MUTUAL FUND OVERVIEW What is a Mutual Fund? A mutual fund is a pool of money that is professionally managed for the benefit of all shareholders. As an investor in a mutual fund, you own a portion of the fund, sharing in any increases or decreases in the value of the fund. A mutual fund may focus on stocks, bonds, cash, derivatives or a combination of these asset classes. There are different types of mutual funds. Some mutual funds are riskier than others. For example, it is unlikely that you will lose money in a mutual fund that buys money market instruments, such as treasury bills. Risk can sometimes work in your favor: the higher the risk, the bigger the potential return (and the bigger the potential loss); the lower the risk, the smaller the potential return (and the smaller the potential loss). To reduce your overall risk and enhance potential returns, you should invest in a diversified portfolio of mutual funds which have different risk characteristics. An investment in a Fund is