Proxy voting is one of several ways that funds promote stronger governance and better management, and in turn promote shareholder value.

In 2009, rising expense ratios of long-term funds were offset by a decline in load fee payments by investors.

Lower 401(k) fees are related to the size of DC plans, contribution rates by employers and employees, and greater use of automatic enrollment.

Eighty-five percent of households with DC accounts indicated that their DC plan offered a good lineup of investment options.

"Traditional IRA Investors' Contribution Activity, 2007 and 2008" is the first part of a new ICI Research series that collects account-level data of more than 10 million individual retirement accounts.

Mutual fund–owning households often held several funds, and equity funds were the most commonly owned type of mutual fund.

At year-end 2009, bond closed-end fund assets were $136 billion, or 59 percent of closed-end fund assets.

According to an annual ICI survey of U.S. households, 87.1 million individual investors owned mutual funds in 2009.

"Traditional IRA Investors' Contribution Activity, 2007 and 2008" is the first part of a new ICI Research series that collects account-level data of more than 10 million individual retirement accounts.

Total U.S. retirement assets were $16.0 trillion at year-end 2009, up nearly $2.0 trillion, from year-end 2008. The increase in retirement assets largely was driven by investment returns.

ICI’s annual compilation—our fiftieth edition—reports on retirement assets, characteristics of mutual fund owners, use of index funds, and other trends.

Americans like the 401(k) system. Among households expressing an opinion about retirement plans, 90 percent had a favorable opinion.

Total money market mutual fund assets increased by $3.57 billion to $2.802 trillion for the week ended Wednesday, July 28.

Total estimated inflows to long-term mutual funds were $6.91 billion for the week ended Wednesday, July 21.

The combined assets of the nation’s mutual funds decreased by $203 billion, or 1.9 percent, to $10.504 trillion in June.

The combined assets of the nation’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were $772.21 billion in June.

Unit investment trusts, investment companies that hold fixed portfolios of selected stocks or bonds, had total deposits of $2.10 billion in June.

The combined assets of the nation’s closed-end funds were $233.46 billion at the end of April 2010.

Mutual fund assets worldwide increased 2.3 percent to $22.88 trillion at the end of 2009.

Total U.S. retirement assets were $16.0 trillion at year-end 2009, up nearly $2.0 trillion, or 14 percent from year-end 2008.

ICI’s annual compilation—our fiftieth edition—reports on retirement assets, characteristics of mutual fund owners, use of index funds, and other trends. The 2010 Investment Company Fact Book is also available in an HTML version.