Investors who wish to generate returns similar to the U.S. broad stock market can do so by investing in large-cap domestic stocks that represent the bulk of the U.S. stock market. U.S. large-cap companies are typically well-established enterprises that have competitive advantages in what they produce and sell. These companies typically have large financial resources that can be deployed to generate shareholders' returns through dividends and stock buybacks. Investors interested in investing in U.S. large-cap stocks can do so by investing in passively managed mutual funds at reasonable costs.

Rydex NASDAQ-100 Fund Investor Class

Assets under management (AUM): $1 billion

2010-2015 average annual net asset value (NAV) return: 17.13%

Net expense ratio: 1.26%

The Rydex NASDAQ-100 Fund Investor Class tracks the performance, before fees and expenses, of the NASDAQ-100 Index, which is composed of securities issued by 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ. About 38% of the fund's holdings are allocated to information technology companies, while consumer discretionary stocks account for about 14% of the fund's holdings. Apple is the fund's largest stock holding, with about a 6.5% allocation. The fund holds stocks of numerous other well-known companies, such as Microsoft, Amazon.com, Alphabet and Facebook. The top 10 holdings of the fund account for 42% of the fund's assets.

The Rydex NASDAQ-100 Fund Investor Class earned a five-star overall rating from Morningstar. The fund comes with no load fees and requires a minimum investment of $2,500.

BlackRock Large Cap Index Fund Investor A Shares

AUM: $99.2 million

2012-2015 average annual NAV return: 12.17%

Net expense ratio: 0.38%

The BlackRock Large Cap Index Fund Investor A Shares invests in a portfolio of stocks to attain performance to match the total return of the Russell 1000 Index, which represents the highest-ranking 1,000 stocks in the Russell 3000 Index. The fund seeks to replicate the investment results of the underlying index by holding all stocks included in the Russell 1000 Index. The information technology sector has the largest allocation at 20%, while financial stocks and health care stocks account for about 18 and 14% of the fund's assets, respectively. No single holding in the fund's portfolio accounts for more than 4% of the fund's assets.

The BlackRock Large Cap Index Fund Investor A has earned a four-star overall rating from Morningstar. The fund has no load fees and requires its investors to contribute at least $1,000.

Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index Fund

AUM: $2.1 billion

2010-2015 average annual NAV return: 16.58%

Net expense ratio: 0.29%

The Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index Fund seeks to replicate the performance of the NASDAQ Composite Index. The fund uses sampling techniques to obtain investment results that are similar to the underlying index rather than fully replicating the index's components. Information technology stocks have by far the largest allocation at 46%, while consumer discretionary equities account for 18% of the fund's holdings.

The fund has one of the lowest expense ratios among its peers. Morningstar has given the fund a five-star overall rating. The Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index Fund charges no load fees and comes with a minimum investment requirement of $2,500.

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Investor Shares

AUM: $15.7 billion

2010-2015 average annual NAV return: 13.26%

Net expense ratio: 0.18%

The Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Investor Shares tracks the performance the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, which consists of common stocks of companies that pay higher-than-average dividends. The fund pursues a full replication investment strategy by holding all components of the underlying index. The fund's holdings are well diversified across various sectors, with no single sector accounting for more than 15%. Consumer goods stocks have the highest allocation at 15%. The top 10 holdings of the fund account for 31% of the fund's assets.

The low expense ratio and strong risk-adjusted returns have earned the fund a silver analyst rating and a five-star overall rating from Morningstar. The Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Investor Shares does not charge load fees and requires a minimum investment of $3,000.