Mutual Funds

Learn the calculation process for the Sortino ratio formula and discover new skills to evaluate downside volatility and potential losses in your portfolio.

LEAPS® options provide a helpful alternative for investors caught between whether to buy a stock or a short-term options contract. Learn more in this overview.

What is the Information ratio? The Information ratio (IR) measures the risk-adjusted returns of a particular asset or portfolio against a benchmark. Learn more.

Learn how to calculate the Sharpe ratio to gauge risk, compare investments, and make informed decisions based on risk-adjusted returns in your portfolio.

What is a stock ticker symbol, and how do you read it? Stock symbols are abbreviated company names. Learn more about how to read ticker symbols in this overview.

Mutual funds are one of the most popular investment choices some people make when seeking to build a diversified portfolio. Find out why and learn how to choose mutual funds that align with your savings goals.

Learn more in this guide about how to invest in mutual funds, which can help diversify your portfolio and provide exposure to many parts of the market.

What is a money market fund? Typically, they invest in higher-yield, short-term debt securities. Are they right for your portfolio? Learn more here to find out.

Despite new threats from some instability in the banking industry, the Federal Reserve hiked the fed funds rate by 25 basis points in March, while still focusing on combating inflation.

The situation may relieve some pressure on the Federal Reserve, possibly leading to a pause or slowing in its current rate-hike cycle.

Index funds are a common choice among long-term investors. Learn more about how to invest in index funds within different sectors and industries in this primer.

Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds incur expenses, which can be passed on to the fund’s investors. The expense ratio, expressed as a percentage, represents the annual fee a fund charges its investors or shareholders.

Learning how to invest can feel like exploring a new or unfamiliar city. Branch out and discover investing styles and advanced concepts in this overview.

Wash sale tax rules have been recently reported by brokers as wash sale adjustments as part of covered cost-basis reporting. Learn more about the breakdown here.

When your broker or financial advisor recommends that you read an investment or fund prospectus, it’s for a good reason. A prospectus can offer clues to help you assess an investment’s risks.

What’s the difference between ETFs vs. mutual funds? Learn how some investors choose ETFs and mutual funds to pursue portfolio diversification.

Growth stocks and growth mutual funds can fit into investment portfolios of people planning to retire in the coming few years, retirement experts say.

Learn about basic capital gains tax on investment rules and tax-loss harvesting strategies to help maximize after-tax returns and potentially reduce the amount you owe.

When bonds and dividend yields can’t keep pace with inflation, how should investors plan for retirement? One idea is to take a total return approach.

Financial Literacy Month is a good time to think about your financial wellness. Have you set goals, and are you on track to get there?

ESG investing has gained traction in recent years, but not all funds are the same. How do you know if your investments are aligned with your personal ESG hierarchy?

Now that the elections are settled, some new certainty can help guide investment choices. Contemplate long-term fundamentals and portfolio diversification.

Considering exchange-traded funds (ETFs)? Understand fit, style, and value before you shop.

Recent events have increased interest in adding diversity as a component of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. But getting robust data has been a challenge.

Markets—and the economy in general—tend to run in cycles, and each phase tends to favor certain sectors. Learn how sector investing can help investors seek specific objectives.

Target-date funds, also sometimes called life cycle funds, offer some simplicity, but it’s important to be aware of the drawbacks before investing.

Closed-end funds are a subset of mutual funds with some unique characteristics versus typical open-end mutual funds. Here’s the rundown.

Index funds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Actively managed funds versus passive management. What do all these terms mean? Here’s a breakdown for investors.

When volatility rears its occasional head, some investors consider cashing out stocks. But are there better ways to ride out market volatility? Cameron May explains.

What is a smart-beta ETF? Explore what qualifies as a smart-beta fund and what systems define this type of ETF.

If you’re considering fixed-income investments as a way to diversify your portfolio and target a steady stream of income, you might want to give fixed-income mutual funds a look. Here’s what you need to know.

Fake news and misinformation about a company can negatively impact share prices, and even if it’s a temporary price move, investors can get caught flat-footed. Here’s how you can help protect yourself and your portfolio.

New to income investing? Learn about three approaches: dividends from equity holdings, interest from bonds and fixed-income securities, and income from a multi-asset portfolio. Each comes with its own potential benefits and risks.

What positive practices in environmental friendliness, corporate governance, and positive employee relations make different companies qualified to be called “socially responsible”?

Learn the basics of mutual funds, the benefits and risks of mutual fund investments, and how to find a mutual fund that aligns with your objectives.

Understanding the basics of a mutual fund. This is a brief mutual fund 101 defining what is a mutual fund.

If you have both taxable and tax-advantaged accounts and can choose which securities are held in which accounts, here are some ideas to help you decide where to invest.

ETFs may be used to produce a stream of income, and offer potential benefits of portfolio diversification.

When deciding whether to invest in ETFs or mutual funds, it may help to know whether you're an active or buy-and-hold investor.

Socially responsible investing, which lets you align your portfolio with your values, has grown in popularity in recent years, bolstered by product innovation. Learn more here.

Junk bonds—or high-yield bonds—can be quite risky, but may still have a place in a portfolio.

Many have heard of “sell in May and go away.” What other seasonal factors, both well known and obscure, are out there and perhaps moving the markets?

The Securities and Exchange Commission is implementing new rules for and reforming money market funds. Learn what this means for money market funds.

In recent years, passively managed index funds have attracted big money flows. What are the advantages and risks of investing in index funds?

Avoid that dreaded all-your-eggs-in-one-basket cliché and look to a bin of mutual funds for diversification.

There’s a way to generate “income” from dead investments, even if they aren’t optionable—how to hedge mutual funds with options.

The rising costs and spotty track record of actively managed funds leads some investors straight to indexing. Others are looking for their stock market savior.

A winning well -thought- out investment plan requires you need to dig deeper to get an edge on the crowd. Here’s a few secondary ways to play big themes.