HSBC Small Cap Fund - Direct Growth

HSBC Small Cap Fund - Direct Growth ranks among the stronger performers in the Small Cap category, currently carrying a 3-star rating. It has delivered steady, if unspectacular, returns over a full market cycle. TopFund's composite Health Score, which weighs rating, 3-year CAGR, expense ratio and fund size, puts it at 81/100.

Cost: At 0.76%, the expense ratio is roughly in line with the Small Cap category average of 0.81% — cost isn't a standout factor either way for this fund.

Risk-adjusted performance: Over the trailing 1-year period, the fund shows a modest Sharpe ratio of 0.16 — returns have only marginally compensated for the risk taken. Separately, annualised volatility of 17.81% is fairly typical for actively managed equity funds.

Who should invest: This fund is best suited to investors with a 7-10 year horizon who can stomach 30-40% drawdowns in a bad year in exchange for higher long-term growth potential. Given the Very High risk rating, this fund is not suited to short-term goals or investors who may need to exit within 2-3 years.