Call Risk - If interest rates fall, issuers of callable debt securities are more likely to prepay prior to the maturity date. A fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds from the prepayment in investments that will generate the same level of income.
Extension Risk - If interest rates rise, debt securities may be paid in full more slowly than anticipated. Periods of low relative interest rates or inflationary trends may increase the risks associated with rising interest rates.
Derivatives Risk - Investing in derivative instruments involves risks that may be different from or greater than the risks associated with investing directly in securities or other traditional investments. Derivatives are subject to a number of other risks, such as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, market risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, and selection risk. Derivatives also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate, or index. Using derivatives may result in losses, possibly in excess of the principal amount invested.
Futures Risk - The value of futures contracts depend primarily upon the price of the securities, indexes, commodities, currencies or other instruments underlying them. Price movements are also influenced by, among other things, interest rates, changing supply and demand relationships, trade, fiscal, monetary, and exchange control programs and policies of governments, and national and international political and economic events and policies. The cost of futures may also be related, in part, to the degree of volatility of the underlying indices, securities, currencies, or other assets. Accordingly, futures on highly volatile indices, securities, currency, or other assets may be more expensive than futures on other investments. Changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index, and a fund could lose more than the principal amount invested.
Leveraging Risk - Certain underlying funds may engage in certain kinds of transactions, including the use of derivatives, that may give rise to a form of leverage. The use of leverage may require a fund to liquidate a portfolio position at a disadvantageous time or may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of a fund's portfolio securities.
Liquidity Risk - An investment that is difficult to purchase or sell may have an adverse effect on a fund's returns.
Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk - Investing in mortgage-related or other asset-backed securities involves a variety of risks associated with the credit markets, such as rising or falling interest rates, increases in the rate of defaults or prepayments, and the quality of the pool of mortgages (subprime risk) or other assets that backs the security.
Portfolio Turnover Risk - Certain underlying funds may trade portfolio securities frequently, which could result in higher transaction costs and could adversely affect the fund's performance.
Privately Placed, Rule 144A and Other Exempt Securities Risk - Certain underlying funds may invest in privately placed securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The market for Rule 144A and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Rule 144A and other exempt securities carry the risk that their liquidity may become impaired and a fund may be unable to dispose of the securities at a desirable time or price.
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts Risk - If the other party to a repurchase agreement or purchase and sale contract defaults on its obligation under the agreement, a fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value of the security declines, the fund may lose money.
Technology Sector Risk - Technology companies, including information technology companies, may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Technology companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights.
Collateralized Debt Obligations Risk - In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations, including CLOs, carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) a fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by a fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial