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Why are mutual funds subject to market risk?

By Ibnu Jala
Last Updated on March 19, 2025
A visual representation of digital risk management, focusing on the market risks linked to mutual funds in today's economy

A mutual fund is a pool of securities with diverse asset classes from stocks, bonds, index funds, and debt funds. They are designed for long-term wealth building. You can choose to invest in mutual fund plans to achieve long-term financial goals.

The key to long-term wealth building is building successful mutual fund portfolios so that you can achieve early financial independence.

It requires planning, consistent investment, and strategic risk management because market risks influence the securities within a mutual fund plan.

This raises concerns among individuals about why mutual funds are so easily affected by market risks. It may also lead you to wonder how a mutual fund plan generates profits despite the market risks.

Well, let us tell you that these risks can be mitigated by implementing strategies. But for that, you should know about what the market risks are and the reason behind the market risks.

Therefore, today we will be exploring some of the reasons that can fuel market risks and why mutual funds are subject to market risks.

In addition to that, you will also learn about different types of market risks and measures to minimise the impact of the loss caused to a mutual fund plan by market risks.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about market risks.

Why are mutual funds affected by market risks?

The reason for market risk impacting mutual funds cannot be limited to one. Mutual funds are particularly affected due to market downturns. Market downturns are driven by broader reasons. 

But first, let’s understand what market risk is and then find out the reason behind market risk.

Understanding market risks

Market risk is a certain event or possibility that affects the performance and sustainability of a financial market. Market risks mainly exist due to price changes in stocks, commodities, exchange rates, and others. An individual or an organisation may undergo losses during market downturns caused by market risks.

 Market risks are classified into different types based on the nature of price change. Price volatility can occur for a variety of reasons, leading to market risk. The following are the reasons behind different types of market risks.

Reasons influencing different types of market risks

Market risks are driven by a broader range of factors. Market risks are not limited to stock price fluctuations or currency rate changes. Various factors contribute to market risk. In this section, you will discover various factors that contribute to market risks.

  • Company performance: The price of a stock is significantly influenced by a company’s performance. If a company performs weekly, investors are more likely to offshore their investments, leading to unsystematic equity risk.
  • Market sentiments: Market news such as conflict between companies, legal disputes, mergers, and acquisitions can influence the liquidity risk in securities, leading to affect mutual funds.
  • Geopolitical events: Global events such as trade wars, climate change policies, energy prices, and others also play a crucial factor in influencing various market risk concerns.
  • Economic conditions: Economic reports like GDP, inflation, unemployment, etc. play a key role in fuelling market risks, including interest rate risks, equity risks, and others that can impact the securities of a mutual fund plan.
  • Global crisis: Global crises are generally affected as a whole by the entire population as well as the majority of the asset classes. Moreover, a global crisis can lead to a rise in every type of risk.
  • Inflation: To maintain control over the economy, central banks implement various changes to policies, interest rates, increases in commodity prices, and others that can lead to market risks.
  • Fluctuation in commodity prices: The standard deviation of changes in commodities such as oil, food, or basic goods can greatly impact the stock market. A slight change in the volatility of the prices of these commodities can bring down the market’s overall performance.
  • Economic uncertainties: Changes in government, geopolitical tension, natural disasters, etc. These events may cause the economy of the country to decline.

These broader factors lead to the emergence of various types of market risks. Some of the common types of market risks are given below:

Types of market risks

  • Foreign exchange risk: Foreign exchange risk or exchange rate risk occurs when currency pairs are volatile. An individual or organisation may undergo losses during currency exchange, especially when foreign currency depreciates against your home currency
  • Interest rate risk: Interest rate risk is caused by drastic changes in interest rates. It mainly affects investments in bonds, which are appreciated with fixed interests.
  • Commodity risk: commodity risk is caused mainly due to changes in the price of commodities. It can affect the market price of various sectors. It is mainly caused by political instability, economic conditions, and others.
  • Economic risk: Economic risks are those types of risks that are caused due to economic uncertainties. An economic crisis that can affect the whole population will also impact the market.
  • Equity risk: Equity risk is the risk of losing the price value of a security. Equity risk is classified into systematic and unsystematic risk. Unsystematic risk can be mitigated, while systematic risk cannot because systematic risk is particularly influenced by global crisis.

These are some of the primary market risks that can arise during market downturns. Additionally, there are other market risks that arise due to specific causes.

How does market risk affect securities within the mutual fund?

Market risk comes in various forms. Each of its types affects various securities in a mutual fund. Here, you will find what kind of market risks the mutual fund securities are subjected to:

  • Stocks: Stocks are highly sensitive to any form of market risk. Whether it is currency exchange risk or economic factors, stocks are bound to be affected. Any negative effect on the company’s performance or specific sector can cause significant stock price movements.
  • Bonds: Bonds are not as sensitive as stocks. Bonds can yield more guaranteed returns than stocks. However, a significant change in interest rate, credit, and inflation can cause bond prices to fluctuate.
  • Index funds: Index funds are typically a basket of stocks. Therefore, it also reflects broader market risks and is impacted by market-wide risk factors.
  • Exchange Traded Funds: ETFs are also subjected to wider market risk factors because they track specific indices or asset classes. Like index funds and stocks, ETFs can drop during weaker conditions.
  • Debt funds: Debt funds are those investments made in bonds and other fixed-income securities. Hence, debt funds can be widely attributed to interest rate changes, credit risk, and inflation.

Overall, all the securities in a mutual fund plan are subjected to market risk in one way or another. Managing the risk is crucial to improving the performance of a mutual fund. Implementing risk assessment strategies and hedging may help to minimise the loss from these risks as well as recover from market downturns.

Strategic measures to minimise the impact of market risks

Market risks may not be able to be eliminated. However, by implementing several strategies, market risks can be dealt with while investing in mutual funds. The following are strategies to control market risks:

1. Investment diversification

Spreading the investment across different asset classes, sectors, and geographical regions can reduce the impact of a downturn on a single investment.

2. Asset allocation

Mixing equities, bonds, stocks, and cash based on the risk tolerance, financial goals, and time horizon to prevent a sudden downward in the assets. Adjust this allocation as the situation changes.

3. Systematic investment planning

SIPs can help mitigate the market volatility in mutual funds. Cultivating the habit of investing a regular monthly amount may help to balance market fluctuations more effectively.

4. Risk Assessment

Determine and understand the potential risks in each of the mutual fund portfolios to balance the volatility of the funds and avoid greater risks.

5. Regular monitoring of the mutual fund portfolios

Regularly monitoring and staying updated on market trends, economic changes, and geopolitical events may help to acknowledge the potential crashes in the market prior to the incident.

6. Long-term investment

Investing for a long time often eliminates the drip of mutual funds. Mutual funds are generally designed to invest for a longer period of time. Long-term markets are considered to increase and generate huge profits. Opting for long-term investments has lower chances of risk.

7. Professional guidance

Always consult a professional trader when in doubt. Financial advisors can provide reliable and personalised advice to navigate the market out of uncertainties.

The phrase mutual fund is subject to market risk often scares beginners. By implementing these strategies, the negative impact on mutual funds can be diminished.

Is it a good idea to invest in mutual funds when there are market risks?

So if you are wondering, whether it is a good idea to invest in a mutual fund plan? Then yes, it is a good investment plan for long-term financial goals. 

Mutual fund plans are designed for long-term wealth building. Hence, mutual fund plans can overcome market downturns in the long run.

During market downturns, mutual fund performance may be impacted. However, its performance will improve over time. Because market downturns caused are not permanent. It is temporary, and the market begins to take its flight back when the problem that caused the market risk depreciates. 

Investing in a mutual fund plan for a longer tenure can build your wealth at a significant rate. The historical data on stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments shows potential returns in the long run. 

Data indicates that the securities eventually overcome market downturns and perform well in the long term. So, in the long run, mutual fund plans can overcome market fluctuations.

Conclusion

From this evaluation, we believe we have addressed all the necessary information about why mutual funds are subject to market risk. Market risks are common for investors who are into investing and trading. 

As you can see, there are lots of types of market risks and several reasons to fuel these risks. However, neither of these risks is permanent. 

With proper education and guidance, these market risks can be minimised to some extent. Thus, mutual funds are not affected as much as they could have been. 

Implementing risk management strategies like diversification and asset allocation can prevent the impact of market risks caused by geopolitical reasons, economic issues, and others. 

Therefore, becoming aware of the strategic and risk management decisions might help you learn better about mitigating the risks associated with mutual funds.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or investment advice. Stock market investments are subject to market risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers are encouraged to do their own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. The author and publisher are not liable for any financial losses or damages incurred from following the information provided in this blog.

Author Info

Ibnu Jala

Ibnu Jala is an experienced professional in the financial markets of India and the Middle East, renowned for his trading expertise and mentorship. His passion for neuroscience drives his research, blending finance and science seamlessly. With a Bachelor’s in Law from India and an MBA from the UK, Ibnu Jala has a diverse academic background. In addition to being a seasoned investor and serial entrepreneur, he currently leads FinQuo Versity as its CEO.

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