As a financial expert with extensive experience in investment analysis, I can provide you with a comprehensive overview of the different types of mutual funds. Mutual funds are investment vehicles that pool money from multiple investors to invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other assets. Here are the main categories of mutual funds:


1. Equity Funds: These funds primarily invest in stocks and are further categorized based on market capitalization (large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap) and investment style (growth, value, blend).


2. Bond Funds: Also known as fixed-income funds, they invest in bonds, which are debt securities issued by governments or corporations. They can be classified by the type of bonds (government, municipal, corporate) and duration (short-term, intermediate-term, long-term).


3. Money Market Funds: These are the most conservative type of mutual funds, investing in short-term debt securities with high credit quality. They aim to provide stability and liquidity.


4. Index Funds: These funds aim to replicate the performance of a specific market index, such as the S&P 500, by holding all or a representative sample of the securities in the index.


5. Balanced Funds: Also known as hybrid funds, they invest in a mix of stocks and bonds to provide both growth and income.


6. International Funds: These funds invest in non-domestic markets, either globally or in specific regions or countries.

7.
Sector Funds: They focus on a specific sector or industry, such as technology, healthcare, or finance.

8.
Specialty Funds: These include niche funds like real estate investment trusts (REITs), commodities, or socially responsible investing (SRI) funds.

9.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): Although similar to mutual funds, ETFs are traded like stocks on an exchange and offer intraday pricing and the ability to short-sell and buy on margin.

10.
Closed-End Funds: Unlike open-end funds that issue new shares continuously, closed-end funds issue a fixed number of shares that are traded on an exchange.

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Money market funds. These funds invest in short-term fixed income securities such as government bonds, treasury bills, bankers' acceptances, commercial paper and certificates of deposit. ... Fixed income funds. ... Equity funds. ... Balanced funds. ... Index funds. ... Specialty funds. ... Fund-of-funds. ... Diversify by investment style.read more >>