Closed end mutual funds

There are two types of mutual funds. First one is open end mutual find. This means anyone can buy at any time the share in the open end mutual fund. This is not the case with the close end funds. In case of closed end mutual funds, the number of shares or units is fixed, you can not get new unit or share in the closed end mutual funds. The closed mutual funds behave more as the stocks. The price of the closed end mutual funds share is determined by the market forces just like the stocks. After the initial IPO process, the cost will be determined by the market.

The price of the closed end mutual fund can be below the NAV price. The price of the closed end mutual funds can be above the NAV price. The price of the closed end mutual funds is always changing like stocks prices following market conditions. If the closed end fund ids managed by the best experienced, skilled manager, the closed end mutual fund can show above the NAV price. The converse is that if the closed end mutual funds are poorly managed, then the market price will be below the NAV value.

Of course like the stocks, the demand and supply will change the market price of the closed end mutual funds. If there is high demand and low supply of the closed end mutual funds then the price will rise above the NAV value. If there is low demand and high supply then the price of the closed end mutual funds will be lower than the NAV value. When the closed end mutual funds are marketed at higher than NAV value, it is said that they are sold at premium. When they are marketed at lower than NAV value, it is said that they are sold at discount.

In 2005 there were more than 800 closed end mutual funds approximately.
The total money invested in these 800 closed end mutual funds was estimated to be approximately $371 billions. Apparently the closed end mutual funds seem to be like ETFs. But the major difference is I the management styles. The ETFs are passively managed. In case of closed end mutual funds they are actively managed.

In case of the open end mutual funds it is possible that it can be closed to new investors. But this does not make it a closed end mutual fund. Even here the existing investors can always buy the shares. Secondly in case the existing investor wants to sell the open end mutual funds units he does not have to go to market.

There are some advantages and disadvantages associated with closed end mutual funds, but can not be discussed in such a small article about closed end mutual funds.