• Equity investments traded on a recognized securities exchange for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, on the primary market or exchange on which they trade. Equity investments traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day are valued at the last published sale price or at fair value.
• Investments in registered investment companies (including money market funds) or other unitized pooled investment vehicles that are not traded on an exchange are valued at that day’s published NAV per share or unit.
• Exchange-traded futures contracts are valued at the closing settlement price on the primary market on which they are traded most extensively. Exchange-traded futures contracts traded on a recognized exchange for which there were no sales on that day are valued at the last reported sale price obtained from independent pricing services or brokers or at fair value.
In the event prices or quotations are not readily available or that the application of these valuation methods results in a price for an investment that is deemed to be not representative of the fair value of such investment, fair value will be determined in good faith by the Committee, in accordance with the valuation policy and procedures approved by the Board.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund's investments.
The Fund values its assets and liabilities at fair value using a fair value hierarchy consisting of three broad levels that prioritize the inputs to valuation techniques giving the highest priority to readily available unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements) when market prices are not readily available or reliable. The categorization of a value determined for an investment within the hierarchy is based upon the pricing transparency of the investment and is not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in it.
The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
• Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for an identical asset or liability;
• Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not considered to be active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (such as exchange rates, financing terms, interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market-corroborated inputs; and
• Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, including the Committee’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments.
The value of the Fund’s investments according to the fair value hierarchy as of August 31, 2019 is disclosed in the Fund’s Schedule of Investments.
Investment Transactions and Income Recognition
Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date for financial reporting purposes. Realized gains and losses from security transactions, prior to June 14, 2019, consist of the Fund’s pro-rata share of the Portfolio’s realized gains and losses. Realized gains and losses from the sale and disposition of investments are determined using the identified cost method. For activity prior to June 14, 2019, net investment income consists of the Fund’s pro-rata share of the net investment income of the Portfolio less expenses of the Fund.
Subsequent to June 14, 2019, dividend income and capital gain distributions, if any, are recognized on the ex-dividend date, net of any foreign taxes withheld at source, if any. Non-cash dividends received in the form of stock, if any, are recorded as dividend income at fair value.
The Fund invests in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs determine the tax character of their distributions annually and may characterize a portion of their distributions as a return of capital or capital gain. The Fund’s policy is to record all REIT distributions initially as dividend income and re-designate a portion of the capital or capital gains distributions at year