3.2  Management Companies: Closed-End Funds

Like open-end funds (mutual funds), closed-end management companies offer shares of a fund made up of a portfolio of securities. Unlike open-end funds, however, closed-end funds raise capital through an initial public offering (IPO), after which they no longer issue new shares. Closed-end funds also differ from mutual funds in that they can be traded on the secondary market like a stock. For this reason, we say that shares of closed-end funds are negotiable, since their ownership can be transferred from one individual to another.

Closed-end funds purchased during an IPO are not subject to sales loads, but the broker will usually charge a commission on the trade. Since they are sold only once by the investment company, closed-end funds do not incur the ongo