Many investors are confused in today's economic and financial markets -and understandably so. The choices are numerous. Stocks, bonds, money market funds, gold funds, real estate funds. Depending on the scenario that unfolds, some selections will be profitable, while others will be losers.

What's the solution? A proper strategy must include these components: Wide diversification of assets. A "safety first" approach that minimizes risk. Cash hedges. A global perspective. And the ability to move quickly from one market sector to another as economic fundamentals shift.

For those investors whose goals include both profit and safety, we believe that top-performing mutual funds are essential. Strategically employed, they fulfill all these objectives.

But mutual funds no longer provide us with a simple choice. There are more equity and income funds than the total number of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange! How can you decide which fund - or set of funds- is right for you? And how do you know when it's time to add to your position...or switch...or sell?

The answer is clear: Come to the mutual fund experts at American Capital Management. We maintain a comprehensive computer database with information on over 9,000 funds. We constantly update and analyze the data to determine the strongest, most reliable and best-performing funds. On the basis of these studies, we choose the strongest mutual funds and allocate our clients' investments according to their goals and risk tolerance.

Too many investors today are being frightened into accepting low returns for presumed guarantees of safety. They overlook this key fact: You can substantially increase your investment returns without sacrificing safety.