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How To Read a Mutual Fund Table
Columns 1 & 2: 52-Week Hi and Low. These are the highest and lowest prices that the mutual fund has been at over the previous 52-weeks (1year). This typically does not include the previous day's price.
Column 3: Fund Name. This Column lists the name of the mutual fund. The company, which manages the fund, is written above in bold type.
Column 4: Fund Specifics. Different letters and symbols have various meanings. For example, "N" means no load, "FR" is frond end load, and "B" means the fund has both front and back-end fees. For other symbols see the legend within the paper.
Column 5: Dollar Change. The dollar change is the price of the mutual fund from the previous day's trading.
Column 6: % Change. The percentage-change in the price of the mutual fund from the previous day's trading.
Column 7: Week High. The highest price the fund traded at during the past week.
Column 8: Week Low. The lowest price the fund traded at during the past week.
Column 9: Close. The last price the fund was traded at.
Column 10: Week's Dollar Change. The dollar change in the price of the mutual fund from the previous week.
Column 11: Week's % Change. The percentage-change in the price of the mutual fund from the previous week.
Summary
- A mutual fund brings together a group of people and invests their money in stocks, bonds, and other securities.
- The advantages of mutual funds are professional management, diversification, economies of scale, simplicity, and liquidity.
- The disadvantages of mutual funds are costs, over-diversification, possible tax consequences, and that professional management doesn't guarantee a superior return.
- There are many, many types of mutual funds. You can classify funds based on asset class, investing strategy, region, etc.
- Mutual funds are easy to buy and sell. You can either buy them directly from the fund company or through a third party.
