Low-cost index funds: A beginner’s guide

Core Insights - The article discusses various stock market indices and the advantages of investing in low-cost index funds, emphasizing the importance of expense ratios in determining investment returns. Group 1: Stock Market Indices - The Russell 3000 tracks about 98% of the investable U.S. stock market, while the Russell 2000 focuses on approximately 2,000 of the smallest publicly traded companies in the U.S. [1] - The Nasdaq Composite measures the performance of over 3,000 companies on the Nasdaq stock market, known for its technology sector exposure [2] - The S&P 500 tracks around 500 of the largest companies in the U.S., making it one of the most followed indices globally [2][24] Group 2: Index Funds - Index funds are passive investment vehicles that aim to match the performance of a specific index by holding the same assets in the same proportions [3][4] - Low-cost index funds are suitable for both beginner and advanced investors, providing broad diversification and reducing risk compared to individual stock investments [6][7] - The expense ratio of an index fund indicates the percentage of an investment paid as a fee to the fund company, with low-cost funds often charging below 0.10% [8][9] Group 3: Investment Strategies - Investors should focus on long-term returns and the cost of owning index funds, aiming for the highest possible returns while minimizing fees [17] - Researching available index funds involves filtering by expense ratio and sorting by returns over various time periods [12][13] - Broadly diversified funds are recommended to reduce overall portfolio risk [15] Group 4: Low-Cost Index Funds - The article lists nine low-cost S&P 500 index funds, highlighting their expense ratios, with Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) at 0.015% and Fidelity ZERO Large Cap Index (FNILX) at 0% [24] - Investors can find low-cost funds by searching broker sites, and many funds are available as either ETFs or mutual funds [25][27] - The key differentiator among index funds tracking the same index is the cost, making it essential for investors to focus on expense ratios [30]