Sector funds

Sector funds

When investing in mutual funds, most investors look for various strategies to diversify their financial portfolio. Investing in several asset types, such as equity, debt, real estate, gold, etc., is one method of diversification. Making investments in several economic areas is another well-liked method of diversifying portfolios. Several mutual funds enable investors to put money into one or more economic sectors. 

What are sector funds? 

As its name suggests, a sector fund is a type of investment vehicle that focuses on companies that fall under the purview of a single industry or sector. 

Since there are many different economic sectors nowadays, a sector fund assists investors in focusing their search by providing investment options tailored to their specific needs. The main goal of investing in sector funds is to profit from an expanding sector to provide solid returns while a boom occurs. 

Sector fund investing 

Sectoral funds are mutual funds that invest primarily in the stock of businesses in a particular industry or area. They are narrowly focused on the sector even though they invest in various capital-sized stocks. They are, therefore, both extremely dangerous and highly profitable.  

While sectoral funds are equally susceptible to market instability, they might offer high yields when the sector has significant growth potential.  

Investors should be aware that these products are characterized by volatility and concentration concerns, making them suitable for high-risk investors looking to build a corpus over the long term. As a result, it is suggested that savvy investors, rather than novices invest in sectoral funds. 

Factors to consider 

Before investing in sectoral funds, you should consider the following factors: 

  • Sector funds do not fall under the umbrella of mutual funds, which are advised for all investors, especially those new to the financial markets. A sector fund purchase is a wager on the prospects of a certain industry. Thus, it may not be the best choice for novice investors. 
  • Not all industries are comparable or equal. A sectoral fund that targets one industry differs from one that targets a different industry. Before investing in a sector, you must understand what motivates that industry. 
  • Sector funds can be employed for diversification, even though they are focused based on the reason for their creation. However, the goal must be clear; you must have answers to the issues of which industry must be invested in and what portion of the entire portfolio should be placed in such a fund. 
  • Sectoral funds are not all created equal. There are significant variances in investment and stock quality, even among investors in the same industry. Before you choose to invest your hard-earned money, it is vital for you to research these disparities and other issues. 
  • Be aware that sector funds carry a fair amount of risk, potentially more than a normal diversified fund would. If the volatility ever becomes unsettling, check to see if your risk tolerance is sufficient. 
  • Instead of relying on uninformed recommendations, thoroughly research the industries and understand how their cycles function. The investigation is needed because some sector might not be right for you. 

 

How do sector funds work? 

A sector fund is typically used in a top-down investment strategy, in which you identify the market segments that are anticipated to be profitable and purchase mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in a basket of stocks representing that segment rather than buying individual stocks. Despite changes in the business cycle that may cause some sectors to do better than others at particular points in time, investing in sector funds is to maximize profits. 

Sector funds benefit from certain portfolio diversification owing to their many holdings; nevertheless, due to their concentrated sector exposure, total sector funds will be subject to abnormal risks that will impact the whole portfolio. Without any compensation from investments within a sector that is performing well, the fund that is concentrated in that sector will also perform poorly if that sector performs poorly. 

Advantages of sector funds 

The benefits of investing in sector funds are: 

  • You have the chance to generate returns that outpace inflation. 
  • You gain access to a varied portfolio of stocks from businesses with various market capitalizations in a specific industry. 
  • An effective investment choice for long-term financial needs is sector funds. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Sectoral funds can be quite profitable if you have a lot of expertise in a particular business or strong convictions based on your research in a particular sector. Investing in a sector fund makes sense for individuals who buy individual stocks. An investor can invest in several businesses from the same industry through a sector fund instead of simply one. This broadens an investor’s portfolio and reduces the negative effects. 

Before investing in a sector fund, you must be aware of and make sure of the following: 

  • There are higher risks with sector funds, and you must be prepared to take them. 
  • You must ensure that your investment goals align with the fund’s goals. 
  • As they represent a higher concentration risk, limit the percentage of these funds in your portfolio to no more than 15%. 
  • Before investing in a sector fund, you should carefully analyze and evaluate the market environment. 

Sectoral funds invest in a particular industry, such as pharmaceuticals, finance, or real estate. On the other hand, thematic funds invest in a topic focused on a concept or objective that spans several industries. Thematic funds offer more diversity than sectoral funds, but both are high-risk, high-return equity funds. 

Related Terms

    Read the Latest Market Journal

    100% Spenders in Singapore: How to Break Free from Living Paycheck to Paycheck

    Published on Sep 17, 2025 146 

    In 2024, 78.3 per cent of companies in Singapore granted wage increases as compared to...

    Recognising Biases in Investing and Tips to Avoid Them

    Published on Sep 4, 2025 265 

    Common biases like overconfidence, herd mentality, and loss aversion influence both risk assessment and decision-making....

    What is Money Dysmorphia and How to Overcome it?

    Published on Sep 4, 2025 122 

    Money dysmorphia happens when the way you feel about your finances doesn’t match the reality...

    The Employer’s Guide to Domestic Helper Insurance

    Published on Sep 2, 2025 1722 

    Domestic Helper insurance may appear to be just another compliance task for employers in Singapore,...

    One Stock, Many Prices: Understanding US Markets

    Published on Aug 26, 2025 1238 

    Why Isn’t My Order Filled at the Price I See? Have you ever set a...

    Why Every Investor Should Understand Put Selling

    Published on Aug 26, 2025 288 

    Introduction Options trading can seem complicated at first, but it offers investors flexible strategies to...

    Mastering Stop-Loss Placement: A Guide to Profitability in Forex Trading

    Published on Aug 19, 2025 1665 

    Effective stop-loss placement is a cornerstone of prudent risk management in forex trading. It’s not...

    Boosting ETF Portfolio Efficiency: Reducing Tax Leakage Through Smarter ETF Selection

    Published on Aug 15, 2025 361 

    Introduction: Why Tax Efficiency Matters in Global ETF Investing Diversification is the foundation of a...

    Contact us to Open an Account

    Need Assistance? Share your Details and we’ll get back to you

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION

    This material is provided by Phillip Capital Management (S) Ltd (“PCM”) for general information only and does not constitute a recommendation, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of any offer to invest in any of the exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) or the unit trust (“Products”) mentioned herein. It does not have any regard to your specific investment objectives, financial situation and any of your particular needs. You should read the Prospectus and the accompanying Product Highlights Sheet (“PHS”) for key features, key risks and other important information of the Products and obtain advice from a financial adviser (“FA“) pursuant to a separate engagement before making a commitment to invest in the Products. In the event that you choose not to obtain advice from a FA, you should assess whether the Products are suitable for you before proceeding to invest. A copy of the Prospectus and PHS are available from PCM, any of its Participating Dealers (“PDs“) for the ETF, or any of its authorised distributors for the unit trust managed by PCM.  

    An ETF is not like a typical unit trust as the units of the ETF (the “Units“) are to be listed and traded like any share on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (“SGX-ST”). Listing on the SGX-ST does not guarantee a liquid market for the Units which may be traded at prices above or below its NAV or may be suspended or delisted. Investors may buy or sell the Units on SGX-ST when it is listed. Investors cannot create or redeem Units directly with PCM and have no rights to request PCM to redeem or purchase their Units. Creation and redemption of Units are through PDs if investors are clients of the PDs, who have no obligation to agree to create or redeem Units on behalf of any investor and may impose terms and conditions in connection with such creation or redemption orders. Please refer to the Prospectus of the ETF for more details.  

    Investments are subject to investment risks including the possible loss of the principal amount invested. The purchase of a unit in a fund is not the same as placing your money on deposit with a bank or deposit-taking company. There is no guarantee as to the amount of capital invested or return received. The value of the units and the income accruing to the units may fall or rise. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of the future or likely performance of the Products. There can be no assurance that investment objectives will be achieved.  

    Where applicable, fund(s) may invest in financial derivatives and/or participate in securities lending and repurchase transactions for the purpose of hedging and/or efficient portfolio management, subject to the relevant regulatory requirements. PCM reserves the discretion to determine if currency exposure should be hedged actively, passively or not at all, in the best interest of the Products.  

    The regular dividend distributions, out of either income and/or capital, are not guaranteed and subject to PCM’s discretion. Past payout yields and payments do not represent future payout yields and payments. Such dividend distributions will reduce the available capital for reinvestment and may result in an immediate decrease in the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Products. Please refer to <www.phillipfunds.com> for more information in relation to the dividend distributions.  

    The information provided herein may be obtained or compiled from public and/or third party sources that PCM has no reason to believe are unreliable. Any opinion or view herein is an expression of belief of the individual author or the indicated source (as applicable) only. PCM makes no representation or warranty that such information is accurate, complete, verified or should be relied upon as such. The information does not constitute, and should not be used as a substitute for tax, legal or investment advice.  

    The information herein are not for any person in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or availability for use would contravene any applicable law or regulation or would subject PCM to any registration or licensing requirement in such jurisdiction or country. The Products is not offered to U.S. Persons. PhillipCapital Group of Companies, including PCM, their affiliates and/or their officers, directors and/or employees may own or have positions in the Products. Any member of the PhillipCapital Group of Companies may have acted upon or used the information, analyses and opinions herein before they have been published. 

    This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.  

     

    Phillip Capital Management (S) Ltd (Co. Reg. No. 199905233W)  
    250 North Bridge Road #06-00, Raffles City Tower ,Singapore 179101 
    Tel: (65) 6230 8133 Fax: (65) 65383066 www.phillipfunds.com