Risk Considerations
Closed-End Fund Risk. Closed-end funds 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 the funds 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, closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value in the secondary market. Certain closed-end funds employ the use of leverage, which increases the volatility of such funds.
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.
Investment Grade Bonds Risk. Investment grade securities are subject to numerous risks including higher interest rates, economic recession, deterioration of the investment grade security market or investors' perception thereof, possible downgrades and defaults of interest and/or principal.
Limited Duration Bonds Risk. Limited duration bonds are subject to interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of a security will fall if interest rates increase. While limited duration bonds are generally subject to less interest rate sensitivity than longer duration bonds, there can be no assurance that interest rates will rise during the life of the trust.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of mortgage-backed securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates, and may reduce the market value of the securities. In addition, mortgage-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk, the risk that borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected, particularly when interest rates decline.
Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities are equity securities of the issuing company which pay income in the form of dividends. Preferred securities are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments.
Senior Loans Risk. The yield on senior loans will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment and increase in a rising interest rate environment. Senior loans are generally below investment grade quality ("junk" bonds). An investment in senior loans involves the risk that the borrowers may default on their obligations to pay principal or interest when due.