3 industries where managers of small‐cap mutual funds went looking for treasure

Small-cap fund managers in India have identified three sectors with high potential returns in recent years: specialty chemicals, consumer durables, and building materials. These sectors have outperformed others due to attractive valuations, above-average growth rates, and strong demand tailwinds. More than 95% of the small-cap funds in India have allocated investments in these sectors, although more than 50% of the fund managers have reduced weights and partially booked profits in the last year. The consumer durables industry has seen significant growth due to lifestyle changes and urbanization, while the specialty chemicals industry has witnessed phenomenal growth due to increasing demand from the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Building materials have been liked by small-cap fund managers due to their long-term growth prospects and direct link to the booming construction and infrastructure industry. Choosing the right sector and weightage is essential for producing alpha for fund managers.