3. Risk Factors (continued):
Emerging Markets Risk. Certain funds invest in emerging markets. Emerging market countries may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. Emerging market countries often have less uniformity in accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping requirements and greater risk associated with the custody of securities. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than in developed countries. As a result, there may be an increased risk of illiquidity and price volatility associated with a fund’s investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar, and, at times, it may be difficult to value such investments.
Sampling Index Tracking Risk. Certain funds may not fully replicate the index and may hold securities not included in the index. As a result, a fund is subject to the risk that the investment adviser’s investment management strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may not produce the intended results. Because certain funds utilize a sampling approach they may not track the return of their respective index as well as they would if the funds purchased all of the securities in their respective index.
Tracking Error Risk. As index funds, each fund seeks to track the performance of its respective index, although it may not be successful in doing so. The divergence between the performance of a fund and the index, positive or negative, is called “tracking error.” Tracking error can be caused by many factors and it may be significant.
Derivatives Risk. Each fund may use derivatives to enhance returns or hedge against market declines. Examples of derivatives are options, futures, options on futures and swaps. An option is the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an instrument at a specific price on or before a specific date. A future is an agreement to buy or sell a financial instrument at a specific price on a specific day. A swap is an agreement whereby two parties agree to exchange payment streams calculated in relation to a rate, index, instrument or certain securities and a predetermined amount. A fund’s use of derivatives that are subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) could cause the fund to become a commodity pool, which would require the fund to comply with certain CFTC rules.
A fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. Certain of these risks, such as liquidity risk, leverage risk and market risk, are discussed elsewhere in this section. A fund’s use of derivatives is also subject to counterparty risk, lack of availability risk, valuation risk, correlation risk and tax risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty to a derivatives transaction may not fulfill its contractual obligations either because the financial condition of the counterparty declines, or because the counterparty is otherwise unable or unwilling to perform under the contract. Lack of availability risk is the risk that suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances for risk management or other purposes. Valuation risk is the risk that a particular derivative may be valued incorrectly. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. Tax risk is the risk that the use of derivatives may cause the fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains. A fund’s use of derivatives could reduce the fund’s performance, increase the fund’s volatility, and could cause the fund to lose more than the initial amount invested.
Liquidity Risk. A fund may be unable to sell certain securities, such as illiquid securities, readily at a favorable time or price, or the fund may have to sell them at a loss.
Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in, or delay in recovery of, the loaned securities if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent.
Concentration Risk. To the extent that a fund’s or an index’s portfolio is concentrated in the securities of issuers in a particular market, industry, group of industries, sector, country or asset class, the fund may be adversely affected by the performance of those securities, may be subject to increased price volatility and may be more vulnerable to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting that market, industry, group of industries, sector, country or asset class.
Market Trading Risk. Although fund shares are listed on national securities exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for fund shares will develop or be maintained. If an active market is not maintained, investors may find it difficult to buy or sell fund shares.
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of a fund will approximate the fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. An investor may pay more than NAV when buying shares of a fund in the secondary market, and an investor may receive less than NAV when selling those shares in the secondary market. The market price