Investment in the stock market is a perception of many factors such as long-term versus Short-Term, high-risk versus low-risk. Unfortunately, the knowledge of financial markets is yet to get disseminated entirely in India. Unfortunately, the new investors in India begin their investment journey through stock recommending TV channels and news, which are usually biased with their views and paid promotions. However, each investor has their risk-return profile, and this is where the Smallcase comes into the picture
What is a small case?
Smallcases are investment vehicles that work as a personal mutual fund or a personal financial advisor of the investor. So, a smallcase is the investor’s own low-cost, long-term driven, and diversified portfolio based on some theme, strategy, or investment objective in mind.
Who manages small cases?
As per Regulation 3 of SEBI (Investment Advisors) Regulations, 2013, it is illegal to provide investment advice in India unless the person is registered with the SEBI or unless the person is otherwise exempted from registration. Smallcase is managed by SEBI Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). RIA is a financial advisor having the fiduciary responsibility to provide financial advice considering the client’s best interest. Based on the service provided, they charge a flat fee that is fixed for a year and an ongoing fee based on the investment’s progress.
Role of SEBI Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)
The most critical role of the SEBI Registered Investment Advisor is to understand the various factors affecting the investor’s investment. Following are the crucial factors that a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor needs to consider for an investor:
• The risk profile of the investor (i.e., high-risk, medium-risk, or low-risk perception)
• Return profile considering the risk objective of the investor (i.e., return as per risk perception)
• Tax position of the investor (i.e., suggesting investment products based on which tax bracket the investor lies in)
• The time horizon of the investor (i.e., short-term, long-term, or medium-term)
• Liquidity constraints of the investor (i.e., amount of liquid cash to be kept in a bank account in case of emergencies situations)
• Legal factors of the investor
• Any unique investment objective of the investor (i.e., any specific theme of investment)
• The small case is more of a theme-based investing. Themes can be investing in only those companies that pay out large dividends or investing in only ethically-rich companies such as TATA Groups, or Companies that will grow due to an increase in rural consumption, or those dealing in specialty chemicals, and so on.
• The RIA has a role in suggesting a suitable strategy to the investor depending on the various factors discussed above. The different strategies can be goal-based investing, sector-specific investing, ESG investing, Corporate Governance investing, etc.
• It is obliged to keep the interest of the client above the personal interest. They are required to behave ethically in all dealings with the client. He should not disclose the investment details of his client to the public at large.
• The RIA does not hold the money of the client. A Demat account is opened in the name of the client. The client has complete control over the invested funds and the securities held. The role of RIA includes assisting the client in opening the Demat Account, providing timely advice to clients for stocks appropriate for the client, Rebalancing The Portfolio, and regular performance review.
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Conclusion:
Financial markets in India are evolving to consider the customized needs of each investor. Smallcases are the best fit for such customized needs wherein investors have their risk-return profile and strategy in mind. SEBI RIA helps such investors to get into a suitable investment strategy.
