What is CPSE ETF?

What is CPSE ETF?

Learn what a CPSE ETF is, its top holdings like NTPC and ONGC, historical performance. Understand how this government-backed fund can diversify your portfolio.

If you’re an investor looking for a unique and rewarding way to build a diversified portfolio, CPSE ETF could be the perfect solution. In this blog, we’ll delve into what CPSE ETF is, how it works, its advantages and risks, and why it’s gaining popularity among both seasoned investors and newcomers alike.

Understanding CPSE ETF

CPSE stands for Central Public Sector Enterprises. Presently, CPSE Exchange-Traded Funds are increasing in popularity among investors. This article is specifically crafted to help you understand everything about them. Right from the CPSE ETF’s full form to its importance, working, historical analysis, risks, and more, we will discuss everything you need to know about CPSE ETFs to make an informed investment decision.


To kick off the discussion, let us elaborate on CPSE ETF full form, explain its meaning and discuss a few top stocks. CPSE ETF stands for Central Public Sector Enterprise Exchange-Traded Fund. CPSEs are companies owned and managed by the Government of India. CPSE ETF is also established by the government as an investment option for the Indian financial market.


The CPSE ETF is a special financial asset that enables investors and traders to own shares that are a cumulative group of PSEs. Like individual stocks, CPSE ETFs are also traded on a stock exchange. They offer an economical and transparent option to investors to diversify their investments. These ETFs allow a trader to widen their exposure and spread out the risks arising from volatility.

Overview of the Top 10 holdings in the CPSE ETF portfolio

With the CPSE ETF full form and meaning clarified, let us take a look at a few of the top stocks in the CPSE ETF.

  • NTPC Ltd: NTPC Ltd. is the domestic leader in power generation with 73,000+ MW power capacity. It is instrumental in fulfilling domestic power needs with its diverse range of thermal, solar, wind, and hydropower plants.
  • Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd: This company operates under the status of Maharatna and deals with electricity transmission utilities.
  • Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd: This company is India’s top oil and natural gas outfit. It is a global leader in exploring crude oil and natural gas. ONGC is responsible for approximately 70% of the crude oil and 84% of natural gas that is produced in India.
  • Coal India Ltd: CIL is the largest coal producer globally. The company achieved Maharatna status in 2011 and operated under the aegis of the Ministry of Coal.
  • Bharat Electronics Ltd: This company is a PSU and focuses on defence electronics and aerospace. The company undertakes the design, development, production, and supply of high-end electronics. Bharat Electronics is a Navratna company and an important part of the CPSE ETF list.
  • NHPC Ltd: The primary role of NHPC is to manage the end-to-end process of the development of hydro projects throughout the country. The company has also widened its operations to enter into wind and solar power generation. The company also takes on power trading, project management, contracts, and consulting services.
  • Oil India Ltd: OIL is a Maharatna entity which is into exploration, production and transportation of natural gas and crude oil. This is India’s second-biggest crude oil and natural gas company.
  • SJVN Ltd: SJVN takes on hydroelectric power generation projects. The company is headquartered in Shimla and is a Mini Ratna business.
  • NBCC (India) Ltd: This company deals with government real estate and construction projects. It achieved Navratna status in 2014 and has been achieving crucial milestones for the country’s development since its inception.
  • Cochin Shipyard Ltd: A Mini Ratna company, Cochin Shipyard is the primary shipbuilding and repairing yard in the country, with more than five decades of experience. Not only is the company extremely proficient at shipbuilding, but it also provides other services like refits, vessel construction offshore, and conversions, among others.

Features of cpse ETF

Since learning the CPSE ETF full form, we have illustrated the range of diverse companies that are a part of the ETF. Beyond the companies that form the ETF, let us now understand the core features of the ETF itself. These are:

  • CPSE ETF is a fund which is passively managed. As the fund mimics an index, the investment is comparatively low maintenance. Being a passive fund, CPSE ETF has the lowest expense ratio in the industry which is presently at 0.05%.
  • These ETFs can be flexible and have no essential holding period.
  • ETFs can be purchased from the stock exchanges. Even the purchase of one unit gives exposure to a diverse set of stocks in the market.
  • A breakdown of CPSE ETFs reveals that over 98% of the funds have investments in the equity market. Further, close to one-third of the equity is invested in large-cap companies.
  • Predominantly, the bouquet of companies in CPSE ETF is formed by oil and gas and power industries.

Comparison with other types of ETFs and investment options

One of the unique aspects that makes CPSE ETFs stand out is that while other ETFs can track a general market index, these ETFs only track the performance of public sector enterprises. With passive portfolio management, CPSE ETFs also become cost-effective for investors.


When compared with traditional individual stock trading, ETFs keep you secure against market risks as your investment is spread out. Although, this does not mean that CPSE ETFs are free from risks as they are also vulnerable to negative impacts arising from economic conditions, government policies, etc.

Also read: Tick size

How does CPSE ETF work?

The crux of a CPSE ETF is the assets that it contains, the stocks of CPSEs. These government-owned enterprises are critical for the economy of India. They are spread across sectors like infrastructure, energy, banking, and more. ETF performance is directly associated to the cumulative performances of these company stocks. When you buy an ETF share, your investment will be spread across the stocks of all these PSEs, enabling you to benefit from the collective gains and minimise the potential for overall losses.

Role of the government of India in managing CPSE ETF

The government is a central figure in the management of CPSE ETFs. The Investment and Public Asset Management department directly creates and launches the ETF, in addition to finalising the portfolio composition. With the government still having a major share in CPSE ETFs, it is clear that they have an interest in encouraging the profitability and growth of these enterprises.

Advantages of investing in CPSE ETFs

Let us move beyond the CPSE ETF full form and take a look at some of the major pros of investing in CPSE ETFs:

  • Diversification: Portfolio diversification is perhaps the most prominent advantage of CPSE ETFs as when you buy an ETF share you essentially buy a group of stocks. These companies are spread across multiple sectors which reduces investment risk.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Owing to the passive management, the CPSE ETFs have to just mimic an index. This does not involve a lot of trading, saving the transaction and management fees. Passive management also helps investors pocket a higher margin in returns, maximising profits.
  • Liquidity and flexibility: As these ETFs are listed on stock exchanges, they are highly liquid assets. In addition, you can trade in these at any time of your choice, as there is no lock-in period. All these factors make CPSE ETFs a highly liquid and flexible investment option.
  • Long-term stability in returns: A major part of the basket of shares in CPSE ETFs belongs to big and established companies in the public sector. These companies have a proven record of consistent performance and regular dividend payouts. This makes ETFs a solid option for all investors who are looking for steady long-term returns.

Performance and historical analysis of CPSE ETFs

One of the best methods for understanding the CPSE ETF’s historical performance will be to go back to 2014 to analyse the first CPSE ETF share. Even if we take a couple of subsequent launches into account, looking at the net asset values will help you understand how the ETF performance has been over time. In addition, this will also illustrate that these funds have maintained stable performance during times of market volatility.

An important facet here is to separately analyse the long-term and short-term returns as it provides insights regarding the market influences and the overall ETF potential. As an investor, analysing the historical performance is an important criterion in making the decision to invest.

Also read: Covered call

Factors affecting the performance of CPSE ETF

Despite all the benefits and the potential for long-term stable returns, simply knowing the CPSE ETF’s full form and the basics may not be enough to make the most profits in the market. It is also important to know, in addition to the CPSE ETF full form, the various factors that influence the performance of CPSE ETF. These include:

  1. Market conditions: No investment is immune to market conditions. ETFs can also show growth if the overall market is bullish and correct its movement when the market turns bearish.
  2. Sectoral performance: Companies in specific sectors can have different performances with varying impacts on the ETFs. For example, a strong performance of companies in the energy sector can increase the profitability of CPSE ETFs.
  3. Government policies: As the PSEs are government-owned and managed, the policies and regulations of the government directly impact CPSE ETFs. These decisions could be concerning economic reforms, initiatives, disinvestment, etc.
  4. Inflation and interest rate: Sentiments in the market are directly impacted by inflation and interest rates. This, in turn, has an indirect impact on CPSE ETFs.
  5. Global events: While domestic changes affect the ETFs, even global events have the potential to impact the domestic markets, investor sentiments, and the performance of CPSE Exchange-Traded Funds.

How to invest in CPSE ETF?

With the CPSE ETF’s full form, meaning, working, advantages, and risks explained, let us finally lay down concise steps to invest in CPSE ETF.

  • Research and analyse: The first step is to research the performance of available CPSE ETFs and undertake fundamental and technical analysis to assess which options align with you.
  • Choose: Then, it is time to identify the best option that helps fulfil your financial objective as per your risk appetite.
  • Have a Demat Account: This one’s simple, a Demat account is an essential for investing. Without it, you will not be able to trade.
  • Place the order: After everything is in order, you can use a trading account to place an ETF purchase order on an exchange.
  • Monitor: Once you have opened a position, it is crucial to track and analyse the performance of your portfolio and make adjustments as needed.

Also read: What is SEBI?

Conclusion

CPSE ETF full form is the Central Public Sector Enterprises Exchange-Traded Fund. These are a viable investment option for those seeking diversified exposure to government-owned companies with cost-effective management and long-term stability. However, you must be aware of the associated risks, including market volatility and government policy changes, to make informed decisions.

Features and Benefits of LAS

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Tenure 36 months

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Frequently Asked Questions

CPSE ETF

Is CPSE ETF a good investment?

CPSE ETF can be a solid investment as it has significantly outperformed its category averages over 1-year (125.17% vs. 98.0%), 3-year (57.18% vs. 45.33%), and 5-year (31.15% vs. 30.02%) periods, indicating strong past performance. However, as an investor, you should also consider other factors like risk and market conditions before investing.

Can I sell ETFs anytime?

Yes, you can sell ETFs anytime. There are no restrictions on how often you trade. You can invest with as little as Re. 1 using fractional shares and executing trades throughout the day without waiting for the end-of-day NAV calculation.

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