₹19,416 cr bought, ₹10,963 cr sold: Where top flexicap funds put money in August

Top 23 flexicap funds made significant portfolio changes in August, with net purchases of ₹19,416 crore against ₹10,963 crore of sales. The flows show a clear preference for pharmaceuticals, realty and capital markets, while petroleum products and IT software saw the sharpest outflows.

Top flexicap funds increased exposure to 188 stocks worth ₹11,049 crore and made fresh purchases in another 93 stocks worth ₹8,367 crore during August, according to FinAlpha data. On the selling side, exposure to 153 stocks was reduced by ₹7,707 crore, while 76 stocks worth ₹3,256 crore were completely exited.

The buying was led by a mix of large established companies and newer portfolio additions. HDFC Bank saw the biggest increase in exposure at ₹980 crore, followed by Mahindra & Mahindra at ₹836 crore and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries at ₹556 crore.

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Biggest increased exposures

Fresh buying was particularly notable in UltraTech Cement, which received ₹988 crore from the funds. DLF and Life Insurance Corporation of India followed, with fresh purchases of ₹947 crore and ₹933 crore, respectively.

Biggest fresh buys

The sectoral flows indicate where fund managers deployed capital during the month. Pharmaceuticals recorded the highest net inflow at ₹1,498 crore, followed by realty at ₹1,082 crore and capital markets at ₹1,022 crore. Retailing, healthcare services and cement were among other sectors that attracted sizeable inflows.

Sector-wise net inflows

The selling activity, meanwhile, was concentrated in several financial, automobile and energy names. Power Finance Corporation recorded the largest reduction at ₹605 crore, followed by ICICI Bank at ₹587 crore and Maruti Suzuki India at ₹434 crore.

Biggest reduced exposures

At the sector level, petroleum products saw the highest net outflow at ₹425 crore, followed by IT software at ₹270 crore and oil at ₹244 crore.

Among complete exits, Cyient led with ₹400 crore, followed by ICICI Lombard General Insurance at ₹242 crore and Indian Oil Corporation at ₹235 crore.

The August moves therefore point to active portfolio rotation rather than a uniform risk-on or risk-off approach, with flexicap funds simultaneously adding to select growth-oriented sectors and trimming exposure to others.