Which of the following describes the purpose of an index fund?

An index fund is designed to replicate the performance of a specific market index, such as the S&P 500. This means that the fund holds a portfolio of stocks that mirrors the components of that index in the same proportion as they are represented in the market. The primary goal of an index fund is to match, rather than attempting to outperform, the returns of the market index it tracks.

This type of fund offers investors a low-cost way to gain broad market exposure without the need for active management. Since index funds typically have lower management fees compared to actively managed funds, this aligns with another characteristic of index funds, which is to reduce overall investment costs. However, the core purpose remains focused on providing a way to match market performance, making replication of market index returns the defining feature of index funds.