Risk Considerations
Equity Risk. An investment in a portfolio containing common stocks is subject to certain risks, such as an economic recession and the possible deterioration of either the financial condition of the issuers of the equity securities or the general condition of the stock market.
Asia Pacific Risk. Certain securities held by the portfolio are issued by companies in the Asia Pacific region, making the portfolio more susceptible to the economic, market, regulatory, political, natural disasters and local risks of the Asia Pacific region. The region has historically been highly dependent on global trade which creates a risk with this dependency on global growth. The stock markets tend to have a larger prevalence of smaller companies that are inherently more volatile and less liquid than larger companies.
Brexit Risk. The United Kingdom's official departure from the European Union (commonly referred to as "Brexit") led to volatility in global financial markets, in particular those of the United Kingdom and across Europe, and the weakening in political, regulatory, consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the United Kingdom and Europe. It is not currently possible to determine the extent of the impact that Brexit may have on the portfolio's investments and this uncertainty could negatively impact current and future economic conditions in the United Kingdom and other countries, which could negatively impact the value of the portfolio's investments.
China Concentration Risk. China's emerging market economy may be subject to over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, decreased exports, economic recession, a reversal of economic liberalization, political unrest or changes in China's trading status. A deterioration of the relationship with the United States could have negative implications on issuers from these countries.
COVID-19 Economic Impact Risk. The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, or the potential impacts of any future public health crisis, may cause significant volatility and uncertainty in global financial markets. While vaccines have been developed, there is no guarantee that vaccines will be effective against future variants of the disease.
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity companies are subject to the risks set forth in "Information Technology". In addition to their cybersecurity business, certain of these companies may be involved in other businesses unrelated to cybersecurity. Negative performance by a company's other business operations may have a negative effect on a company's stock performance, even in situations in which they are deriving positive results from their cybersecurity business.
Foreign Securities Risk. Securities of non-U.S. issuers are subject to additional risks, including currency fluctuations, political risks, withholding, the lack of adequate financial information, and exchange control restrictions impacting non-U.S. issuers.
Hong Kong Concentration Risk. An investment in a portfolio which includes issuers located in Hong Kong is subject to risks related to Hong Kong's current and future political and economic environment and their ties to China's economy. A deterioration of the relationship with the United States could have negative implications on issuers from these countries.
Japan Concentration Risk. Because the portfolio is concentrated in companies headquartered in Japan, the portfolio may present more risks than a portfolio which is broadly diversified over several regions.
Large-Cap Risk. Large capitalization companies may grow at a slower rate than the overall market.
Market Disruption Risk. Ongoing armed conflicts between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and among Israel, Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East, have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility within the markets in Russia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant impact on certain investments as well as performance.
Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Risk. An investment in a portfolio containing small-cap and mid-cap companies is subject to additional risks, as the share prices of small-cap companies and certain mid-cap companies are often more volatile than those of larger companies due to several factors, including limited trading volumes, products, financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information.
Volatility Risk. The value of the securities held by the trust may be subject to steep declines or increased volatility due to changes in performance or perception of the issuers.
Operational Risk. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the trust has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cybersecurity.