Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, Illinois

Growth of religiously screened funds on Wall Street expands CEO

Seven years ago only six mutual funds screened for religious principles. Now more than 30 funds hold roughly $5 billion in assets, spanning Muslim Amana Growth Fund, Seventh-day Adventist Capstone SERV funds, and other faith-aligned portfolios. Critics warn returns may be unreliable, and some funds post losses such as Domini Social Equity Fund dropping 17.8 percent last year versus the S P 500 10 percent fall. Values Financial Network and Portfolio Screening services help investors search funds by moral criteria, though experts caution screeners are not foolproof and holdings change quarterly.