Franklin Templeton India has announced the launch of its first Specialised Investment Fund strategy, Sapphire Equity Long-Short SIF, aimed at delivering long-term capital appreciation across market cycles.
The new fund, structured under the SIF framework, will invest across Nifty 500 stocks, offering exposure to large, mid and small-cap segments. The New Fund Offer (NFO) will open for subscription from April 10 and close on April 24.
Avinash Satwalekar, President, Franklin Templeton India, said the fund is designed for investors with a higher risk appetite, allowing flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions. He noted that unlike conventional mutual funds, SIF strategies can take short positions of up to 25 per cent of net assets, helping to manage downside risks during market corrections.
He added that the strategy leverages the company’s experience in quantitative investing, using a data-driven model that evaluates stocks based on multiple factors including quality, value, sentiment and alternative indicators.
Arihant Jain, Portfolio Manager of the fund, said the model systematically ranks stocks for both long and selective short positions, enabling balanced portfolio construction across varying market environments. He highlighted that the approach integrates factor-based insights with risk management and liquidity considerations to minimise unintended biases.
The fund follows a disciplined investment process combining quantitative analysis with oversight from the investment team to maintain stability while capturing opportunities in different market conditions.
The company stated that the strategy does not guarantee returns and is subject to market risks, advising investors to review all relevant documents carefully before making investment decisions.
