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.
Brexit Risk. The United Kingdom's official departure from the European Union (commonly referred to as "Brexit") led to volatility in global financial markets, in particular those of the United Kingdom and across Europe, and the weakening in political, regulatory, consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the United Kingdom and Europe. It is not currently possible to determine the extent of the impact that Brexit may have on the portfolio's investments and this uncertainty could negatively impact current and future economic conditions in the United Kingdom and other countries, which could negatively impact the value of the portfolio's investments.
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.
COVID-19 Economic Impact Risk. The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, or the potential impacts of any future public health crisis, may cause significant volatility and uncertainty in global financial markets. While vaccines have been developed, there is no guarantee that vaccines will be effective against future variants of the disease.
Energy Risk. The companies engaged in the energy sector are subject to certain risks, including price and supply fluctuations caused by international politics, energy conservation, taxes, price controls, and other regulatory policies of various governments. Falling oil and gas prices may negatively impact the profitability and business prospects of certain energy companies.
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.
Large-Cap Risk. Large capitalization companies may grow at a slower rate than the overall market.
Market Disruption Risk. Ongoing armed conflicts between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and among Israel, Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East, have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility within the markets in Russia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant impact on certain investments as well as performance.
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.
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.
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.