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There are over 4,300 different mutual funds in existence
today. The Investment Company Institute, a national
association of mutual funds and other investment companies,
classifies these funds into 21 major categories according to
their investment objectives.
We have listed below a brief description of each category.
====================
Aggressive Growth Funds:
Seek maximum capital gains as their investment objective.
Current income is not a significant factor. Some may invest
in stocks of businesses that are somewhat out of the
mainstream, such as fledgling companies, new industries,
companies fallen on hard times, or industries temporarily
out of favor. Some may also use specialized investment
techniques such as option writing or short-term trading.
Balanced Funds:
Generally have a three-part investment objective: 1) to
conserve the investors' initial principal, 2) to pay current
income, and 3) to promote long-term growth of both principal
and income. Balanced funds have a portfolio mix of bonds,
preferred stocks, and common stocks.
Corporate Bond Funds:
Like income funds, seek a high level of income. They do so
by buying bonds of corporations for the majority of the
fund's portfolio. The rest of the portfolio may be in U.S.
Treasury bonds or bonds issued by a federal agency.
Flexible Portfolio Funds:
May be 100% invested in stocks OR bonds OR money market
instruments, depending on market conditions. These funds
give the money managers the greatest flexibility in
anticipating or responding to economic changes.
GNMA or Ginnie Mae Funds:
Invest in mortgage securities backed by the Government
National Mortgage Association (GNMA). To qualify for this
category, the majority of the portfolio must always be
invested in mortgage-backed securities.
Global Bond Funds:
Invest in the debt securities of companies and countries
worldwide, including the U.S.
Global Equity Funds:
Invest in securities traded worldwide, including the U.S.
Compared to direct investments, global funds offer investors
an easier avenue to investing abroad. The funds'
professional money managers handle the trading and
recordkeeping details and deal with differences in
currencies, languages, time zones, laws and regulations, and
business customs and practices. In addition to another
layer of diversification, global funds add another layer of
risk - exchange-rate risk.
Growth Funds:
Invest in the common stock of well-established companies.
Their primary aim is to produce an increase in the value of
their investments (capital gains) rather than a flow of
dividends. Investors who buy a growth fund are more
interested in seeing the fund's share price rise than in
receiving income from dividends.
Growth and Income Funds:
Invest mainly in the common stock of companies that have had
increasing share value but also a solid record of paying
dividends. This type of fund attempts to combine long-term
capital growth with a steady stream of income.
High-yield Bond Funds:
Maintain at least two-thirds of their portfolios in
lower-rated corporate bonds (Baa or lower by Moody's rating
service and BBB or lower by Standard & Poor's rating
service). In return for a generally higher yield, investors
must bear a greater degree of risk than for higher-rated
bonds.
Income-Bond Funds:
Seek a high level of current income for their shareholders
by investing at all times in a mix of corporate and
government bonds.
Income-Equity Funds:
Seek a high level of current income for their shareholders
by investing primarily in equity securities of companies
with good dividend-paying records.
Income-Mixed Funds:
Seek a high level of current income for their shareholders
by investing in income-producing securities, including both
equities and debt instruments.
International Funds:
Invest in equity securities of companies located outside the
U.S. Two thirds of their portfolios must be so invested at
all times to be categorized here.
Long-term Municipal Bond Funds:
Invest in bonds issued by states and municipalities to
finance schools, highways, hospitals, airports, bridges,
water and sewer works, and other public projects. In most
cases, income earned on these securities is not taxed by the
federal government, but may be taxed under state and local
laws. For some taxpayers, portions of income earned on
these securities may be subject to the federal alternative
minimum tax.
Precious Metals/Gold Funds:
Maintain two thirds of their portfolios invested in
securities associated with gold, silver, and other precious
metals.
State Municipal Bond Funds - Long-term:
Work just like other long-term municipal bond funds except
their portfolios contain the issues of only one state. A
resident of that state has the advantage of receiving income
free of both federal and state tax. For some taxpayers,
portions of income from these securities may be subject to
the federal alternative minimum tax.
State Tax-exempt Money Market Funds:
Work just like other tax-exempt money market funds except
their portfolios contain the issues of only one state. A
resident of that state has the advantage of receiving income
free of both federal and state tax. For some taxpayers,
portions of income from these securities may be subject to
the federal alternative minimum tax.
Taxable Money Market Funds:
Seek to maintain a stable net asset value by investing in
the short-term, high-grade securities sold in the money
market, such as treasury bills, bank certificates of
deposit, and commercial paper (the short-term IOUs of large
U.S. corporations). Money market funds limit the average
maturity of their portfolio to 90 days or less.
Tax-exempt Money Market Funds - National:
Invest in municipal securities with relatively short
maturities. Investors who use these funds seek investments
with minimum risks. For some taxpayers, portions of income
from certain of these securities may be subject to the
federal alternative minimum tax.
U.S. Government Income Funds:
Invest in a variety of government securities. These include
U.S. Treasury bonds, federally guaranteed mortgage-backed
securites, and other government notes.
*** End of Chapter ***