rate risk will increase the greater the duration of those securities. Changes in government or central bank monetary policy may have a substantial and immediate impact on interest rates, which could result in losses to the Portfolio.
Portfolio Management Risk -The Portfolio is subject to the risk that strategies used by an investment manager and its securities selections fail to produce the intended results. An investment manager's judgments or decisions about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or issuer, industry, sector, region or market segment, or about the economy or interest rates, may be incorrect or otherwise may not produce the intended results, which may result in losses to the Portfolio. In addition, many processes used in Portfolio management, including security selection, rely, in whole or in part, on the use of various technologies. The Portfolio may suffer losses if there are imperfections, errors or limitations in the quantitative, analytic or other tools, resources, information and data used, or the analyses employed or relied on, by an investment manager, or if such tools, resources, information or data are used incorrectly, fail to produce the desired results, or otherwise do not work as intended. There can be no assurance that the use of these technologies will result in effective investment decisions for the Portfolio.
Cash Management Risk -Upon entering into certain derivatives contracts, such as futures contracts, and to maintain open positions in certain derivatives contracts, the Portfolio may be required to post collateral for the contract, the amount of which may vary. In addition, the Portfolio may maintain cash and cash equivalent positions as part of the Portfolio's strategy in order to take advantage of investment opportunities as they arise, to manage the Portfolio's market exposure, and for other portfolio management purposes. As such, the Portfolio may maintain cash balances, which may be significant, with counterparties such as the Trust's custodian or its affiliates. Maintaining larger cash and cash equivalent positions could negatively affect the Portfolio's performance due to missed investment opportunities and may also subject the Portfolio to additional risks, such as increased credit risk with respect to the custodian bank holding the assets and the risk that a counterparty may be unable or unwilling, or perceived as unable or unwilling, to honor its obligations.
Cash may be invested in institutional money market funds. An institutional money market fund does not maintain a stable $1.00 net asset value per share; rather the fund's net asset value fluctuates with changes in the values of the securities in which the fund invests, and the fund's shares may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. An institutional money market fund is permitted to impose a liquidity fee upon the redemption of fund shares and, effective October 2, 2024, generally will be required to impose a liquidity fee when the fund experiences daily net redemptions of fund shares that exceed certain levels.
Convertible Securities Risk -A convertible security is a form of hybrid security; that is, a security with both debt and equity characteristics. The value of a convertible security fluctuates in relation to changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer and also fluctuates in relation to changes in the price of the underlying common stock. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security's governing instrument, which may be less than the current market price of the security. If a convertible security held by the Portfolio is called for redemption, the Portfolio will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party. Convertible securities are subject to equity risk, interest rate risk, and credit risk and are often lower-quality securities. Lower quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and may negatively affect a security's liquidity. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer-specific risks that apply to the underlying common stock.
Foreign Securities Risk -Investments in foreign securities, including depositary receipts, involve risks in addition to those associated with investments in U.S. securities. Foreign markets may be less liquid, more volatile and subject to less government supervision and regulation than U.S. markets, and it may take more time to clear and settle trades involving foreign securities, which could negatively impact the Portfolio's investments and cause it to lose money. Security values also may be negatively affected by changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Differences between U.S. and foreign legal, political and economic systems, regulatory regimes and market practices, as well as changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist trade policies (including those of the United States), governmental instability, acts of terrorism, war or other open conflicts, or other political, diplomatic or economic actions, also may adversely impact security values. Foreign securities are also subject to the risks associated with the potential imposition of economic or other sanctions against a particular foreign country, its nationals, businesses or industries. World markets, or those in a particular region, may all react in similar fashion to important economic, political or other developments. Events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable and make such investments riskier and more volatile. Regardless of where a company is organized or its stock is traded, its performance may be significantly affected by events in regions from which it derives its profits or in which it conducts significant operations.
Currency Risk -Investments that are denominated in or that provide exposure to foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Any such decline may erode or reverse any potential gains from an investment in securities denominated in foreign currency or may widen existing loss. In the case of hedging positions,