| After a market crash like the one experienced from | | | | just two years, but small cap companies are generally |
| late 2007 to early 2009, it can be very difficult to | | | | strong buyout candidates. These small cap funds are |
| regain confidence in the equities market. Many | | | | generally one of the highest performing in a |
| investors feel that they cannot trust money | | | | recovering economy, making small cap mutual funds |
| managers to keep their money working for them, | | | | like the Baron Small Cap Fund very wise investments. |
| and they begin to invest alone. The problem with this | | | | When considering international funds, the Artio |
| is that money managers are often catalysts for | | | | International Equity Fund is a good one to consider, |
| industries, and individual investors seldom catch onto | | | | ticker symbol: JETAX. International stocks are volatile, |
| an investment before the big money. This makes | | | | and can rise sharply when the economy begins to |
| finding a strong, consistent mutual fund very | | | | recover. This fund invests 80% of its assets in |
| important. Three of the strongest areas to place | | | | stocks of international companies, generally spread |
| your money after an economic downturn are small | | | | among 5 different countries. An added bonus to this |
| caps, international and natural resources. These are | | | | fund is the near 3% dividend it pays to its holders. |
| often the hardest hit sectors in a crash, and as such | | | | There is an initial investment minimum of $1,000 for |
| are the first to rebound when things start to look | | | | this fund, giving many investors a chance to diversify |
| better. There are several mutual funds that are | | | | their portfolio and prepare to take advantage of this |
| poised to pop following this crash; here are some to | | | | turnaround in the global economy. |
| consider putting your money into. | | | | Possibly one of the best run mutual funds right now |
| One of the top mutual funds for your consideration is | | | | is the CGM Focus Fund, ticker symbol: CGMFX. Run |
| the Baron Small Cap Fund, ticker symbol: BSCFX. This | | | | by manager Ken Heebner, the CGM Focus Fund is a |
| fund requires a minimum initial investment of $2,000, | | | | fund that allows its manager to make the calls on |
| which is pretty standard for many mutual funds. This | | | | what the assets managed are, and when to sell them |
| particular fund invests at least 80% of its assets in | | | | based on market conditions. As a result, there can be |
| common stocks of small companies. The market cap | | | | any number of international, natural resource, small, |
| of these companies is under $2.5 billion at the time | | | | mid or large cap companies under this fund at any |
| that the assets are purchased. When selecting | | | | time. This gives the manager the ability to follow the |
| securities for this particular fund, there is a guideline | | | | market's direction should it change. For a minimum |
| that the manager of this fund uses, generally | | | | initial investment of $2,500, this fund can really be a |
| choosing stocks poised to gain 50% in the next two | | | | valuable investment for years to come. |
| years. This may seem like a huge jump to expect in | | | | |