The information provided are for general consumption only. Do not construe this as an offer/advice/research to buy/sell any securities

MLDs.png

MLD (Market Linked Debenture)

MLDs or market-linked debentures are fixed income instruments whose returns are linked to an external benchmark, generally a stock market index. MLDs are typically issued (or sold) by private entities. They are free to choose the external benchmark they want to link the MLD to. MLDs are of two types – principal protected, and non-principal protected. In a principal protected MLD, the bond holder’s principal is safe from the performance of the external benchmark. However, in a non-principal protected MLD, even the principal is at risk if the external benchmark’s value is not in favour of the bond holder.

People

Invest in safer portfolio without compromising returns.

Dezerv Debt PMS strategy designed by our investment experts

Learn more

up arrow

Filters

Issuer name
collapse
search
No results found
Issuer type
collapse
Returns Type
collapse
Returns
collapse
Credit Rating
collapse
Payment Frequency
collapse
Perpetual
collapse
Seniority in Repayment
collapse
Instrument Security
collapse
Instrument Category
collapse
Coupon Basis
collapse
Coupon Type
collapse
Zero Coupon
collapse
Listed
collapse
Show basic filters
collapse

Showing list of 2,387 bonds

Bond name

Rating

Coupon Rate

Payment Freq

Maturity Date

Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity06 Nov 23
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity02 Aug 24
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity15 Feb 27
Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity07 Nov 22
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity13 Jul 27
Unrated
Variable Couponon Maturity24 Sep 23
Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity10 Nov 22
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity26 Oct 27
Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity18 Feb 27
CRISIL
PP-MLD AA-
5.77 GSEC 2030 LINKEDon Maturity13 Sep 24
Acuite
PP-MLD C
G SEC LINKSubject to Availability of Funds28 Apr 23
Acuite
BBB+
3 MONTH T-BILL LINKEDMonthly23 Mar 23
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity06 Jan 27
BRICKWORK
PP-MLD A+
GSEC LINKED- REFER REMARKSon Maturity14 Jan 26
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity04 Dec 24
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity23 Feb 24
Unrated
NIFTY 50 INDEX LINKEDon Maturity22 Dec 26
Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity04 Aug 23
Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity27 Dec 26
Unrated
NIFTY LINKEDon Maturity12 Jun 26
1-20 out of 2,387

Dezerv Dynamic Debt Plus Strategy

Invest in safer portfolio without compromising returns.

Tick

Portfolio contains diversified set of bonds & InvITs

Tick

Bonds of trusted companies like Incred, Piramal, etc.

Tick

Handpicked bonds using in-house risk framework

up arrow

Book a call

Minimum Investment: ₹50 Lakhs

Banner

What are Market Linked Debentures?

MLDs or Market Linked Debentures are fixed income securities with performance linked to a predefined market index. The linked market index could be an equity index like NIFTY 50 or a debt instrument like 10-year Government of India bond yield or any other index/price.

Typically, MLDs don’t have interest payments associated with them. They are zero coupon bonds.

What is the full form of MLDs?

MLDs stands for Market Linked Debentures.

Who can issue MLDs in India?

MLDs can be issued by companies with net worth of at least Rs. 100 crore. It is important to note that governments (state and central) do not issue MLDs.

How are MLDs linked to the market?

The payoff (returns) of an MLD is linked to the performance of an index.

For example, an MLD could have a clause like investors get 8% return if NIFTY 50 is at or above 13,000 during the time of maturity. If NIFTY 50 is below 13,000, the investor will lose all the interest (in case of principal protected MLDs) or lose all the interest + principal (in case of non-principal protected MLDs)

Are MLDs linked only to the equity market?

MLDs can be linked to any index across any asset class. It could be NIFTY 50 from the equity asset class or T-bill index from the debt asset class. The issuer of the bond chooses the index to link the performance of MLD to.

What are the types of MLDs?

MLDs are of two types: principal protected and non-principal protected.

Principal protected MLDs: These MLDs will protect the investor’s investment (principal) even if the external index hasn’t moved favourably for the investor. The maximum loss for the investor is only the interest.

Non-principal protected MLDs: Investing in these MLDs is very risky because the investor may lose all his investment as well as the interest.

Are MLDs risk free?

MLDs are not risk free. In fact, the performance of the market is an added risk in MLDs when compared to other bonds.

Who should invest in MLDs?

Investors should consider MLDs only if they understand bond risks and the additional risks of market linked performance being a factor. Retail investors with limited knowledge of bonds should stay away from MLDs or seek financial advice before investing.

Market linked debentures taxation

MLDs have a different treatment from normal bonds because the payoff is market-linked.

Taxation on interest payments of MLDs: Taxed as per marginal income tax rate of the investor

Taxation on capital gains of MLDs: Listed and unlisted MLDs have different capital gains tax treatment. Listed MLDs are taxed as per investor’s marginal income tax rate if held for less than 12 months, otherwise a flat 10%. Unlisted MLDs are taxed as per investor’s marginal income tax rate if held for less than 36 months, otherwise a flat 10%.

Why are MLDs taxed at 10%?

MLDs are linked to the market (mostly, an equity index like NIFTY 50 or SENSEX). Because of this factor, MLDs are taxed lower - at 10% for more than 12 months (in case of listed MLDs)

Risks of investing in MLDs

MLDs are subject to the same risks that other bonds are subject to. These are credit default risk, reinvestment risk, interest rate risk and liquidity risk.

In addition to these risks, MLDs are also subject to an external benchmark risk of a specific asset and hence market risk of the asset class.

Advantages of investing in MLDs

The biggest advantage of investing in MLDs is the better tax treatment they enjoy than other types of bonds and debentures.

What are the best market linked debentures in India?

Here is a framework to find the best market linked debentures (MLDs) for you in India. 

First, you should invest in MLDs where the issuer credit rating aligns with your risk profile. If you are a low risk investor, stick to AAA or AA rated MLDs only. Second, the best MLD for you will align with your investment timeframe. MLDs typically don’t have interest payments. Hence, you need not worry about reinvestment risk. But that also means that they are more volatile than normal bonds.

But MLDs have a different risk that other Bonds are not subject to - market risk. You should have confidence that the benchmark will move against you. This may require an additional study of the asset class the benchmark belongs to. Hence, we recommend retail investors to stay away from MLDs and invest in them only under expert guidance.

Still got questions? We’re here to help.

MLDs are generally zero coupon bonds that pay no interest.
Market-Linked Debentures (MLDs) can be issued by corporations with a minimum net worth of Rs. 100 crore. Each issuer has the freedom to choose the underlying index or security to which the investor's payoff is linked.
Yes, MLDs have a market risk but whether it is high is debatable. Most MLDs have very unlikely clauses under which investor will have a negative payoff (0% return or loss or principal)
MLDs are zero coupon instruments where the final payoff is linked to an external benchmark or price of a security. NCDs, on the other hand, are instruments that pay regular interest and are not linked to an external benchmark or security price.
Market-Linked Debentures (MLDs) are non-convertible debentures issued by corporations. The pay-off or gain from these instruments is linked to a market index (like NIFTY 50 or government bond yield).

Starting from January 1st, 2023, the minimum investment required for Market-Linked Debentures has been reduced to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 10 lakhs.

What are the major types of Market Linked Debentures?

Market-linked debentures come in two main types:

  1. Principal Protected: These MLDs ensure that the principal amount invested is protected, even if the market performs poorly.
  2. Non-Principal Protected: In these MLDs, the principal amount is not guaranteed. Returns depend on the market performance, which means there's a potential for higher returns but also higher risks.
People

Invest in safer portfolio without compromising returns.

Dezerv Debt PMS strategy designed by our investment experts

Learn more

up arrow