"EQUITIES HOLD AN EDGE OVER GOLD"

A. Balasubramanian, MD CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd, on navigating market volatility and long-term wealth creation

- BY SAKSHI BATRA

MARKET VOLATILITY OFTEN triggers panic, but is that the best time to invest? A. Balasubramanian, MD & CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd, certainly thinks so. In an interview with Business Today, he explains why corrections create long-term opportunities, how systematic investment plans (SIPs) help investors stay disciplined, and which fund categories are best suited for today's market conditions. He also shares his insights on what to expect from market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) under new Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey. Edited excerpts:

After a record five-month decline on the Nifty, will things get better, or will the pain continue?

Indian equity markets hit record highs [earlier], but valuations stretched beyond fundamentals. Meanwhile, domestic savings continued to flow into the markets, adding to the valuation stretch. The recent correction has been fuelled by global uncertainty—tariff-related discussions, inflation concerns, and unclear policy direction on interest rates. This sharp fall impacted individual investors more than mutual funds, which have, in fact, benefited from diversified exposure.