3. Risk Factors (continued):
underlying fund to hold securities paying lower-than-market rates of interest, which could hurt the fund’s yield or share price. Below investment-grade bonds (junk bonds) involve greater credit risk, are more volatile, involve greater risk of price declines and may be more susceptible to economic downturns than investment-grade securities.
• Foreign Investment Risk. An underlying fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve certain risks that are greater than those associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. These include risks of adverse changes in foreign economic, political, regulatory and other conditions; changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges); the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions; differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting and legal standards and practices; differing securities market structures; and higher transaction costs. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets.
• Derivatives Risk. An underlying 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. An underlying fund’s use of derivatives could reduce the underlying fund’s performance, increase volatility, and could cause the underlying fund to lose more than the initial amount invested. In addition, investments in derivatives may involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in derivatives can have a disproportionately large impact on an underlying fund.
• Leverage Risk. Certain underlying fund transactions, such as derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements, and mortgage dollar rolls, may give rise to a form of leverage and may expose an underlying fund to greater risk. Leverage tends to magnify the effect of any decrease or increase in the value of an underlying fund's portfolio securities, which means even a small amount of leverage can have a disproportionately large impact on the fund.
• Money Market Risk. Although an underlying money market fund seeks to maintain a stable $1 net asset value, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund.
• Liquidity Risk. An underlying fund may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price.
• ETF Risk. When an underlying fund invests in an ETF, it will bear a proportionate share of the ETF’s expenses. In addition, lack of liquidity in the market for an ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
• Securities Lending Risk. Certain underlying funds engage in securities lending, which involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent.
• Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) Risk. An underlying fund may invest in REITs. An underlying fund's investments in REITs will be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, access to capital, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions. REITs are also subject to certain additional risks, for example, REITs may have their investments in relatively few properties, a small geographic area or a single property type. In addition, REITs have their own expenses, and an underlying fund will bear a proportionate share of those expenses.
• Mortgage-Backed and Mortgage Pass-Through Securities Risk. Certain of the mortgage-backed securities in which an underlying fund may invest are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and there can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support where it was not obligated to do so. Mortgage-backed securities tend to increase in value less than other debt securities when interest rates decline, but are subject to similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Transactions in mortgage pass-through securities primarily occur through to be announced (TBA) transactions. Default by or bankruptcy of a counterparty to a TBA transaction would expose an underlying fund to possible losses.
• Portfolio Turnover Risk. Certain of the underlying funds may buy and sell portfolio securities actively. If they do, their portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs will rise, which may lower the underlying fund's performance and may increase the likelihood of capital gain distributions.
Direct Investment Risk. The funds may invest a portion of their assets directly in equity and fixed income securities, ETFs, cash and cash equivalents, including money market securities. A fund's direct investment in these securities is subject to the same or similar risks as an underlying fund’s investment in the same security.