"INVESTING REQUIRES CONSTRUCTING A PORTFOLIO"

Aashish Somaiyaa, CEO, White Oak Capital AMC, on why investors should stagger their investments, rather than deploy aggressively

- BY SHAILENDRA BHATNAGAR

AASHISH SOMAIYAA, Executive Director and CEO of WhiteOak Capital AMC, manages an equity fund with assets of ₹27,000 crore. Of this, ₹17,000 crore has been allocated to mutual funds, while ₹10,000 crore is invested through alternative investment funds and portfolio management service (PMS) schemes. Somaiyaa speaks to BT about how those who stay invested reap the benefits over time. Edited excerpts:

After a six-month correction in Nifty, Bank Nifty, and other indices, do you believe the worst is behind us?

I would not say the worst is behind us just yet. Recently, we have seen another wave of headwinds, particularly due to significant correction in the US markets. Factors like multiple GDP downgrades in the US, uncertainty around (Donald) Trump's actions, and growing concerns about investments in AI (artificial intelligence), though not termed a bubble, are increasingly being scrutinised. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft's results have also raised questions about AI's impact. The recent corrections were driven by broader emerging market trends, a strong dollar, and global shifts. Now, with the US also seeing a downturn, another phase of correction is unfolding. While we might be in the final leg, whether it lasts 15 days or a month, is uncertain. Markets may still see another 5-7% downside before stability returns.