Want to retire early? Investment expert warns against depending of portfolio amid volatility in stock markets

With rising conversations around retiring early, Compcircle MD Gurmeet Chadha has recently warned people about underestimating the financial risks.

"Lot of us want to Retire early at 45-50. With life expectancy increasing, u will have to depend on your portfolio for 30 years plus n keep catching up with inflation. So If u r in your 30s-40s , ur working life is 10-15 years & retirement life cud be 30-35 yrs. Having equities in a balanced manner is a must for survival. Ignore short term noise. Build for long term," said Gurmeet Chadha, Managing Partner & CIO, Compcircle, wealth and asset management firm.

Since September, Nifty and Sensex have declined by approximately 12%, with several sectors experiencing even sharper falls. The foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have been net sellers, offloading about $23 billion from October 2024 to January 2025.


The prevailing narrative attributes this to a weakening Indian economy. However, a closer examination reveals a more nuanced reality. The narrative: A weak Indian economy? The dominant narrative suggests that a weak Indian economy is driving FIIs to sell. This view is supported by India’s GDP growth for Q2 FY25, which was 5.4%, below the typical 6%-8% range.

Overall earnings growth for Indian companies was around 4% year-on-year. However, excluding metals and oil & gas, earnings growth was in double digits. High inflation has seemingly weakened Indian consumer purchasing power, reflected in the slow growth of several FMCG companies. Additionally, the depreciation of the INR against the USD has compounded concerns. However, a deeper look at the data suggests a different reality.