human
What are the different types of mutual funds and which one is best for me?
assistant
There are many different types of mutual funds, including stock funds, bond funds, money market funds, index funds, and target-date funds. The best mutual fund for you will depend on your goals and risk tolerance. Each type of fund will have different levels of risk, volatility, and expected return. Stock funds, which invest mainly in stocks, tend to have the highest risk and volatility, but also the highest expected returns over the long run. Bond funds, which invest primarily in bonds, are less volatile and offer more predictable returns. Money market funds, which invest mainly in short-term debt, are the safest and least volatile type of mutual fund. Index funds track an index and provide returns that are close to the index's average returns. Target-date funds are tailored to a particular retirement date and adjust their allocations of stocks and bonds over time to become more conservative as that date approaches.