is expressed as a number of years. The bigger the duration number, the greater the interest rate risk or reward for the debt instrument prices. For example, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if market interest rates rose by 1%. Conversely, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to rise approximately 5% if market interest rates dropped by 1%.
The derivatives in which the Fund may invest include, without limitation, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, and futures contracts. The Fund would typically expect to use derivatives to hedge against interest rate or credit risk, as a substitute for direct investments in securities or other instruments, or to otherwise enhance return. Derivatives transactions may have the effect of either magnifying or limiting the Fund's gains and losses.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in foreign (non-U.S.) securities, which will typically be U.S. dollar-denominated but may include securities denominated in foreign currencies.
The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder.
In evaluating investments for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations to determine whether any or all of those factors or considerations might have a material effect on the value, risks, or prospects of an investment. Among the factors considered, the Sub-Adviser may take into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors to determine whether one or more factors may have a material effect. In considering ESG factors, the Sub-Adviser intends to rely primarily on research and on third-party evaluations of an issuer's ESG standing. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the Sub-Adviser's evaluation of any potential investment; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Sub-Adviser's decision to invest in an issuer, if at all, will depend on the analysis and judgment of the Sub-Adviser.
The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising.
The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 33 1∕3% of its total assets.
Principal Risks
You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.
Bank Instruments:Bank instruments include certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits, bankers' acceptances, and other debt and deposit-type obligations issued by banks. Changes in economic, regulatory, or political conditions, or other events that affect the banking industry may have an adverse effect on bank instruments or banking institutions that serve as counterparties in transactions with the Fund. In the event of a bank insolvency or failure, the Fund may be considered a general creditor of the bank, and it might lose some or all of the funds deposited with the bank. Even where it is recognized that a bank might be in danger of insolvency or failure, the Fund might not be able to withdraw or transfer its money from the bank in time to avoid any adverse effects of the insolvency or failure. Volatility in the banking system may impact the viability of banking and financial services institutions. In the event of failure of any of the financial institutions where the Fund maintains its cash and cash equivalents, there can be no assurance that the Fund would be able to access uninsured funds in a timely manner or at all and the Fund may incur losses. Any such event could adversely affect the business, liquidity, financial position and performance of the Fund.
Collateralized Loan Obligations and Other Collateralized Obligations:A collateralized loan obligation ("CLO") is an obligation of a trust or other special purpose vehicle typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include senior secured and unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade, or equivalent unrated loans. CLOs may incur management fees and administration fees. The risks of investing in a CLO depend largely on the type of the collateral held in the CLO portfolio and the tranche of securities in which the Fund may invest, and can generally be summarized as a combination of economic risks of the underlying loans combined with the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments, and include interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, prepayment and extension risk, and the risk of default of the underlying asset, among others.
Company:The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.