The Fund may be subject to a
greater risk of rising interest rates due to the recent period of historically low interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, assuming a current portfolio
duration of ten years, and all other factors being equal, the value of the Fund’s investments would be expected to decrease by 10%. (Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio of debt securities to relative changes in interest
rates.) The magnitude of these fluctuations in the market price of bonds and other fixed-income securities is
generally greater for those securities with longer maturities. Fluctuations in the market price of the Fund’s investments will not affect interest income derived from instruments already owned by the Fund, but will be reflected in
the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply in a manner not anticipated by Fund management.
To the extent the Fund invests in debt securities that may be prepaid at the option of the obligor (such as
mortgage-backed securities), the sensitivity of such securities to changes in interest rates may increase (to the detriment of the Fund) when interest rates rise. Moreover, because rates on certain floating rate debt securities typically reset
only periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates (and particularly sudden and significant changes) can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund to the extent that it invests in floating rate
debt securities.
These basic principles of bond prices also apply to U.S. Government
securities. A security backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government is guaranteed only as to its stated interest rate and face value at maturity, not
its current market price. Just like other fixed-income securities, government-guaranteed securities will fluctuate in value when interest rates change.
A general rise in interest rates has the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large
scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Heavy
redemptions could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value and could hurt the Fund’s performance.
Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated,
causing the value of these obligations to fall.
Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain
obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.
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Municipal Securities Risks — Municipal securities risks include the ability of the issuer to repay the obligation, the relative lack of
information about certain issuers of municipal securities, and the possibility of future legislative changes which could affect the market for and value of municipal securities.
Budgetary constraints of local, state, and federal governments upon which the issuers may be relying for funding may also impact municipal securities. These risks include:
General Obligation Bonds Risks — Timely payments depend on
the issuer’s credit quality, ability to raise tax revenues and ability to maintain an adequate tax base.
Revenue Bonds Risks — These payments depend on the money earned by the particular facility or class of facilities, or the amount of
revenues derived from another source.
Private Activity Bonds Risks — Municipalities and other public authorities issue private
activity bonds to finance development of industrial facilities for use by a private enterprise. The private enterprise pays the principal and interest on the bond, and the issuer does not pledge its full faith, credit and taxing power for repayment.
Moral Obligation Bonds Risks — Moral obligation bonds are generally issued by special purpose public authorities of a state or municipality.
If the issuer is unable to meet its obligations, repayment of these bonds becomes a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality.
Municipal Notes Risks — Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated
proceeds, the notes may not be fully repaid and the Fund may lose money.
Municipal Lease Obligations Risks — In a municipal lease obligation, the issuer agrees to make
payments when due on the lease obligation. Although the issuer does not pledge its unlimited taxing power for payment of the lease obligation, the lease obligation is secured by the leased property.
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — The Fund and its investment manager
will rely on the opinion of issuers’ bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors’ counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal
bonds and payments under derivative securities. Neither the Fund nor its investment manager will independently review the bases for those tax opinions, which may ultimately be determined to be incorrect and subject the Fund and its
shareholders to substantial tax liabilities.
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High Yield Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high
risk investments that are considered speculative and may cause income and principal losses for the Fund.