Why Asia's richest man and BlackRock CEO want Indians to pick equities over gold

Core Viewpoint - BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani are encouraging Indian investors to shift their focus from gold to equity markets, highlighting the volatility of gold and the underperformance of Indian stocks [1][2]. Group 1: Investment Advice - Ambani emphasized that a significant portion of domestic savings in gold and silver is "unproductive," advocating for investment in the stock market where money can compound [2]. - The partnership between Reliance Industries and BlackRock aims to promote mutual funds in India, reflecting a strategic shift towards financialization of savings [2]. Group 2: Market Performance - The Nifty 50 index has seen a decline of nearly 2% so far this year, indicating underperformance in the Indian stock market [1]. - As of December, Jio BlackRock Asset Management reported assets under management of 31.98 billion rupees (approximately $353 million) across its equity funds, marking a growing interest in mutual funds [3]. Group 3: Consumer Behavior - Indians are among the top global buyers of gold, but there is a noticeable trend towards increasing financialization of savings, with mutual funds gaining popularity [3].