A reader asks, “I can not determine between Nippon India Nifty 50 Bees ETF and UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund. The ETF has a complete expense ratio of 0.05%, whereas the index fund’s TER is 0.2%. My mates inform me that ETF is sure to outperform the index fund over the long run and that selecting the ETF is a no brainer. Nevertheless, you repeatedly maintain asking us to keep away from ETFs. Are you able to please advise what to do?”
Your query jogs my memory of a line from the film the Status. Hugh Jackman’s character says, “worth shouldn’t be an object.” David Bowie’s character (Nikola Tesla) responds, “Maybe not, however have you ever thought of the price?” Sure, the value of investing in an ETF is way decrease than that of an index fund, however what about the price?
In contrast to an index fund, an ETF trades like a inventory (solely high-net-worth people can purchase and unload the market). Due to this fact the NAV of an ETF shouldn’t be related for monitoring errors or returns. Solely the market worth issues.
The value of an ETF ought to ideally observe the NAV of an ETF. It will probably commerce above/under the NAV for a number of days, however an AMC-authorized participant reduces this distinction by way of arbitrage.
Nevertheless, when there’s a supply-demand mismatch as a result of sudden optimistic or unfavourable developments, the ETF worth can considerably deviate from the NAV. The true price of investing in an ETF is that this price-NAV deviation.
Only a few ETFs in India persistently maintain this NAV-price deviation in examine. Only a few ETFs in India see lively buying and selling. A big AUM or lively buying and selling should not stipulations for low-NAV worth deviations.
If we evaluate the value of Nifty Bees (not NAV, by no means NAV!) with UTI Nifty, which might come out on high? Many would count on the ETF to win, however that isn’t essentially the case.
Suppose a fund’s expense ratio is the one motive for deviating from the index, the monitoring error will likely be zero. It’s because a set quantity is deducted from the NAV of the ETF/ index fund, and due to this fact the relative volatility wrt the benchmark is zero.
The primary sources of monitoring error in an index are the AUM in and outflow, the impression prices of shares (purchase vs promote worth deviation when bought in bulk) and company actions of shares (dividends, splits and so on.) That is notably infamous in small AUM index funds. See: These 5 index funds beat their indices! Why you must keep away from them!
An ETF additionally suffers from all these points. As well as, it suffers from demand vs provide in its buyers’ pool. Then there may be the licensed participant who would solely effectively scale back price-NAV deviation when there may be sufficient arbitrage incentive.
Due to this fact even earlier than we evaluate the returns, it’s clear that an index fund is the less complicated selection, however would the upper expense ratio makes a distinction to the returns?
The 1y, 3Y and 5Y rolling returns based mostly on ETF worth and index fund NAV are proven under. The date vary is from Aug 2nd 2016, to Sep thirtieth 2022.



Over 1 and three years, the distinction is negligible. Over 5 years, the ETF edges up with a mean greater return of 0.24%. The median return can also be the identical (to 2 decimals). Please notice that 5Y knowledge is just over a yr (see the vary of the X-axis shrink from 1 to five years).
Assuming each passive funds are simply as environment friendly in monitoring the index (given their particular circumstances), the ETF has a small edge originating, presumably due to the upper expense ratio of the index fund. In Could 2021, the UTI fund doubled its expense ratio from 0.1% in March 2021 to 0.2%. For its half, the ETF has had a gentle expense ratio of 0.05% solely from July 2019. Earlier than that, it was as costly because the UTI fund (0.1%); earlier than Could 2017, the ETF was costlier.

ETF or index fund, a easy thumb rule is when the expense ratio decreases, the fund home needs AUM and when it will increase, the fund home needs to revenue from the AUM enhance and expects the influx to be regular.
There may be one catch to purchasing an ETF, although. A demat account is critical, with its personal one-time and recurring prices (brokerage and upkeep price). So this could additional slim the hole within the five-year returns.
In abstract, though Nippon India Nifty 50 Bees ETF is a wonderful performer, the UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund is simply pretty much as good and is the less complicated selection for long-term investing. That mentioned, skilled buyers who can navigate the ETF worth volatility can definitely contemplate Nifty Bees.
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