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.
Buy & Hold Risk – Taxable Trusts. This UIT is a buy and hold strategy and investors should consider their ability to hold the trust until maturity. There may be tax consequences unless units are purchased in an IRA or other qualified plan.
Canadian Concentration Risk. Because the portfolio is concentrated in companies headquartered, or with a significant presence, in Canada, the portfolio may present more risks than a portfolio which is broadly diversified over several regions.
Commodities Risk. Commodity prices are subject to several factors including, price and supply fluctuations, excess capacity, economic recession, domestic and international politics, government regulations, volatile interest rates, consumer spending trends and overall capital spending levels.
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.
Custody Risk. Certain funds held by the trust rely on custodians for the safekeeping of commodities. Failure by a custodian to safekeep the commodities could result in a loss to a fund. In addition, a custodian may not carry adequate insurance to cover claims against it which could adversely affect the value of a fund's assets, and in turn the value of the trust.
ETF Risk. ETFs are subject to various risks, including management's ability to meet the fund's investment objective, and to manage the fund's portfolio when the underlying securities are redeemed or sold, during periods of market turmoil and as investors' perceptions regarding ETFs or their underlying investments change. Unlike open-end funds, which trade at prices based on a current determination of the fund's net asset value, ETFs frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value in the secondary market.
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.
Metals and Mining Risk. Companies involved in metals and mining can be significantly affected by events relating to international political and economic developments, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, commodity prices, and tax and other government regulations. Investments in these companies may be speculative and may be subject to greater price volatility than investments in other types of companies. Risks of investing in these companies may include: changes in international monetary policies or economic and political conditions that can affect the supply of precious metals and consequently the value of metals and mining company investments; the U.S. or foreign governments may pass laws or regulations limiting metals investments for strategic or other policy reasons; and increased environmental or labor costs may depress the value of metals and mining investments.
Precious Metals Risk. Companies in the precious metals industry are subject to risks associated with the exploration, development, and production of precious metals including competition for land, difficulties in obtaining required governmental approval to mine land, inability to raise adequate capital, increases in production costs and political unrest in nations where sources of precious metals are located. In addition, the price of gold and other precious metals is subject to wide fluctuations and may be influenced by limited markets, fabricator demand, expected inflation, return on assets, central bank demand and availability of substitutes.
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.