Millions of mutual fund shareholders check their mutual fund nav on a consistent – frequently on a daily – basis. For many it is virtually a ritual ceremony, determining the current standing of their investments and working out whether whether they’re still ahead, further behind, or barely staying even. But are mutual fund nav numbers even correct?

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A futures contract is a standardized contract between two parties in order to exchange a specified asset for a price that is agreed upon today with the delivery be found at a specified future date. The price that is agreed upon is called the futures price or the strike price. The date specified for delivery is called the delivery date.

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Understanding mutual funds in the newspaper

We’ve all seen the financial pages in the newspaper. Usually we flip past
it on the way to the comics, the horoscope, of if you’re like me, to the
sports section. But what do all those squiggles and arrows mean anyway,
and now that you’re thinking about investing in mutual funds, can you see
how your fund is doing every day in the morning paper?

The answer is, of course, yes. And not only that but mutual fund listing
are a bit easier to read with less complicated jargon that reading the
stock prices next to it. Most major daily newspapers have the mutual fund
section separate form the rest of the stock and bond information. There
is usually a large, bold headline showing where the fund are listed.

Now that you’ve found (more…)

The concept of risk versus reward is the basis for not only mutual fund
investing, but investing altogether. The same system of risk versus
reward can be translated to almost every part of life. When you analyze a
situation, you can determine the possible risks of doing something and
then the possible rewards of doing something and decide what the best
course of action is for you. Determining your risk versus reward strategy
for mutual fund investing is key.

The first thing investors of all stripes need to learn is that while
mutual funds are a fun, exciting and easy way to invest, there is always
a chance, no matter how slim, that you could lose every single penny you
invest. That (more…)

For many investors, the choice of possible investments can be
overwhelming. There are stocks, bonds, commodities, securities and lots
of other choices. One of the most popular choices is mutual funds. These
diverse and complex investments have become one of the most popular ways
to invest and Americans have been taking part in mutual fund investing
for many, many years.

The first ever mutual fund, known as the Massachusetts Investors Trust
was born in 1924, but the idea of a group of investors pooling their
money together for one big investment goes back even farther. Evidence of
this style of investing can be traced back to Europe in the mid-1800s.
The staff and faculty at Harvard University were the first group (more…)

When you first get into investing, you have to have a clear idea of what it
is you want to accomplish. Most people have long term financial goals like
saving for retirement or saving for a second home or maybe to put the kids
through college. You also have a time frame. You have 20 years to make this
money, or if you get into investing at a younger age, you could have 40 or
50 years to spend investing before your goal comes due. These are all
vitally important questions that you need to have answered before you start
investing. They will tell you what sort of fund to select for your
portfolio. Here are a few general tips for selecting a fund that’s right
for you.

If your goal is to (more…)

For most people, investing in mutual funds is pretty straight forward. You
have specific goals that need to be met. You and your partner are
approaching mutual fund investing with your eyes open and you’re both on
the same page. Granted, she may want that pretty cottage down by the lake
and you want that new speedboat, but both your goals involve water, and
that′s close enough for you. But what if you’re in a completely different
boat? What if you know you need to invest, but you have two equally
important goals pulling you two different ways? This is the case with
thousands of parents who see the need to save for retirement but also want
to save for the kids’ college education. How can you do both at the same
time? Here (more…)