Good Fidelity Index Funds for Beginners and Experts

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Fidelity offers a range of index funds that track various market indices, including the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

These funds are a great option for beginners because they're often cheaper and less volatile than actively managed funds.

One fund to consider is the Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FUSAEX), which has a low expense ratio of 0.015% and has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 over the long term.

The fund's low fees and broad diversification make it an attractive choice for investors looking to get started with index funds.

Fidelity's Total Stock Market Index Fund (FWAGX) is another option worth considering, with a low expense ratio of 0.015% and a diversified portfolio of over 7,000 stocks.

Investment Options

Fidelity offers a range of index funds that can help you achieve your investment goals.

You can invest in broad market segments, such as the entire U.S. stock market, or niche areas like the Nasdaq ISE Cyber Security Select Index.

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The Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund is a great option for those looking to invest abroad without paying high fees, as it has no expense ratio.

Index funds also offer built-in diversification, which can help reduce risk and increase potential returns.

With over 2,300 holdings, the Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund is a good choice for those who want to invest in a large number of international companies.

You can also combine index funds to create a custom risk profile, using a range of investment themes to suit your needs.

Some popular index funds include the Fidelity Total International Index, which has nearly 4,700 holdings, and the Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund, which has over 2,300 holdings.

Here are some key differences between the Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund and the Fidelity Total International Index:

By choosing the right index fund for your needs, you can create a simple and easy-to-manage investment portfolio.

Investment Strategies

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Index investing is a straightforward approach to investing where you buy a broad representation of the securities in a market index, such as the S&P 500. This method doesn't try to out-perform the index, but rather mirror its activity.

Fidelity has been managing index funds for almost 30 years, and they currently offer a range of index mutual funds and ETFs.

Index funds and ETFs have highly competitive expenses, making them an attractive option for investors. Fidelity's product offering includes 28 Fidelity equity, fixed income, and hybrid index mutual funds, 13 Fidelity Freedom Index Funds, and 21 Fidelity passive ETFs.

Investing in index funds and ETFs can be done through Fidelity, with a wide range of options to choose from.

Investment Funds

Fidelity offers a range of index funds that are perfect for investors looking to diversify their portfolios. Index funds are popular among experienced and novice investors alike due to their low costs and built-in diversification.

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One of the best features of index funds is their low expense ratio. For example, the Fidelity US Bond Index Fund has an expense ratio of 0.025%, which means that for every $10,000 invested, you'll pay just $2.50 in fees. This is significantly lower than actively managed funds, which can charge upwards of 1% or more in fees.

Fidelity's index funds also offer a wide range of investment themes, allowing investors to create custom risk profiles. You can invest in broad market segments, such as the entire US stock market, or niche sectors like cybersecurity. This flexibility makes it easy to tailor your portfolio to your individual needs and goals.

Here are some of the key features of Fidelity's index funds:

By investing in index funds, you can create a simple, two-fund portfolio that's easy to manage and understand. Or, you can combine multiple index funds to create a more tailored risk profile. With Fidelity's extensive range of index funds, you're sure to find the perfect fit for your investment needs.

US Stocks

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US Stocks offer a range of investment options, from broad market exposure to specialized small-cap funds. The Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund, for instance, invests in nearly every U.S. stock, with around 2,500 holdings and a diverse portfolio that includes large-cap stocks.

Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund focuses on the smallest public U.S. companies, specifically those in the Russell 2000 index. This fund invests in 2,000 stocks that are too small to be included in the large-cap party.

Extended-market index funds complement other funds by holding stocks that are too small to get included in the large-cap party. The Fidelity ZERO Extended Market Index Fund, for example, invests in the 2,000 stocks that didn't make it in because of their size.

Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund has significant assets under management, with over $24.7 billion in net assets. Its expense ratio is a mere 0.025%, making it a cost-effective option for investors.

International Stocks

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International stocks can provide a diverse portfolio and help mitigate domestic market risks.

The Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund (FZILX) is a great option for international investing, as it's completely free and tracks the MSCI ACWI Ex USA Index.

This fund holds over 2,300 holdings and is designed to invest in the vast majority of the most valuable companies listed on international exchanges.

For a more comprehensive international portfolio, you can combine FZILX with the Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund.

The Fidelity Total International Index Fund (FTIHX) is another great option, tracking the MSCI All Country World Index excluding the United States.

It represents approximately 5,042 international companies, with top holdings including Taiwan Semiconductor, Nestle, and ASML holdings.

The expense ratio of FTIHX is 0.06%, which means you'll pay $6.00 for Fidelity to manage this fund if you have $10,000 invested.

Since its inception in 2016, the fund's average annual total returns have been 5.99%.

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International funds can provide exposure to different countries, sectors, and even currencies, which can help diversify your portfolio.

The Japanese stock market's experience, which saw a significant decline in value over 22 years, highlights the importance of international investing.

Here are some key facts about the Fidelity Total International Index Fund:

  • Tracks the MSCI All Country World Index excluding the United States.
  • Represents approximately 5,042 international companies.
  • Expense ratio: 0.06%.
  • Average annual total returns since inception: 5.99%.

If you're looking for a bond-focused international fund, the Fidelity International Bond Index Fund (FBIIX) is a great option.

It uses sampling to track the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Diversified Index (USD Hedged), investing in government, corporate, and securitized bonds from developed and emerging markets.

The fund has a net asset value of $773 million and an expense ratio of 0.06%.

Fidelity Index Funds

Fidelity Index Funds offer a range of benefits, including low costs and built-in diversification. This makes them a popular choice among investors.

One of the most notable features of Fidelity Index Funds is their low expense ratios. For example, the Fidelity US Bond Index Fund has an expense ratio of 0.025%, which means you're essentially paying $2.50 for Fidelity to manage this fund for you if you have $10,000 invested.

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Fidelity offers a variety of index funds, including the Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund, which invests in every single company listed on U.S. markets with a few exceptions. This fund has about 2,500 holdings and excludes companies with a market cap of less than $75 million and six-month trading volume of less than $25 million.

Index funds are also versatile, allowing you to invest in broad or narrow market segments. You can choose from a range of investment themes, from the entire U.S. stock market to niche indexes like the Nasdaq ISE Cyber Security Select Index.

Here are some key facts about Fidelity Index Funds:

  • Expense ratios range from 0.025% to 0.57%
  • Funds track a range of indexes, including the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index and the MSCI ACWI Ex USA Index
  • Fidelity offers 28 Fidelity equity, fixed income, and hybrid index mutual funds, 13 Fidelity Freedom Index Funds, and 21 Fidelity passive ETFs
  • Index funds are designed to mirror the activity of a market index, rather than trying to outperform it

Investment Principles

Index funds are popular among experienced and novice investors due to their low costs and built-in diversification.

Investing in index funds is a great way to create a custom risk profile, as they offer wide-ranging investment themes that can be combined in different ways.

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Indexes are unmanaged, meaning it's not possible to invest directly in an index, and stock markets can be volatile, declining significantly in response to adverse developments.

To mitigate risks, it's essential to understand that foreign markets can be more volatile than U.S. markets, and bond markets are also volatile, carrying interest rate risk and other risks such as inflation, liquidity, call, and credit risks.

Here are some key risks to consider when investing in index funds:

  • Interest rate risk: As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa.
  • Inflation risk: Fixed income securities can be affected by inflation.
  • Liquidity risk: It may be difficult to sell a fixed income security quickly or at a fair price.
  • Call risk: When a bond is called, the issuer repays the bond before maturity, which can be a risk for investors.
  • Credit and default risks: There's a risk that the issuer or counterparty may default on their obligations.

By understanding these risks, you can make informed decisions about your investment portfolio and choose the right index funds for your needs.

Risk

Risk is a crucial aspect of investing, and index funds offer a way to manage it effectively. By investing in a broad market index, you can reduce your exposure to individual stock risks.

Index funds are designed to track a specific market index, such as the S&P 500, which contains the 500 largest and most successful public companies in the U.S. (Example 5). This diversification helps to minimize the impact of any one stock's performance on your overall portfolio.

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With index funds, you can create a simple, two-fund portfolio that's easy to manage and understand (Example 2). You can also combine multiple index funds to create a more tailored risk profile.

The goal of index investing is not to out-perform the market, but to mirror its activity (Example 3). This means that index funds can help you ride out market fluctuations and avoid making emotional decisions based on short-term market movements.

Here are some key benefits of using index funds to manage risk:

  • Low costs and built-in diversification (Example 1)
  • Wide-ranging investment themes, allowing you to create a custom risk profile (Example 1)
  • Streamlined diversification, giving you exposure to dozens or thousands of assets in a single share (Example 4)

By understanding the role of risk in investing and using index funds to manage it, you can create a more stable and sustainable investment portfolio.

Professionally Managed Investing

Professionally managed investing can be a great option for those who want to minimize their involvement in the investment process. Fidelity Managed FidFolios offers tailored direct indexing portfolios, with tax-smart investing strategies used to help you keep more of what you earn.

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Index funds are a popular choice among investors, and one of the reasons is their low costs. The Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund, for example, is completely free, making it an attractive option for those looking to invest abroad without paying high fees.

Investing in index funds can be a great way to build a diversified portfolio, but it's essential to understand the risks involved. Stock markets can be volatile, and foreign markets can be even more unpredictable due to increased risks of adverse issuer, political, market or economic developments.

Investing in the Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund can be a good option for those who want to invest in international markets, but it's worth noting that this fund holds substantially fewer stocks than the Fidelity Total International Index fund, which carries an expense ratio of 0.06% per year.

Return

Investing in the stock market can be a great way to grow your wealth over time, but it's essential to understand the basics of return on investment. A fund's past performance is a good indicator of its potential future growth.

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The Fidelity 500 Index Fund has a three-year average annual return of 8.1%. This is a relatively strong performance, especially considering the fund's low expense ratio of 0.015%.

The fund's net assets are a staggering $512.3 billion, making it one of the largest index funds available. This size and scale can be beneficial for investors, as it allows for more efficient trading and reduced costs.

To give you a better idea of the fund's performance, here are some key statistics:

By tracking the S&P 500 index, the Fidelity 500 Index Fund aims to provide investors with a diversified portfolio of the 500 largest and most successful public companies in the U.S. This approach can help reduce risk and increase potential returns over the long term.

Value Investing

Value investing is a long-term approach that focuses on buying undervalued companies with strong fundamentals. This approach requires patience and discipline, as it often means holding onto stocks for an extended period.

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A key principle of value investing is to look for companies with a low price-to-earnings ratio, which can indicate that the stock is undervalued.

Ben Graham, a pioneer of value investing, recommended a margin of safety, which means buying stocks at a price that is significantly lower than their intrinsic value. This helps to minimize potential losses.

Warren Buffett, one of the most successful value investors, has stated that he looks for companies with a strong competitive advantage and a proven track record of success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best index fund right now?

There isn't a single "best" index fund, but popular options include Vanguard's Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSMX) and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), which offer broad market exposure and low costs. Consider your investment goals and risk tolerance to choose the best index fund for your needs.

Which Fidelity funds outperform the S&P 500?

The Fidelity Contrafund has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 Index, beating it by an average of 2.77% per year over a 34-year period. This significant outperformance has resulted in substantial growth, with a $10,000 investment in Contrafund growing to $836,642 compared to $361,576 in the S&P 500 Index.

Angelo Douglas

Lead Writer

Angelo Douglas is a seasoned writer with a passion for creating informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for simplifying complex topics, Angelo has established himself as a trusted voice in the world of finance. Angelo's writing portfolio spans a range of topics, including mutual funds and mutual fund costs and fees.

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