It wasn't until the first quarter of 2003 that the rankings for capital preservation and total return had converged, the study found.

Funds ranked high for capital preservation can be found in many investment categories.

Some funds that were ranked among the best for capital preservation in 2000 have since produced lackluster results.

The investment objective of stable value funds is to provide capital preservation and predictable, steady returns.

It has continued with its emphasis on capital preservation, having broadly anticipated current weakness further down the bond food chain.

The fund's previous objective was current income consistent with capital preservation.

For people who need the money or are concerned about capital preservation, they should not chase these yields.

"I think you will find that we did an exceptionally good job of capital preservation during a difficult period," he said.

The funds aim to maximize total return and then emphasize capital preservation as the fund approaches its maturity date.

The team's risk management process is focused on capital preservation utilizing a tight stop-loss discipline.