The best mutual fund investments comprise various asset classes. Thus, they are perfect for weathering market volatility or a bad economy. Even if equities are in a bear market, you may take advantage of cheaper pricing while maintaining a long-term vision beyond the current year.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at six funds you should be aware of.
Table of Contents
- Mutual Fund Types
- Active vs. Passive Mutual Funds
- How We Selected the Best Mutual Funds
- Best Stock Mutual Funds For 2022
- What Are The Best Balanced Mutual Funds?
- Can One Lose Money In A Mutual Fund?
- Final Thought
- Related topics;
Mutual Fund Types
Mutual funds come in several forms and are divided into stock funds, bond funds, money market funds, balanced funds, and target date funds based on their investments.
1. Stock Mutual Funds
Stock mutual funds are more volatile than other types of mutual funds since they only invest in stocks, increasing their potential for higher and lower total returns.
Some of the most well-liked index funds, which base their investments on the Standard & Poor’s 500 indexes of the best U.S.-based corporations, are included in the category of stock mutual funds. They can then be further separated into funds specializing in growth equities, value stocks, or a mix of the two.
2. Bond Mutual Funds
Bond mutual funds are often less unstable than stock funds since they only invest in bonds. But they’re also probably to offer poorer long-term returns than their stock-based competitors.
3. Money Market Mutual Funds
These mutual funds have lower returns but are typically safer than mutual funds based on stocks or bonds since they possess safe securities like cash and extremely short-term debt.
Also read: FIVE (5) THINGS TO DO ONCE IN A STOCK MARKET CRASH
However, unlike FDIC-backed money market accounts at a bank, money market mutual funds might lose principle, so it’s conceivable, albeit unlikely, that you won’t get your entire investment back.
4. Balanced Mutual Funds
These mutual funds offer lower volatility in exchange for reduced overall returns and can invest in equities, bonds, and money-market instruments.
The amount allocated to each asset class relies on the fund’s investment manager and the expected return rate.
5. Target-Date Mutual Funds
Common in 401(k) accounts, target-date mutual funds usually invest in equities, bonds, and money market instruments.
The target date fund chooses assets suitable for that period as the investor approaches the goal date, lowering risk. Investors choose when they wish to receive their money (for example, upon retirement).
Typically, the fund gradually transitions its holdings from higher-risk (but high-return) equities to lower-risk bonds.
Active vs. Passive Mutual Funds
You’ve probably heard experts talk about active and passive mutual funds.
Active funds strive to beat market indexes such as the S&P 500 by studying equities and selecting those that would yield the fund the best returns.
These funds are more expensive than passively managed funds because they employ teams of portfolio managers and analysts to research investment possibilities.
Passive funds, on the other hand, strive to equal the performance of a benchmark rather than beat it. These are sometimes referred to as index funds, and because little effort is spent attempting to select the best stocks to hold, the cost of owning these funds is substantially cheaper than that of an active fund.
It should be emphasized that many active funds fail to exceed their benchmarks and occasionally underperform them. When expenses are factored in, active fund investors are frequently disappointed.
How We Selected the Best Mutual Funds
Using a long-term investment perspective, you may determine which mutual funds to buy and keep for the next decade and beyond. Here’s how we identified the best mutual fund investment for 2022.
1. Lower Expenses
When selecting sufficient funds to buy, regardless of the holding time, it’s wise to choose from among the best mutual fund investment, “no-load” funds, which are sold without the need for a commission or sales fee.
This is essential since keeping expenses low is critical to earning larger profits, particularly in the long run.
2. Diversification And Asset Balance
Spreading your portfolio over different asset classes, such as equities, bonds, and cash, can help shield you from the extremes of a bear market. Simultaneously, you may continue exposure for long-term advantage.
In short, keep the risk and return potential of investments in mind. Stocks have a higher level of risk, but they also have a more significant potential for long-term return.
On the other hand, bonds are lower-risk investments that give less assurance of long-term reward.
3. Defensive Sectors
Some industries perform better than others during a downturn. Because of their durability in difficult times, these industries are considered “defensive.” Healthcare and commodities are examples of defensive sectors.
It is sensible to prepare for a slowing economy. To tackle this challenge, you should build a well-diversified portfolio of funds that avoid high-risk market segments such as small-capitalization firms and developing economies. Instead, it should focus on lower-risk assets, such as high-quality, large-cap US equities and special bond funds.
You might wish to consider balanced funds, which invest in various securities. Given these present conditions, some of the top funds have the potential to be leaders in the following years.
Best Stock Mutual Funds For 2022
We’ll start our ranking of the top mutual funds with stock-focused ones.
1. Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX)
When constructing a mutual fund portfolio, it’s smart to start with a large-cap stock index fund as a core investment. This is because S&P 500 index funds, such as VFIAX, invest in around 500 of the top corporations in the United States.
They will assist you in laying the groundwork for your portfolio while also providing diversification. VFIAX features a low expense ratio of 0.04% and a $3000 minimum buy.
2. Fidelity Select Consumer Staples Portfolio (FDFAX)
Following a strong finish in 2021, the post-March 2020 bull market appeared to have shifted oppositely. All of the main indexes had a difficult month in January 2022. But don’t sell everything and wait for this massive downturn to pass before returning.
However, staying in stocks may be a better option, and you may mitigate risk by investing in defensive sectors such as consumer staples.
These are businesses that provide items and services that customers require regardless of economic circumstances. We still require food, clothing, and healthcare in good and poor times.
FDFAX features a 0.75% expense ratio and no minimal first purchase.
3. Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares (VGHCX)
Individuals still need to buy supplies and see their doctor during economic downturns, as with the other necessities stated above. Pharmaceuticals, hospitals, medical gadgets, and other health products and services are all part of the healthcare sector.
Healthcare is a good long-term investment and may also be an excellent defensive investment during market downturns.
Vanguard adds that the fund’s restricted scope, which is focused on a single industry, makes it more suited to supplement an already diverse portfolio.
VGHCX features a low expense ratio of 0.32% and a $3,000 minimum first investment.
What Are The Best Balanced Mutual Funds?
If you choose to go the one-fund route, balanced funds are a good place to start. Here are a few to think about for 2022.
1. Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX)
Stocks may beat bonds in the long term, but a stock market downturn will almost certainly reverse that tendency.
The asset allocation of VBIAX is around 60% equities and 40% bonds. This balance results in an excellent moderate allocation that should be able to outperform inflation in the long run while limiting market risk in the short term.
VBIAX features a low-cost ratio of 0.07% and a minimum initial investment of $3,000.
2. Hussman Strategic Total Return Fund (HSTRX)
If you’re searching for a mutual fund that functions similarly to a hedge fund, HSTRX is one of the better options. The fund manager, John Hussman, is well-known for correctly forecasting the 2008 market slump.
He also established an asset allocation to provide inflation-beating returns while reducing losses during market downturns.
HSTRX does not frequently outperform the market on the upside, but it is an intelligent fund to own if the economy enters another recession. HSTRX features a 0.75% expense ratio with a $1,000 minimum purchase.
Can One Lose Money In A Mutual Fund?
Yes, you can lose a lot of money investing in a mutual fund, but remember that a mutual fund is a vehicle for investing in assets such as stocks and bonds, not an investment in and of itself. If the value of the mutual fund’s assets falls, so will the mutual fund’s net asset value (NAV).
Stocks, bonds, and other instruments can all lose value, and there is nothing special about the mutual fund structure would protect you from those losses.
Final Thought
After reviewing some of the top mutual funds to purchase in 2022, there are a few things to bear in mind. Unless it’s a balanced fund, investing in just one fund may not be adequate to diversify your portfolio.
Remember that astute investors do not time the market by hopping in and out of stocks in the near term. Instead, they will buy and keep it for more than a year. Market circumstances are difficult to forecast, especially during times of volatility.
The best funds to invest in are ones that match your risk tolerance and help you achieve your objectives.
