Mutual Fund and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) Team Assignment
1. What is a Mutual Fund? What are the advantages/disadvantages of investing in mutual funds?
2. What is an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)? What are the benefits/disadvantages of investing in an ETF?
3. What factors, criteria, and/or variables should be considered when selecting a mutual fund or ETF?
4. What is wrong with Mutual Funds? What do you recommend to help minimize this problem?
5. What is an index fund? Why are index funds effective?
6. What is the difference between a no load and load mutual fund? Do you recommend a load or no load?
7. What is a “Family of Funds” or “Funds Family”? Provide an example.
Domestic Stock (Equity)
Category
Small-Cap-Value
Small Cap-Growth
Mid Cap- Value
Mid Cap-Growth
Large Cap-Value
Large Cap-Growth
Select one mutual fund or ETF that you would recommend in one of these categories. Justify your
selection based on the expense ratio, tax efficiency, management, and/or any other criteria.
What are the top three holdings in the mutual fund or ETF you are recommending?
International Stock (Equity)
Category
International
Foreign
Europe
Diversified Pacific/Asia
Latin America
Diversified Emerging
Markets
Global Real Estate
Select one mutual fund or ETF that you would recommend in one of these categories. Justify your
selection based on the expense ratio, tax efficiency, management, risk, and/or any other criteria.
What are the top three holdings in the mutual fund or ETF you are recommending?
Bonds (Debt)
Category
Short Term Government
Intermediate Government
Long Term Government
Short Term (Corporate) Bond
Intermediate Term (Corporate) Bond
Long Term (Corporate) Intermediate
Bond
High Yield Bond
Municipal Bond
Inflation Protected – TIPS (US Treasuryissued inflation protection
Select one mutual fund or ETF that you would recommend in one of these categories. Justify your
selection based on the expense ratio, tax efficiency, management, risk, and/or any other criteria.
What are the top three holdings in the mutual fund or ETF you are recommending?
Who would typically invest in a municipal bond fund? Why?
Equity/Bond Hybrid
Category
Conservative or Moderate Allocation (Stock/Bond) Mix
Target Date
Select one mutual fund or ETF that you would recommend in one of these categories. Justify your
selection based on the expense ratio, tax efficiency, management, risk, and/or any other criteria.
What are the top three holdings in the mutual fund or ETF you are recommending?
Specialty Stock
Category
Natural Resources
Technology
Health
Financial
Real Estate
Select one mutual fund or ETF that you would recommend in one of these categories. Justify your
selection based on the expense ratio, tax efficiency, management, risk, and/or any other criteria.
What are the top three holdings in the mutual fund or ETF you are recommending?
Alternative
Category
Currency
Long-Short
Precious Metals
Bear Market
Select one mutual fund or ETF that you would recommend in one of these categories. Justify your
selection based on the expense ratio, tax efficiency, risk, management, and/or any other criteria.
What are the top three holdings in the mutual fund or ETF you are recommending?
What else would you like to know about this subject?