Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Radhika Gupta Calls Gold the ‘Joker’ in Diversified Portfolios
Radhika Gupta explained that something valuable is not always a good investment.
She used jewellery as an example because it can be difficult and costly to sell.
People who want to invest in gold can use financial products such as gold funds instead.
She said gold should be only one part of a portfolio.
Equity can help money grow over time.
Debt can provide steadier returns.
Gold may perform well when other investments are struggling.
Gupta compared this mix to a balanced Indian thali.
She also compared mutual funds to a food court that does much of the investment work for people.
Radhika Gupta said investors should distinguish valuable possessions from suitable financial investments.
She advised buying financial gold rather than jewellery when seeking exposure to gold prices.
Gupta described equity as the engine of wealth creation, debt as a stabilizer, and gold as a crisis hedge.
She said many portfolios should contain about 10% gold, alongside equity and debt.
Gupta compared mutual funds to a food court that helps investors choose investments without selecting stocks themselves.
- Who
- Radhika Gupta, managing director and chief executive of Edelweiss Mutual Fund.
- What
- Gupta explained how investors should combine equity, debt, and gold, and why financial gold may be preferable to jewellery as an investment.
- When
- At the India Today Woman Summit 2026.
- Where
- The discussion took place at the India Today Woman Summit 2026; the articles do not specify a location.
- Why
- To explain how investors can distinguish personal possessions from liquid financial assets and build a diversified portfolio.
- Recommended gold allocation
- Gupta said most portfolios have about 10% gold.
- Gold investment preference
- She advised investors seeking gold exposure to consider financial gold, such as gold funds, instead of jewellery.
- Equity’s role
- Gupta described equity as the engine of wealth creation and portfolio growth.
- Debt’s role
- She described debt as a fixed-income component offering stable, safer returns that are less affected by sudden market shocks or political events.
- Bank-account returns
- Gupta said keeping money in a bank account yields about 4% to 5% after tax.
- Inflation comparison
- The article says inflation in India is also around 4% to 5%.
- Mutual-fund analogy
- Gupta compared mutual funds with a financial food court that offers reasonably cheap, tasty, and visible investment options.