An index fund is a type of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the performance of a specific stock market index, such as the S&P 500 or the NASDAQ Composite.
The fund manager of an index fund aims to replicate the performance of the underlying index by investing in the same stocks or securities in the same proportion as they appear in the index. This means that if the index goes up, the value of the index fund also increases, and if the index goes down, the value of the index fund decreases.
For example, if an index fund tracks the S&P 500, it will invest in all the 500 companies listed in the index, in the same proportion as they appear in the index. Therefore, if the S&P 500 index goes up by 10%, the value of the index fund will also increase by 10%.
Index funds are considered a passive investment strategy because they don't require active management, which means that they usually have lower fees and expenses compared to actively managed funds. They are also popular among investors who want to diversify their portfolio and minimize the risk of investing in individual stocks.
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