Which fund category is typically designed to track the performance of a broad market index rather than beat it?

• A. Index Fund
• B. Growth Fund
• C. Life Cycle Fund
• D. Prospectus

Answer: (A)

The key idea is passive investing through index replication. An index fund is built to mirror a broad market index by holding the same securities in the same proportions, so its returns essentially track the index after fees. The goal isn’t to outperform the market but to provide low-cost, predictable exposure to that market. Because the fund minimizes active stock picking, fees stay low and the performance aligns closely with the chosen index.

In contrast, a growth fund seeks to outperform by selecting stocks believed to grow faster than the market, which involves active decisions and higher risk and potential for either outperformance or underperformance. A life cycle (target-date) fund aims to adjust its risk profile over time as a chosen retirement horizon approaches, not specifically to track a broad index. A prospectus is simply the document that outlines a fund’s objectives and details, not a fund category itself.