Want to Invest? Scared of Risk? Consider Index Funds

If you are worried about stock market risk, consider index funds like iShares S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index Fund (TSX:XIC). They are less risky than individual stocks.

| More on:

Are you considering investing in the stock market but are concerned about the risk? If so, there’s a relatively straightforward solution: index funds.

Index funds are pooled investment funds that invest in the entire stock market, rather than any one stock. They have been proven to have much less risk than individual stocks. While a company can go bankrupt, an un-levered index fund can’t. That’s not to say that there is no risk in index funds — they are subject to market risk — but there is much less risk in index funds than in stocks.

In this article, I will make the case that index funds are a suitable solution to stock market risk and mention another low-risk investment that’s even safer.

How index funds reduce risk

The way index funds lower risk is by reducing specific risk to near zero.

All investments have two types of risk:

  1. Market risk
  2. Specific risk

Market risk is the risk in the market as a whole. Hawkish central bank policy, mass panic, systemic overvaluation — these are all “macro” risks that impact the total stock market.

Then we have specific risk. That is, the risk impacting a specific stock. For a pharmaceutical company, an example of a specific risk is having its patent application rejected. If that happens, then the pharma company won’t recover its R&D costs and will have to contend with an avalanche of competition.

Index funds reduce total risk by taking the second form of risk out of the picture. Or, almost out of the picture, anyway. If you look at an index fund like iShares S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index Fund (TSX:XIC), you will see that it is very diversified. It contains a full 240 stocks, which means that the vast majority of stocks in it have a small weighting. If any one of the stocks in XIC goes bankrupt, the fund as a whole will survive.

There is still the issue of weight — most index funds are market cap weighted, which means that the bigger stocks in them make up an outsized percentage of the portfolio. That does introduce a little concentration risk, but it’s not as severe as with individual stocks. Also, there are “equal weighted” funds, like BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF, that weigh all stocks equally, reducing concentration risk.

Still too risky? Consider GICs

The paragraphs above establish a pretty simple way to reduce the risk inherent in stocks: buy index funds instead of individual equities.

With that strategy alone, you will avoid the fate of having your investment go to $0 — and you may even get a decent return!

But if even that’s too risky for you, it’s not game over. There are plenty of extremely low-risk assets out there to suit your needs. GICs are among the best. A GIC is a guaranteed return product offered by banks. They historically have yielded next to nothing, but today, some yield north of 4%. That’s not quite beating the inflation rate, but it’s very safe and will exceed what you get in a savings account.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Andrew Button has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

More on Investing

tsx today
Stock Market

TSX Today: What to Watch for in Stocks on Tuesday, November 5

Updates related to the U.S. presidential election will remain on TSX investors’ radar today as the third-quarter corporate earnings season…

Read more »

think thought consider
Tech Stocks

Is CGI Stock a Buy Even With No Dividend Yield?

CGI stock may not have a dividend to speak of. But does that necessarily mean you should ignore this top…

Read more »

A robotic hand interacting with a visual AI touchscreen display.
Tech Stocks

Why Now Is the Time to Invest in Canadian AI Stocks

Are you looking for one of the most solid Canadian AI stocks out there? This one is probably your best…

Read more »

The letters AI glowing on a circuit board processor.
Tech Stocks

Why AI Stocks Should Be in Every Canadian Investor’s Portfolio

AI stocks continue to be one of the best options out there for long-term investing, especially when considering Canadian options.

Read more »

stock research, analyze data
Bank Stocks

Canadian Bank Stocks: Buy, Sell, or Hold?

There are opportunities and risks on the horizon for the Canadian banks.

Read more »

Young Boy with Jet Pack Dreams of Flying
Stock Market

Is Air Canada Stock a Good Buy After Its Q3 Results

Down almost 60% from all-time highs, Air Canada is an undervalued TSX stock that remains an enticing investment in November…

Read more »

cloud computing
Investing

Where to Invest $10,000 in November

Given their solid underlying businesses and healthy growth prospects, I expect these two defensive stocks to outperform uncertain outlook.

Read more »

coins jump into piggy bank
Retirement

Here’s the Average RRSP Balance at Age 44 for Canadians

Holding stocks like Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSX:ATD) in an RRSP is a good way to build your wealth.

Read more »