Shareware Grab Bag/Shareware Grab Bag.iso/005/fund.arc/FUND.DOC

Text File | 1987-04-18 | 6KB | 104 lines

                       - FUND SELECT -

FUND  SELECT is designed to allow the user to screen a data  base
of  mutual  funds  for specified criteria to meet  an  investor's
specialized needs.   The main data file,  funds.csv contains  the
criteria information for the data base.  The version available on
bulletin boards is a demonstration version.  The complete program
and  data  base  is  available for  $30  from  FAIRFAX  FINANCIAL
CONSULTANTS.


The  primary screening program is called FUNDS.   The program  is
started  by  having  the  FUNDS.EXE program  and  the  data  base:
FUNDS.CSV  file on a diskette in drive A.  After putting the  dis
kette  in drive A just type FUNDS and return and the program will
run.   The  first request is to make sure that the keyboard is in
uppercase mode;  enter a letter to make sure capital letters  are
used  and then hit the return key.   FUNDS operates through  menu
choices  and  allows  the user to make selections  based  on  the
specified  criteria.   After each criteria selection the user  is
shown  how  many  funds have been selected.   The user  can  then
continue screening on the funds already selected or stop and  get
a list of the funds selected.  The list is shown on the monitor.

The information included in the Data Base is obtained from sourc
es  we  believe  to be reliable but cannot be  guaranteed  as  to
accuracy.   The  user should take steps commensurate with prudent
investing  to assure himself of the accuracy and  suitability  of
the investments before committing money to any fund.

CRITERIA FOR SCREENING:

        Fund  Style:   The  user can choose between  funds  which
concentrate on achieving return from income,  capital gains, or a
combination   of  income  and  capital  gains.    The  style   is
particularly relevant for stock funds.

        Fund  Type:   For this criteria we have several   choices
including stocks, bonds, convertibles, balanced, tax free, lever
aged,  and  options although not all types are included  in  this
DEMO version.


        Return:   Returns can be entered for any of the specified
years or for the most recent three year or cumulative, annualized
seven  year period.   The return is the total return of the  fund
including both income and capital gains, realized and unrealized.
After  the user selects the period for which he wants to  screen,
i.e.  1981  return,  the program shows the return for the  S&P500
stock  index  and  the Salomon Bros.  bond index for  the  period
selected and asks for the criteria,  that is,  greater than (GT),
less  than  (LT) or equal to (EQ) and the  value  in  percentage.
Thus  if  the  user wanted to screen for all funds  with  a  1981
return of greater than a negitive 5 1/2 %  return the input would
be:  GT,-5.5  (Note the criteria needs to be in upper  case,  the
value  has to be separated by a comma and the value is in percent
not in decimal.   The 3 and 7 year returns are annualized for the
respective periods.   Thus $100 grows to $195 at a 10% annualized
return from 1980 to 1986.

        Min  Contribution:   The  minimum  contribution  criteria
allows  the user to screen for funds which allow for either small
or  large minimum initial contributions.   Thus if  the  investor
wanted  only funds which allowed large initial contributions  the
input could be: GT,10000 which would specify contributions great
er  than or equal to $10,000.   Please note that the criteria  is
upper case,  the value is separted by a comma and the amount does
not includ a comma.

        Load Charge:  The load charge is usually the sales charge
which compensates the broker selling the fund.   It is equivalent
to  a commission.    Some funds also charge a load to  discourage
frequent  switching such as with the Fidelity family  of  specia
lized funds or their Magellan Fund.   Thus for a fund which char
ges  a  8.5% load an investor who purchased $1000 worth  of  fund
units  would have a value of only $850.   This can be seen in the
newspaper mutual fund section by a difference in the bid and  ask
prices  of the fund.   To specify a selection of funds with loads
of less than 2% input LT,2.   After a screening session is listed
the program allows the user to start all over again on a new  set
of  criteria.   In order to break out of the program while it  is
running  the  user  can use the  CTRL-C  key  combinations.   The
commercial  version of Fund Select contains almost 500  different
funds and a second data base which gives the funds' addresses and
phone  numbers (including the 800 number where  available).   The
commercial version sells for $30.  The program allows the user to
print out the screened listing as a further option.

With  the  commercial  version there is a second program  on  the
diskette  called  FUNDLIST.   FUNDLIST is written  in  BASIC  and
simply  reads  the data file and lists the file onto the  screen.
The  program is provided for the more sophisticated user who  may
wish to write custom programs utilizing the database.   This is a
feature of all Fairfax Financial Consultants Data Bases.  Fairfax
Financial  Consultants  also  distributes  a  data  base   called
ECONSTAT  consisting  of over 40 economic time  series  quarterly
from  1969  and  MO-ROR,  a monthly data base of total  rates  of
return  from 1935 for the stock market,  treasury bills,  a  long
bond index and the CPI.

To  order the complete version of Fund Select send $30 to FAIRFAX
FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS, Box 15103, Alexandria, VA 22309.

To  order the complete version of Fund Select send $30 to FA