The fund, which specializes in small companies, closed to new investors in July after assets ballooned to more than $1 billion.

Some funds have even cut their fees as assets have ballooned.

Together, these assets ballooned to $1.53 billion in the third quarter, 20 percent more than on June 30.

According to one investor, its assets under management really ballooned in 2003 and 2004, rising to more than $400 million from $100 million.

The firm's assets had ballooned to 100 times its capital, and it was borrowing at more than twice the rate of any other firm on Wall Street.

During the subsequent eight years, the assets in stock funds ballooned tenfold, to $2.809 trillion.

The fund's assets ballooned to more than $1 billion from less than $200 million the previous year.

More mutual funds that invest according to religious beliefs have been created, and the funds' assets have ballooned into the billions of dollars.

While the fund's assets have ballooned about six-fold from the $50 million Mr. Coleman managed, performance has slowed.

Its assets have ballooned to more than $12 billion since it started less than four years ago.