You May Be Funding The Gun Lobby Without Even Knowing It

The pendulum of public opinion is swinging toward stricter gun control in the wake of the Parkland, Florida school shooting, and an increasing number of Americans believe it’s now politically possible for Congress to take action.

But many people who actively favor stricter gun control may also be unwittingly invested in the gun industry. Here’s how that happens and what you can do about it.
Check your mutual fund.

Many investors and retirement savers have their money in mutual funds instead of buying individual stocks directly. A mutual fund owns shares in multiple companies and in multiple sectors, thus spreading an individual investor’s financial risk. A mutual fund manager decides which stocks to buy and sell with your money. Some are long-term investments and others are not, which makes it hard to know which specific companies your money is supporting via your mutual fund at any given moment.

If you have a 401(k) through your job, there is an excellent chance you’re invested in a mutual fund. Most employers offer several mutual funds and allow workers to choose which to invest in. The guidance your 401(k) manager will give is generally focused on and limited to your tolerance for risk. As you get older ― and closer to retirement ― managers suggest less risky funds, knowing you’ll have less time to recover if the fund doesn’t perform well.

A 2016 analysis of 23,000 mutual funds by investment research firm MSCI found that nearly 75 percent “had some exposure to the weapons industry,” and approximately half of those funds “had direct exposure to gun manufacturers.” In other words, there’s a pretty good chance your mutual fund owns some gun or gun-related stocks.

Source: huffingtonpost