of stocks of REITs will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Such a decline could be precipitated by, among other things, general economic decline, deterioration in the real estate rental market, declines in real estate property demand, changes in interest rates, declines in the availability of real estate financing, increases in borrower defaults, overbuilding, or other developments that reduce credit and cash positions of REITs and REIT operators on a local, regional or national level. REITs may also be adversely affected by poor management, failure to quality as a REIT under the Code, environmental problems, property tax increases or changes in federal, state or local regulations. In addition to the above, Mortgage REITs are subject to the following risks: credit risk of the borrowers under the underlying mortgages, insufficient insurance, risks of investments in subprime mortgages, foreclosure risk, interest rate risk, risks of borrowing and leverage, and prepayment risk.
Natural Resources Companies Risk. Investments in securities of Natural Resources companies enhances the Fund’s exposure to adverse economic, regulatory, political, legal, and other conditions or events affecting the issuers of such securities. Natural Resources companies are subject to certain risks, including legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions and increased competition. Performance of such companies may be affected by factors including, among others, fluctuations in prices of natural resources, and supply and demand of natural resources fuels, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, local and international politics, and events occurring in nature. For instance, natural events (such as earthquakes, hurricanes or fires in prime natural resources areas) and political events (such as government instability or military confrontations) can affect the value of companies involved in natural resources-related business activities. Other risks may include liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control.
Infrastructure Companies Risk. Investments in securities of Infrastructure companies enhances the Fund’s exposure to adverse economic, regulatory, political, legal, and other conditions or events affecting the issuers of such securities. Infrastructure-related businesses are subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, costs associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of an economic slowdown and surplus capacity, increased competition, uncertainties concerning availability of fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Additionally, infrastructure-related entities may be subject to regulation by various governmental authorities and may also be affected by governmental regulation of rates charged to customers, service interruption and/or legal challenges due to environmental, operational or other conditions or events and the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards. There is also the risk that corruption may negatively affect publicly-funded infrastructure projects, especially in foreign markets, resulting in work stoppage, delays and cost overruns.
Small and Micro Capitalization Companies Risk. Investing in the securities of small and micro capitalization companies generally involves greater risk (and substantially greater risk for micro capitalization companies) than investing in larger, more established companies. The securities of small and micro capitalization companies usually have more limited marketability and therefore may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger, more established companies or the market averages in general. Because small and micro capitalization companies normally have fewer shares outstanding than larger companies, it may be more difficult to buy or sell significant amounts of their shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Small and micro capitalization companies often have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources and lack management depth, making them more susceptible to market pressures. Small and micro capitalization companies are typically subject to greater changes in earnings and business prospects than larger, more established companies. Small and micro capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans which are floating rate. The foregoing risks are generally increased for smaller capitalization companies as compared to companies with larger capitalizations.
Depositary Receipts. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of depositary receipts, such as ADRs and GDRs, and, therefore, may affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. There is no guarantee that a financial institution will continue to sponsor a depositary receipt, or that the depositary receipt will continue to trade on an exchange, either of which could adversely affect the liquidity, availability and pricing of the depositary receipt.