The differences between open~end and closed~end mutual funds

written by: Jack Travers; article published: year 2006, month 08;



In: Categories » Legal and finance » Stocks and mutual funds » The differences between open~end and closed~end mutual funds

An open-end mutual fund has an unlimited number of shares. You can buy these shares through either the mutual fund company or your broker. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that each mutual fund company calculate the NAV (net asset value) of each fund every day at the close of business.

A closed-end mutual fund is a hybrid: part mutual fund and part stock. A closed-end mutual fund is a publicly traded investment company with a limited number of shares. According to the Investment Company Institute (www.ici.org), in August 2004, the combined assets of the nation’s closedend funds were over $232 billion. As of June 30, 2004, there were 604 closed-end funds.

The total of number of June 2004 closed-end funds can generally be divided into two categories. Bond closed-end funds totaled 458, and equity closed-end funds totaled 146. Specifically, closed fund types include closed-end stock funds (investments in common and preferred stocks), closed-end bond funds (investments in a range of bonds), closed-end convertible bond funds (with portfolios of bonds that can be converted to common stocks), closed-end single country funds (specialize in stocks from one country or geographical region), and so on.

One of the things to keep in mind when you purchase a closed-end fund is that the investment company doesn’t stand ready to redeem its own shares from shareholders, and it rarely issues new shares beyond its initial offering. That’s why it’s a closed fund. You can buy or sell these shares only through a broker on the major stock exchanges. The value of these shares isn’t calculated by using the NAV methodology. Instead, shares are valued by using a method similar to bonds and are traded at either a discount or a premium. Market prices of publicly traded closed-end mutual fund shares are published daily. The Closed-End Fund Center, located at www.closed-endfunds.com, is sponsored by the national trade association of the closed-end fund industry. This Web site offers detailed investor education, a portfolio tracker, and data about specific closed-end funds.

legal disclaimer

1) Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article as well for any and all copyright infringements by authors and writers. E-articles is a free information resource. If you suspect this article for any copyright infringements, please read the Terms of service and contact us to investigate the problem.
2) The E-articles directory team is not responsible for inaccuracies, falsehoods, or any other types of misinformation this tutorial may contain and will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by a user through the user's reliance on the information gained here. Please read the Terms of service

Useful tools and features

Translate this article to...    Send this article to you or to a friend

Link to this article from your page   
If you like this article (tutorial), please link to it from your web page using the information above. Linking to this page, this is the only way to help us improve our service, the same time providing your visitors with a way to improve their online experience.

related articles

1. Pros and cons of the penny stock
Usually, penny stock investments are a way to earn preety handsome returns but it's at risk. It all depends if someone knows the best way to choose his penny stock. Before putting in their money, investors should be well advised to do a full basic research on the target penny stocks. If you can identify undervalued stocks, they might become a goldmine for you. But keep in mind you may also end by losing your money if you misread any upward movement in the penny stocks market. Fraud can be  easily smelled by the potential ...

2. The pros and cons of stock trading
Stock trading is an important activity for the business people related to the trading business. The purpose of this activity is simple: to invest in the business and to raise capital. This article speaks about how does the stock trading work, its pros and cons. The new trading techniques made life easier and provide possibilities for everyone who really wants to get in this business. Also, while the internet provides full access, you may receive daily updated information about your stock trading venture. ...

3. Buying Mutual Funds Online ~ No Broker Needed
Before you invest in a mutual fund, read the fund’s prospectus so that you understand exactly what you’re investing in. Next, fill out the online account application form for the mutual fund company. At companies like Vanguard (www.vanguard.com), depending on the type of type of account you desire, you can open an account online or print the application and mail it to the mutual fund firm. For specific details about opening an account, contact the fund company or broker. In general, you need to com...

4. Guidelines About When Is The Right Time to Sell Your Mutual Funds
If your fund becomes one of the worst performers, consider selling. However, you need to look at more than just the fund’s rating. Consider these guidelines for determining when to sell a fund: You may want to sell if you have overlapping stocks in your portfolio. (For more about overlapping stocks, see the sidebar “Checking for overlaps in your mutual funds.”) You can use the Morningstar Portfolio X-Ray feature (portfolio.morningstar.com) to discover whether the two growth mu...

5. ECNs ~ It`s Not Your Grandfather`s Market Anymore
Recent changes in SEC regulations and technology have transformed how investors interact with the stock market. I explain these changes in the following sections, and I show you how these changes enable online investors to make more money on their investments. In the following sections, you gain an understanding of what happens after you click your mouse button to execute an online trade. You also discover how you can avoid hidden transaction costs by using an electronic communications network (ECN) and how you benefit from ECNs ...

6. Mutual Fund Basics
Over the years, the stock market has outperformed any other investment. Unlike a mutual fund, however, individual investors frequently can’t purchase a large number of different securities to diversify their investment risk. Buying shares in a mutual fund solves this problem. When you invest in a mutual fund, the diversity of the portfolio reduces the risk of losing your total investment. Selecting the right fund may be difficult, but you can find plenty of online help. Assume that you have $1,000 to inves...

7. How to Screen Mutual Funds Online
The Internet provides a variety of mutual fund screening tools that sort thousands of mutual funds by criteria that you select. For example, you may want one type of fund for your children’s education — something long term because you don’t need the money for 10 to 20 years — and a different fund for your retirement to help you reduce your current tax liabilities. With these online screening tools, you can evaluate several funds that meet your financial needs. Most of the stock-screenin...

8. Advantages and Disadvantages of Mutual Funds
As a general rule, the first palce to start analyzing a fund is by by comparing its expense ratio to similar funds. All funds have fees and expenses, but the amounts vary. In addition to sales and redemption fees, the mutual fund’s prospectus indicates the fund’s management and administration expenses. The fund’s investment advisor generally receives 0.5 to 1.0 percent of the fund’s average daily net assets. Administrative expenses include legal, auditing, and accounting costs, along with the f...