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.
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.
Financials Risk. The companies engaged in the financials sector are subject to the adverse effects of volatile interest rates, economic recession, decreases in the availability of capital, increased competition from new entrants in the field, and potential increased regulation.
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.
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 Risk. An investment in a portfolio containing small-cap companies is subject to additional risks, as the share prices of small-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.
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.