Quite simply, a mutual fund is a way of sharing the risk of your investment with a group of other people. Your resources are pooled together, and put into the hands of a fund manager who will invest on your behalf to get the best returns for you.

There are many different flavours of mutual funds to choose from, with different risks attached to them, and you can choose the best one for your aims. Some invest in higher risk stocks with the aim of making quick returns, while others will stick to more stable industries, where the gains are made steadily over a longer period of time.

Many funds will invest in non-market schemes too, including property. There are options to choose ethical investment, and investment in environmentally sound companies, so whatever your personal taste, you are sure to be able to find a fund to suit you and your needs.

Instead of investing directly in the stocks, you buy into the fund, and become a shareholder in it. The fund manager then controls how the investment is spread across the markets that

When compared to direct investment in stocks and shares, investment in a mutual fund is a cost effective and simple option. Rather than having to pay close attention to the day to day price of a particular stock, and change your strategy constantly to get the most out of your stake, the fund manager will spread the value of the fund over a larger area of the markets, and make decisions on your behalf.

This diversification across a spectrum of investments will allow him to substantially lower the risk, and thanks to the expertise of your fund manager, you can still do very well in both the long and short term

In summary, investing in a mutual fund is a way of sharing the risks associated with investment in the markets. It offers a method of hands off diversification that is managed by an expert, who controls where the money goes. The portfolio of the fund will be monitored and controlled by someone who know the market, and is keen to make a good return on your part. It offers a way of increasing the rewards that you might expect from many investment schemes, whilst also reducing the risk of direct investment in volatile shares.