may have significant adverse effects on the
economies of EU member countries and the EU and Europe as a whole. Responses to these and other
financial problems by European governments, central banks, and others, including austerity
measures and reforms, may not produce the desired results, may limit future growth and economic recovery, or may result in social unrest, or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and
other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world. A number of countries in Eastern Europe remain relatively undeveloped and can be
particularly sensitive to political and economic developments. Separately, the EU faces issues involving its membership, structure, procedures and policies. The exit of one or more member countries from the EU, such as
the departure of the United Kingdom (the UK), referred to as Brexit, could place the departing member’s currency and banking system under severe stress or even in jeopardy. An exit by other member countries will
likely result in increased volatility, illiquidity and potentially lower economic growth in the affected markets, which will adversely affect the Fund’s investments.
Emerging Market Securities Risk. Emerging markets (also referred to as developing markets) are generally subject to greater market volatility,
political, social and economic instability, uncertain trading markets and more governmental
limitations on foreign investment than more developed markets. In addition, companies operating in emerging markets may be subject to lower trading volume and greater price fluctuations than companies in more developed markets. Such
countries’ economies may be more dependent on relatively few industries or investors that may be highly vulnerable to local and global changes. Companies in emerging market countries generally may be subject to
less stringent regulatory, disclosure, financial reporting, accounting, auditing and recordkeeping standards than companies in more developed countries. As a result, information, including financial information, about such
companies may be less available and reliable, which can impede the Fund’s ability to evaluate such companies. Securities law and the enforcement of systems of taxation in many emerging market countries may change quickly
and unpredictably, and the ability to bring and enforce actions (including bankruptcy, confiscatory
taxation, expropriation, nationalization of a company’s assets, restrictions on foreign
ownership of local companies, restrictions on withdrawing assets from the country, protectionist measures and practices such as share blocking), or to obtain information needed to pursue or enforce such actions, may be limited. In addition, the
ability of foreign entities to participate in privatization programs of certain developing or emerging market countries may be limited by local law. Investments in emerging market securities may be subject to
additional transaction costs, delays in settlement procedures, unexpected market closures, and lack of timely information.
Geographic Focus
Risk. The Fund may from time to time have a substantial amount of its assets invested in securities of issuers located in a single country or a limited
number of countries. Adverse economic, political or social conditions in those countries may therefore have a significant negative impact on the Fund’s investment performance.
Asia Pacific Region Risk (including Japan). The level of
development of the economies of countries in the Asia Pacific region varies greatly. Furthermore,
since the economies of the countries in the region are largely intertwined, if an economic recession is experienced by any of these countries, it will likely adversely impact the economic performance of other countries in the region. Certain
economies in the region may be adversely affected by increased competition, high inflation rates, undeveloped financial services sectors, currency fluctuations or restrictions, political and social instability and
increased economic volatility.
The Fund’s Japanese investments may be
adversely affected by protectionist trade policies, slow economic activity worldwide, dependence
on exports and international trade, increasing competition from Asia’s other low-cost
emerging economies, political and social instability, regional and global conflicts and natural disasters, as well as by commodity markets
fluctuations related to Japan’s
limited natural resource supply. The Japanese economy also faces several other concerns, including a financial system with large levels of nonperforming loans, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets, extensive
cross-ownership by major corporations, a changing corporate governance structure, and large government deficits.
Investments in companies located or operating in Greater China (normally considered to be the geographical area that includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan)
involve risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. and other Western nations, such as greater government control over the economy; political, legal and regulatory uncertainty;
nationalization, expropriation, or confiscation of property; lack of willingness or ability of the Chinese government to support the economies and markets of the Greater China region; lack of publicly available information and difficulty
in obtaining information necessary for audits of, investigations into and/or litigation against Chinese companies, as well as in obtaining and/or enforcing judgments; limited legal remedies for shareholders; alteration or
discontinuation of economic reforms; complex geopolitical tensions, military conflicts and the risk of war, either internal or with other countries; assertions of human rights violations by certain nations; public health emergencies
resulting in market closures, travel restrictions, quarantines or other interventions; inflation, currency fluctuations and fluctuations in inflation and interest rates that may have negative effects on the economy
and securities markets of Greater China; and Greater China’s dependency on the economies of other Asian countries, many of which are developing countries. Events in any one country or region within Greater China may impact
the other countries or regions or Greater China as a whole. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. As a result, a reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, the institution
of additional tariffs, sanctions, capital controls, embargoes, trade wars, or other trade barriers (or the threat thereof), including as a result of trade tensions between China and the United States, or a downturn in any of
the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. In addition, actions by the U.S. government, such as delisting of certain Chinese companies from U.S. securities exchanges
or otherwise restricting their operations in the U.S., may negatively impact the value of such securities held by the Fund. Further, from time to time, certain companies in which the Fund invests may operate in, or
have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations and/or in countries the U.S. government identified as state sponsors of terrorism. One or more of
these companies may be subject to constraints under U.S. law or regulations that could negatively affect the company’s performance. Additionally, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has historically had
difficulties in inspecting audit work papers and practices of PCAOB-registered accounting firms in China with respect to their audit work of U.S. reporting companies. These difficulties may impose significant additional risks
concerning the reliability of the audits and of the information about the Chinese securities or the potential delisting of a U.S.-listed Chinese issuer due to an inability to inspect the issuer’s accounting firm.
Investments in Chinese companies may be made through a special structure known as a variable interest entity (VIE) that is designed to provide foreign investors, such as the
Fund, with exposure to Chinese companies that operate in certain sectors in which China restricts or prohibits foreign investments. Investments in VIEs may pose additional risks because the investment is made through an
intermediary shell company that has entered into service and other contracts with the underlying Chinese operating company in order to provide investors with exposure to the operating company, and therefore does not represent
equity ownership in the operating company. The value of the shell company is derived from its ability to consolidate the VIE into its financials pursuant to contractual arrangements that allow the shell company
to exert a degree of control over, and obtain economic benefits arising from, the VIE without formal legal ownership. The contractual arrangements between the shell company and