And "Should I invest in an index fund?" is an important follow-up. At their very basic level, index funds are diversified, low-cost investment vehicles that let you invest in dozens, hundreds or ...

Read on to learn more about this basic concept and how an index can influence your financial future. Image source: Getty Images. All of these have one thing in common: They help investors gauge ...

The index includes companies in basic materials, consumer discretionary spending, consumer staples, healthcare, industrials, technology, telecommunications, and utilities. The index excludes ...

A cost of living index tracks how much basic expenses for these categories rise over time and in different regions. It can demonstrate how need-based expenses vary from one area to another.

The bottom 60% of U.S. households don't make enough money to afford a "minimal quality of life," according to a new analysis.

Index fund investing should be efficient and low cost. The goal is to capture market returns less a small fee in a diversified portfolio that covers basic asset classes. When constructed correctly ...