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By Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ)
AMFI data for May 2026 showed the mutual fund industry slipping into a net outflow of ₹64,021 crore from an inflow of ₹3.22 lakh crore in April, driven by heavy debt fund withdrawals. Equity, hybrid and passive fund inflows also moderated. Despite slower equity inflows, flexi-cap, mid-cap and small-cap funds continued to attract investor interest.
The latest AMFI data for May 2026 paints a sharply different picture from April. After witnessing strong net inflows in April, the mutual fund industry slipped into outflow mode in May, mainly due to heavy withdrawals from debt-oriented schemes.
The industry reported a net outflow of ₹64,021.17 crore in May 2026, compared with a net inflow of ₹3,22,402.98 crore in April 2026. This translates into a 119.9% MoM decline in overall flows.
The biggest pressure came from debt schemes, where flows reversed from an inflow of ₹2,47,490.03 crore in April to an outflow of ₹96,948.51 crore in May. This reflected a steep 139.2% MoM fall. Equity schemes, on the other hand, continued to attract money, but inflows slowed to ₹22,907.77 crore from ₹38,440.20 crore, marking a 40.4% MoM decline.
Category | May 2026 Flow (₹ crore) | April 2026 Flow (₹ crore) | MoM Change (%) |
Debt-oriented Schemes | -96,948.51 | 2,47,490.03 | -139.2% |
Equity-oriented Schemes | 22,907.77 | 38,440.20 | -40.4% |
Hybrid Schemes | 10,560.24 | 20,565.24 | -48.7% |
Solution-oriented Schemes | 270.36 | 306.98 | -11.9% |
Other Schemes | 361.99 | 20,082.00 | -98.2% |
Close-ended Equity Schemes | -9.97 | -14.16 | 29.6% |
Grand Total | -64,021.17 | 3,22,402.98 | -119.9% |
Debt funds were responsible for the sharp reversal in May. The category saw an outflow of ₹96,948.51 crore against an April inflow of ₹2,47,490.03 crore, showing a 139.2% MoM decline.
The correction was concentrated in liquidity-heavy categories. Liquid funds, which had attracted ₹1,65,104.67 crore in April, saw an outflow of ₹29,680.94 crore in May, reflecting a 118.0% MoM fall. Overnight funds declined 149.4% MoM, while money market funds saw an even sharper 219.6% MoM fall.
Low duration funds fell 232.5% MoM, corporate bond funds declined 213.1% MoM and short duration funds dropped 199.2% MoM. The data indicates that the debt fund weakness was led more by treasury and institutional money moving out of short-duration products rather than retail investors exiting long-term debt allocations.
Among debt schemes, floater funds recorded the steepest percentage fall at 2,189.6%, though this came on a smaller April base. Low duration, money market, corporate bond and short duration funds were the other major pressure points. Medium duration funds and dynamic bond funds showed improvement in percentage terms as their outflows reduced compared with April.
Equity-oriented schemes remained positive in May, but the pace of inflows slowed across almost every category. The segment received ₹22,907.77 crore in May compared with ₹38,440.20 crore in April, showing a 40.4% MoM decline.
Flexi-cap funds remained the largest contributor to equity inflows with ₹5,175.54 crore, despite a 49.0% MoM fall. Small-cap funds received ₹4,945.57 crore, down 28.2% MoM, while mid-cap funds attracted ₹4,385.06 crore, lower by 33.1% MoM.
Large & mid-cap funds saw inflows decline 27.0% MoM to ₹3,278.22 crore, while large-cap funds dropped 36.9% MoM to ₹1,592.93 crore. Multi-cap fund inflows also moderated by 39.8% MoM.
The sharper slowdown was visible in sectoral/thematic funds and value/contra funds, where inflows declined 66.8% and 65.5% MoM, respectively. Dividend yield funds and ELSS remained weak, with dividend yield fund outflows deepening by 373.5% MoM and ELSS outflows widening by 14.6% MoM.
Equity Scheme | May 2026 Flow (₹ crore) | April 2026 Flow (₹ crore) | MoM Change (%) |
Multi Cap Fund | 2,291.01 | 3,806.01 | -39.8% |
Large Cap Fund | 1,592.93 | 2,524.61 | -36.9% |
Large & Mid Cap Fund | 3,278.22 | 4,490.49 | -27.0% |
Mid Cap Fund | 4,385.06 | 6,551.40 | -33.1% |
Small Cap Fund | 4,945.57 | 6,885.90 | -28.2% |
Dividend Yield Fund | -97.46 | -20.58 | -373.5% |
Value Fund/Contra Fund | 509.57 | 1,478.08 | -65.5% |
Focused Fund | 830.25 | 1,194.80 | -30.5% |
Sectoral/Thematic Funds | 647.87 | 1,949.36 | -66.8% |
ELSS | -650.78 | -567.73 | -14.6% |
Flexi Cap Fund | 5,175.54 | 10,147.85 | -49.0% |
Sub Total - Equity Schemes | 22,907.77 | 38,440.20 | -40.4% |
The equity picture is not negative, but it is clearly softer than April. Investors continued to put money into diversified equity schemes, especially flexi-cap, small-cap, mid-cap and large & mid-cap funds. However, the slowdown across categories shows that fresh allocations moderated during the month.
Small-cap and mid-cap funds together collected ₹9,330.63 crore in May, showing that investor interest in broader-market strategies remained intact. Still, both categories recorded lower inflows than April, indicating some cooling in momentum.
Hybrid schemes also saw slower inflows in May. The category received ₹10,560.24 crore against ₹20,565.24 crore in April, registering a 48.7% MoM decline.
Arbitrage funds remained the largest hybrid category, attracting ₹5,697.90 crore in May. However, flows were down 54.0% MoM. Multi-asset allocation funds received ₹3,928.51 crore, lower by 23.2% MoM.
Balanced hybrid/aggressive hybrid funds saw a 56.0% MoM decline, while dynamic asset allocation/balanced advantage funds witnessed a sharp 89.8% MoM fall. On the positive side, conservative hybrid funds and equity savings funds improved as both shifted from April outflows to May inflows.
The hybrid category remained in inflow mode, but the strength was clearly lower than April. Arbitrage and multi-asset allocation funds continued to dominate, while balanced advantage funds saw a notable loss of momentum.
Solution-oriented schemes were relatively steady in May. The category reported inflows of ₹270.36 crore compared with ₹306.98 crore in April, showing an 11.9% MoM decline.
Retirement funds saw inflows fall 16.8% MoM to ₹67.85 crore. Children’s funds attracted ₹202.50 crore, down 10.2% MoM.
The decline in this segment was far smaller compared with debt, hybrid and passive categories. Since these funds are generally linked to long-term goals, flows tend to be more stable.
Other schemes, which include index funds, ETFs and overseas fund of funds, witnessed a steep fall in May. The category saw inflows of only ₹361.99 crore compared with ₹20,082.00 crore in April, marking a 98.2% MoM decline.
Index funds still managed to stay positive with inflows of ₹943.26 crore, but inflows declined 79.6% MoM. Gold ETFs moved into outflow, falling 123.8% MoM. Other ETFs also turned negative, recording a 105.8% MoM decline.
Fund of funds investing overseas received ₹763.99 crore in May, but even this category saw inflows fall 54.0% MoM.
Passive flows clearly lost momentum in May. While index funds remained in inflow, ETF categories were weak, with both gold ETFs and other ETFs slipping into outflows.
Close-ended equity schemes continued to report outflows in May, but the pressure reduced compared with April. The category saw an outflow of ₹9.97 crore against an outflow of ₹14.16 crore in April, reflecting a 29.6% improvement.
Although the numbers are small, the category saw lower outflows in May compared with April.
Domestic fund of funds schemes received ₹957.45 crore in May compared with ₹3,048.87 crore in April, recording a 68.6% MoM decline. This decline was in line with the broader moderation seen across passive, allocation-based and fund-of-funds categories.
The May 2026 AMFI data shows that the mutual fund industry’s headline outflow was largely driven by debt funds. The sharp 139.2% MoM decline in debt-oriented schemes was mainly due to withdrawals from liquid, overnight, money market and other short-duration categories.
Equity funds presented a more balanced picture. Inflows slowed by 40.4% MoM, but the category remained positive. Flexi-cap funds led the equity space, while small-cap and mid-cap funds continued to attract healthy inflows despite moderation.
Hybrid schemes remained in positive territory but saw inflows fall 48.7%, MoM. Other schemes saw the steepest slowdown, with flows dropping 98.2% MoM due to weak ETF and passive fund activity. Solution-oriented funds were comparatively stable, with only an 11.9% MoM decline.
Overall, May 2026 was not a month of broad-based investor withdrawal from mutual funds. It was mainly a month of debt fund outflows and slower fresh allocation across equity, hybrid and passive categories. The next AMFI monthly data will be important to track whether debt liquidity returns and whether equity inflows regain strength after May’s moderation.
Source: Dalal Street Investment Journal, AMFI
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Content Partner - Dalal Street Investment Journal Wealth Advisory Private Limited
This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Market investments are subject to risks. DSIJ Wealth Advisory Private Limited is a SEBI-registered Research Analyst (Reg. No: INH000006396) and Investment Adviser (Reg. No: INA000001142). Please consult your financial adviser before investing.
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