Baird Core Plus Bond Investor (BCOSX) Fund

Bond fund or fixed income fund is essential for short- and long-term investor. Bond fund provides a regular income for investor to withstand volatile market. One of the best bond funds is Baird Core Plus Bond. You can use this bond fund to diversify your portfolio. The fund's review is described below.

Baird Core Plus Bond Investor (MUTF: BCOSX)

The Baird Core Plus Bond fund objective is to seek an annual rate of total return greater than the annual rate of total return of the Barclays Capital U.S. Universal Bond Index. The fund typically invests >80% of assets in the following types of U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities such as: U.S. government, U.S. government agencies, asset-backed & mortgage-backed obligations of U.S. issuers, and corporate debt of U.S. & foreign issuers. It invests mainly in investment-grade debt securities, but can invest <20% of net assets in non-investment grade securities. Average quality for the fund is generally at least the third highest category of S&P or Moody's.

BCOSX Fund Details

Baird Core Plus Bond Investor

• Fund Inception Date: September 29, 2000
• Ticker Symbol: BCOSX
• CUSIP: 057071888 
• Beta (3yr): 0.96
• Rank in category (YTD): 17
• Category: Intermediate-Term Bond
• Distribution: 4.62%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 9 years
• Number of Years Down: 1 year
• Net Assets: $578.01 million
• Average Duration: 5.14 years
• Average Maturity: 7.29 years

Updated on August 12th, 2011

Fidelity Select Natural Resources Fund (FNARX)

Fidelity Investment provides variety of sector equity mutual fund. One of the best sector funds is Fidelity Select Natural Resources. The following article will provide fund's review of this Fidelity sector fund including yield, rank in category, fund's manager, etc.

Fidelity Select Natural Resources (MUTF: FNARX)

The Fidelity Select Natural Resources fund objective is to seek capital appreciation. The fund generally invests >80% of assets in securities of companies principally engaged in owning or developing natural resources, or supplying goods and services to such companies, and in precious metals. Natural resources include precious metals, ferrous and nonferrous metals, strategic metals, hydrocarbons, chemicals, paper and forest products, real estate, food, textile and tobacco products, and other basic commodities. It may invest in securities of foreign issuers. The fund is a non-diversified fund.

FNARX Fund Details

Fidelity Select Natural Resources

• Fund Inception Date: March 3, 1997
• Ticker Symbol: FNARX
• CUSIP: 316390491
• Beta (3yr): 1.32
• Rank in category (YTD): 1
• Category: Natural Resources
• Distribution: 0.33%                        
• Capital Gains: N/A  
• Number of Years Up: 9 years       
• Number of Years Down: 4 years
• Total Net Assets: $1.82 billion

updated on 8/11/2011

Nuveen Tradewinds Global All-Cap A (NWGAX) Fund

As part of international stock fund, Nuveen Tradewinds Global All-Cap A has performed better than its peers. It is considered as one of the best world stock funds. Details about the fund's review can be found below. Investor may use this equity fund as part of portfolio diversification.

Nuveen Tradewinds Global All-Cap A (MUTF: NWGAX)

    

The Nuveen Tradewinds Global All-Cap fund objective is to provide long-term capital appreciation. The fund usually invests majority of net assets (>80%) in equity securities of U.S. and non-U.S. companies. It invests between 40% and 75% of net assets in non-U.S. equity securities. This Nuveen fund also invests some of net assets (<25%) in equity securities of companies located in emerging markets. It invests in companies’ stocks located in at least 3 countries, including the United States. The fund invests <35% of net assets in equity securities of companies located in a single non-U.S. country. This fund doesn’t track any specific index benchmark.

NWGAX Fund Details

Nuveen Tradewinds Global All Cap

• Fund Inception Date: March 28, 2006
• Ticker Symbol: NWGAX
• CUSIP: 67065W795                        
• Beta (3yr): 0.85                
• Rank in category (YTD): 89
• Category: World Stock                  
• Distribution: 1.72%                        
• Capital Gains: N/A    
• Number of Years Up: 3 years       
• Number of Years Down: 1 year
• Net Assets: $2.26 billion

updated on 8/9/2011

YTD Top Performer Closed End Funds CEF August 2011

Closed end funds, or CEFs in short, can be one of the attractive fund for investor to invest. The following is the top performers are sorted based on its year-to-date performance of the fund market price. These top performing funds can be any of the following categories: bond funds (fixed income funds), stock funds (equity funds), commodity funds, multi sector funds, and alternative funds. Check the funds details below for the fund category.

Note: some of these fund may be traded either premium or discount from their net asset value (NAV).

The Top Performer Closed End Funds August 2011 (up to august 5th, 2011) are:

Top Performer CEFs

1. Cornerstone Total Return Fund
2. Cornerstone Strategic Value
3. PIMCO Corporate Opportunity
4. Central Gold-Trust
5. Pacholder High Yield
6. PIMCO Corporate Income
7. BlackRock PA Strategic Municipal
8. Aberdeen Global Income Fund
9. First Trust Strategic High Income
10. Central Fund of Canada

Top Performer Foreign Large Blend Stock Mutual Funds 2011

Introduction

Mutual funds can be divided into two main classes: bond funds and stock funds. The stock funds can be classified into variety of categories such as US domestic equity fund, International stock fund, and emerging market stock fund. One of the divisions in international stock fund or global stock fund is foreign large blend funds. These funds are suitable for investment portfolio diversification. This article will focus on this category.

Foreign large-blend funds invest in a variation of large international stocks. Most of these mutual funds divide their assets in more than 10 developed markets, including Japan, Britain (United Kingdom), France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and Netherland. They also may invest the rest in emerging markets such as Hong Kong, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand. These funds typically will have only a little assets invested in U.S. stocks (less than 20%).

Top Performers

The following top performers are sorted based on their Year to Date performance (up till July 27th, 2011). The 10 Top Performer Foreign Large Blend Stock funds July 2011 are:

Top Performer Foreign Large Blend Funds

1. Artisan International Inv (ARTIX)
2. Virtus International Equity A (VIEAX)
3. American Century Intl Core Equity Inv (ACIMX)
4. GMO International Growth Equity III (GMIGX)
5. Vantagepoint International (VPINX)
6. Lazard International Equity Open (LZIOX)
7. JHancock3 International Growth A (GOIGX)
8. Lazard International Equity Sel Open (LZESX)
9. MainStay 130/30 International Inv (MYINX)
10. Cambiar International Equity Inv (CAMIX)

Updated on July 27th, 2011

Rydex Series Trust Consumer Products Fund (RYPDX)

One of the best defensive sector equity funds is Rydex Series Trust Consumer Products Fund. As part of Consumer Staples sector equity mutual fund, this Rydex series fund invest in industry which produce or manufacture food / beverages, prescription drugs, tobacco, and other household products. The fund's review is described below.

Rydex Series Trust Consumer Products Fund (RYPDX)

The Rydex Series Trust Consumer Products Fund objective is to achieve capital appreciation. The fund invests majority of its net assets (>80%) in equity securities of Consumer Products Companies that are traded in the United States and derivatives. Consumer Products Companies include companies that manufacture, wholesale or retail food, staple retail products and non-durable goods such as beverages, household, tobacco, and personal care products. It invests to a significant extent in the small to mid-sized capitalizations Consumer Products Companies stocks. The fund is non-diversified.

RYPDX Fund Details

Rydex Series Trust Consumer Products Fund

• Fund Inception Date: September 1, 2004
• Ticker Symbol: RYPDX (Class A)
• CUSIP: 78355E346
• Beta (3yr): 0.66
• Rank in category (YTD): 4
• Category: Consumer Staples
• Distribution: 17.54%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 4 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Total Net Assets: $101.75 million
• Annual Turnover Rate: 400%

updated on August 7th, 2011

Fidelity Select Industrials Fund (FCYIX)

With global economic growth expansion, industrials sector equity can become one of the outperform sector mutual fund. One of the best industrial sector is Fidelity Select Industrials. For the fund's review, please check the following article.

Fidelity Select Industrials (MUTF: FCYIX)

The Fidelity Select Industrials investment is seeking capital appreciation. This Fidelity fund invests mainly in common stocks. It usually invests >80% of assets in securities of companies principally engaged in the research, development, manufacture, distribution, supply, or sale of industrial products, services, or equipment. The fund invests in domestic and foreign issuers. It is considered as non-diversified mutual fund.

FCYIX Fund Details

Fidelity Select Industrials fund

• Fund Inception Date: March 3, 1997
• Ticker Symbol: FCYIX
• CUSIP: 316390517
• Beta (3yr): 1.38
• Rank in category (YTD): 41
• Category: Industrials
• Distribution: 0.45%
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 11 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Total Net Assets: $562.56 million

updated on August 6th, 2011