Investment objective
Total return that exceeds the rate of inflation over an
economic cycle.
Fund fees and expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you
buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Annual Advisory Program
Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment in the applicable Morgan
Stanley-sponsored investment advisory program)
Maximum
annual fees in the Consulting Group Advisor, Select UMA or Portfolio Management investment advisory programs (as a percentage of prior quarter-end net assets)* |
2.00%
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment in the Fund)
Management
Fees* |
0.50%
|
Distribution
(12b-1) Fees |
None
|
Other
Expenses(1) |
0.58%
|
Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.08%
|
Waiver*
|
(0.05)%
|
Net
Annual Fund Operating Expenses*(1) |
1.03%
|
* CGAS (defined herein) has
contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses in order to keep the Fund’s management fees from exceeding the total amount of sub-advisory fees paid by CGAS plus 0.20% based on average net assets. This contractual waiver will only
apply if the Fund’s total management fees exceed the total amount of sub-advisory fees paid by CGAS plus 0.20% and will not affect the Fund’s total management fees if they are less than such amount. This fee waiver and/or reimbursement
will continue for at least one year from the date of this prospectus or until such time as the Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waiver and/or reimbursement when they deem such action is appropriate.
(1) Includes interest expense which represents 0.17%.
Examples
These examples are intended to help you compare the cost of
investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The examples assume that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The effect of the Fund’s contractual fee waiver is only reflected in the first year of the example. The figures are calculated based upon total annual Fund operating expenses and a maximum
annual fee of 2.00% for the applicable Morgan Stanley-sponsored investment advisory program through which you invest. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
AFTER
1 YEAR |
AFTER
3 YEARS |
AFTER
5 YEARS |
AFTER
10 YEARS |
$306
|
$946
|
$1,611
|
$3,389
|
Portfolio turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it
buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not
reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the above examples, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 57% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal investment strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least
80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowing for investment purposes) in fixed income securities. The Fund seeks to allocate assets among investments to achieve the highest level of real return (total return less the rate of inflation).
The Fund will shift its investments among the following general asset classes: inflation-indexed securities issued by governments, corporations, and municipal issuers; investment grade fixed income securities and high-yield fixed income securities
(i.e., junk bonds) issued by governments, corporations, and municipal issuers; and short-term non-dollar denominated debt securities. The Fund may also, to a lesser extent, invest in equity securities with high correlation to broad measures of
inflation.
Inflation-indexed securities are fixed income
securities that are structured to provide protection against inflation. The value of the security’s principal or the interest income paid on the security will be adjusted to track changes in an official inflation measure. The U.S. Treasury
uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers as their inflation measure. Inflation-indexed securities issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index, calculated by that government.
The Fund invests primarily in investment grade debt securities;
however, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in below investment grade debt securities (i.e., junk bonds), as rated by Moody’s, S&P or Fitch or, if unrated, determined by the Sub-adviser (as defined below) to be of comparable
credit quality to such a rating. The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign currency denominated securities, including emerging market securities. For purposes of pursuing its investment goal, the Fund may enter into
currency-related transactions involving certain derivative instruments, including currency and cross currency forward contracts. The use of derivative currency transactions may allow the Fund to reduce a specific risk exposure of a portfolio
security or its denominated currency or to obtain net long exposure to selected currencies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to limit its foreign currency exposure to 20% of its total assets.
The Fund may invest, without limitation, in derivative
instruments, such as options, futures contracts, or swap agreements, or in mortgage- or asset- backed securities, subject to applicable law and any other restrictions described