Youshould consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The fund's prospectus or summary prospectus, which can be obtained by calling , contains this and other information about the fund, and should be read carefully before investing. Investments are subject to market risk. TheFund invests exclusively in high-quality, short-term securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities. Some of the securities purchased by the Fund may be subject to repurchase agreements. The Fund will comply with SEC rules applicable to all money market funds, including Duringthe 2008 financial crisis, one of the most popular money market funds collapsed and investors ended up losing money. 2 And when the COVID-19 global pandemic hit in 2020, the total value of money market funds that buy corporate debt dropped by $120 billion—that means 15% of all the money tied up in money market funds was wiped out. 3 Theycan also give you a detailed printout of the balance for your MMA and the interest you earn. Using the MMA calculator is quite simple, just go through these directions step-by-step: Input your initial deposit. Input your interest rate and compound frequency. Input how many years you'd like the calculator to work out your MMA interest for. Theyare Singapore money market funds. Do you find that you have large amounts of cash lying in savings accounts earning extremely low interest rates? There is a good alternative that offers all the characteristics of a savings account, with better 2zCTsVW. What Is a Money Market Fund? A money market fund is a kind of mutual fund that invests in highly liquid, near-term instruments. These instruments include cash, cash equivalent securities, and high-credit-rating, debt-based securities with a short-term maturity such as Treasuries. Money market funds are intended to offer investors high liquidity with a very low level of risk. Money market funds are also called money market mutual funds. While they sound similar in name, a money market fund is not the same as a money market account MMA. A money market fund is an investment that is sponsored by an investment fund company. Therefore, it carries no guarantee of principal. A money market account is a type of interest-earning savings account. Money market accounts are offered by financial institutions. They are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC, and they typically have limited transaction privileges. Key Takeaways A money market fund is a type of mutual fund that invests in high-quality, short-term debt instruments, cash, and cash not quite as safe as cash, money market funds are considered extremely low-risk on the investment spectrum. A money market fund generates income taxable or tax-free, depending on its portfolio, but little capital market funds should be used as a place to park money temporarily before investing elsewhere or making an anticipated cash outlay; they are not suitable as long-term investments. How a Money Market Fund Works Money market funds work like a typical mutual fund. They issue redeemable units or shares to investors, and they are mandated to follow the guidelines drafted by financial regulators for example, those set by the Securities and Exchange Commission. A money market fund may invest in the following types of debt-based financial instruments Bankers' Acceptances BA—short-term debt guaranteed by a commercial bank Certificates of deposit CDs—bank-issued savings certificate with short-term maturity Commercial paper—unsecured short-term corporate debt Repurchase agreements Repo—short-term government securities Treasuries—short-term government debt issues Returns from these instruments are dependent on the applicable market interest rates, and therefore, the overall returns from the money market funds are also dependent on interest rates. Types of Money Market Funds Money market funds are classified into various types depending upon the class of invested assets, the maturity period, and other attributes. Prime Money Fund A prime money fund invests in floating-rate debt and commercial paper of non-Treasury assets, like those issued by corporations, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises GSEs. Government Money Fund A government money fund invests at least of its total assets in cash, government securities, and repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by cash or government securities. Treasury Fund A Treasury fund invests in standard Treasury-issued debt securities, such as Treasury bills, Treasury bonds, and Treasury notes. Tax-Exempt Money Fund A tax-exempt money fund offers earnings that are free from federal income tax. Depending on the exact securities it invests in, a tax-exempt money fund may also have an exemption from state income taxes. Municipal bonds and other debt securities primarily constitute such types of money market funds. Some money market funds are targeted to attract institutional money with a high minimum investment amount oftentimes $1 million. Still, other money market funds are retail money funds and are accessible to individual investors as a result of their small minimums. Special Considerations The Net Asset Value NAV Standard All the features of a standard mutual fund apply to a money market fund, with one key difference. A money market fund aims to maintain a net asset value NAV of $1 per share. Any excess earnings that get generated through interest on the portfolio holdings are distributed to the investors in the form of dividend payments. Investors can purchase or redeem shares of money market funds through investment fund companies, brokerage firms, and banks. One of the primary reasons for the popularity of money market funds is their maintenance of the $1 NAV. This requirement forces the fund managers to make regular payments to investors, providing a regular flow of income for them. It also allows easy calculations and tracking of the net gains the fund generates. Breaking the Buck Occasionally, a money market fund may fall below the $1 NAV. This creates a condition that is sometimes referred to with the colloquial term "breaking the buck." When this condition occurs, it may be attributed to temporary price fluctuations in the money markets. However, if it persists, the condition may trigger a moment when the investment income of the money market fund fails to exceed its operating expenses or investment losses. For example, if the fund used excess leverage in purchasing instruments—or overall interest rates dropped to very low levels nearing zero—and the fund broke the buck, then one of these scenarios could lead to a condition where the fund cannot meet redemption requests. If this happens, regulators may jump in and force the fund's liquidation. However, instances of breaking the buck are very rare. In 1994, the first instance of breaking the buck occurred. The Community Bankers Government Money Market Fund was liquidated at $ per share. This was the result of large losses that the fund incurred following a period of heavy investment in derivatives. In 2008, following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the venerable Reserve Primary Fund also broke the buck. The fund held millions of the Lehman Brothers debt obligations, and panicked redemptions by its investors caused its NAV to fall to $ per share. The pullout of money caused the Reserve Primary Fund to liquidate. This event triggered mayhem throughout the money markets. To prevent this from happening again, in 2010—in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis—the SEC issued new rules to better manage money market funds. These rules were intended to provide more stability and resilience by placing tighter restrictions on portfolio holdings and introducing provisions for imposing liquidity fees and suspending redemptions. Regulation of Money Market Funds In the money market funds are under the purview of the SEC. This regulatory body defines the necessary guidelines for the characteristics, maturity, and variety of allowable investments in a money market fund. Under the provisions, a money fund mainly invests in the top-rated debt instruments, and they should have a maturity period under 13 months. The money market fund portfolio is required to maintain a weighted average maturity WAM period of 60 days or less. This WAM requirement means that the average maturity period of all the invested instruments—taken in proportion to their weights in the fund portfolio—should not be more than 60 days. This maturity limitation is done to ensure that only highly liquid instruments qualify for investments, and the investor’s money is not locked into long-maturity instruments that can mar the liquidity. A money market fund is not allowed to invest more than 5% in any one issuer in order to avoid issuer-specific risk. However, government-issued securities and repurchase agreements provide an exception to this rule. Advantages and Disadvantages of Money Market Funds Money market funds compete against similar investment options, such as bank money market accounts, ultrashort bond funds, and enhanced cash funds. These investment options may invest in a wider variety of assets, as well as aim for higher returns. The primary purpose of a money market fund is to provide investors with a safe avenue for investing in secure and highly liquid, cash-equivalent, debt-based assets using smaller investment amounts. In the realm of mutual-fund-like investments, money market funds are characterized as low-risk, low-return investments. Many investors prefer to park substantial amounts of cash in such funds for the short term. However, money market funds are not suitable for long term investment goals, like retirement planning. This is because they don’t offer much capital appreciation. Money market funds appear attractive to investors as they come with no loads—no entry charges or exit charges. Many funds also provide investors with tax-advantaged gains by investing in municipal securities that are tax-exempt at the federal tax level and in some instances at the state level, too. Pros Very low-risk Highly liquid Better returns than bank accounts Cons Not FDIC-insured No capital appreciation Sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, monetary policy It's important to keep in mind that money market funds are not covered by the FDIC's federal deposit insurance, while money market deposit accounts, online savings accounts, and certificates of deposit, are covered by this type of insurance. Like other investment securities, money market funds are regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940. An active investor who has time and knowledge to hunt around for the best possible short-term debt instruments—offering the best possible interest rates at their preferred levels of risk—may prefer investing on their own in the various available instruments. On the other hand, a less-savvy investor may prefer taking the money market fund route by delegating the money management task to the fund operators. Fund shareholders can typically withdraw their money at any time, but they may have a limit on the number of times they can withdraw within a certain period. History of Money Market Funds Money market funds were designed and launched during the early 1970s in the They gained rapid popularity because they were an easy way for investors to purchase a pool of securities that, in general, offered better returns than those available from a standard interest-bearing bank account. Commercial paper has become a common component of many money market funds. Previously, money market funds held only government bonds. However, this transition away from only government bonds resulted in higher yields. At the same time, it was this reliance on commercial paper that led to the Reserve Primary Fund crisis. In addition to the reforms that the SEC introduced in 2010, the SEC also implemented some fundamental structural changes to the way they regulate money market funds in 2016. These changes required prime institutional money market funds to float their NAV and no longer maintain a stable price. Retail and government money market funds were allowed to maintain the stable $1 per share policy. The regulations also provided non-government money market fund boards with new tools to address runs. Money Market Funds Today Today, money market funds have become one of the core pillars of the present-day capital markets. For investors, they offer a diversified, professionally-managed portfolio with high daily liquidity. Many investors use money market funds as a place to park their cash until they decide on other investments or for funding needs that may arise in the short-term. The interest rates that are available on the various instruments that constitute the portfolio of a money market fund are the key factors that determine the return from a given money market fund. Looking at historical data is enough to provide sufficient details on how money market returns have fared. During the decade spanning from 2000 to 2010, the monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Bank led to short-term interest rates—the rates banks pay to borrow money from one another—hovering around 0%. These near-zero rates meant money market fund investors saw returns that were significantly lower, compared to those in the prior decades. Further, with the tightening of regulations after the 2008 financial crisis, the number of investable securities grew smaller. Another economic policy in recent years that has had an adverse impact on money market funds is quantitative easing QE. QE is an unconventional monetary policy where a central bank purchases government securities or other securities from the market in order to lower interest rates and increase the money supply. As major economies across the globe—including the QE measures in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, a good portion of the QE money made its way into money market mutual funds as a haven. This migration of funds led to interest rates remaining low for a long duration, and the diminishing of returns from money market funds. Are Money Market Funds Safe? Yes. For the most part, money market funds are among the safest of all investments, with a target value of $1 per share. Money market funds have only dipped below this value "broken the buck" on a small number of occasions associated with financial crises and have quickly bounced back, What Was the First Money Market Fund? The first money market mutual fund appeared in 1971 and was called "The Reserve Fund." Is a Money Market Account the Same as a Money Market Fund? No. A money market fund is a mutual fund investment that holds short-term treasuries and other money market instruments. A money market account is a bank product that credits depositors a rate of interest. A money market fund—also known as a money market mutual fund—offers a relatively safe parking spot for your money. They are popular with investors because they are highly liquid, so the money can fund a new investment what is a money market fund? And how does it work? Let’s take a is a money marketMoney market funds are mutual funds that invest in short-term debt securities such as Treasury bills, cash, and cash-equivalent securities. They offer a low level of risk and high confuse a money market fund with a money market account. Money market funds are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC and invest your money in the stock market accounts are a savings account offered by financial institutions such as banks and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC.Just like any other investment, money market funds carry the risk of losing value. However, they are considered a safe way to earn a higher interest than savings accounts or money market to dive into the market? Wealthsimple Trade makes it easy to buy and sell thousands of stocks and ETFs—all commission-free. No jargon, no paperwork. Get started money market fund can be a popular tool for investors to park their cash before buying stocks or after selling them. They are much less volatile than the stock or bond markets, but their low returns make them a bad long-term money market funds workMoney market funds work just like any other mutual fund where investors buy shares. The fund takes the money and buys short-term government or corporate debt such as Treasury bonds, commercial paper, certificates of deposit CDs, and so of mutual fund investmentsCertificates of deposit CDs A federally insured savings vehicle with a fixed interest rate and a short-term date of withdrawalBankers’ Acceptance A short-term commercial bank draft representing a promise of future paymentCommercial paper A short-term corporate promissory note representing a pledge of future Treasury securities Short-term government debt obligationsRepurchase agreements A type of short-term borrowing using government securitiesIncome from money market funds can be taxable or tax-free depending on the type of portfolio. Tax-free portfolios can be exempt from federal and/or state and local market funds have tried to maintain a net asset value NAV of $1 per share. Investors receive the difference between the NAV share price and portfolio earnings in the form of NAV rule ensures that investors get regular payments although they are not guaranteed to be the same each time. There is also no guarantee that the mutual fund can maintain the share the fund fails to maintain the $1 share price called “breaking the buck”, it can be liquidated by regulators. This has only happened twice so far once in 1994 with the Community Bankers Government Money Market fund and once in 2008 with the Reserve Primary Money failures resulted in new rules issued by the SEC to provide more stability and prevent similar issues in the of money market fundsThere are three main types of money market funds prime also known as general purpose, government including Treasury, and tax-exempt also known as municipal. Prime and tax-exempt mutual funds are further divided into retail or of their classification, all money market funds must comply with regulatory requirements concerning the diversification of the fund’s investment, the type of investments it holds and their liquidity and of money market fundsPrime general purpose This type of fund invests in corporate notes, commercial paper, CDs, debt issued by government agencies, and so type of money market fund invests at least percent of total assets in cash, government securities, and repurchase agreements. This can include Treasury securities and repurchase agreements for municipal This type of fund comprises municipal securities exempt from federal and sometimes state income tax. As a result, earnings from tax-exempt funds are also money market funds are targeted toward individual investors, while others aim to attract institutional money. Those targeted toward individuals are known as retail money market funds, while those targeted toward institutions are known as institutional money market funds seek to maintain a stable $1 share value or NAV but may charge certain fees or suspend your ability to sell shares depending on market funds don’t have to maintain a stable $1 share value but can use a floating NAV, which allows for fluctuations. These funds may also charge certain fees and suspend the ability to sell individual and institutional investors can buy government money market funds. They don’t charge fees, suspend your ability to sell shares, and are not subject to a floating and disadvantages of money market fundsThere are both advantages and disadvantages to investing in money market funds. Sometimes, they can be the right choice and offer a way to protect and grow your they have downsides that can increase your risk and your opportunity of money market fundsMoney market funds are one of several options for investors looking to park their cash in the short term. Other options include money market accounts, high-interest savings accounts, and so main reason for putting your money in a money market fund is to find a low-risk but low-return investment. Sometimes, they also offer tax-exempt have several advantages over other investment optionsLow risk Money market funds offer low volatility and therefore low risk. They are a relatively safe investment where you can park your cash fees Money market funds don’t charge entry or exit fees or loads.High liquidity Investments within money market funds are highly liquid so you can get them out within a few business days. Many also allow investors to write returns than bank accounts Most money market funds earn more than high-interest savings accounts. Sometimes, such as with municipal funds, the earnings are also of money market fundsWhile there are advantages to money market funds, investors should also consider the downsides. They can be a good option in certain situations but may not work well in of money market fundsVariable rates Unlike traditional savings accounts, there is no guarantee on the rate of return for money market funds. This means you don’t know how much you will earn from capital appreciation Because of the conservative nature of money market funds, investors don’t get capital appreciation. This is a low-risk but also low-return FDIC-insured Since money market funds are a type of mutual fund, they are not insured by the FDIC. They are a security and thus regulated by the SEC. There is still a risk that you can lose your money without the backing of a government costMoney market funds generally offer low returns over the long term unlike riskier investments such as stocks. Over the long haul, inflation will eat away at your returns. This is why you may be better off with a diversified mix of stocks and bonds offered by ratios Just like other mutual funds, money market funds charge a fee that helps pay the cost of running the fund. It’s called the expense ratio and can reduce your earnings from the fund. Therefore it’s important to check the expense ratio information on the fund’s prospectus before putting your money in to money market fundsThere are several alternatives to money market funds, which may fit your needs better and offer similar yields. There are multiple factors that determine which type of account is the best fit for your current are several alternatives to consider for investing your cash in the short termShort duration bond funds and exchange-traded funds ETFsBond funds and ETFs can be a good alternative to money market funds with a higher potential yield. However, they can be higher risk and come with management fees and ETFs offer lower fees than bond funds and full transparency on what bonds they include in the fund. They can be purchased through a broker and traded on the open market like market accountWhile money market accounts often get confused with money market funds, they are not the same thing. Money market accounts are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 and are offered by traditional financial institutions such as regular savings accounts, they often require a higher minimum balance but offer higher yields. Most times, these types of accounts offer check-writing privileges and other features similar to regular bank savings accountHigh-yield savings accounts offer another alternative to money market funds. Just like money market accounts, they are FDIC insured and can be opened at traditional financial money market accounts, they have a lower minimum balance requirement and offer check writing and debit card privileges in many of deposit CDCertificates of deposit are a type of savings account with a fixed-term length of time such as three months, six months, one year, two years, and so on. In exchange for locking up your money for a fixed term, you will receive a fixed money market and high-yield savings accounts, CDs are also FDIC insured up to $250, longer the term, the higher the interest rate. Sometimes, CDs may pay higher interest rates than money market accounts but may require that you lock your money for a long you need to withdraw your money before the maturity date, you will be charged a to talk to someone about investing? Call us to talk with a real-life human being about your financial situation. Get a free analysis of your investments, debt and savings rate. Work on goal setting and make a plan to improve your finances. Book a free investment consultation Updated August 28, 2019 Open-ended fixed income mutual funds that invest in short-term debt securities What are Money Market Funds? Money market funds are open-ended fixed income mutual funds that invest in short-term debt securities, such as Treasury bills, municipal bills, and short-term corporate and bank debt instruments that come with low credit risk and emphasize liquidity. Understanding Money Market Funds Money market securities typically come with maturities under 12 months. The short-term nature of the securities is a way of reducing risk and uncertainty. The selection of money market investments is performed by a fund manager as it should relate to the type of money market fund. Money market funds are not insured by the federal government FDIC, unlike money market accounts, which are insured. Money market mutual fund income is usually in the form of a dividend; it can be taxed or tax-exempt depending on the nature of securities invested in the fund. The funds can be used as a cash management tool in business because of their liquidity and flexibility, hence their popularity. Money market funds were developed and came into use in the 1970s. They are regulated through the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC under the Investment Company Act of 1940 in the United States and Regulation 2017/1131 in Europe. According to the Investment Company Institute, money market funds total $ trillion, as of June 17, 2020, and are distributed as follows Objectives of Money Market Fund Investments Investors take part in money market funds for the following reasons Short-term investment horizon Low conservative risk appetite with preference to low-security volatility High liquidity needs Low returns, which is compensated by low risk Stability and certainty Types of Money Market Funds The Securities and Exchange Commission SEC regulations comprise three categories of money market funds based on the securities in the fund 1. Government The funds invest in about in government-backed securities such as Treasury bills, collateralized Treasury securities, repurchase agreements, and Federal Home Loan securities. They also invest in government-sponsored enterprises GSE securities, such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Since government-backed paper is “risk-free,” the funds are considered very safe. 2. Prime They are funds invested in short-term corporate debt instruments, such as commercial paper, corporate notes, and short-term bank securities banker’s acceptances and certificates of deposits. They also include repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements. 3. Municipal tax-free The money market funds are predominantly invested in securities issued by municipalities, which are federal and often state income tax-exempt securities. Other entities also issue securities with tax protection, which the money funds also participate in, such as state municipal. Benefits of Using Money Market Funds 1. Liquidity The redemption of a money market fund usually takes less than two business days, and it is fairly easy to settle brokerage account investment trades. 2. Risk management Money market funds act as a risk management tool, as funds are invested in cash equivalent securities with low risk and high liquidity. 3. Short-term The short-term nature of money market funds ensures a low interest rate, credit, and liquidity risk. 4. Security Money market funds invest in low-risk and high-credit quality securities, ensuring high security. 5. Stability Money market funds are low volatility investments. 6. Convenience Easy access to funds through a checking account linked to an income-yielding money market investment fund. 7. Diversification Money market funds usually hold a diversified portfolio of government, corporate, and tax-free debt securities. 8. Tax exemption Municipal issues in which money market funds invest in are federal and often state income tax-exempt; hence they provide tax-efficient income. Money Market Fund Risks 1. Credit risk Money market securities are susceptible to volatility and are not FDIC-insured, hence the potential to not lose money, however low, is not guaranteed. There exists a probability of loss, although it is generally quite small. There is no guarantee that investors will receive $ per share on the redemption of their shares. 2. Low returns The low returns of money market funds are usually lower than other funds comprising of assets such as stocks and properties. There is a chance that money market returns may also fall below the inflation rate, providing negative real returns to investors inflation risk. Interest rates can also go down further, reducing returns on money market investments. 3. Liquidity fees and redemption gates It involves the imposition of high liquidity fees, fees levied on the sale of shares. Redemption gates require waiting periods before redeeming proceeds from money market funds, normally implemented to prevent a run on the fund in periods of market stress. 4. Foreign exchange exposure This risk is borne by funds that invest in money market instruments across borders that are denominated in other currencies other than the home currency. 5. Environmental changes Changes in economic policies and government regulations can result in an adverse impact on the price of money market securities and their issuers’ financial standing, if they affect interest rates and money supply. Related Readings CFI is the official provider of the global Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst CBCA™ certification program, designed to help anyone become a world-class financial analyst. To keep advancing your career, the additional resources below will be useful Credit Risk Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC Municipal Bond Credit Analysis Types of Markets – Dealers, Brokers, Exchanges See all wealth management resources Money market funds are exploding in popularity, but read the fine print before are designed to generate higher yields than bank savings accounts or money market savings accounts.Getty ImagesAccording to the mutual fund industry trade group Investment Company Institute, continued upheavals in the banking industry and the unsettled economy have caused over $ billion to flow into money market funds, or MMFs, in the week ending Wednesday, April 12. This has pushed total money market fund assets to $ trillion, the largest number since the $ trillion pandemic Treasury and government securities MMFs includes investments such as Treasurys Repurchase agreements short-term government securities Certificates of deposit Prime MMFs generally offer an advantage in yield due to their investments in Bank acceptances short-term debt guaranteed by commercial banks Commercial paper unsecured short-term corporate debt MMFs are designed to generate higher yields than bank savings accounts or money market savings accounts. They are most suitable for investors who are seeking to preserve capital, maintain liquidity and earn dividend income. Thus, if an individual wants to invest funds that they know they will need in a short time span, a money market fund could be a viable generate income, but little to no capital appreciation. As a result, MMFs are not considered suitable for long-term investments, but rather as a short-term place to park income generated can be taxable or tax-free depending on the underlying investments. A fund distributes excess earnings from interest as dividends. Investors like MMFs because the fund managers have to make regular payments to the investors, which allows for a steady stream of of Money Market FundsMMFs have been around since the early 1970s. In 1970, Bruce Bent and Henry Brown established the first MMF called the Reserve Primary Fund. Considered a low-risk investment, MMFs gained traction because of their stated goal of maintaining a net asset value, or NAV, of $1 per share. This enabled smaller investors to have a safe place to park cash in the short term, while earning a higher return on their investments than they would with interest-bearing bank the early success of the Reserve Primary Fund, MMFs have been considered safe havens in times of market volatility. Nearly every 401k plan in the nation includes money market funds in the cash category, sometimes as the only cash option the BuckMMFs were started with the premise that the NAV would remain constant at $1 per share. If the NAV went below $1, it was referred to as "breaking the buck."Breaking the buck can occur when Interest rates are too low for the fund to cover operating expenses or losses. Underlying investment values fall. Leverage is used, introducing new capital risk. Too many investors attempt to withdraw funds too quickly. Since inception, the first incident of breaking the buck occurred in 1994 when the Community Bankers Government Money Market Fund was liquidated because of large losses in derivatives. The Investment Company Institute noted that, while this was the very first case of a fund breaking the buck, investors still received 96 cents of every dollar invested. This result generally appeased the public in terms of acceptable additional incidents occurred until 2008, and the very first money market fund was gravely impacted. Investors in the Reserve Primary Fund were rattled to learn that the fund had $785 million in Lehman Brothers commercial paper. While this only represented about of their total holdings, the intense media coverage of Lehman's corporate bankruptcy created conditions causing the fund's NAV to fall to 97 cents per share. As the financial markets melted down, fund managers announced that customers might lose money. This created a significant run on assets, which ultimately caused regulators to force the venerable fund to close its MMFs have grown significantly in size and importance in retirement plans, institutional investors and corporations make up the bulk of investors. This is because the slightly higher rate offered, especially in prime MMF funds, can represent millions of dollars to large investors. Additionally, MMFs tend to have fewer restrictions on withdrawals, adding to their liquidity 2020, short-term interest rates were driven to nearly zero to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic. This caused many MMFs to change strategy in order to avoid closing down, which they accomplished through strategies like waiving fees in order to hold yields above zero. The most controversial action taken was to offer negative yields, where investors actually paid for the privilege of the fund holding their money. Unfortunately, some funds still had to close their and ProtectionsIt is important to understand that money market funds are generally considered to be safe investments, but safe does not mean that they are risk-free. Therefore, understanding the pros and cons of any investment takes on a special importance with money market savings accounts offered by banks, MMFs do not offer Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., or FDIC, protection. Thus investors, while they can typically expect a slightly higher return, are taking an additional risk, since funds are not insured against money market funds are no longer legally required to keep their NAV share prices at or above a dollar. They also do not have to immediately redeem investor shares. Prime MMFs may charge liquidity fees and redemption fees for withdrawals. Additionally, when a money market fund waives fees in order to keep yields high, they are entitled to recoup these losses at a future date. In 2010, the SEC issued a series of new rules to provide more stability and resilience to managing risks. In 2016, the SEC allowed the NAV to float, meaning that it was allowed to go both above and below $1 per share. This gave funds more latitude to deal with adverse conditions without generating a run on funds. However, retail and government MMFs are still required to maintain the $1 per share NAV standard. The SEC continues to weigh additional provisions that would require, among many proposals, that stable NAV funds could convert to a floating NAV if future market conditions warranted it to avoid negative fund GrowthMoney market funds will continue to be in the news, both due to their popularity in the current market environment, but also because the Biden administration is actively promoting environmental, social and governance, or ESG, factors in these is a framework of criteria that corporations can use to evaluate their sustainability. While most ESG efforts are focused on long-term measures such as climate change, executive compensation and diversity initiatives, ESG is finding additional space within the short-term horizons embraced by claim that companies with better ESG characteristics correspond to better credit ratings, which can mitigate risk in the underlying MMF investments. Additionally, ESG-linked commercial paper is becoming more available, which will create new opportunities for socially minded investors and fund Understanding Is KeyMoney market funds' chief competitive advantage is to offer what is historically considered a short-term haven for liquid assets to combat market volatility and generate steady income. It is possible to lose money in these investments and those losses are not backstopped by FDIC all investors should be sure to read the fine print. Additionally, many people would find the services of a professional financial planner invaluable to avoid emotional investment decisions, especially when the markets are moving quickly in response to global Best Financial Tools for You Editor's Note This article was updated on June 9, 2023, to include Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF. The number of funds was revised to 27, and a note was added to the first two charts. Over the past few years, the incorporation of environmental, social, and governance factors in investment decisions has become mainstream. As its popularity has risen, however, anti-ESG sentiment has also gathered steam. In a recent study, we took a closer look at some of these funds and what they stand for. One thing is clear Anti-ESG investing is not a help investors navigate what can be a confusing landscape, we subdivided our list of 27 anti-ESG funds into five mutually exclusive categories Anti-ESG, Political, Renouncers, Vice, and oldest funds in this group invest in companies known as “sin stocks” that were traditionally excluded by socially responsible funds. Some invest in companies aligned with politically conservative values. Others are traditional passive funds with anti-ESG proxy voting policies. Only one fund in our sample—Constrained Capital ESG Orphans ETF ORFN—neatly fits into the anti-ESG box by investing in businesses management believes are “orphaned,’ discarded or excluded by ESG-centric mutual funds.” That said, it filed with the SEC to liquidate in June funds employ diverse approaches to portfolio construction, but on average they tend to deliver greater exposure to ESG risk compared with peers based on the Morningstar Sustainability Rating. Nearly half of the funds in our sample have High or Above Average levels of exposure to ESG risk, corresponding to 1 or 2 globes, respectively. For perspective, roughly 30% of the overall fund universe receives these ratings, so anti-ESG funds are disproportionately represented at the higher end of ESG risk Funds Invest in Fossil FuelsAmong other things, high levels of ESG risk in a portfolio commonly match significant involvement in the fossil fuel industry. Morningstar Portfolio Fossil Fuel Involvement measures a portfolio’s exposure to thermal coal, oil and gas, oil sands, shale energy, deep-water production, and Arctic offshore for Vice funds, each anti-ESG fund category carries higher exposure to fossil fuels than the Morningstar US Market Index. Constrained Capital ESG Orphans ETF exhibits the most staggering overweight, but it comes as no surprise that Voter fund Strive Energy ETF DRLL has the highest exposure to the fossil fuel industry. Approximately 97% of the companies in the portfolio earn revenue from fossil fuels. For example, Exxon Mobil XOM accounts for nearly one fourth of Strive Energy ETF’s portfolio. It is also a top 10 holding in Political fund Unusual Whales Subversive Republican Trading ETF KRUZ and in ORFN. Oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil earns a Severe ESG Risk Rating from Morningstar Sustainalytics owing to the likelihood of oil spills across its broad network of pipelines and refineries, as well as its exposure to significant legal and financial liabilities as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of Anti-ESG Funds Deliver Exposure to Environmental and Social Impact for InvestorsWhile metrics like fossil fuel involvement may help an investor assess risks in their portfolio, Morningstar’s Portfolio Impact Metrics help them understand the portfolio’s exposure to revenue associated with positive environmental or social of the five key themes, Climate Action, is concerned with the global effort to curb the Earth’s temperature rise and cope with the unavoidable consequences of climate change. It includes measures to promote clean energy and limit greenhouse gas emissions, among others. On average, each of the categories in our sample has lower exposure to climate action compared with the Morningstar US Market shockingly, many portfolios in our list have high levels of alignment to climate action impact. For instance, 84% of Strive Semiconductor ETF’s SHOC portfolio is involved in climate action impact, a whopping 48-percentage-point overweight relative to the benchmark, followed by Strive 1000 Growth ETF STXG and Strive 500 ETF STRV at 43% and 36%, respectively. Each of the three funds has a major position in Nvidia NVDA, a multinational technology company that contributes heavily to the climate action theme. For example, Nvidia recently launched its Earth-2 initiative to build the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence supercomputer dedicated to predicting climate change. In 2021, the company also disclosed manufacturing energy-efficient GPUs for gaming and professional Closer Look at the Anti-ESG Fund Before It is Liquidated Although Nvidia was a common holding for many anti-ESG funds, the only fund in our sample that neatly fits into the anti-ESG box does not count it among its top 10 holdings. The exhibit above shows ORFN’s top 10 holdings as of March 31, holdings include Exxon Mobil, tobacco firm Philip Morris PM, and defense contractor Raytheon Technologies RTX. In 2021, Exxon Mobil and Chevron CVX posted gains of 86% and 58%, respectively, due to the fossil fuel price surge that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Six stocks in this group carry Severe to High levels of ESG Risk, with Exxon Mobil getting the riskiest rating. As expected, the higher levels of risk in these names can be traced to each company’s high carbon emissions and/or the greenhouse gas emissions of their products and services while in use by author or authors do not own shares in any securities mentioned in this article. Find out about Morningstar’s editorial policies.

capital money market fund