Passive mutual funds’ assets rose 5.2% to ₹13.67 lakh crore in October. Gold ETFs drew ₹7,743 crore of inflows during the month, reflecting heightened allocation to precious metals. Equity mutual fund inflows eased to ₹6,026 crore after an 8.8% decline. The broader passive category expanded due to index funds and sectoral ETFs gaining traction across institutional and retail investors.