factors no longer applies to a security
purchased for the Fund, but are not required to do so.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
As with any mutual fund investment, loss of money is a risk of investing. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. The risks associated with an investment in the Fund can increase during times of significant market
volatility. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:
Market Risk. The market values of the
Fund’s investments, and therefore the value of the Fund’s shares, will go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry or section of the economy, or it
may affect the market as a whole. The value of the Fund’s investments may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to the particular issuer. These market conditions may include
real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in trade regulation or economic sanctions, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, regional or
global instability and uncertainty, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, economic crisis or adverse investor sentiment generally, among
others. Certain changes in the U.S. economy in particular, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have a material adverse effect on global financial markets as a whole, and on the
securities to which the Fund has exposure. Increasingly strained relations between the U.S. and foreign countries, including as a result of economic sanctions and tariffs, may also adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as
non-U.S. issuers.
During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple
asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that
specific investments held by the Fund will rise in value.
Debt Securities
Risk. The prices of debt securities held by the Fund will be affected by changes in interest rates, the creditworthiness of the issuer and other factors. An
increase in prevailing interest rates typically causes the value of existing debt securities to fall and often has a greater impact on longer-duration debt securities and higher quality debt securities. Falling interest rates will
cause the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of debt securities that have been repaid by the issuer at lower interest rates. Falling interest rates may also reduce the Fund’s distributable income because interest payments on floating
rate debt instruments held by the Fund will decline. The Fund could lose money on investments in debt securities if the issuer or borrower fails to meet its obligations to make interest payments and/or to repay principal in a
timely manner. Changes in an issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security may affect the value of debt securities. The credit analysis applied to the
Fund’s debt securities may fail to anticipate such changes, which could result in buying a debt security at an inopportune time or failing to sell a debt security in advance of a price decline or other credit event.
Municipal Securities Risk. The risk of a municipal obligation generally depends on the financial and credit status of the issuer. Constitutional amendments, legislative
enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations, voter initiatives, and the issuer’s regional economic conditions may affect the municipal security’s value, interest payments, repayment of principal
and the Fund’s ability to sell the security. Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In
addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of
municipal securities.
New York Municipal
Securities Risk. The Fund is more susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of New
York municipal securities than a fund which does not focus its investments in such issuers. Accordingly, events in New York may affect the Fund’s investments and
performance.
Municipal Issuer Focus Risk. The municipal issuers in which the Fund invests may be located in the same geographic area or may pay their interest obligations from revenue of
similar projects, such as hospitals, airports, utility systems and housing finance agencies. This may make the Fund’s investments more susceptible to similar social, economic, political or regulatory occurrences,
making the Fund more susceptible to experience a drop in its share price than if the Fund had been more diversified across issuers that did not have similar characteristics.
Investing in U.S. Territories, Commonwealths and Possessions Risk. The Fund also invests in obligations of the governments of U.S. territories, commonwealths and possessions such as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to the extent such obligations are exempt from regular federal individual and state income taxes. These investments also are considered to be “New York municipal
securities” for purposes of this prospectus. Accordingly, the Fund may be adversely affected by local political, economic, social and environmental conditions and developments, including natural disasters, within these U.S. territories,
commonwealths and possessions affecting the issuers of such obligations.
Certain of the municipalities in which the Fund invests, including Puerto
Rico, currently experience significant financial difficulties, which may include default,
insolvency or bankruptcy. As a result, securities issued by certain of these municipalities are currently considered below-investment-grade securities. A credit rating downgrade relating to, default by, or insolvency or bankruptcy of, one or several
municipal security issuers of a state, territory, commonwealth or possession in which the Fund invests could affect the payment of principal and interest, the market values and marketability of many or all municipal obligations of
such state, territory, commonwealth or possession.
In the past several years,
securities issued by Puerto Rico and its agencies and instrumentalities have been subject to multiple credit downgrades as a result of Puerto Rico’s ongoing fiscal challenges, growing debt obligations and
uncertainty about its ability to make full repayment on these obligations, and certain issuers of Puerto Rican municipal securities have filed for bankruptcy and/or failed to make payments on obligations that have come due. Such
developments could adversely impact the Fund’s performance and the Fund may pay expenses to preserve its claims related to its Puerto Rican holdings. The outcome of the debt restructuring of certain Puerto Rican issuers in which
the Fund invests, both within and outside bankruptcy proceedings is uncertain, and could adversely affect the Fund.
Tobacco Related Bonds Risk. The
settlement payments made by tobacco manufacturers to certain U.S. states and jurisdictions pursuant to the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) are based on factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic
cigarette shipments, cigarette consumption, inflation and the financial capability of participating tobacco companies. Payments could be reduced if tobacco consumption decreases, if market share is lost to non-MSA manufacturers,
or if there is a negative outcome in litigation regarding the MSA, including challenges by participating tobacco manufacturers regarding the amount of annual payments owed under the MSA.
Municipal Lease Obligations Risk. Municipal lease obligations are used by state and local governments to obtain funds to acquire land, equipment or facilities. The Fund can
invest in certificates of participation that represent a proportionate interest in payments made under municipal lease obligations. Most municipal lease obligations, while secured by the leased property, are not general
obligations of the issuing municipality. They often contain “non-appropriation” clauses under which the municipal government has no obligation to make lease or installment payments in future years unless money is
appropriated on a yearly basis.