Fund Performance: The Nippon India Short Duration Fund has given 8.45% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.88% in the last 5 years. The Nippon India Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of Nippon India Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Nippon India Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹100 and via SIP is ₹100.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹100 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹9,296Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 9.1% |
Fund Performance: The Axis Short Duration Fund has given 8.39% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.69% in the last 5 years. The Axis Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of Axis Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Axis Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹12,345Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 9.2% |
Fund Performance: The Aditya Birla Sun Life Short Term Direct Fund has given 8.35% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.89% in the last 5 years. The Aditya Birla Sun Life Short Term Direct Fund comes under the Debt category of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Aditya Birla Sun Life Short Term Direct Fund via lump sum is ₹1,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹1,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹10,962Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.9% |
Fund Performance: The Baroda BNP Paribas Short Duration Fund has given 8.3% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.5% in the last 5 years. The Baroda BNP Paribas Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of Baroda BNP Paribas Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Baroda BNP Paribas Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹500.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹300Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.7% |
Fund Performance: The Mahindra Manulife Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of Mahindra Manulife Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Mahindra Manulife Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹1,000 and via SIP is ₹500.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹1,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹72Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.6% |
Fund Performance: The Kotak Bond Short Term Fund has given 8.18% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.44% in the last 5 years. The Kotak Bond Short Term Fund comes under the Debt category of Kotak Mahindra Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Kotak Bond Short Term Fund via lump sum is ₹100 and via SIP is ₹100.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹100 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹18,155Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.5% |
Fund Performance: The Mirae Asset Short Duration Fund has given 8.17% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.42% in the last 5 years. The Mirae Asset Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of Mirae Asset Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Mirae Asset Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹99.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹696Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.9% |
Fund Performance: The SBI Short Term Debt Fund has given 8.17% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.28% in the last 5 years. The SBI Short Term Debt Fund comes under the Debt category of SBI Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in SBI Short Term Debt Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹500.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹17,441Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.8% |
Fund Performance: The Sundaram Short Duration Fund has given 8.15% annualized returns in the past three years and 7.78% in the last 5 years. The Sundaram Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of Sundaram Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Sundaram Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹250.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹193Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.4% |
Fund Performance: The UTI Short Duration Fund has given 8.13% annualized returns in the past three years and 7.51% in the last 5 years. The UTI Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of UTI Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in UTI Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹500 and via SIP is ₹500.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹500 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹3,381Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.3% |
Fund Performance: The LIC MF Short Duration Fund has given 8.11% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.19% in the last 5 years. The LIC MF Short Duration Fund comes under the Debt category of LIC Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in LIC MF Short Duration Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹200.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹152Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.7% |
Fund Performance: The DSP Short Term Fund has given 8.05% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.19% in the last 5 years. The DSP Short Term Fund comes under the Debt category of DSP Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in DSP Short Term Fund via lump sum is ₹100 and via SIP is ₹100.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹100 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹3,835Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.5% |
Fund Performance: The Tata Short Term Bond Fund has given 8.04% annualized returns in the past three years and 6.21% in the last 5 years. The Tata Short Term Bond Fund comes under the Debt category of Tata Mutual Funds.
Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Tata Short Term Bond Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹500.
| Min Investment Amt | ₹5,000 |
|---|---|
| AUM | ₹3,305Cr |
| 1Y Returns | 8.2% |
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