General Investment Risk
The Fund does not guarantee positive returns. It aims to limit the extent of loss in any short-term period to a lower level than equities. Investment markets can go down as well as up and market conditions can change rapidly. The value of an investment in the Fund, and any income from it, can fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the amount invested.
Custody
Custody of assets involves a risk of loss if a custodian becomes insolvent or breaches duties of care.
Emerging Markets
The Fund invests in emerging markets where difficulties in dealing, settlement and custody could arise, resulting in a negative impact on the value of your investment.
Bonds and Inflation
Bonds issued by companies and governments may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, expectations of inflation and a decline in the creditworthiness of the bond issuer. The issuers of bonds in which the Fund invests, particularly in emerging markets, may not be able to pay the bond income as promised or could fail to repay the capital amount.
Alternative Assets
Investments may be made directly in hedge funds and insurance-linked bonds or, through specific investment vehicles into property, infrastructure, private (unlisted) companies and commodities.
Returns from these investments are sensitive to various factors including interest and exchange rates, economic growth prospects and inflation, and the cost and availability of gearing (debt finance). Certain specific factors affect these assets such as:
- Hedge funds – invest in a wide variety of assets and use gearing which may increase losses; it may be difficult to obtain independent verification of the value of shares in hedge funds and there is a risk that investments in them may be difficult to sell; some funds are not directly regulated, increasing the risk of lack of transparency.
- Insurance-linked bonds (also known as catastrophe bonds) – exposed to the risk of extreme insurance losses should several natural disasters like earthquakes, fire or hurricanes occur during the bond’s life.
- Property - rents, vacancy rates, the supply of new property, and confidence.
- Infrastructure and Private Companies – expectations of future cash flow.
- Commodities – climate, supply, industrial and consumer demand, and tariffs.
Derivatives
Derivatives may be used to obtain, increase or reduce exposure to assets and may result in the Fund being leveraged. This may result in greater movements (down or up) in the price of shares in the Fund. It is not our intention that the use of derivatives will significantly alter the overall risk profile of the Fund.
Foreign Currency
The Fund has exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the rates of exchange will cause the value of any investment, and income from it, to fall as well as rise and you may not get back the amount invested.
Dilution
A dilution adjustment may apply when you buy or sell shares in the Fund. This is applied to the share price and may reduce the return on your investment.
Under certain market conditions it can be difficult to buy or sell securities and even small purchases or sales can cause their prices to move significantly. To manage the effects of this, we may apply an increased dilution adjustment. As a result investors may face increased dealing costs.
Fees from Revenue
Where possible, charges are taken from the Fund's revenue. Where there is insufficient revenue, the remainder will be taken from capital. This will reduce the capital value of your investment.
Market Conditions
Market values for illiquid securities which are difficult to trade, or value less frequently than the Fund, such as holdings in weekly or monthly dealt funds, may not be readily available. There can be no assurance that any value assigned to them will reflect the price the Fund might receive upon their sale.
Investment in vehicles which themselves invest in a range of assets described previously which may become illiquid may not be easily converted into cash when required.
Tax Rates
Tax rates and the tax treatment of OEICs can change at any time.
