Dueling Fools: ETFs vs. Mutual Funds

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Like many investors, my first steps into the stock market came through no-load mutual funds. I eventually moved on to buying individual stocks, but I have never outgrown mutual fund investing.

I still have the Morningstar (Nasdaq: MORN) website bookmarked. I read our own Shannon Zimmerman's recommendations every month in the Champion Funds newsletter. And I still venture into developing foreign markets through conventional mutual funds. In fact, I have companies like T. Rowe Price (Nasdaq: TROW) and Janus (NYSE: JNS) on my watch list, because I feel the industry will continue to thrive.

However, I recently bought my first exchange-traded fund (or ETF) a few months ago, and I think I'm smitten. ETF choices keep growing, and their intraday buy and sell opportunities intrigue me.

Which one is best? I couldn't answer that myself -- I'm a fan of both now -- so I turned to Dueling Fools to help enlighten me. This week, we have Zoe Van Schyndel, CFA, arguing on behalf of ETFs. Tim Beyers counters with a case for buying open-end mutual funds instead.

Which is the best choice for you? That's what this week's bout is all about.  

Duel on!

• Read the ETF argument
• Read the mutual fund argument
• Read the ETF rebuttal
• Read the mutual fund rebuttal
• Sound off in Motley Fool CAPS
• Vote for the winner