Index funds are mutual funds that seek only to mirror the performance of an underlying stock market index — not to outperform it. Millions of investors hold them in their portfolios because they ...

An index fund is a mutual fund or ETF composed to match the composition of a benchmark stock index and mirror its performance. For example, The Vanguard Russel 2000 ETF is composed of the same stocks ...

What Is the U.S. Dollar Index? The U.S. Dollar Index measures the performance of the dollar against a basket of currencies. The index, abbreviated USDX, contains six component currencies: the euro, ...

Index futures, also referred to as stock index futures or equity index futures, are futures contracts where the buyer and seller agree to buy or sell a stock index at a future price and date. Index ...

Caroline Banton has 6+ years of experience as a writer of business and finance articles. She also writes biographies for Story Terrace. Jiwon Ma is a fact checker and research analyst with a ...

Index funds offer portfolio diversification and lower fees by tracking market indexes like the S&P 500. Choosing the right index fund involves considering the target market, investment goals, and ...

Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 25 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Robert Kelly is managing director of XTS ...