Note 6 — Fund share transactions
In December 2007, the Board of Trustees approved a share repurchase plan, which was subsequently reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees each year in December. Under the current share repurchase plan, the fund may purchase in the open market up to 10% of its outstanding common shares as of December 31, 2014. The current share repurchase plan will remain in effect between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015.
During the six months ended April 30, 2015, there were no shared repurchased. For the year ended October 31, 2014, the fund repurchased 1.30% of its common shares outstanding under the repurchase plan. The weighted average discount per share on these repurchases amount to 11.10% for the year ended October 31, 2014. Shares repurchased and corresponding dollar amounts are included on the Statement of changes in net assets. The anti-dilutive impacts of these share repurchases are included in the Financial highlights.
Note 7 — Leverage risks
The fund utilizes a Credit Facility Agreement (CFA) to increase its assets available for investment. When the fund leverages its assets, common shareholders bear the fees associated with the CFA and have potential to benefit or be disadvantaged from the use of leverage. The Advisor's fee is also increased in dollar terms from the use of leverage. Consequently, the fund and the Advisor may have differing interests in determining whether to leverage the fund's assets. Leverage creates risks that may adversely affect the return for the holders of common shares, including:
• the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value and market price of common shares;
• fluctuations in the interest rate paid for the use of the credit facility;
• increased operating costs, which may reduce the fund's total return;
• the potential for a decline in the value of an investment acquired through leverage, while the fund's obligations under such leverage remains fixed; and
• the fund is more likely to have to sell securities in a volatile market in order to meet asset coverage or other debt compliance requirements.
To the extent the income or capital appreciation derived from securities purchased with funds received from leverage exceeds the cost of leverage, the fund's return will be greater than if leverage had not been used, conversely, returns would be lower if the cost of the leverage exceeds the income or capital appreciation derived.
In addition to the risks created by the fund's use of leverage, the fund is subject to the risk that it would be unable to timely, or at all, obtain replacement financing if the CFA is terminated. Were this to happen, the fund would be required to de-leverage, selling securities at a potentially inopportune time and incurring tax consequences. Further, the fund's ability to generate income from the use of leverage would be adversely affected.
Note 8 — Credit facility agreement
The fund has entered into a CFA with Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (CSSU), pursuant to which the fund borrows money to increase its assets available for investment. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the fund's borrowings under the CFA will not exceed 33 1/3% of the fund's managed assets (net assets plus borrowings) at the time of any borrowing.
The fund pledges a portion of its assets as collateral to secure borrowings under the CFA. Such pledged assets are held in a special custody account with the fund's custodian. The amount of assets required to be pledged by the fund is determined in accordance with the CFA. The fund retains the benefits of ownership of assets pledged to secure borrowings under the CFA. Interest charged is at the rate of one month LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) plus 0.70% and is payable monthly. Prior to January 1, 2015, the interest rate payable under the CFA was at the rate of three month LIBOR plus 0.41% (paid monthly). As of April 30, 2015, the fund had borrowings of $427,900,000 at an interest rate of 0.88%, which is reflected in the Credit facility agreement payable on the Statement of assets and liabilities. During the six months ended April 30, 2015, the average borrowings under the CFA and the effective average interest rate were $427,900,000 and 0.81%, respectively.