| One of the advantages of mutual funds is the | | | | available to stocks, part to bonds and part to real |
| fact that, they allow for the diversification of your | | | | estate among other investments. |
| investment portfolio. Many investors pool | | | | The choice of the mutual funds stocks or bonds |
| resources in the investment for the sole purpose | | | | to invest in is dependent on the market |
| of making profits. However, in order to avoid | | | | capitalization of the company that is issuing the |
| losses, the investors put their money into sectors | | | | option, and how that particular company is able to |
| that are not related, such that, when one | | | | weather out the effects of any down turn in the |
| investment goes down, its effect on the overall | | | | market. Stocks, bonds or securities in a certain |
| performance of the portfolio is balanced by the | | | | industry tend to move together because of their |
| one that will make profit, or the one one that will | | | | dependence, for example, when the oil prices go |
| stay stable. | | | | up, the energy stocks value will go down since |
| As an investor, in order for to diversify your | | | | their operation costs shoot up. |
| investment, you need to invest your money in a | | | | The ultimate importance of a mutual fund |
| wide range of investment options ranging from | | | | investment is to spread the risk associated with |
| stocks, bonds, money market securities to real | | | | investing in only one bond, stock or option. Some |
| estate and business opportunities. This is made | | | | investors make the mistake of investing their |
| possible through investment in mutual funds, | | | | money on the companies that are controlling the |
| where managers of the fund monitor and | | | | markets today, only to wake up tomorrow to |
| measure the performance of the pool against the | | | | find them down. A recent good example is how |
| odds that face the investment. These managers, | | | | Enron and Worldcom sunk millions of investors |
| do these by allocating part of the resources | | | | heard earned dollars. |