EATON VANCE EMERGING MARKETS DEBT OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Supplement to Prospectus dated December 1, 2022

 

 

1.The following replaces “Emerging Markets Investments.” in “Investment Objective & Principal Policies and Risks”:

 

Emerging Markets Investments. The risks of foreign investments can be more significant in emerging markets, which include frontier markets. An emerging market country is any country determined by the investment adviser to have an emerging market economy, considering factors such as the country’s political and economic stability, and the development of its financial and capital markets. Emerging markets may offer higher potential for gains and losses than investments in the developed markets of the world. Political and economic structures in emerging market countries generally lack the social, political and economic stability of developed countries, which may affect the value of the Fund’s investments in these countries and also the ability of the Fund to access markets in such countries. Securities markets within emerging market countries may experience low or non-existent trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities, as compared to securities of comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in emerging market countries, which also may adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. In particular, trade disputes may result in governmental actions that could have an adverse effect on investments in emerging market countries, including but not limited to restrictions on investments in, or required divestment of, particular issuers or industries. Such actions may effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund's ability to purchase or sell investments in emerging market countries, and thus may make them less liquid or more difficult to value, or may force the Fund to sell or otherwise dispose of such investments at inopportune times or prices. There may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. The laws of emerging market countries relating to the limited liability of corporate shareholders, fiduciary duties of officers and directors, and bankruptcy of state enterprises are generally less developed than or different from such laws in the United States. It may be more difficult to make a claim or obtain a judgment in the courts of these countries than it is in the United States. In addition, due to jurisdictional limitations, U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) may be limited in their ability to enforce regulatory or legal obligations in emerging market countries. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by an issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets. The prices at which investments may be acquired may be affected by trading by persons with information that is not publicly available and by securities transactions by brokers in anticipation of transactions in particular securities. Disruptions due to work stoppages and trading improprieties in foreign securities markets have caused such markets to close. If extended closings were to occur in stock markets where the Fund is heavily invested, the Fund’s ability to redeem Fund shares could become impaired. In such circumstances, the Fund may have to sell more liquid securities than it would otherwise choose to sell. Emerging market securities are also subject to speculative trading, which contributes to their volatility. These foregoing risks may be even greater in frontier markets.

 

Sukuk. The Fund may invest in Sukuk, which are foreign or emerging market securities based on Islamic principles. Sukuk are securities with cash flows similar to conventional bonds, issued by an issuer, which is usually a special purpose vehicle incorporated by the sovereign or corporate entity seeking financing, to obtain an upfront payment in exchange for an income stream and a future promise to return capital. Such income stream may or may not be linked to a tangible asset. For Sukuk that are not linked to a tangible asset, the Sukuk represents a contractual payment obligation of the issuer or issuing vehicle to pay income or periodic payments or distributions to the investor, and such contractual payment obligation is linked to the issuer or issuing vehicle and not from interest on the investor's money for Sukuk. For Sukuk linked to a tangible asset, the Fund will not have a direct interest in, or recourse to, the underlying asset or pool of assets. Sukuk involve many of the same risks that conventional bonds incur, such as credit risk and interest rate risk, as well as the risks associated with foreign or emerging market securities. In addition to these risks, there are certain risks specific to Sukuk, such as those relating to their structures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 9, 2022 41637 12.9.22