Sandeep Mathur

Last 1 Year Returns – A Reality Check In the past 12 months, Indian markets have been facing headwinds – volatile earnings, global macro pressures, and sectoral underperformance have kept returns modest. Meanwhile, Nasdaq and Hang Seng Bank have delivered phenomenal growth, driven by tech rebounds, policy shifts, and investor optimism. 💡 The takeaway? Relying solely on one geography limits your opportunities. A globally diversified portfolio spreads risk, captures growth across regions, and protects you when one market slows down. In today’s interconnected economy, your portfolio shouldn’t be bound by borders. Think global to grow steady. #news #investments #stockmarket #business

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What if your fund manager could make you money even in a bear market? Now they can. Markets don’t move in straight lines. But we’ve only had “up-only” investment options for retail investors through MF. That just changed. SEBI introduced a new category Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs) that lets fund managers go both long AND short. Yes, they can profit when stocks fall too. Here’s why this matters (and why I’m cautiously excited): What you need to know: 1️⃣ They’re like mutual funds but smarter (and riskier) SIFs can short up to 25% of their portfolio. That means they can bet on falling stocks something MFs can’t do. 2️⃣ ₹10 lakh minimum investment Not for everyone. But far more accessible than PMS or AIFs that ask for ₹50 lakh or ₹1 crore. 3️⃣ Strategy matters more than branding Each SIF can have its own strategy momentum, arbitrage, sectoral, etc. So don’t just chase names. Understand its strategy. 4️⃣Big upside = big room for loss Shorting isn’t child’s play. If the fund manager gets it wrong, your losses can stack up quickly. This isn’t “set it and forget it” investing. 5️⃣ Still under SEBI’s watch They follow diversification rules, liquidity norms, and can’t go full YOLO. So there’s some regulatory guardrails but you still need to know what you’re buying into. SIFs are a sign of how India’s investing ecosystem is maturing. Anagh Pal did a story for moneycontrol.com on this topic and SahajMoney® shared its view. Would you ever try a fund that bets against the market? ⸻ I make personal finance simple. My goal is to help you understand your money—so you can grow your savings with confidence and peace of mind. 🔄 Repost this to help someone take control of their finances. ➕ Follow me for clear, jargon-free tips on investing, insurance, and taxes. Have a personal finance question you wish someone would answer simply? DM me your question—I’ll answer it clearly and keep your privacy 100% protected. LinkedIn Guide to Creating LinkedIn News India

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Thrilled to announce the launch of Ironclad Ventures Fund, our second investment product under Ironclad Asset Management — a ₹200 Cr SEBI-approved fund dedicated to Employee Secondaries. Why does this matter? In India, most venture-backed startups allocate 5–15% of their cap tables to ESOPs, yet liquidity for employees is rare and ad-hoc. For too long, ESOPs have been treated as “paper money,” leading to weaker belief in equity ownership and misaligned incentives. Ironclad Ventures is built to change that. We partner with leading VC-backed startups to offer structured, repeatable liquidity programs, so employees can partially monetize their equity while continuing to hold long-term upside. This liquidity massively increases employees' belief in ESOPs. For companies, this reduces the pressure to constantly increase cash salaries, strengthens retention, and sends a credible signal of wealth creation via ESOPs to future hires. We will take a diversified approach — backing 30–40 high-quality startups across fintech, consumer, SaaS, AI, and digital infrastructure with small ESOP secondary cheques of ₹1–4 Cr for Seed to Series B startups. Our aim is simple: 1. Improve the belief that employees have in ESOPs and unlock some wealth for the people building India’s breakout companies 2. Preserve founder alignment and cap-table integrity 3. Enable Indian HNIs & family offices to access the innovation economy This launch follows the success of our first product, the Ironclad Flexicap PMS, which has grown capital at ~20% since inception in Jan 2025, in a difficult year for capital markets. With Ironclad Ventures, we extend our disciplined investment philosophy into private markets. #Ironclad AMC #VentureCapital #ESOPs #Secondaries #WealthCreation #InnovationEconomy https://lnkd.in/gqWkh_-m

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HNIs often buy expensive art and wine collections thinking they are diversifying, but end up stuck with assets they cannot sell when they need cash. After working with high-net-worth families, I have noticed a pattern. People who are disciplined with traditional investments often become irrational with alternatives. They buy ₹50 lakh paintings, vintage wine collections, and rare watches believing these assets will outperform markets. Years later, they find themselves holding illiquid collections that are difficult to sell for anywhere near the purchase price unless the items are truly investment grade with strong secondary market demand. The main risks: 1. Illiquidity when you need cash A ₹2 crore art collection might be valued at ₹3 crores on paper, but finding a buyer quickly is tough. Auctions take months and charge up to 25% in commissions; private sales can be even slower. 2. Dealer influence and inflated expectations Sellers highlight selective success stories while downplaying costs. Transaction fees, storage, and insurance quietly erode any potential gains. 3. High ongoing costs Vintage wine requires climate-controlled storage (₹2,000+ per month in India). Art needs insurance, restoration, and controlled display. Over time, these expenses compound and eat into appreciation. When can alternatives make sense? - You already have substantial liquid wealth in traditional assets. Alternatives should be no more than 5 to 10 percent of your portfolio. - You genuinely enjoy and understand the category. Buy art because you love it, wine because you drink it. Financial upside should be secondary to personal enjoyment. - You can afford to lose the entire investment without it affecting your lifestyle or core financial goals. True diversification comes from spreading risk across sectors, and asset classes, not from owning illiquid collectibles that only create the appearance of sophistication. What has been your experience with alternative investments? P.S. Ready to transform your relationship with money? Follow me for financial insights and stories that create lasting change. Disclaimer: Every situation is unique. These insights are shared for educational purposes only.

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