The fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in credit instruments and derivative instruments that are linked to, or provide investment exposure to, credit instruments. Any derivatives that provide exposure to the investment focus suggested by the fund’s name, or to one or more market risk factors associated with the investment focus suggested by the fund’s name, are counted (as applicable) toward compliance with the fund’s 80% investment policy.

The fund defines credit instruments broadly to include any debt instrument or instrument with debt-like characteristics, including corporate and sovereign bonds, bank loans, convertible securities and preferred stocks, mortgage- and asset-backed securities and other securitized instruments, which are vehicles backed by pools of assets such as mortgages, loans, or other receivables.

The fund may invest without limit in bonds that are rated below investment grade (below BBB or an equivalent rating) or are not rated by credit rating agencies (commonly referred to as “high yield” bonds or “junk” bonds), as well as bank loans and other instruments that are rated below investment grade or are not rated by credit rating agencies. Such investments should be considered speculative and may include distressed and defaulted securities.

High yield bonds tend to provide high income in an effort to compensate investors for their higher risk of default, which is the failure to make required interest or principal payments. High yield bond issuers often include small or relatively new companies lacking the history or capital to merit investment-grade status, former blue chip companies downgraded because of financial problems, companies electing to borrow heavily to finance or avoid a takeover or buyout, and firms with heavy debt loads.

While high yield corporate bonds are typically issued with a fixed interest rate, bank loans have floating interest rates that reset periodically (typically quarterly or monthly). Bank loans represent amounts borrowed by companies or other entities from banks and other lenders. In many cases, the borrowing companies have significantly more debt than equity and the loans have been issued in connection with recapitalizations, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, or refinancings. The loans held by the fund may be senior or subordinate obligations of the borrower, and may or may not be secured by collateral. The fund may acquire bank loans directly from a lender or through the agent, as an assignment from another lender who holds a floating rate loan, or as a participation interest in another lender’s floating rate loan or portion thereof. The fund may invest up to 50% of its net assets in bank loans. The fund may invest in bonds and other instruments of any maturity and does not attempt to maintain any particular weighted average maturity or duration.

The fund may invest in securities issued by both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers, including emerging markets (and frontier markets) issuers, and up to 50% of the fund’s net assets may be invested in non-U.S. dollar-denominated holdings. The fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securitized instruments, which may include residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized loan obligations, asset-backed securities, and other instruments backed by pools of assets. The fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in equity securities, including common and preferred stocks and securities that are convertible into, or which carry warrants for, common stocks and other equity securities.