Fund Risks
The Fund will be closely linked to the real assets market. Real assets include real estate securities, infrastructure securities and natural resources securities.
Since the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities in real assets securities, the Fund may be subject to greater volatility than a fund that is more broadly diversified.
Property values may fall due to increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal, cultural or technological developments. A REIT’s performance is dependent on management skills, and REITs generally are not diversified. REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.
Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business, including high interest costs, high leverage, regulation costs, economic slowdown, surplus capacity, increased competition, lack of fuel availability, and energy conservation policies.
The Fund invests in MLPs, which involve additional risks as compared with the risks of investing in common stock, including risks related to cash flow, dilution and voting rights. MLPs may trade less frequently than larger companies due to their smaller capitalizations, which may result in erratic price movement or difficulty in buying or selling. Additional management fees and other expenses are associated with investing in MLPs.
The Fund invests in small- and mid-cap companies, which involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility.
The Fund invests in foreign securities, which involve greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks, and differences in accounting methods. These risks are magnified in emerging markets.
Some securities held may be difficult to sell, particularly during times of market turmoil. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset to meet redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell at a loss.
Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities. Debt securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as "junk bonds," and they are generally more volatile and less liquid, and they are considered speculative.
The Fund's use of derivatives may reduce the Fund's returns, increase volatility, and/or give rise to a form of economic leverage that would magnify any increases or decreases in the value of the Fund's portfolio.
So-called “natural resources securities” may be affected by numerous factors, including events occurring in nature, inflationary pressures and international politics. Rising interest rates and general economic conditions may also affect the demand for natural resources. Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.
Some securities held may be difficult to sell, particularly during times of market turmoil. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset to meet redemption, the Fund may be forced to sell at a loss.
