What is the primary goal of a mutual fund?

The primary goal of a mutual fund is to pool money from multiple investors for diversified investments. This pooling allows investors to access a diversified portfolio that they may not be able to achieve individually due to limited capital. By combining resources, investors can spread their risk across a variety of asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, or other securities. This diversification helps reduce the impact of any single investment's poor performance on the overall portfolio.

Investing in a single stock limits an investor's diversification, which increases risk. Additionally, minimizing costs through low dividends does not represent a fundamental goal of a mutual fund, as funds often focus on generating returns through capital appreciation and income. Finally, exclusively investing in fixed income securities would not align with the broader objective of a mutual fund, which typically aims for a mix of asset types to cater to various investment strategies and risk tolerances.