instrumentalities or enterprises
may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. For
example, securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the
Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Banks are neither
insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. Government; these securities may be supported only by the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the credit of the issuing agency, authority,
instrumentality or enterprise and, as a result, are subject to greater credit risk than
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages
or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. Asset-backed securities issued by trusts and special purpose corporations are backed by a pool of assets,
such as credit card or automobile loan receivables representing the obligations
of a number of different parties. Mortgage-backed securities directly or indirectly provide funds for mortgage loans made to residential home buyers. These include securities that represent
interests in pools of mortgage loans made by lenders such as commercial banks,
savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers and others. They include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), commercial
mortgage-backed securities, mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, stripped mortgage-backed securities, non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and other securities that
directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable
from, mortgage loans or real property. The characteristics of these
mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities differ from traditional fixed-income securities. Mortgage-backed securities are subject to “prepayment risk” and “extension risk.”
Prepayment risk is the risk that, when interest rates fall, certain types of obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated and the Portfolio may have to
invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk is the risk that, when interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than
anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Small movements in
interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly
reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage, particularly during periods of economic downturn.
Large-Cap Companies Risk. Large-cap companies tend to be less volatile than companies with smaller market capitalizations. In exchange for this potentially lower risk,
the Portfolio’s value may not rise as much as the value of portfolios that emphasize smaller companies. Larger, more established companies may be unable
to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology
and consumer tastes. Larger companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, particularly during extended periods of economic expansion.
Small- and Mid-Cap Companies Risk. Companies with smaller market capitalizations (particularly under $1 billion depending on the market) tend to be at early stages of development with limited product lines,
operating histories, market access for products, financial resources, access to
new capital, or depth in management. It may be difficult to obtain reliable information and financial data about these companies. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may not be as readily
marketable and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than
companies with larger capitalizations. Securities of medium-sized companies are also subject to
these risks to a lesser extent.
Derivatives Risk. A derivative is any financial instrument whose value is based on, and determined by, another security, index, rate or benchmark (i.e.,
stock options, futures, caps, floors, etc.). To the extent a derivative contract
is used to hedge another position in the Portfolio, the Portfolio will be exposed to the risks associated with hedging described below. To the extent an option, futures contract, swap, or other derivative
is used to enhance return, rather than as a hedge, the Portfolio will be directly
exposed to the risks of the contract. Unfavorable changes in the value of the
underlying security, index, rate or benchmark may cause sudden losses. Gains or losses from the Portfolio’s use of derivatives may be substantially greater than the amount of
the Portfolio’s investment. Certain derivatives have the potential for undefined loss. Derivatives are also associated with various other risks, including market risk, leverage
risk, hedging risk, counterparty risk, valuation risk, regulatory risk, illiquidity
risk and interest rate risk. The primary risks associated with the
Portfolio’s use of derivatives are market risk, counterparty risk and hedging risk.
Hedging Risk. A hedge is an investment made in order to
reduce the risk of adverse price movements in a security, by taking an offsetting
position in a related security (often a derivative, such as an option, futures contract or a short sale). While hedging strategies can be very useful and inexpensive ways of reducing risk, they
are sometimes ineffective due to unexpected changes in the market. Hedging also
involves the risk that changes in the value of