traditional securities,
particularly if the instruments involve leverage. The value of commodity-related derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity
index volatility, changes in interest rates, insufficient storage capacity or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather,
livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs, sanctions, war, nationalization or expropriation and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The energy sector can be significantly affected by changes in the prices and supplies of oil and other energy fuels, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, and tax and other government regulations, policies of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) and relationships among OPEC members and between OPEC and oil importing nations. The metals sector can be affected by sharp price volatility over short periods caused by global economic, financial and political factors, resource availability, government regulation, economic cycles, changes in inflation or expectations about inflation in various countries, interest rates, currency fluctuations, metal sales by governments, central banks or international agencies, investment speculation and fluctuations in industrial and commercial supply and demand. In addition, the relationships between various commodities and related derivatives may not behave as expected. Use of leveraged commodity-related derivatives, if any, creates an opportunity for increased return but, at the same time, creates the possibility for greater loss and price volatility, and there can be no assurance that the use of leveraged commodity-related derivatives, if any, will be successful. Because certain natural resources and commodities may be closely related, investments in commodities may also be subject to the risks described under the “Natural Resources Risk.”
The Fund’s investments in securities of natural resource companies involve risks. The market value of securities of natural resource companies may be affected by numerous factors, including events occurring in nature, inflationary pressures and international politics. Because the Fund invests significantly in natural resource companies, there is the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a downturn in the natural resource sector. For example, events occurring in nature (such as earthquakes or fires in prime natural resource areas) and political events (such as coups, military confrontations or acts of terrorism or sanctions) can affect the overall supply of a natural resource and the value of companies involved in such natural resource. Political risks and the other risks to which foreign securities are subject may also affect domestic natural resource companies if they have significant operations or investments in foreign countries. In particular Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine has increased the volatility of many natural resources investments. Rising interest rates and general economic conditions may also affect the demand for natural resources.
Infrastructure Companies Risk
Securities and instruments of infrastructure companies are more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting their industries. Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction and improvement programs, high leverage, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown, surplus capacity, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Infrastructure companies may also be affected by or subject to:
●
high interest costs in connection with capital construction and improvement
programs;
●
difficulty in raising capital in adequate amounts on reasonable terms in periods of
high inflation and unsettled capital markets;
●
inexperience with and potential losses resulting from a developing deregulatory
environment;
●
costs associated with compliance with and changes in environmental and other
regulations;
●
regulation or adverse actions by various government authorities;
●
government regulation of rates charged to customers;
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service interruption due to environmental, operational or other mishaps;
●
the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and
accounting standards;
●
technological innovations that may render existing plants, equipment or products
obsolete; and
●
general changes in market sentiment towards infrastructure and utilities
assets.
Master Limited Partnership Risk
An investment in MLP units involves some risks that differ from an investment in the common stock of a corporation. Holders of MLP units have limited control on matters affecting the partnership. Investing in MLPs involves certain risks related to investing in the underlying assets of the MLPs and risks associated with pooled investment vehicles. MLPs