What is Nifty BeES? How It Works and Why It Matters

If you're a beginner looking to invest in the Nifty 50 index without any hassle, you've come across Nifty BeES. It is one of the most common options available and is simple to use for novice investors in their index-based investments. In this blog, we will discuss Nifty BeES, how it functions, the advantages it offers, along with the Nifty BeES investment strategy to help wealth-building.

 

What is Nifty BeES?

Nifty BeES stands for Nifty Benchmark Exchange Traded Scheme. It was established by Nippon India Mutual Fund and is now acknowledged as the first ETF in India. 

The top 50 businesses listed on the NSE are included in the Nifty 50 index, which is tracked by the Nifty BeES ETF.

This implies that participating in Nifty BeES entails investing in all 50 Nifty 50 companies such as TCS, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, and so forth.

 

Shortly put:

Nifty BeES = One fund that replicates the Nifty 50 index.

 

 

 

What Are Nifty BeES and How They Function?

To comprehend how Nifty BeES work, think of it as a mutual fund that can also be bought and sold as a stock. Buying a Nifty BeES unit gives you a proportionate stake in each of the 50 Nifty stocks that make up the index. 

E.g. 10% of your Nifty BeES investment will be in Reliance shares if Reliance Industries owns 10% of the Nifty 50.

   

How Nifty BeES Works (Step-By-Step):  

 

1. Composition: Nifty BeES holds every Nifty stock in the same proportion as the index, which is a total of 50.  

2. Trading: Like any other stock, it is traded on the NSE (symbol: NIFTYBEES).  

3. Price Variation: The Nifty 50 index directly influences the price of the Nifty BeES.  

4. Dividends: Nifty BeES typically reinvests the dividends to pay you higher returns which is contrary to the practice in other funds.  

 

Nifty BeES is directly proportional to the Nifty 50 index. If the Nifty is 26,000, Nifty BeES will be around ₹2,600.

Nifty BeES Investment Example

Imagine when Nifty BeES is at 26,000 and the Nifty 50 index at 26,000, you put in ₹26,000. When Nifty increases by 7.7% to 28,000, the value of your Nifty BeES will likely increase 7.7% too and be about ₹28,000.  

This value increase is sufficient reason for budding investors to  mirror index returns without having to actively manage a portfolio.

 

Why Nifty BeES Matters (All About Nifty Bees)

Nifty BeES was the first major step in passive investing for a lot of Indian investors. Before having access to Nifty BeES, investors had to buy individual stocks or index mutual funds, which was complex and time-consuming. Now because of Nifty BeES, Indian investors can: 

-  Easily Diversify:  Gain access to the top 50 Indian companies with a single investment.  

-  Trade When You Want:  Buy or sell at any time during market hours.  

-  Market Returns:  No stock selection is needed to be made or fund manager bias to be systemised.  

-  Spend Less:  Nifty BeES levies one of the lowest expense ratios (~0.05% per year).  

 

Advantages of Nifty BeES

1. Diversification:  Spreading risk in different sectors and companies.

2. Transparency: Investors can view holdings every day as it replicates the Nifty 50. 

3. Liquidity: Simple to sell/buy online anytime from the NSE within trading hours. 

4. Low Cost: It is less than half the price of an active mutual fund.

5. No Fund Manager Bias: Your returns are tied only to the Index performance.

6. Ideal for SIPs: It is easy to invest small amounts periodically.  

 

Risks of Nifty BeES

• While Nifty BeES is safer than individual stocks, it does carry market risk.

• Your Nifty BeES value will decrease when the Nifty 50 index also drops.

• It will never exceed the market - it will only index the market.

• Your returns may suffer due to short-term volatility if you are forced to cash out.

• Overall, the Nifty BeES investment strategy is best suited for more 5 to 10 years.

 

Nifty BeES and Other ETFs

If you're interested in Nifty BeES, you should take a look at these other ETFs that track different indices:

 

ETF Name	Tracks Index	Issuer
Nifty BeES	Nifty 50	Nippon India
Junior BeES	Nifty Next 50	Nippon India
Bank BeES	Nifty Bank	Nippon India
PSU Bank BeES	Nifty PSU Bank	Nippon India
CPSE ETF	CPSE Index	Nippon India
Bharat 22 ETF	S&P BSE Bharat 22	ICICI Prudential

 

This list of Nifty BeES alternatives allows you to take a step deeper into the themes of banking, PSU, or midcaps.

 

Nifty BeES Investment Psychology

This is how most people build their Nifty BeES investment strategy:

1. Long-Term SIP Approach:  Investing a fixed amount each month allows you to reduce the impact of volatility.

2. Portfolio Core: Using Nifty BeES allows you to achieve the goal of capturing the growth of India's GDP and corporations.

3. Rebalance Annually: Complement Nifty BeES with debt ETFs or gold ETFs to keep the risk under control.

4. Tax Efficiency: Nifty BeES is classified as an equity product. This means that long-term capital gains are taxed at only 10% (after ₹1 Lakh gains).  

 

 

Final Thoughts

To wrap up, Nifty BeES is clearly the simplest and most effective means of gaining access to the growth of the Indian stock market. It has affordable pricing, high degree of transparency, most importantly, considerable market returns for the limited effort that is required.

For new investors and long-term investors who want to invest in India, Nifty BeES should definitely be included as part of their portfolio to invest in. It is extremely versatile and can be used to set up Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs), as well as lump-sum and retirement investments. When you consider passive investments, remember that Nifty BeES allows you to access India’s most valuable companies through a single, sophisticated ETF.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is NOT any buy or sell recommendation. No investment or trading advice is given. The content is purely for educational and information purposes only. Always consult your eligible financial advisor for investment-related decisions.