Book Description

This revised, enlarged and up to date edition of a very successful book is the most important of its kind regarding the mutual funds industry in India. It providesa thorough analysis of mutual funds to the general public and fund managers alike. ... Read more

Book Description

The bible for mutual fund investors--completely updated with exclusive performance data, must-see Web sites, and profiles of the 100 most promising funds for the new millennium

Diversified, affordable, and easy to buy, mutual funds are hotter than ever.This unbeatable resource contains everything investors need to make the right fund choices, whatever their level of experience or investment objectives.A nationally recognized mutual fund analyst, Kirk Kazanjian provides clear, practical guidance for putting together a winning portfolio. Investors will gain a firm understanding of how mutual funds work, their advantages and drawbacks, how to buy them, and which funds best meet their personal needs and goals.

Thoroughly updated to reflect the realities of the year 2000, this indispensable annual features:

*Exclusive performance data for more than 8,000 funds from the Value Line Mutual Fund Survey
*Profiles of the year's top 100 most promising fund performers
*Reviews of 25 must-see Web sites
*Model portfolios with specific recommendations for distinct investment goals
*Worksheets to determine risk tolerance and optimal level of retirement savings

Timely, targeted, exhaustive, and reliable, NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF FINANCE GUIDE TO MUTUAL FUNDS 2000 gives investors the facts and guidance they need to create a top-notchinvestment plan. ... Read more

Book Description

This valuable reference book helps individuals evaluate closed-end fundsand benefit from the one-of-a-kind investment opportunities these funds offer. The new Morningstar Closed-End Fund 250 provides unbiased profiles of 250 of the best funds, including top-performing international offerings. Each full-page fund report features: Morningstars famous star rating--How well has the fund balanced risk and return? Manager profiles--Who runs the fund? Historical data--Is this a proven fund or a flashin the pan? A special section highlighting insightful commentaries from Morningstar's editors and analysts. ... Read more

Book Description

With folio investing, you can build your own "mini" mutual fund containing up to 50 stocks in companies you select.

Forinvestors with modest sums to invest, owning individual stocks once meant facing the risk of putting all their investment eggs in a limited number of baskets. Mutual funds provided investors with one more option, allowing them to spread their risk by owning a broad cross-section of companies. However, with mutual funds, investors have no control over which companies they own or how and when shares are sold, and they often end up with a tax burden based on the activities of the overall fund. To combine the benefits of owning risk-spreading mutual funds and the control of owning individual stocks seemed like an impossible dream.

Not any longer. Visionary online investment companies have created a new vehicle-the folio-that brings the best of both worlds to the reach of savvy investors. Folios allow investors to work with a given dollar amount, thus enabling them to buy fractional shares of stock in as many as 50 different companies. Investors are charged a modest fee-as little as $6.99 a month-that enables them to trade liberally within the folio without incurring the transaction fees paid to regular stockbrokers.

Independent stock and mutual fund analyst Gene Walden offers insights into this new hybrid investment vehicle. In plain language, he outlines the advantages and disadvantages, explains what folios are, how they work, and how they came to be, and he provides insights from the leading players in this budding new industry. He discusses everything investors need to know and constructs a number of sample folios, including:

• Powering up with a utility folio

• Selecting a folio of blue chip all-star stocks

• Investing ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Opened my eyes
I found this book very helpful because it opened my eyes to a whole new form of investing that I was never aware of before. It's well-written, gets to the point, and showed me very specifically how to set up my own divisified portfolio online, at an unbelievably cheap price. And what I really liked about the book was that it offered a number of pre-selected portfolios of blue chip-type stocks that you could start with immediately. Walden has done his research. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of a nationally syndicated column on mutual funds, the most comprehensive and objective guide available for people who want to make shrewd investment choices. ... Read more

Book Description

Following the same reader-friendly format as the highly-acclaimed original, this edition covers all the basics of fund investing and includes a host of new, important information. In her characteristic easy-to-read style, Dian Vujovich offers tips on global investing, answers to the ``most asked'' questions from shareholders, more information on variable annuities, and timely suggestions on how to invest in a bear market. With helpful reference guides and a list of definitive ``dos and don'ts'' for mutual fund investors, this book remains a rich source of to-the-point information and insider advice--even for experienced investors. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

For the first-time mutual funds investor only.
This book (the paperback version) presents basic information on mutual funds in a straightforward and understandable way. Most of the information can be obtained, however, by looking through the various mutual fund families' Web sites. (For example, the T. Rowe Price Web site has an outstanding explanation of mutual fund tax implications, much better than the rather basic explanation found in this book.) I have been investing in mutual funds for less than a year, but found that this book added very little to my knowledge. On the other hand, for the first-time M.F. investor who knows next to nothing about them, this book would be very useful--everything you need to know in one place. As usual, it all depends on your perspective... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kurt Brouwer and Stephen Janachowski, mutual fund specialists who manage more than $500 million in no-load portfolios, share their decade-long experiences obtained by handling today's hottest investment vehicle in Mutual Fund Mastery. Their comprehensive guide, geared toward those who want to plan how to fulfill specific needs and goals, offers clear explanations of fund types and common investment strategies as well as helpful details on top funds and inspiring profiles of successful individuals. Illuminating interviews with industry leaders such as Charles R. Schwab and Jane Bryant Quinn are included throughout the narrative. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great book for novice and experienced mutual fund investors
Both the experienced and novice mutual fund investor will find this book helpful. The interviews with some of the top mutual fund managers is very enlightening. Clear and simple instructions on how to build a mutual fund portfolio which meets your investment goals.

Best book on mutual funds I have read.
This is the one book I wish I had read BEFORE Black Monday. It would have saved me a lot of money. Most "how to" investment books are too simple, or needlessly complicated. This is the best, no nonsense, book that really helps me understand my investments. ... Read more

Book Description

Millions of people have switched their savings from bank accounts to mutual funds in hopes of earning higher returns; others put money into funds through 401(k) plans at work. Often they do so without knowing what they're doing and without specific goals. Countless more remain on the sideline, intimidated by their lack of knowledge and afraid to take risks. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Want to know how to invest? Buy this book.
Most investment books are a waste. They are either full of get-rich-quick schemes or lose their readers in complicated Wall Street jargon. This one is easy to understand. It has the basics for a novice investor, as well as more sophisticted help for experienced mutual fund buyers. The book is valuable because it tells you how to pull together a fund portolio that makes sense. Not just how to buy a fund, but what kind of fund to buy. Any dummy could have made money investing over the past couple of years. Now, with the markets so volatile, it is harder. A book like this one can really help.

A really simple readable book. Told me what I needed to do
I've been totally confused about mutual funds and investing. This book told it to me clearly. I feel a lot more confident about investing especially in my 401k.

Times changes
After seeing the bipolar reviews on this book, I decided to take a middle-of-the-road viewpoint. There are some reviewers who love the book, and others who simply hate the book. There is no need to bash the book...simply because it tells you things you already know. Do you think algebra books are useless because they tell you something you already know?

I think that this book is best for people who has ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE (i.e., non-investors) what they are doing. Then you're getting somewhere. If I put myself in these shoes, I see that this book gives you the motivation, reasons and means to start investing. A lot of times people don't know "how to" and "why" they should invest in the first place, and this book will help them. My favorite part of this book is the "common pitfalls" of a first-time investor. This book (which is really cheap if bought used) is worth reading just for that section.

On the bottom side, I agree with the nay-reviewers who see the book as outdated information. I am reviewing a book today in 2004, but it was printed in 2000. A lot of the "top choices" that was picked don't really work today (considering the bear market from 2001-2002). Some specific suggestions are outdated, but I still think that the overall theme still holds today. However, an intelligent investor will know that regular research and review of a their portfolio is essential to their financial health. Investment is an endeavor that involves a bit of risk. A first-time investor is wise to get adequate information before starting. In that case, this book is adequate as long as you follow the general guidelines.

What a terrific book
No mutual fund book is going to be a page turner, but this one really keeps things interesting and simple. It covers the basics, as promised, in the first 100 pages. Even people who know nothing about investing can learn what they need to know here. I was more interested in the advanced investing chapters, and the book excelled here, too. Little did I know that I owned several funds with the same investment style, and that's why I had done so poorly. This book helped me make a lot more money.

What a great book, and how quick and easy to read
If you're like me and don't understand a lot about mutual funds, I can't think of a better book. The chapter on index funds was very well done. In fact, I have decided to use index funds for most of my investing. The recommendations of other funds were also very helpful. Not everyone wants to spend his or her life learning about mutual funds. This book makes it possible to be a good investor without devoting your life to the task. ... Read more