Risk Considerations
Equity Risk. An investment in a portfolio containing common stocks is subject to certain risks, such as an economic recession and the possible deterioration of either the financial condition of the issuers of the equity securities or the general condition of the stock market.
Sector Concentration Risk. A portfolio which is concentrated in an individual sector is subject to additional risks, including limited diversification.
Business Development Company Risk. Certain of the securities in the portfolio are issued by closed-end investment companies which have been elected to be treated as Business Development Companies (BDC). An investment in BDCs is subject to various risks, including management's ability to meet the BDC's investment objective, and to manage the BDC's portfolio during periods of market turmoil. BDCs may trade in the market at a discount to their net asset value. BDCs may employ the use of leverage which subjects the BDC to increased risks.
Emerging Markets Risk. Risks associated with investing in non-U.S. securities may be more pronounced in emerging and developing markets where the securities markets are substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid, less regulated, and more volatile than the U.S. and developed non-U.S. markets.
Foreign Securities Risk. Securities of non-U.S. issuers are subject to additional risks, including currency fluctuations, political risks, withholding, the lack of adequate financial information, and exchange control restrictions impacting non-U.S. issuers.
REITs Risk. An investment in a portfolio containing REIT securities is subject to additional risks including limited diversification. Companies involved in the real estate industry are subject to changes in the real estate market, vacancy rates and competition, volatile interest rates and economic recession.
Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Risk. An investment in a portfolio containing small-cap and mid-cap companies is subject to additional risks, as the share prices of small-cap companies and certain mid-cap companies are often more volatile than those of larger companies due to several factors, including limited trading volumes, products, financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information.
Technology Risk. The companies engaged in the information technology sector are subject to fierce competition, high research and development costs, and their products and services may be subject to rapid obsolescence. Technology company stocks, especially those which are Internet-related, may experience extreme price and volume fluctuations that are often unrelated to their operating performance.
Volatility Risk. The value of the securities held by the trust may be subject to steep declines or increased volatility due to changes in performance or perception of the issuers.
Additional Risk. For a discussion of additional risks of investing in the trust see the "Risk Factors" section of the prospectus.
Important Note. It is important to note that an investment can be made in the underlying funds directly rather than through the trust. These direct investments can be made without paying the trust's sales charge, operating expenses and organizational costs.
Operational Risk. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the trust has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cybersecurity.