financial institution will continue to sponsor
a depositary receipt, or that a depositary receipt will continue to trade on an exchange, either of which could adversely affect the liquidity, availability and pricing of the
depositary receipt. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of depositary receipts and, therefore, may affect the value of your investment in the Fund.
Emerging Market Securities Risk. Securities issued by foreign governments or companies in emerging market countries, such as China, Russia and
certain countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America or Africa, are more likely to have greater exposure to the risks of investing in foreign securities that
are described in Foreign Securities Risk. In addition, emerging market countries are more likely to experience instability resulting, for example, from rapid changes or developments in social, political, economic or other conditions. Their economies are
usually less mature and their securities markets are typically less developed with more limited trading activity (i.e., lower trading volumes and less liquidity) than more developed countries. Emerging market securities tend to be
more volatile, and may be more susceptible to market manipulation, than securities in more developed markets.
Many emerging market countries are heavily dependent on international trade and have fewer trading partners, which makes them more sensitive to world commodity prices and economic downturns in other countries, and some have a higher
risk of currency devaluations. Due to the differences in the nature and quality of financial information of issuers of emerging market securities, including auditing and
financial reporting standards, financial information and disclosures about such issuers may be unavailable or, if made available, may be considerably less reliable than publicly available information about other foreign securities.
Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in or exposure to securities of foreign companies may involve heightened risks relative to investments in
or exposure to securities of U.S. companies. Investing in securities of foreign companies subjects the Fund to the risks associated with an issuer’s (and any of its related
companies’) country of organization and places of business operations, including risks related to political, regulatory, economic, social, diplomatic and other conditions or events (including, for example, military confrontations and actions, war, other conflicts, terrorism
and disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics) occurring in the country or region, as well as risks associated with less developed custody and settlement practices. Foreign securities may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of
U.S. companies, and are subject to the risks associated with potential imposition of economic and other sanctions against a particular foreign country, its nationals or
industries or businesses within the country. In addition, foreign governments may impose withholding or other taxes on the Fund’s income, capital gains or proceeds from the
disposition of foreign securities, which could reduce the Fund’s return on such securities. The performance of the Fund may also be negatively affected by fluctuations in a foreign currency's strength or weakness relative to the U.S.
dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets in foreign securities or other assets denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
Growth Securities Risk. Growth securities typically trade at a higher multiple of earnings than other types of equity securities. Accordingly,
the market values of growth securities may never reach their expected market value and may decline in price. In addition, growth securities, at times, may not
perform as well as value securities or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time. Growth securities may also be sensitive to movements in interest rates.
Issuer Risk. An issuer in which the Fund invests or to which it has exposure may perform poorly or
below expectations, and the value of its securities may therefore decline, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Underperformance of an issuer may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures,
breakthroughs in technology, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, natural disasters, military confrontations and actions, war, other conflicts, terrorism, disease/virus
outbreaks, epidemics or other events, conditions and factors which may impair the value of your investment in the Fund.
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Small- and Mid-Cap Stock Risk. Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies (small- and mid-cap companies) often involve greater risks than
investments in larger, more established companies (larger companies) because small- and mid-cap companies tend to have less predictable earnings and may lack the management
experience, financial resources, product diversification and competitive strengths of larger companies. Securities of small- and mid-cap companies may be less liquid and more volatile than the securities of larger companies.
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Large-Cap Stock Risk. Investments in larger companies may involve certain risks associated with their larger size. For instance, larger
companies may be less able to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in consumer tastes or innovation from smaller competitors. Also, larger companies are
sometimes less able to achieve as high growth rates as successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk associated with any
event, circumstance, or characteristic of an investment or market that negatively impacts the Fund’s ability to sell, or realize the proceeds from the sale of, an
investment at a desirable time or price. Liquidity risk may arise because of, for example, a lack of marketability of the investment,