Indian market is at an important inflection point. While strong economic fundamentals continue to support the long-term growth story, rapid advances in artificial intelligence are raising fresh questions about how industries, jobs and investment opportunities could evolve over the next decade.

Against this backdrop, the ET Alpha Wealth Summit in Mumbai on June 4 will bring together leading investors, fund managers and market thinkers to discuss the trends shaping the future of wealth creation.

Among the marquee sessions at the summit is “Amritkaal or AI-kaal? India’s Next Decade”, featuring Vikas Khemani and Saurabh Mukherjea. At a time when AI is rapidly reshaping the global economy, the discussion seeks to address a question increasingly confronting investors: how will India navigate the AI revolution, and what does it mean for businesses, jobs and capital markets?

The timing of the conversation is particularly relevant. Global technology giants continue to pour billions of dollars into AI infrastructure, data centres, chips and software platforms. The AI boom has become one of the most powerful investment themes in global markets, influencing valuations and corporate spending across sectors.

For India, the opportunity is significant, but so are the challenges. While the country has emerged as a global technology and services hub, AI has the potential to reshape traditional outsourcing and IT services models that have long been key drivers of earnings and employment. Investors are increasingly debating whether Indian technology companies can successfully adapt from labour-led growth to AI-led value creation.

The debate is becoming even more important amid current market conditions. The rupee has come under pressure, global bond yields remain elevated, and investors are closely tracking the outlook for export-oriented sectors, particularly IT services.

Beyond corporate earnings, AI is also raising important questions about the future of work. As automation becomes more capable, concerns are growing over its potential impact on white-collar jobs across technology, back-office operations and other knowledge-based sectors. While many believe AI will create new opportunities and industries, others argue that the pace of disruption could outstrip the pace of job creation, making it one of the defining economic debates of the decade.The discussion adds another compelling dimension to the ET Alpha Wealth Summit’s broader focus on identifying the trends, opportunities and disruptions that could define the next phase of wealth creation.

Registrations are now open. Click here to secure your seat.

National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) on Wednesday announced the launch of India’s first SEBI-approved exchange-traded weather derivatives contract, named “RAINMUMBAI”, marking the country’s entry into a regulated market for trading weather-linked risks.

The contract will be launched on June 1, 2026, and is aimed at helping market participants hedge financial exposure arising from fluctuations in rainfall during the monsoon season. Developed in collaboration with IIT Bombay and based on official rainfall data from the India Meteorological Department, the product seeks to convert monsoon variability into a measurable and tradable risk within a scientific and regulated framework.

The contract has been designed for a wide range of users, including farmers, construction firms, power utilities, logistics operators and banks with agricultural loan portfolios. According to NCDEX, the product is intended to complement existing mechanisms such as insurance and government relief by providing a market-linked risk management tool.

The exchange said the launch represents the emergence of a new asset class for India’s climate economy and is a significant development in strengthening the country’s climate risk management ecosystem.

The contract will be structured as a futures contract under the ticker symbol “RAINMUMBAI”. It will be based on rainfall deviations from the Long Period Average (LPA) in Mumbai during the monsoon months from June to September. The contract will use a tick size of 1 mm with a lot multiplier of Rs 50 per mm and a maximum order size of 50 lots.

The settlement mechanism will be cash-settled, with data sourced from IMD surface rainfall observations and Automatic Weather Stations located at Santacruz and Colaba. Trading will take place from Monday to Friday between 10:00 AM and 11:30 PM or 11:55 PM, depending on daylight savings time adjustments.

The product framework is based on a scientifically structured Cumulative Deviation Rainfall (CDR) model, which measures the deviation of actual rainfall from the historical average. The benchmark has been built using a 30-year rainfall dataset covering the period from 1991 to 2020.Speaking on the launch, NCDEX Managing Director and CEO Arun Raste said India has lived with monsoon uncertainty for centuries and that the contract offers stakeholders a scientific and regulated tool to manage that uncertainty. He added that, unlike traditional insurance products, the derivatives would be settled purely on observed weather data, removing the need for loss assessment and enabling faster settlements.

Highlighting the role of reliable weather data, Bikram Singh from IMD said the department’s observational infrastructure and long-term datasets provide a strong foundation for building transparent and credible rainfall indices. He described the initiative as an example of science and finance coming together in a regulated marketplace.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

India’s tourism sector could become the country’s next trillion-dollar opportunity if the nation gets the basics right, according to veteran investor and small-cap market expert Vijay Kedia, who has repeatedly highlighted the sector’s long-term potential in a series of posts on X over the past few months.

Kedia’s latest remarks, posted on Saturday, come at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Indians to avoid unnecessary international travel amid soaring crude oil prices and a sharp decline in the rupee. Against that backdrop, Kedia argued that India’s domestic tourism opportunity remains vastly underappreciated.

“India’s tourism potential is far bigger than most of us realise,” Kedia wrote, while acknowledging that infrastructure gaps, cleanliness, driving discipline, tourist convenience, ease of payments and general civic discipline continue to remain visible challenges.

However, he said these are precisely the areas which, if improved meaningfully, could transform tourism into one of India’s largest economic opportunities.

Kedia attributed his optimism to India’s unmatched diversity and scale, noting that very few countries can simultaneously offer spirituality, heritage, wellness, mountains, beaches, deserts, wildlife, cuisine and culture at such magnitude.

According to him, India’s tourism appeal extends far beyond the Taj Mahal and Rajasthan’s palace hotels. He pointed to destinations such as the Himalayas and Ladakh, Kerala’s backwaters, the ghats of Varanasi, the Rann of Kutch, Coorg, the Andaman Islands, Ranthambore, Jim Corbett, Kaziranga and Gir forests as globally unique experiences.

He also highlighted India’s architectural and civilisational depth, referring to landmarks such as the Meenakshi Temple, Golden Temple, Kailasa Temple at Ellora and Khajuraho.Kedia drew comparisons with tourism success stories such as Bali, Phuket and Vietnam, saying they demonstrate what focused execution can achieve. “The raw material is extraordinary. Execution will determine the outcome,” he wrote.

In another post dated May 13, Kedia described tourism as India’s “next trillion dollar story” if the country can “just get the basics right.”

In February last year, Kedia had called India’s tourism industry an “untapped goldmine”. He noted that the sector contributed $230 billion, or around 5% of GDP, in 2023, rising to nearly $253 billion in 2024. He also pointed out that the 45-day Kumbh alone was projected to generate $40 billion-$50 billion in economic activity.

Kedia said India possesses every ingredient required to become a global tourism powerhouse, including beaches, mountains, deserts, palaces, snow landscapes, temple architecture, cultural heritage, spiritual retreats, adventure tourism and wellness tourism.

But he stressed that infrastructure, safety and security, ease of travel, hygiene and better marketing remain the missing links.

“With the right focus, India’s tourism sector could soar to $1 trillion, creating millions of jobs and giving the economy a massive boost,” Kedia wrote.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

India’s economy appears to be entering one of its most exciting phases, where sustained growth meets a surge in opportunities across public markets, private investments, global assets, and alternatives. Yet, this promise comes with its own set of challenges waiting to test D-Street investors.

To help you navigate these shifts and fully participate in India’s unfolding growth story, The Economic Times is hosting the inaugural Alpha Wealth Summit on 4th June in Mumbai.

This exclusive gathering will bring together India’s foremost investment leaders to deliver sharp, actionable strategies on building and preserving wealth for the next five years—and well beyond.

Devina Mehra, founder and CMD of First Global, will bring sharp global insights and her proven ability to spot major market turns early. Kotak Mahindra AMC’s managing director, Nilesh Shah, will deliver powerful macro and policy perspectives to navigate India’s growth story.

S Naren, ED & CIO at ICICI Prudential AMC, Vikas Khemani, Founder & CIO at Carnelian Asset Management and Advisors and Rajeev Thakkar, CIO & Director at PPFAS Asset Management Private, will add powerful depth to the discussions.

While Naren brings 30 years of experience navigating market cycles, crashes and comebacks, Khemani examines whether alpha is dead or simply harder to find. Thakkar will offer his deep value-investing expertise to wealth-continuity discussions.

Rahul Jain, President & Head, Nuvama Wealth, Rajesh Saluja, Co-founder, CEO & MD, ASK Private Wealth and Saurabh Mukherjea, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Marcellus, will deliver highly relevant insights, covering practical wealth management for HNIs, succession planning and wealth continuity, and strategies to find genuine opportunities even when cheap stocks are scarce.In addition, Lakshmi Iyer, Group President, Investments & CEO, Bajaj Alternate Investment Management, Garima Kapoor, Deputy Head, Research & Economist, Elara Securities India, and Sameer Arora, Founder & Group CIO, Helios Capital Management, will add valuable perspectives on alternatives, macro trends, and global allocation.

The ET Alpha Wealth Summit brings together some of the sharpest minds in the business to offer refined portfolio frameworks, deeper clarity on balancing India and global opportunities, stronger risk-management tools, and effective investment strategies. The aim is not only to help investors earn market returns but also to equip them with generational wealth-preservation techniques while fostering meaningful connections.

The summit will also address key challenges of allocation for the next decade, focusing on how portfolios are being repositioned in response to these shifts. It’s a masterclass in unpacking what they mean for investors.

This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from India’s finest investment minds in one focused day. Be part of this exclusive gathering and prepare for the exciting wealth-creation opportunities ahead. Click here to register

While Indian markets might temporarily be on a slippery slope amid significant foreign outflows, geopolitical tension and rising concerns if India is lagging behind in areas such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, the country’s structural growth drivers remain intact, feels D-Street’s top bulls like Ramesh Damani and Sunil Singhania.

Speaking at a fireside session during the Groww India Investor Festival 2026 in Mumbai, both investors urged retail participants to ignore short-term market noise and stay focused on long-term wealth creation through disciplined investing.

“We have become used to markets delivering 15-20 percent returns every year after COVID. Markets do not move in a straight line,” Damani said, cautioning investors against drawing conclusions from short-term corrections or temporary underperformance.

Referring to past market cycles, Damani said benchmark indices across global markets have frequently moved sideways for long stretches, even while fundamentally strong companies continued to steadily create substantial shareholder value beneath the broader market’s muted performance.

“When I started my investing journey, the Sensex was below 1,000. Today it is above 80,000. There is no reason to believe India’s next 10-20 years will not continue to create massive wealth,” he said.

Addressing concerns over persistent foreign institutional investor outflows and India lagging peers such as Korea, Taiwan and the US in recent months, Damani argued that fears of a slowdown in domestic investor participation were overstated.

“Whenever foreigners sell, someone is buying those stocks. Domestic investors understand Indian businesses best, and they are backing Indian companies with conviction,” he said.FIIs have offloaded domestic equities worth Rs 2.06 lakh crore in 2026, remaining net sellers for the third successive month-to-date. They have sold shares worth Rs 14,231 crore, so far this month. In less than five months, foreign investment outflow has surpassed 2025 figures of Rs 1.66 lakh crore.

Also read: FIIs sell over Rs 2 lakh crore worth of Indian equities in 2026. What lies ahead?

Nifty is down over 7% on an year-to-date basis even as its Asian peers like Shanghai Composite (4%), Nikkei 225 (21%) and Kospi (74%) have outperformed the headline index. Its Wall Street rivals like Dow (2.5%) and Nasdaq Composite (13%) have also fared better.

Echoing a similar sentiment, Abakkus Asset Manager Founder Sunil Singhania said India’s economic model remains fundamentally stronger because of its consumption-led growth engine, though he acknowledged that India has not yet emerged as a dominant player in sectors such as semiconductors and deep technology.

“There is no doubt that several global companies have done phenomenally well in AI and semiconductors. But consumption and people ultimately sustain economies, and India remains one of the strongest long-term consumption stories globally,” Singhania said.

Both investors repeatedly stressed the importance of patience and compounding, warning retail investors against chasing speculative returns or shifting between trending asset classes.

“There is no secret to wealth creation. The real secret is compounding,” Damani said during the audience interaction, adding that investors should focus on quality businesses and allow investments time to grow.

Sectoral opportunities

Damani remains bullish on defence, infrastructure, logistics and energy-linked businesses, arguing they could emerge as long-term beneficiaries in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical environment.

“The world has changed. Every country now wants stronger self-defence and supply-chain independence,” he said, adding that investors would need to reposition portfolios for a changing global order.

Asset allocation: Gold/silver

The two investors also pushed back against the growing retail fascination with gold and silver following the sharp rally in precious metals.

Singhania called gold and silver as non-productive assets while emphasising the importance of equities, referring to them as growing assets. He recommended only limited allocation towards precious metals.

(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

The March quarter for the year turned out to be a difficult period even for some of India’s most followed investors, as geopolitical tensions linked to the Iran conflict triggered a broad sell-off in equities. While the Nifty fell 13% during the quarter, several portfolios of marquee investors saw a much higher proportion of their holdings end in the red.

A review of portfolios of Mukul Agrawal, Ashish Kacholia, Vijay Kedia, Rekha Jhunjhunwala and Dolly Khanna shows that losses dominated across the board, with only a small fraction of stocks delivering gains.

Mukul Agrawal had the widest exposure among the group of marquee names, holding 65 stocks. Of these, only 5 stocks, or about 8%, ended the quarter in the green, while 60 stocks, or over 92%, declined. Apollo Pipes rose 41% during the quarter, while KRN Heat Exchanger gained 17% and J&K Bank advanced 10%.

Strides Pharma Science and AYM Syntex also posted modest gains. However, these gains were outweighed by widespread declines across industrial, real estate and specialty chemical names in the portfolio. Stocks like Vikran Engineering, Ajmera Realty slumped nearly 50% in just three months of the year.

Ashish Kacholia, another star investors closely followed by retail investors, held 34 stocks at the end of December quarter. Of these, only 5 stocks, or about 14.7%, delivering positive returns and 29 stocks, or over 85%, slipped into into losses.

Aeroflex Industries, in his portfolio, rallied the highest at 24%, while Advait Energy gained 16% and Jain Resource Recycling was up about 10%. At the same time, several consumption and small-cap names in his portfolio saw sharp declines, reflecting the broader pressure on high-beta segments. His stocks like Agarwal Industrial, Vikran Engineering and Zaggle Prepaid posted losses over 40%.

Rekha Jhunjhunwala’s portfolio appeared relatively more stable compared to peers, though it was still largely in the red. Out of 27 stocks, 2 stocks, or about 7.4%, ended with gains, while 25 stocks, or over 92%, declined. Karur Vysya Bank rose 10% during the quarter, while Star Health gained a marginal 0.5%. On the downside, several midcap names like Advent International, Raghav Productivity saw corrections over 40%.Vijay Kedia, who held 17 stocks as of December 2025 end, saw one of the highest concentrations of losses. Only 1 stock, or about 5.9%, ended in positive territory, while 16 stocks, or over 94%, declined during the quarter. Advait Energy Transitions was the sole gainer, rising 16%. However, most of the other holdings, particularly in manufacturing and niche industrial segments, saw steep corrections as risk appetite faded.

Dolly Khanna’s portfolio was the most impacted in terms of breadth of losses. She held 10 stocks, and only 1 stock, or 10%, delivered positive returns, while 9 stocks declined. Savera Industries was a rare light in the portfolio with 15% gain during the quarter. The rest of the portfolio, including several agro, sugar and chemical-linked companies, saw significant declines. The concentrated nature of her portfolio amplified the impact of the downturn.

The common pattern across all five investors was very few stocks delivered gains, and even those were largely isolated cases. The majority of holdings across portfolios fell, many by a wider margin than the benchmark indices.

The quarter also highlighted the vulnerability of mid- and small-cap stocks during periods of global uncertainty. The Nifty mid and smallcap indices declined over 10% this year. Portfolios with higher exposure to these segments saw sharper drawdowns, while those with some allocation to financials or relatively stable businesses managed to limit losses to an extent.

Overall, the March quarter showed that macro shocks tend to override stock-specific strengths in the short term. Even seasoned investors with diversified portfolios were not insulated from the sell-off, as the impact of geopolitical tensions spread across sectors and market caps.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

Shares of Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDI), a subsidiary of Coal India, could be poised for near-term upside, according to analysts, as the stock made a subdued market debut on Monday. The shares listed at a discount of around 7% to their issue price amid weak investor participation and cautious market sentiment.

The listing performance came after the IPO saw only modest traction, closing with an overall subscription of 1.05 times.

Gaurav Garg, Research Analyst at Lemonn Markets Desk, said CMPDI’s weak debut reflects broader caution in the market.

He noted that the stock listed at a discount of around 5-7% despite marginal grey market expectations, pointing to subdued retail participation and only modest subscription levels.

While the stock saw a slight recovery after listing, Garg said the lack of strong demand suggests limited near-term upside. He added that investors may consider using any short-term bounce to exit, while fresh entries should be approached cautiously, with a wait-and-watch approach for price stability and signs of institutional accumulation.

The listing underscores the current trend in primary markets, where even fundamentally strong companies are seeing tempered debut performances amid selective investor appetite and tighter liquidity conditions.

Demand for the Rs 1,842 crore offer for sale was largely driven by institutional investors, with Qualified Institutional Buyers subscribing 3.48 times their quota. In contrast, retail participation remained muted at just 33%, indicating limited broader investor interest.CMPDI operates as a mining consultancy firm, providing services across coal and mineral exploration, mine planning, environmental management and geomatics. The company holds an estimated 61% market share in the coal and mineral consultancy segment in India and works closely with its parent, Coal India.

Financially, the company has delivered strong performance, reporting revenue of Rs 2,178 crore and net profit of Rs 667 crore in FY25, with EBITDA margins exceeding 42%. At the upper price band, the IPO was valued at around 18-21 times earnings, which was considered reasonable given its profitability and asset-light model.

However, the company’s heavy dependence on Coal India and the coal sector continues to be a key overhang, raising concerns around concentration risk and long-term sector dynamics.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

ET Intelligence Group: Valuations of Indian equities have eased after the recent sell-off but that may still not be enough to lure foreign funds back here as the country’s main share indices continue to trade at a premium to emerging market peers.

At the end of Tuesday’s trading session, the NSE Nifty 50 and the BSE Sensex had a trailing price-earnings (P/E) multiple of 21.2 times and 21.3 times, respectively. This compares with their P/Es of 22.8 at the beginning of the current calendar year. The Indian benchmark P/Es have softened from the levels of over 23 two years ago. This shows the market is cheaper than it used to be, tempering investor concerns of excessive valuations, which, along with slowing growth, has contributed to foreign investors’ risk-aversion towards India.

The valuation premium of Indian benchmarks has now narrowed with respect to nine out of 12 major global equity indices. For Instance, Nifty’s premium over the Hong Kong benchmark has reduced to 1.8 times from 2.3 times at the beginning of the year. The premium with respect to the German DAX and French CAC 40 has fallen to around 1.2 from 1.5 by similar comparison. In the case of other benchmarks, including the US Dow Jones and S&P 500, Indian benchmarks continue to trade at a marginal discount, as they did earlier.

The benchmarks have shed over 8% in 2026 so far, including a 4% drop since the beginning of March as investors turn cautious amid the rising concerns over the impact of the West Asian conflict between Iran and Israel. On a year-to-date basis, India has the second-worst performing equity market among major markets in the world behind Indonesia where the local benchmark has lost 14%.

Women continue to remain underrepresented at the top levels of Corporate India despite gradual progress in boardroom diversity, according to a new report released by Primeinfobase.com ahead of International Women’s Day.

The report shows that while women account for 23% of employees in listed companies, their representation steadily declines as one moves up the corporate hierarchy. Women make up only 14% of Key Management Personnel (KMPs), 10% of executive directors and just 5% of managing directors or chief executive officers.

According to Pranav Haldea, Managing Director at PRIME Database Group, the data reflects a classic “leaky bucket” phenomenon, where women gradually drop out of the leadership pipeline. He said there is an urgent need for policies and supportive practices to ensure women do not have to leave the workforce mid-career due to childcare and other caregiving responsibilities.

At the board level, representation has improved over time. As of February 23, 2026, about 98% of the 2,285 companies listed on the NSE main board had at least one woman director, compared with 97% a year earlier. Among the 48 companies that still do not have a woman director, 20 are public sector undertakings.

Overall, 2,898 women currently hold 3,738 directorship positions, accounting for 21% of all board seats. This marks a rise from 18% in March 2021 and just 5% in March 2014, when the requirement to appoint at least one woman director on boards was first announced. Haldea noted that regulation played a significant role in improving board representation. However, the pace of progress has slowed after companies largely complied with the regulatory mandate. He also pointed out that when the rule was introduced in 2014, many firms appointed women relatives of promoters or individuals known to them, which diluted the objective of gender diversity.

Even so, the number of companies with two or more women directors has increased from 35% in March 2021 to 47% currently. Around 88% of companies now have at least one independent woman director, while those with two or more women independent directors have risen from 10% to 21% during the same period.

Women hold 28% of independent directorship positions but only 10% of executive directorships. At the very top, representation remains particularly limited. Just 119 companies, or 5% of the total, have a woman MD or CEO. Among the 130 women heading these companies, about 69% belong to the promoter group, highlighting the limited presence of professional women leaders outside promoter families.

Women also remain scarce in other senior roles. Outside promoter groups, professional executive women directors account for only 7% of such positions. Meanwhile, only 6% of companies have a woman chairperson, with nearly half of them from promoter groups.

The report also highlights a significant gender gap in pay. The median remuneration of male executive directors stood at Rs 120 lakh in FY25, about 74% higher than Rs 69 lakh for women. Among non-promoter executive directors, the gap is even wider, with men earning a median of Rs 104 lakh compared with Rs 43 lakh for women. Male KMPs earned about 77% more than women on average, while the median pay for male employees was 34% higher. Among workers, the gap widened further, with men earning 86% more than women.

Interestingly, the trend reverses for independent directors, where women earn slightly more. The median remuneration for women independent directors was Rs 4.90 lakh compared with Rs 4.80 lakh for men.

Sectorally, women directors had the highest representation in diversified, healthcare and IT companies at 23%, while energy had the lowest share at 17%. Among employees and workers, IT recorded the highest female participation, while commodities, industrials and utilities sectors reported the lowest levels.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

Indian women are undergoing massive transformation in classrooms, workplaces, bank branches and boardrooms, overtaking men in several metrics amid rising educational parity, labour force participation and financial independence, Marcellus Investment Managers said.

The portfolio management services company in its report titled ‘Capital Her Future: Women Investors Insights Report’, highlighted five key trends shaping India’s financial landscape and signaling the rise of women as a powerful and increasingly influential investor segment.

Gender parity in education

India’s Gender Parity Index has crossed 1 across all levels of schooling, signaling that women’s enrolment in schools has equalled or surpassed that of men, the report noted, highlighting that female enrolment now exceeds male enrolment in urban higher secondary education. “This educational dividend is the foundation for all other gains. As the largest cohort of educated women in India’s history enters the workforce over the next decade, the economic consequences will be transformational,” the company said.

Growing entrepreneurship, financial independence in women

Additionally, India’s female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) has risen to 42% in 2024, the highest level in over three decades. Between 2017-18 and 2023-24, the share of women working as own-account workers or employers increased from 20% to 31%, reflecting growing entrepreneurship and financial independence, the report said.

This implies that women’s economic participation is shifting from informal and unpaid labour to formal and self-directed enterprise, creating a new generation of financially independent women.Women are better borrowers than men

Moreover, Marcellus highlighted that urban women now are opening bank accounts and increasing deposits faster than men across rural, semi-urban and metropolitan markets. “Over FY19–FY25, the growth ratio of women’s bank accounts and deposits compared with men ranged between 1.02x and 1.07x, indicating accelerating financial inclusion among women,” it said in a press release.

This comes as women continue to reflect stronger credit behaviour than men. “The Gross Non-Performing Asset (GNPA) ratio (defined as PAR 91-180) for female borrowers stood at 1.2% compared with 1.5% for men as of Dec 2023, and 0.8% versus 1.1% for men as of Dec 2025, reflecting consistently lower default rates,” Marcellus said in its press release.

Women still underrepresented in wealth management

The report highlighted that women are now influencing investment decisions, but still remain underrepresented in wealth management. Women now make 56% of financial investment decisions independently. They now account for 25% of all investors, and hold 33% of mutual fund assets in India, Marcellus cited data from AMFI-CRISIL Factbook 2024 as saying. However, their participation in formal wealth management remains relatively low, particularly outside metro markets, suggesting a large, untapped opportunity for the financial services industry, it added.

“The wealth management industry is at an inflection point,” Marcellus said, adding that the next generation of investors in India – younger, urban, and increasingly educated – will include more women than present times. “Firms that build for this audience today will capture a disproportionate share of India’s wealth creation tomorrow,” it further said.

“There is a coherent story to tell: Indian women are better educated, increasingly employed, more financially active, and more credit-worthy than at any point in India’s modern economic history. The implications for financial services, consumer markets, and public policy are profound,” the report concluded.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)