 |
| Image: Moneybestpal.com |
An index fund is a kind of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) used in finance that aims to mimic the performance of a certain market index, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average.Â
Due to the fact that they are not actively managed by a fund manager but rather merely make an effort to mimic the performance of the underlying index, index funds are regarded as passive investments.
An index fund's goal is to expose investors to a wide variety of assets in a specific market or asset class while reducing costs and maximizing returns. Typically, index funds are designed to maintain a portfolio of stocks or other securities that closely resemble the make-up of the target index.
Since less research and analysis is required on the part of fund managers, index funds typically have lower management fees than actively managed funds. Investors who subscribe to the efficient market hypothesis, which contends that consistently outperforming the market over the long run is difficult or impossible, also frequently choose index funds.
Investing in index funds, however, may also have certain disadvantages. Index funds are vulnerable to the same risks and swings as that index because they follow a particular index's performance. Index funds may not offer the same potential for high returns as actively managed funds, as they do not seek to outperform the market through the careful selection of particular stocks.
An index fund's goal is to expose investors to a wide variety of assets in a specific market or asset class while reducing costs and maximizing returns. Typically, index funds are designed to maintain a portfolio of stocks or other securities that closely resemble the make-up of the target index.
Since less research and analysis is required on the part of fund managers, index funds typically have lower management fees than actively managed funds. Investors who subscribe to the efficient market hypothesis, which contends that consistently outperforming the market over the long run is difficult or impossible, also frequently choose index funds.
Investing in index funds, however, may also have certain disadvantages. Index funds are vulnerable to the same risks and swings as that index because they follow a particular index's performance. Index funds may not offer the same potential for high returns as actively managed funds, as they do not seek to outperform the market through the careful selection of particular stocks.
