PRINCIPAL RISKS

You can lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. The investments selected by the Fund’s Subadvisor may underperform the market or other investments.

Stable Net Asset Value Risk: Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. This could occur because of unusual market conditions or a sudden collapse in the creditworthiness of an issuer once believed to be an issuer of high-quality, short-term securities. The Fund is permitted to, among other things, reduce or withhold any income and/or gains generated from its portfolio to maintain a stable $1.00 share price.

Market Risk: The value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate because of changes in the markets in which the Fund invests, which could cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies. Changes in these markets may be rapid and unpredictable. From time to time, markets may experience periods of stress for potentially prolonged periods that may result in: (i) increased market volatility; (ii) reduced market liquidity; and (iii) increased redemptions of Fund shares.

Portfolio Management Risk: The investment strategies, practices and risk analysis used by the Subadvisor may not produce the desired results. In addition, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective, including during a period in which the Subadvisor takes temporary positions in response to unusual or adverse market, economic or political conditions, or other unusual or abnormal circumstances.

Money Market Risk: Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

Debt Securities Risk: The risks of investing in debt or fixed-income securities include (without limitation): (i) credit risk, e.g., the issuer or guarantor of a debt security may be unable or unwilling (or be perceived as unable or unwilling) to make timely principal and/or interest payments or otherwise honor its obligations; (ii) maturity risk, e.g., a debt security with a longer maturity may fluctuate in value more than one with a shorter maturity; (iii) market risk, e.g., low demand for debt securities may negatively impact their price; (iv) interest rate risk, e.g., when interest rates go up, the value of a debt security generally goes down, and when interest rates go down, the value of a debt security generally goes up (long-term debt securities are generally more susceptible to interest rate risk than short-term debt securities); and (v) call risk, e.g., during a period of falling interest rates, the issuer may redeem a security by repaying it early, which may reduce the Fund’s income if the proceeds are reinvested at lower interest rates.

Interest rates in the United States are near historic lows and the Fund currently faces a heightened level of interest rate risk. To the extent the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve Board”) continues to raise the federal funds rate, there is a risk that interest rates across the financial system may rise, possibly significantly and/or rapidly. Rising interest rates or lack of market participants may lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed-income or debt markets, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell its fixed-income or debt holdings at a time when the Subadvisor might wish to sell. Decreased liquidity in the fixed-income or debt markets also may make it more difficult to value some or all of the Fund’s fixed-income or debt holdings.

Not all U.S. government debt securities are guaranteed by the U.S. government—some are backed only by the issuing agency, which must rely on its own resources to repay the debt. The Fund’s yield will fluctuate with changes in short-term interest rates.

Floaters and Variable Rate Notes Risk: Floaters and variable rate notes provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. The rate adjustment intervals may be regular and range from daily up to annually, or may be based on an event, such as a change in the prime rate. Floating and variable rate notes may be subject to greater liquidity risk than other debt securities, meaning that there may be limitations on the Fund’s ability to sell the securities at any given time. Securities with floating interest rates generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much or as fast as interest rates in general. Such securities also may lose value.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk: Prepayment risk is associated with mortgage-backed securities. If interest rates fall, the underlying debt may be repaid ahead of schedule, reducing the value of the Fund’s investments. If interest rates rise, there may be fewer prepayments, which would cause the average bond maturity to lengthen, increasing the potential for the Fund to lose money. The value of these securities may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, the market’s perception of issuers, and the creditworthiness of the parties involved. The ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend on the ability of the Subadvisor to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. These securities may have a structure that makes their reaction to interest rate changes and other factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile.

Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements are subject to the risks that the seller will become bankrupt or insolvent before the date of repurchase or otherwise will fail to repurchase the security as agreed, which could cause losses to the Fund.

Yield Risk: There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve or maintain any particular level of yield.

INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS COMMON TO THE FUND

Subject to the limitations set forth herein and in the Prospectus, and subject to the requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor may, in its discretion, at any time, employ any of the following practices, techniques or instruments for the Fund. Furthermore, it is possible that certain types of financial instruments or investment techniques described herein may not be available, permissible, economically feasible, or effective for their intended purposes in all markets. Certain practices, techniques, or instruments may not be principal activities of the Fund but, to the extent employed, could from time to time have a material impact on the Fund’s performance.

Unless otherwise indicated above, the Fund may engage in the following investment practices or techniques, subject to the specific limits described in the Prospectus or elsewhere in this SAI. Unless otherwise stated in the Prospectus, investment techniques are discretionary, which means that the Manager or Subadvisor may elect to engage or not engage in the various techniques at its sole discretion. Investors should not assume that any particular discretionary investment technique or strategy will be employed at all times, or ever employed. Additionally, investors should not assume that the Fund will be managed the same as another MainStay Fund, despite similar investment objectives, principal investment strategies and principal risks.

The loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The Fund is not intended to constitute a balanced or complete investment program. The Fund is subject to the risks and considerations associated with investing in mutual funds generally as well as additional risks and restrictions discussed herein.

Special Note Regarding Recent Market Events

From time to time, events in the financial sector may result in reduced liquidity in the credit, fixed-income and other financial markets and an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestically and internationally. In the recent past, entire markets were impacted, but issuers with exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets were particularly affected. The potential for market turbulence may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investments.

In the past, instability in the financial markets has led to the U.S. and other governments taking a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial and other institutions and certain segments of the financial markets. In the future, federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self-regulatory organizations could take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Such legislation or regulation could limit the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.

Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such ownership or disposition may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Fund has established procedures to assess the liquidity of portfolio holdings and to value instruments for which market prices may not be readily available.

From time to time, global financial markets experience periods of unprecedented turmoil. For example, between 2007 and 2009, the debt and equity capital markets in the United States were negatively impacted by significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to subprime mortgages and the repricing of credit risk in the broader market, among other things. These events contributed to severe market volatility and caused severe liquidity strains in the credit markets.

In addition, the future of the European Union (“EU”) is uncertain. In a June 2016 referendum, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU (known as “Brexit”). On March 29, 2017, the United Kingdom gave its formal notice of withdrawal from the EU to the European Commission, which began a two-year process of formal withdrawal from the EU. During this period and beyond, the impact on the United Kingdom and EU and the broader global economy is unknown but could be significant and could result in increased volatility and illiquidity and potentially lower economic growth. Brexit may have a negative impact on the economy and currency of the United Kingdom and EU as a result of anticipated, perceived or actual changes to the United Kingdom’s economic and political relations with the EU. Brexit may also have a destabilizing impact on the EU to the extent other member states similarly seek to withdraw from the union. Any further exits from the EU, or the possibility of such exits, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce new legal and regulatory uncertainties. Any or all of these challenges may affect the value of the Fund’s investments that are economically tied to the United Kingdom or the EU, and could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.

The U.S. government has implemented various measures designed to stabilize the U.S. economy in recent years, including keeping the federal funds rate at or near zero percent and purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities on the open market (“Quantitative Easing”). In 2014, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”) stopped purchases under Quantitative Easing, and in 2015, the Federal Reserve Board began a series of increases to the federal funds rate. If the Federal Reserve Board further increases the federal funds rate, there is a risk that interest rates could continue to rise across the U.S. financial system, which could expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and could cause the value of the Fund’s investments, and the Fund’s NAV, to decline, potentially causing the Fund to experience high redemptions and, as a result, increased portfolio turnover, which could increase the costs that the Fund incurs and may negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

Merger, Reorganization or Liquidation of the Fund

The Board may determine to merge or reorganize the Fund or a class of shares, or to close and liquidate the Fund at any time, which may have adverse consequences for shareholders. In the event of the liquidation of the Fund, shareholders will receive a liquidating distribution in cash or in-kind equal to their proportionate interest in the Fund. A liquidating distribution may be a taxable event to shareholders, resulting in a gain or loss for tax purposes, depending upon a shareholder’s basis in his or her shares of the Fund. In the event of the liquidation of the Fund, a shareholder of the Fund will not be entitled to any refund or reimbursement of expenses borne, directly or indirectly, by the shareholder (such as account fees or fund expenses), and a shareholder may receive an amount in liquidation less than the shareholder’s original investment.

Cyber Security

With the increasing use of the Internet and technology in connection with the Fund’s operations, the Fund may be more susceptible to greater operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. Cyber security breaches include, without limitation, infection by computer viruses and unauthorized access to the Fund’s systems through “hacking” or other means for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting or destroying data or causing normal business operations to be disrupted (such as making data inaccessible or withholding data for ransom). Cyber security breaches may also occur in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as denial-of-service attacks or situations where authorized individuals intentionally or unintentionally release confidential information stored on the Fund’s systems. A cyber security breach may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, which could potentially result in financial losses, inability to determine the Fund’s NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of shareholders to transact business, violation of applicable law, regulatory penalties and/or fines, compliance and other costs. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. Further, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent future cyber incidents.

In addition, because the Fund works closely with third-party service providers (e.g., custodians and unaffiliated subadvisors), indirect cyber security breaches at such third-party service providers or trading counterparties may subject the Fund’s shareholders to the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. Further, indirect cyber security breaches at an issuer of securities in which the Fund invests may similarly negatively impact the Fund’s shareholders because of a decrease in the value of these securities. While the Fund has established risk management systems and business continuity policies designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security breaches and other operational disruptions, there can be no assurances that such measures will be successful particularly since the Fund does not control the cyber security systems of issuers or third-party service providers, and certain security breaches may not be detected. In addition, there are inherent limitations to these plans and systems and certain risks may not yet be identified and new risks may emerge in the future. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of any security breaches or operational disruptions.

Bank Obligations

The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (“CDs”), time deposits, bankers’ acceptances, and other short-term debt obligations issued by commercial banks or savings and loan institutions (“S&Ls”).

CDs are certificates evidencing the obligation of a bank or S&L to repay funds deposited with it for a specified period of time at a specified rate of return. If a CD is non-negotiable, it may be considered illiquid and will be subject to the Fund’s restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

Time deposits in banking institutions are generally similar to CDs, but are uncertificated. Time deposits that may be held by the Fund will not benefit from insurance administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Bank time deposits are monies kept on deposit with U.S. or foreign banks (and their subsidiaries and branches) or U.S. S&Ls for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced. Time deposits maturing in more than seven days and/or subject to withdrawal penalties will be subject to the Fund’s restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties that vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. These instruments reflect the obligation both of the bank and of the drawer to pay the full amount of the instrument upon maturity. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there generally is no market for such deposits.

Bankers’ acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank or S&L to pay a draft drawn on it by a customer, usually in connection with international commercial transactions. Bankers’ acceptances are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.

As a result of governmental regulations, U.S. branches of U.S. banks, among other things, generally are required to maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness. U.S. S&Ls are supervised and subject to examination by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. U.S. S&Ls are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund, which is administered by the FDIC and backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of U.S. banks, including: (i) the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments; (ii) their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of U.S. banks; (iii) a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations; (iv) foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized; (v) foreign governmental restrictions, such as exchange controls, may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations; and (vi) the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to U.S. banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. government agency or instrumentality.

See “Cash Equivalents” for more information.

Borrowing and Transactions Involving Leverage

The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, or otherwise limited herein, as such may be interpreted or modified by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, from time to time. This borrowing may be unsecured. The 1940 Act precludes the fund from borrowing if, as a result of such borrowing, the total amount of all money borrowed by a fund exceeds 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) at the time of such borrowings. This means that the 1940 Act requires a fund to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% of the amount borrowed. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time, and could cause the Fund to be unable to meet certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code.

Borrowing tends to exaggerate the effect on the Fund’s NAV per share of any changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs, which may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit. Either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The SEC takes the position that other transactions that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of the Fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing by the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act. For funds, these transactions can include entering into reverse repurchase agreements, engaging in mortgage dollar roll transactions, selling securities short (other than short sales “against the box”), buying and selling certain derivatives (such as futures contracts), selling (or writing) put and call options, engaging in sale-buybacks, entering into firm-commitment and standby-commitment agreements, engaging in when-issued, delayed-delivery, to-be-announced securities, or forward-commitment transactions, and other trading practices that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of a fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing. A borrowing transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance of a “senior security” by the Fund, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Fund, if the Fund (1) maintains an offsetting financial position, (2) maintains liquid assets equal (as determined on a daily marked-to-market basis) in value to the Fund’s potential economic exposure under the borrowing transaction, or (3) otherwise “covers” the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively, “covers” the “senior securities” transactions). The value of the Fund’s “senior securities” holdings are marked-to-market daily to ensure proper coverage. The Fund may have to buy or sell a security at a disadvantageous time or price in order to cover a borrowing transaction. In addition, assets being maintained to cover “senior securities” transactions may not be available to satisfy redemptions or for other purposes.

Cash Equivalents

To the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, the Fund may invest in cash equivalents. Cash equivalents include U.S. government securities, CDs, bank time deposits, bankers’ acceptances, repurchase agreements and commercial paper, each of which is discussed in more detail herein. Cash equivalents may include short-term fixed-income securities issued by private and governmental institutions. Repurchase agreements may be considered cash equivalents if the collateral pledged is an obligation of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities.

Commercial Paper

The Fund may invest in, among other things, commercial paper if it is rated at the time of investment in the highest ratings category by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization (“NRSRO”), such as Prime-1 by Moody’s or A-1 by S&P, or if not rated by an NRSRO, if the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor determines that the commercial paper is of comparable quality.

In addition, the Fund may invest up to 0.5% of its total assets, subject to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, in commercial paper if, when purchased, it is rated in the second highest ratings category by an NRSRO, or, if unrated, the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor determines that the commercial paper is of comparable quality. See “Money Market Investments” for more information.

Generally, commercial paper represents short-term (typically, nine months or less) unsecured promissory notes issued (in bearer form) by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies. A commercial paper rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a security inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor. The ratings are based on current information furnished to rating agencies by the issuer or obtained from other sources the rating agencies consider reliable. The rating agencies do not perform an audit in connection with any rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in or unavailability of such information. See “Cash Equivalents” for more information.

Credit and Liquidity Enhancements

Issuers may employ various forms of credit and liquidity enhancements, including letters of credit, guarantees, puts, and demand features, and insurance provided by domestic or foreign entities such as banks and other financial institutions. The Manager or Subadvisor may rely on its evaluation of the credit of the liquidity or credit enhancement provider in determining whether to purchase a security supported by such enhancement, in a manner consistent with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. In evaluating the credit of a foreign bank or other foreign entities, the Manager or Subadvisor will consider whether adequate public information about the entity is available and whether the entity may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls, or other government restrictions that might affect its ability to honor its commitment. Changes in the credit quality of the entity providing the enhancement could affect the value of the security or the Fund’s share price.

Debt Securities

Debt securities may have fixed, variable or floating (including inverse floating) rates of interest. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt securities, it will be subject to certain risks. The value of the debt securities held by the Fund, and thus the NAV of the shares of the Fund, generally will fluctuate depending on a number of factors, including, among others, changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the issuers of those securities, movements in interest rates, the maturity of the Fund’s investments, and the extent to which the Fund hedges its interest rate and credit risks. Generally, a rise in interest rates will reduce the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund, and a decline in interest rates will increase the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund. Longer term debt securities generally pay higher interest rates than do shorter term debt securities but also may experience greater price volatility as interest rates change.

The Fund’s investments in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments) which meet the credit quality and maturity criteria set forth for the Fund. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked to indices or stock prices or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currency or currencies. Differing yields on corporate fixed-income securities of the same maturity are a function of several factors, including the relative financial strength of the issuers. Higher yields are generally available from securities in the lower rating categories.

Since shares of the Fund represent an investment in securities with fluctuating market prices, the value of shares of the Fund will vary as the aggregate value of the Fund’s portfolio securities increases or decreases. Moreover, the value of lower-rated debt securities that the Fund purchases may fluctuate more than the value of higher-rated debt securities. Lower-rated debt securities generally carry greater risk that the issuer will default or be delinquent on the payment of interest and principal. Lower-rated fixed-income securities generally tend to reflect short term corporate and market developments to a greater extent than higher-rated securities that react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Changes in the value of securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income or yields to maturity to the Fund but will be reflected in the NAV of the Fund’s shares.

Corporate debt securities may bear fixed, contingent, or variable rates of interest and may involve equity features, such as conversion or exchange rights or warrants for the acquisition of stock of the same or a different issuer, participations based on revenues, sales or profits, or the purchase of common stock in a unit transaction (where corporate debt securities and common stock are offered as a unit).

When and if available, debt securities may be purchased at a discount from face value. From time to time, the Fund may purchase securities not paying interest or dividends at the time acquired if, in the opinion of the Manager or Subadvisor, such securities have the potential for future income (or capital appreciation, if any).

Investment grade securities are generally securities rated at the time of purchase Baa3 or better by Moody’s or BBB- or better by S&P or comparable non-rated securities. Non-rated securities will be considered for investment by the Fund when the Manager or Subadvisor believes that the financial condition of the issuers of such obligations and the protection afforded by the terms of the obligations themselves limit the risk to the Fund to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are consistent with the Fund’s objective and policies.

Corporate debt securities with a below investment grade rating have speculative characteristics, and changes in economic conditions or individual corporate developments are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than in the case of high grade bonds. If a credit rating agency changes the rating of a portfolio security held by the Fund, the Fund may retain the portfolio security if the Manager or Subadvisor, where applicable, deems it in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders.

The ratings of fixed-income securities by an NRSRO are a generally accepted barometer of credit risk. They are, however, subject to certain limitations from an investor’s standpoint. The rating of an issuer is heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. In addition, there may be varying degrees of difference in credit risk of securities in each rating category. The Manager or Subadvisor will attempt to reduce the overall portfolio credit risk through diversification and selection of portfolio securities based on considerations mentioned above.

Floating and Variable Rate Securities

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments. Floating and variable rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular and range from daily up to annually, or may be based on an event, such as a change in the prime rate.

Some variable or floating rate securities are structured with liquidity features such as (1) put options or tender options that permit holders (sometimes subject to conditions) to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest from the issuers or certain financial intermediaries or (2) auction rate features, remarketing provisions, or other maturity-shortening devices designed to enable the issuer to refinance or redeem outstanding debt securities (market-dependent liquidity features). Variable or floating rate securities that include market-dependent liquidity features may have greater liquidity risk than other securities, due to (for example) the failure of a market-dependent liquidity feature to operate as intended (as a result of the issuer’s declining creditworthiness, adverse market conditions, or other factors) or the inability or unwillingness of a participating broker/dealer to make a secondary market for such securities. As a result, variable or floating rate securities that include market-dependent liquidity features may lose value and the holders of such securities may be required to retain them until the later of the repurchase date, the resale date, or maturity.

The interest rate on a floating rate debt instrument (“floater”) is a variable rate that is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater may reset periodically, typically every three to six months, or whenever a specified interest rate changes. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates; the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. To be an eligible investment for a money market fund, there must be a reasonable expectation that, at any time until the final maturity for the floater or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand, the market value of a floater will approximate its amortized cost and the investment otherwise must comply with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act.

The Fund may invest in leveraged inverse floating rate debt instruments (“inverse floaters”). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage inherent in inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in their market values. Accordingly, the duration of an inverse floater may exceed its stated final maturity. Certain inverse floaters may be determined to be illiquid securities for purposes of the Fund’s limitation on investments in such securities.

In certain circumstances, floating rate loans may not be deemed to be securities. As a result, the Fund may not have the protection of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. In such cases, the Fund generally must rely on the contractual provisions in the loan agreement and common-law fraud protections under applicable state law.

Foreign Government and Supranational Entity Securities

The Fund may invest in debt securities or obligations of foreign governments, agencies, and supranational organizations (“Sovereign Debt”). The Fund’s portfolio may include government securities of a number of foreign countries or, depending upon market conditions, those of a single country. Investments in Sovereign Debt can involve greater risks than investing in U.S. government securities. The issuer of the debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt, and the Fund may have limited legal recourse in the event of default.

The Manager’s or Subadvisor’s determination that a particular country should be considered stable depends on its evaluation of political and economic developments affecting the country as well as recent experience in the markets for government securities of the country. Examples of foreign governments which the Manager or Subadvisors currently consider to be stable, among others, are the governments of Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The Manager or Subadvisors do not believe that the credit risk inherent in the Sovereign Debt of such stable foreign governments is significantly greater than that of U.S. government securities. The percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in foreign government securities will vary depending on the relative yields of such securities, the economies of the countries in which the investments are made and such countries’ financial markets, the interest rate climate of such countries and the relationship of such countries’ currencies to the U.S. dollar. Currency is judged on the basis of fundamental economic criteria (e.g., relative inflation levels and trends, growth rate forecasts, balance of payments status and economic policies) as well as technical and political data.

Debt securities of “quasi-governmental entities” are issued by entities owned by either a national, state or equivalent government or are obligations of a political unit that is not backed by the national government’s full faith and credit and general taxing powers. Examples of quasi-governmental issuers include, among others, the Province of Ontario and the City of Stockholm.

A “supranational entity” is an entity established or financially supported by the governments of several countries to promote reconstruction, economic development or trade. Examples of supranational entities include the World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development), the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community. Typically, the governmental members, or “stockholders,” make initial capital contributions to the supranational entity and may be committed to make additional contributions if the supranational entity is unable to repay its borrowings. There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of a supranational entity will continue to make any necessary additional capital contributions or otherwise provide continued financial backing to the supranational entity. If such contributions or financial backing are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities. As a result, the Fund might lose money on such investments. Securities issued by supranational entities may (or may not) constitute foreign securities for purposes of the Fund depending on a number of factors, including the countries that are members of the entity, the location of the primary office of the entity, the obligations of the members, the markets in which the securities trade, and whether, and to what extent, the performance of the securities is tied closely to the political or economic developments of a particular country or geographic region.

The occurrence of political, social or diplomatic changes in one or more of the countries issuing Sovereign Debt could adversely affect the Fund’s investments. Political changes or a deterioration of a country’s domestic economy or balance of trade may affect the willingness of countries to service their Sovereign Debt. While the Manager or Subadvisor intends to manage the Fund’s portfolio in a manner that will minimize the exposure to such risks, there can be no assurance that adverse political changes will not cause the Fund to suffer a loss of interest or principal on any of its holdings.

Foreign Index-Linked Instruments

The Fund may invest, subject to compliance with its limitations applicable to its investment in debt securities, in instruments which have the investment characteristics of particular securities, securities indices, futures contracts or currencies. Such instruments may take a variety of forms, such as debt instruments with interest or principal payments determined by reference to the value of a currency or commodity at a future point in time. For example, the Fund may invest in instruments issued by the U.S. or a foreign government or by private issuers that return principal and/or pay interest to investors in amounts which are linked to the level of a particular foreign index (“foreign index-linked instruments”). Foreign index-linked instruments have the investment characteristics of particular securities, securities indices, futures contracts or currencies. Such instruments may take a variety of forms, such as debt instruments with interest or principal payments determined by reference to the value of a currency or commodity at a future point in time.

A foreign index-linked instrument may be based upon the exchange rate of a particular currency or currencies or the differential between two currencies, or the level of interest rates in a particular country or countries, or the differential in interest rates between particular countries. In the case of foreign index-linked instruments linking the interest component to a foreign index, the amount of interest payable will adjust periodically in response to changes in the level of the foreign index during the term of the foreign index-linked instrument. The risks of such investments would reflect the risks of investing in the index or other instrument the performance of which determines the return for the instrument. Currency-indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, meaning their maturity value may increase when the specified currency value increases, resulting in a security that performs similarly to a foreign-denominated instrument, or their maturity value may decline when foreign currencies increase, resulting in a security whose price characteristics are similar to a put on the underlying currency. Currency-indexed securities may also have prices that depend on the values of a number of different foreign currencies relative to each other.

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign debt and equity securities and in CDs issued by foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks. The Fund is permitted to purchase U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers subject to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. Securities of issuers within a given country may be denominated in the currency of another country. The Fund may define “foreign securities” differently but, unless otherwise defined, foreign securities are generally those securities issued by companies organized outside the U.S. and/or, in the case of equity securities, that trade primarily in markets outside the U.S., have their primary markets outside of the U.S., or are otherwise deemed to be non-U.S. securities by the Manager or Subadvisors. These foreign securities can be subject to most, if not all, of the risks of foreign investing. Foreign securities may also be domiciled in the U.S. and traded on a U.S. market but possess elements of foreign risk.

Investors should carefully consider the appropriateness of foreign investing in light of their financial objectives and goals. While foreign markets may present unique investment opportunities, foreign investing involves risks not associated with domestic investing. In many foreign countries, there is less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices, stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the United States. Foreign investments involve risks relating to local political, economic, regulatory, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments (including, for example, sanctions), and may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors. Securities markets in other countries are not always as efficient as those in the U.S. and are sometimes less liquid and more volatile. If foreign securities are determined to be illiquid, then the Fund will limit its investment in these securities subject to its limitation on investments in illiquid securities. Foreign securities transactions may be subject to higher brokerage and custodial costs than domestic securities transactions.

The Fund may invest in securities of issuers in emerging markets, including issuers in Asia (including Russia), Eastern Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East and Africa. Securities markets of emerging countries may also have less efficient clearance and settlement procedures than U.S. markets, making it difficult to conduct and complete transactions. Delays in the settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the Fund’s assets is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. Inability to make intended security purchases could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability of the Fund to the purchaser. Other risks involved in investing in the securities of foreign issuers include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; limited publicly available information; the difficulty of assessing economic trends in foreign countries; generally higher commission rates on foreign portfolio transactions; the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation; adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a country); government interference, including government ownership of companies in certain sectors, wage and price controls, or imposition of trade barriers and other protectionist measures; difficulties in invoking legal process abroad and enforcing contractual obligations; political, social or economic instability which could affect U.S. investments in foreign countries; and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. Additionally, foreign securities and dividends and interest payable on those securities may be subject to foreign taxes, including foreign withholding taxes, and other foreign taxes may apply with respect to securities transactions. Additional costs associated with an investment in foreign securities may include higher transaction, custody and foreign currency conversion costs. In the event of litigation relating to a portfolio investment, the Fund may encounter substantial difficulties in obtaining and enforcing judgments against non-U.S. resident individuals and companies. Additionally, investments in certain countries may subject the Fund to a number of tax rules, the application of which may be uncertain. Countries may amend or revise their existing tax laws, regulations and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in or uncertainties regarding the laws, regulations or procedures of a country could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies located in such countries in which the Fund invests, or result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Some securities are issued by companies organized outside the United States but are traded in U.S. securities markets and are denominated in U.S. dollars. Other securities are not traded in the United States but are denominated in U.S. dollars. These securities may be exposed to many, if not all, of the risks of foreign investing. For example, foreign trading market or currency risks will not apply to U.S. dollar denominated securities traded in U.S. securities markets.

Investment in countries with emerging markets presents risks in greater degree than, and in addition to, those presented by investment in foreign issuers in general. Countries with developing markets have economic structures that are less mature. Furthermore, countries with developing markets have less stable political systems and may have high inflation, rapidly changing interest and currency exchange rates, and their securities markets are substantially less developed. The economies of countries with developing markets generally are heavily dependent upon international trade, and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be adversely affected by barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures in the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been and may continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade.

Illiquid Securities

The Fund may invest in illiquid securities if such purchases, at the time thereof, would not cause more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets, as that term is defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, to be invested in such illiquid assets. The Fund will consider taking measures to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities if they exceed the percentage limitation as a result of changes in the values of the securities or if liquid securities have become illiquid.

Under current SEC guidance, a portfolio security or other asset is considered illiquid if it cannot be sold or disposed of (rather than settled) in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the prices at which it is valued. This may include repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days. Its illiquidity might prevent the sale of such security at a time when the Manager or Subadvisor might wish to sell, and these securities could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Fund’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, requiring the Fund to rely on judgments that may be somewhat subjective in determining value, which could vary from the amount that the Fund could realize upon disposition. Difficulty in selling illiquid securities may result in a loss or may be costly to the Fund. Under the oversight of the Board, the Manager or Subadvisor determines the liquidity of the Fund’s investments; in doing so, the Manager or Subadvisor may consider various factors, including (1) the frequency of trades and quotations, (2) the number of dealers and prospective purchasers, (3) the dealer undertakings to make a market, and (4) the nature of the security and the market in which it trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer). Often, illiquid securities will be valued in accordance with fair valuation procedures adopted by the Board.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain broker/dealers and institutions to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, as modified or interpreted by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, from time to time, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. By lending its securities, the Fund attempts to increase its net investment income through the receipt of interest on the loan. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would belong to the Fund. Such loans must be secured by collateral in cash or U.S. government securities maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to 100% of the current market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may call a loan and obtain the securities loaned at any time generally on less than five days’ notice. For the duration of a loan, the Fund would continue to receive the equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities loaned and would also receive compensation from the investment of the collateral. The Fund would not, however, have the right to vote any securities having voting rights during the existence of the loan, but the Fund may call the loan in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of their consent on a material matter affecting the investment. The MainStay Group of Funds, on behalf of the Fund, has entered into an agency agreement with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), which acts as the Fund’s agent in making loans of portfolio securities, subject to the supervision and control of the Manager or Subadvisor, as the case may be.

As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery of, or even loss of rights in, the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially or breach its agreement with the Fund. The Fund also bears the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all, either because the borrower fails financially or for other reasons. The Fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the loaned securities or in gaining access to and liquidating the collateral, which could result in actual financial loss and which could interfere with portfolio management decisions or the exercise of ownership rights in the loaned securities. However, the loans would be made only to firms deemed by the Manager or Subadvisor or its agent to be creditworthy and when the consideration that can be earned currently from securities loans of this type, justifies the attendant risk. If the Manager or Subadvisor determines to make securities loans, it is intended that the value of the securities loaned will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the total assets of the lending Fund.

While securities are on loan, the Fund is subject to: the risk that the borrower may default on the loan and that the collateral could be inadequate in the event the borrower defaults; the risk that the earnings on the collateral invested may not be sufficient to pay fees incurred in connection with the loan; the risk that the principal value of the collateral invested may decline and may not be sufficient to pay back the borrower for amount of the collateral posted; the risk that the borrower may use the loaned securities to cover a short sale which may place downward pressure on the market prices of the loaned securities; the risk that return of loaned securities could be delayed and could interfere with portfolio management decisions; and the risk that any efforts to recall the securities for purposes of voting may not be effective.

Subject to exemptive relief granted to the Fund from certain provisions of the 1940 Act, the Fund, subject to certain conditions and limitations, is permitted to invest cash collateral and uninvested cash in one or more money market funds that are affiliated with the Fund.

Money Market Investments

Consistent with the provisions of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 2a-7”), the Fund invests in U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments that present minimal credit risk. The Manager or Subadvisor shall determine whether a security presents minimal credit risk under procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board. In the event that an instrument acquired by the Fund experiences a default (other than an immaterial default unrelated to the financial condition of the issuer), ceases to be an eligible security under Rule 2a-7 or experiences an event of insolvency under Rule 2a-7, the Fund will dispose of such security as soon as practicable consistent with achieving an orderly disposition of the security, by sale, exercise of any demand feature or otherwise, unless the Manager (or the Board with the assistance of the Manager) finds that disposal of the security would not be in the best interests of the Fund (which determination may take into account, among other factors, market conditions that could affect the orderly disposition of the portfolio security). These circumstances are subject to certain reporting requirements under the Fund’s procedures adopted under Rule 2a-7.

Mortgage Dollar Rolls

A mortgage dollar roll (“MDR”) is a transaction in which the Fund sells mortgage-related securities (“MBS”) from its portfolio to a counterparty from whom it simultaneously agrees to buy a similar security on a delayed delivery basis. The Fund will maintain liquid assets having a value not less than the repurchase price. MDR transactions involve certain risks, including the risk that the MBS returned to the Fund at the end of the roll, while substantially similar, could be inferior to what was initially sold to the counterparty.

Mortgage Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities

The Fund may buy mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities. Mortgage-related securities are a type of asset-backed securities and include mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through securities and private mortgage pass-through securities, GNMA certificates, mortgage dollar rolls, stripped mortgage-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. Mortgage-backed securities represent interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans. The payment of principal and interest and the price of a mortgage-backed security generally depend on the cash flows generated by the underlying (adjustable and fixed rate) mortgages and the terms of the mortgage-backed security.

Like other fixed-income securities, when interest rates rise, the value of a mortgage-related security generally will decline. However, when interest rates are declining, the value of a mortgage-related security with prepayment features may not increase as much as other fixed-income securities. The value of these securities may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, the market’s perception of issuers and the creditworthiness of the parties involved. The ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. Some securities may have a structure that makes their reaction to interest rate changes and other factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile. These securities may also be subject to prepayment risk and, if the security has been purchased at a premium, the amount of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment.

The Fund, to the extent permitted in the Prospectus, or otherwise limited herein, may also invest in debt securities that are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see “Collateralized Mortgage Obligations”), and in other types of mortgage-related securities. While principal and interest payments on some mortgage-related securities may be guaranteed by the U.S. government, government agencies or other guarantors, the market value of such securities is not guaranteed.

Generally, the Fund will invest in mortgage-related (or other asset-backed) securities either (1) issued by U.S. government-sponsored corporations such as the GNMA, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), and FNMA, or (2) privately issued securities rated Baa3 or better by Moody’s or BBB- or better by S&P or, if not rated, of comparable investment quality as determined by the Fund’s investment adviser. In addition, if any mortgage-related (or other asset-backed) security is determined to be illiquid, the Fund will limit its investments in these and other illiquid instruments subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.

Recently, rating agencies have placed on credit watch or downgraded the ratings previously assigned to a large number of mortgage-related securities (which may include certain of the mortgage-related securities in which the Fund may have invested or may in the future invest), and may continue to do so in the future. If a mortgage-related security in which the Fund is invested is placed on credit watch or downgraded, the value of the security may decline and the Fund may experience losses.

Further, the unprecedented disruption during 2007 through 2009 in the residential mortgage-related securities market (and in particular, the “subprime” residential mortgage market), the broader mortgage-related securities market and the asset-backed securities market have resulted in downward price pressures and increasing foreclosures and defaults in residential and commercial real estate. Concerns over inflation, energy costs, geopolitical issues, the availability and cost of credit, the mortgage market and a declining real estate market have contributed to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the economy and markets going forward, and have contributed to dramatic declines in the housing market, with falling home prices and increasing foreclosures and unemployment, and significant asset write-downs by financial institutions. The continuation or worsening of this general economic downturn may lead to further declines in income from, or the value of, real estate, including the real estate which secures the mortgage-related securities held by the Fund. Additionally, a lack of credit liquidity and decreases in the value of real property have occurred and may continue to occur or worsen, and potentially prevent borrowers from refinancing their mortgages, which may increase the likelihood of default on their mortgage loans. These economic conditions may also adversely affect the amount of proceeds the holder of a mortgage loan or mortgage-related securities would realize in the event of a foreclosure or other exercise of remedies. Moreover, even if such mortgage-related securities are performing as anticipated, their value in the secondary market may fall or continue to fall as a result of deterioration in general market conditions for such securities or other asset-backed or structured products. Trading activity associated with market indices may also drive spreads on those indices wider than spreads on mortgage-related securities, thereby resulting in a decrease in the value of such mortgage-related securities. Mortgage loans backing non-agency mortgage-related securities are more sensitive to economic factors that could affect the ability of borrowers to pay their obligations under the mortgage loans backing these securities.

These economic conditions may reduce the cash flow that the Fund investing in such mortgage-related securities receives from such securities and increase the incidence and severity of credit events and losses in respect of such securities. In addition, interest rate spreads for mortgage-backed securities have widened and are more volatile when compared to the recent past due to these adverse changes in market conditions. In the event that interest rate spreads for mortgage-related securities continue to widen following the purchase of such assets by the Fund, the market value of such securities is likely to decline and, in the case of a substantial spread widening, could decline by a substantial amount. Furthermore, these adverse changes in market conditions have resulted in a severe liquidity crisis in the market for mortgage-backed securities (including the mortgage-related securities in which the Fund may invest) and increasing unwillingness by banks, financial institutions and investors to extend credit to servicers, originators and other participants in the mortgage-related securities market for these securities and other asset-backed securities. As a result, the liquidity and/or the market value of any mortgage-related securities that are owned by the Fund may experience further declines after they are purchased by such Fund.

The recent rise in the rate of foreclosures of properties has resulted in legislative, regulatory and enforcement actions seeking to prevent or restrict foreclosures. Actions have also been brought against issuers and underwriters of residential mortgage-backed securities collateralized by such residential mortgage loans and investors in such residential mortgage-backed securities. Future legislative or regulatory initiatives by federal, state or local legislative bodies or administrative agencies, if enacted or adopted, could delay foreclosure or the exercise of other remedies, provide new defenses to foreclosure, or otherwise impair the ability of the loan servicer to foreclose or realize on a defaulted residential mortgage loan included in a pool of residential mortgage loans backing such residential mortgage-backed securities. The nature or extent of any future limitations on foreclosure or exercise of other remedies that may be enacted is uncertain. Governmental actions that interfere with the foreclosure process, for example, could increase the costs of such foreclosures or exercise of other remedies, delay the timing or reduce the amount of recoveries on defaulted residential mortgage loans and securities backed by such residential mortgage loans owned by the Fund, and could adversely affect the yields on the mortgage-related securities owned by the Fund and could have the effect of reducing returns to the Fund, that have invested in mortgage-related securities collateralized by these residential mortgage loans.

In addition, the U.S. government, including the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, and other governmental and regulatory bodies have recently taken or are considering taking actions to address the financial crisis, including initiatives to limit large-scale losses associated with mortgage-related securities held on the books of certain U.S. financial institutions and to support the credit markets generally. The impact that such actions could have on any of the mortgage-related securities held by the Fund is unknown.

Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. The Fund may invest in mortgage pass-through securities. Mortgage pass-through securities are interests in pools of mortgage-related securities. Unlike interests in other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with the payment of principal being made at maturity or specified call dates, these securities provide a monthly payment that consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying residential property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by GNMA) are described as “modified pass-through.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment. Some mortgage pass-through certificates may include securities backed by adjustable-rate mortgages that bear interest at a rate that will be adjusted periodically.

Early repayment of principal on mortgage pass-through securities (arising from prepayments of principal due to sale of the underlying property, refinancing, or foreclosure, net of fees and costs that may be incurred) may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a security subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, in the event of prepayment, the value of the premium would be lost. Reinvestments of prepayments may occur at lower interest rates than the original investment, thus adversely affecting the Fund’s yield. Prepayments may cause the yield of a mortgage-backed security to differ from what was assumed when the Fund purchased the security. Prepayments at a slower rate than expected may lengthen the effective life of a mortgage-backed security. The value of securities with longer effective lives generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than the value of securities with shorter effective lives.

Payment of principal and interest on some mortgage pass-through securities (but not the market value of the securities themselves) may be guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government (in the case of securities guaranteed by GNMA); or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government (in the case of securities guaranteed by FNMA or FHLMC), which are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency’s obligations. Mortgage pass-through securities created by nongovernmental issuers (such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers, and other secondary market issuers) may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities, private insurers, or the mortgage poolers.

Historically, FNMA and FHLMC were government-sponsored corporations owned entirely by private stockholders. However, in September 2008, in response to concerns regarding the safety and soundness of FNMA and FHLMC, the U.S. Treasury announced that FNMA and FHLMC had been placed in conservatorship by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), a newly created independent regulator. While FNMA and FHLMC continue to be owned entirely by private shareholders, under the conservatorship, the FHFA has taken over powers formerly held by each entity’s shareholders, directors, and officers. In addition to placing the companies in conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to FNMA and FHLMC in order to support the conservatorship, although some steps have since ended. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful in preserving the safety and soundness of FNMA and FHLMC or ensuring their continued viability.

GNMA Certificates. The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is the GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. government corporation within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as S&Ls, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of FHA-insured or Veterans Administration-guaranteed mortgages. In order to meet its obligations under such guarantee, GNMA is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury with no limitations as to amount. GNMA certificates differ from typical bonds because principal is repaid monthly over the term of the loan rather than returned in a lump sum at maturity. Although GNMA guarantees timely payment even if homeowners delay or default, tracking the “pass-through” payments may, at times, be difficult. Expected payments may be delayed due to the delays in registering the newly traded paper securities. The custodian’s policies for crediting missed payments while errant receipts are tracked down may vary.

Government-related guarantors (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government) include the FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by HUD and acts as a government instrumentality under authority granted by Congress. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers that includes state and federally chartered S&Ls, mutual savings banks, commercial banks, credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. FNMA is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations.

FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and is now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (“PCs”) that represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMC’s national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

If either fixed or variable rate pass-through securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities are developed in the future, the Fund reserves the right to invest in them.

Although the mortgage loans in the pool underlying a GNMA certificate will have maturities of up to 30 years, the actual average life of a GNMA certificate typically will be substantially less because the mortgages will be subject to normal principal amortization and may be prepaid prior to maturity.

Private Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Commercial banks, S&Ls, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originator/servicers and poolers, the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor determines that the securities meet the Fund’s quality standards. Although the market for such securities is becoming increasingly liquid, securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund may purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets that, in the opinion of the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor, are illiquid, subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”). A CMO is a hybrid between a mortgage-backed bond and a mortgage pass-through security. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, semiannually. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC or FNMA, and their income streams. CMOs may offer a higher yield than U.S. government securities, but they may also be subject to greater price fluctuation and credit risk. In addition, CMOs typically will be issued in a variety of classes or series, which have different maturities and are retired in sequence. Privately issued CMOs are not government securities nor are they supported in any way by any governmental agency or instrumentality. In the event of a default by an issuer of a CMO, there is no assurance that the collateral securing such CMO will be sufficient to pay principal and interest. It is possible that there will be limited opportunities for trading CMOs in the OTC market, the depth and liquidity of which will vary from time to time.

CMOs are typically structured into multiple classes or series, each bearing a different stated maturity. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the prepayment experience of the collateral. CMOs provide for a modified form of call protection through a de facto breakdown of the underlying pool of mortgages according to how quickly the loans are repaid. Monthly payment of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, is first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. Investors holding the longer maturity classes receive principal only after the first class has been retired. An investor is partially guarded against a sooner than desired return of principal because of the sequential payments.

For example, if it is probable that the issuer of an instrument will take advantage of a maturity-shortening device, such as a call, refunding, or redemption provision, the date on which the instrument will probably be called, refunded, or redeemed may be considered to be its maturity date. Also, the maturities of mortgage securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations, and some asset-backed securities are determined on a weighted average life basis, which is the average time for principal to be repaid. For a mortgage security, this average time is calculated by estimating the timing of principal payments, including unscheduled prepayments, during the life of the mortgage. The weighted average life of these securities is likely to be substantially shorter than their stated final maturity.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common than others, such as parallel-pay and planned amortization class (“PAC”) CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk. Consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies, the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor may invest in various tranches of CMO bonds, including support bonds.

An obligation’s maturity is typically determined on a stated final maturity basis, although there are some exceptions to this rule. Dollar-weighted average maturity is derived by multiplying the value of each investment by the time remaining to its maturity, adding these calculations, and then dividing the total by the value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation (“issuer”) issues multiple series (e.g., A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds (“Bonds”). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (“Collateral”). The Collateral is pledged to a third-party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bonds currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. With some CMOs, the issuer serves as a conduit to allow loan originators (primarily builders or S&Ls) to borrow against their loan portfolios.

The primary risk of CMOs is the uncertainty of the timing of cash flows that results from the rate of prepayments on the underlying mortgages serving as collateral and from the structure of the particular CMO transaction (that is, the priority of the individual tranches). An increase or decrease in prepayment rates (resulting from a decrease or increase in mortgage interest rates) will affect the yield, average life, and price of CMOs. The prices of certain CMOs, depending on their structure and the rate of prepayments, can be volatile. Some CMOs may also not be as liquid as other securities.

FHLMC Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“FHLMC CMOs”). FHLMC CMOs are debt obligations of FHLMC issued in multiple classes having different maturity dates that are secured by the pledge of a pool of conventional mortgage loans purchased by FHLMC. Unlike FHLMC PCs, payments of principal and interest on the FHLMC CMOs are made semiannually, as opposed to monthly. The amount of principal payable on each semiannual payment date is determined in accordance with FHLMC’s mandatory sinking fund schedule, which, in turn, is equal to approximately 100% of FHA prepayment experience applied to the mortgage collateral pool. All sinking fund payments in the CMOs are allocated to the retirement of the individual classes of bonds in the order of their stated maturities. Payment of principal on the mortgage loans in the collateral pool in excess of the amount of FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund obligation for any payment date are paid to the holders of the CMOs as additional sinking fund payments. Because of the “pass-through” nature of all principal payments received on the collateral pool in excess of FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund requirement, the rate at which principal of the CMOs is actually repaid is likely to be such that each class of bonds will be retired in advance of its scheduled maturity date.

If collection of principal (including prepayments) on the mortgage loans during any semi-annual payment period is not sufficient to meet FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund obligation on the next sinking fund payment date, FHLMC agrees to make up the deficiency from its general funds.

Criteria for the mortgage loans in the pool backing the CMOs are identical to those of FHLMC PCs. FHLMC has the right to substitute collateral in the event of delinquencies and/or defaults.

Other Mortgage-Related Securities. Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities, and may be structured in classes with rights to receive varying proportions of principal and interest. Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including S&Ls, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor expect that governmental, government-related or private entities may create mortgage loan pools and other mortgage-related securities offering mortgage pass-through and mortgage-collateralized investments in addition to those described above. The mortgages underlying these securities may include alternative mortgage instruments, that is, mortgage instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms to maturity may differ from customary long-term fixed rate mortgages. As new types of mortgage-related securities are developed and offered to investors, the Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor will, consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and quality standards, consider making investments in such new types of mortgage-related securities.

CMO Residuals. CMO residuals are derivative mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including S&Ls, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the prepayment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to prepayments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See “Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities.” In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances, a portfolio may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. The CMO residual market has only very recently developed and CMO residuals currently may not have the liquidity of other more established securities trading in other markets. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, pursuant to an exemption therefrom, or may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed “illiquid” and subject to the Fund’s limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

Under certain circumstances, the Fund’s investment in residual interests in “real estate mortgage investment conduits” (“REMICs”) may cause shareholders of that Fund to be deemed to have taxable income in addition to their Fund dividends and distributions and such income may not be eligible to be reduced for tax purposes by certain deductible amounts, including net operating loss deductions. In addition, in some cases, the Fund may be subject to taxes on certain amounts deemed to have been earned from a REMIC residual. Prospective investors may wish to consult their tax advisors regarding REMIC residual investments by the Fund.

CMOs and REMICs may offer a higher yield than U.S. government securities, but they may also be subject to greater price fluctuation and credit risk. In addition, CMOs and REMICs typically will be issued in a variety of classes or series, which have different maturities and are retired in sequence. Privately issued CMOs and REMICs are not government securities nor are they supported in any way by any governmental agency or instrumentality. In the event of a default by an issuer of a CMO or a REMIC, there is no assurance that the collateral securing such CMO or REMIC will be sufficient to pay principal and interest. It is possible that there will be limited opportunities for trading CMOs and REMICs in the OTC market, the depth and liquidity of which will vary from time to time. Holders of “residual” interests in REMICs (including the Fund) could be required to recognize potential phantom income, as could shareholders (including unrelated business taxable income for tax-exempt shareholders) of funds that hold such interests. The Fund will consider this rule in determining whether to invest in residual interests.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities (“SMBS”). SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including S&Ls, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

Although SMBS are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be deemed “illiquid” and subject to the Fund’s limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

Risks Associated with Mortgage-Backed Securities. As in the case with other fixed-income securities, when interest rates rise, the value of a mortgage-backed security generally will decline; however, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage-backed securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as other fixed-income securities. The value of some mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Manager or Subadvisor to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Manager or Subadvisor incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken a position in mortgage-backed securities that is or becomes contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of a loss.

Investment in mortgage-backed securities poses several risks, including prepayment, extension market, and credit risk. Prepayment risk reflects the chance that borrowers may prepay their mortgages faster than expected, thereby affecting the investment’s average life and perhaps its yield. Whether or not a mortgage loan is prepaid is almost entirely controlled by the borrower. Borrowers are most likely to exercise their prepayment options at a time when it is least advantageous to investors, generally prepaying mortgages as interest rates fall, and slowing payments as interest rates rise. Conversely, when interest rates are rising, the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the average life of the mortgage-backed security. Besides the effect of prevailing interest rates, the rate of prepayment and refinancing of mortgages may also be affected by changes in home values, ease of the refinancing process and local economic conditions.

Market risk reflects the chance that the price of the security may fluctuate over time. The price of mortgage-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to prevailing interest rates, the length of time the security is expected to be outstanding, and the liquidity of the issue. In a period of unstable interest rates, there may be decreased demand for certain types of mortgage-backed securities, and the Fund invested in such securities and wishing to sell them may find it difficult to find a buyer, which may in turn decrease the price at which they may be sold.

Credit risk reflects the chance that the Fund may not receive all or part of its principal because the issuer or credit enhancer has defaulted on its obligations. Obligations issued by U.S. government-related entities are guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The performance of private label mortgage-backed securities, issued by private institutions, is based on the financial health of those institutions.

To the extent that mortgages underlying a mortgage-related security are so-called “subprime mortgages” (i.e., mortgages granted to borrowers whose credit history is not sufficient to obtain a conventional mortgage), the risk of default is higher. Subprime mortgages also have higher serious delinquency rates than prime loans. The downturn in the subprime mortgage lending market may have far-reaching consequences into various aspects of the financials sector, and consequently, the value of the Fund may decline in response to such developments.

Other Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities are securities that represent interests in, and whose values and payments are based on, a “pool” of underlying assets, which may include, among others, lower-rated debt securities, consumer loans or mortgages, and leases of property. Asset-backed securities include collateralized debt obligations, such as collateralized bond obligations and collateralized loan obligations. (See “Collateralized Debt Obligations”). The Fund’s Manager or Subadvisor expects that other asset-backed securities (unrelated to mortgage loans) will be offered to investors in the future. Several types of asset-backed securities have already been offered to investors, including credit card receivables and Certificates for Automobile Receivables ^(SM) (“CARs ^(SM) ”). CARs ^(SM) represent undivided fractional interests in a trust (“trust”) whose assets consist of a pool of motor vehicle retail installment sales contracts and security interests in the vehicles securing the contracts. Payments of principal and interest on CARs ^(SM) are passed-through monthly to certificate holders, and are guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trustee or originator of the trust.

An investor’s return on CARs ^(SM) may be affected by early prepayment of principal on the underlying vehicle sales contracts. If the letter of credit is exhausted, the trust may be prevented from realizing the full amount due on a sales contract because of state law requirements and restrictions relating to foreclosure sales of vehicles and the obtaining of deficiency judgments following such sales or because of depreciation, damage or loss of a vehicle, the application of federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws, or other factors. As a result, certificate holders may experience delays in payments or losses if the letter of credit is exhausted.

If consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies and the requirements of Rule 2a-7, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities. Certain asset-backed securities may present the same types of risks that may be associated with mortgage-backed securities.

Regulatory Matters

The Fund, as well as the issuers of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund may invest, are subject to considerable regulation and the risks associated with adverse changes in law and regulation governing their operations.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into domestic or foreign repurchase agreements with certain sellers pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board.

A repurchase agreement, which provides a means for the Fund to earn income on uninvested cash for periods as short as overnight, is an arrangement under which the purchaser (i.e., the Fund) purchases a security, usually in the form of a debt obligation (the “Obligation”) and the seller agrees, at the time of sale, to repurchase the Obligation at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements with foreign banks may be available with respect to government securities of the particular foreign jurisdiction. The custody of the Obligation will be maintained by a custodian appointed by the Fund. The Fund attempts to assure that the value of the purchased securities, including any accrued interest, will at all times exceed the value of the repurchase agreement. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund together with the repurchase price upon repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund is unrelated to the interest rate on the Obligation subject to the repurchase agreement.

The Fund will limit its investment in repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.

In the event of the commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the Obligation before repurchase of the Obligation under a repurchase agreement, the Fund may encounter delays and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Delays may involve loss of interest or decline in price of the Obligation. If the court characterizes the transaction as a loan and the Fund has not perfected a security interest in the Obligation, the Fund may be required to return the Obligation to the seller’s estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the transaction. Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the security. In the event of the bankruptcy of the seller or the failure of the seller to repurchase the securities as agreed, the Fund could suffer losses, including loss of interest on or principal of the security and costs associated with delay and enforcement of the repurchase agreement. In addition, if the market value of the Obligation subject to the repurchase agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest), the Fund will direct the seller of the Obligation to deliver additional securities so that the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement equals or exceeds the repurchase price.

The Board has delegated to the Manager or Subadvisor the authority and responsibility to monitor and evaluate the Fund’s use of repurchase agreements, which includes: (i) the identification of sellers whom they believe to be creditworthy; (ii) the authority to enter into repurchase agreements with such sellers; and (iii) the responsibility to determine, at the time the repurchase agreement is entered into, that the collateral, other than cash or government securities are issued by an issuer that has an “exceptionally strong capacity” to meet its financial obligations on the securities collateralizing the repurchase agreement, and are sufficiently liquid that they can be sold by the Fund at approximately their carrying value in the ordinary course of business within seven calendar days. As with any unsecured debt instrument purchased for the Fund, the Manager or Subadvisor seeks to minimize the risk of loss from repurchase agreements by analyzing, among other things, sufficiency of the collateral.

For purposes of the 1940 Act, a repurchase agreement has been deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the seller of the Obligation. It is not clear whether a court would consider the Obligation purchased by the Fund subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller.

See “Temporary Defensive Positions; Cash Equivalents” for more information.

Restricted Securities – Rule 144A Securities and Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper

Restricted securities have no ready market and are subject to legal restrictions on their sale (other than those eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under or Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act determined to be liquid pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board). Difficulty in selling securities may result in a loss or be costly to the Fund. Restricted securities generally can be sold only in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act, or in a registered public offering. Where registration is required, the holder of an unregistered security may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time when a holder can sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the holder of a restricted security (e.g., the Fund) might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security.

The Fund may invest in Rule 144A securities and in 4(a)(2) commercial paper, as defined below. Certain securities may only be sold subject to limitations imposed under federal securities laws. Among others, two categories of such securities are (1) restricted securities that may be sold only to certain types of purchasers pursuant to the limitations of Rule 144A under the 1933 Act (“Rule 144A securities”) and (2) commercial debt securities that are not sold in a public offering and therefore exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act (“4(a)(2) commercial paper”). The resale limitations on these types of securities may affect their liquidity. The Trustees have the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid.

The Trustees have delegated the function of making day-to-day determinations of liquidity to the Manager or Subadvisor pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trustees.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks or broker/dealers, which involve the sale of a security by the Fund and its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. These agreements involve the sale of debt securities, or Obligations, held by the Fund, with an agreement to repurchase the Obligations at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. The proceeds will be used to purchase other debt securities either maturing, or under an agreement to resell, at a date simultaneous with or prior to the expiration of the reverse repurchase agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements will be utilized, when permitted by law, only when the interest income to be earned from the investment of the proceeds from the transaction is greater than the interest expense of the reverse repurchase transaction.

The Fund will limit its investments in reverse repurchase agreements and other borrowing to no more than 33 1/3%, or as otherwise limited herein, of its total assets. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will maintain liquid assets in an amount at least equal in value to its commitments to cover its obligations under the agreement.

The use of reverse repurchase agreements by the Fund creates leverage that increases the Fund's investment risk. If the income and gains on securities purchased with the proceeds of reverse repurchase agreements exceed the cost of the agreements, the Fund's earnings or NAV will increase faster than otherwise would be the case; conversely, if the income and gains fail to exceed the costs, earnings or NAV would decline faster than otherwise would be the case.

If the buyer of the Obligation subject to the reverse repurchase agreement becomes bankrupt, realization upon the underlying securities may be delayed and there is a risk of loss due to any decline in their value.

Stripped Securities

Stripped securities are the separate income or principal components of a debt security. The risks associated with stripped securities are similar to those of other debt securities, although stripped securities may be more volatile, and the value of certain types of stripped securities may move in the same direction as interest rates. U.S. Treasury securities that have been stripped by a Federal Reserve Bank are obligations issued by the U.S. Treasury.

Privately stripped government securities are created when a dealer deposits a U.S. Treasury security or other U.S. government security with a custodian for safekeeping. The custodian issues separate receipts for the coupon payments and the principal payment, which the dealer then sells.

A number of banks and brokerage firms have separated (“stripped”) the principal portions (“corpus”) from the coupon portions of the U.S. Treasury bonds and notes and sold them separately in the form of receipts or certificates representing undivided interests in these instruments (which instruments are generally held by a bank in a custodial or trust account). The investment and risk characteristics of “zero coupon” Treasury securities described below under “U.S. Government Securities” are shared by such receipts or certificates. The staff of the SEC has indicated that receipts or certificates representing stripped corpus interests in U.S. Treasury securities sold by banks and brokerage firms should not be deemed U.S. government securities but rather securities issued by the bank or brokerage firm involved.

Tax Risks

The Fund’s investments and investment strategies may be subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions, the effect of which may be, among other things: (1) to disallow, suspend, defer or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions; (2) to accelerate income to the Fund; (3) to convert long-term capital gain, which is currently subject to lower tax rates, into short-term capital gain or ordinary income, which are currently subject to higher tax rates; (4) to convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited); (5) to treat dividends that would otherwise constitute qualified dividend income as non-qualified dividend income; and (6) to produce income that will not qualify as good income under the gross income requirements that must be met for the Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. While it may not always be successful in doing so, the Fund will seek to avoid or minimize any adverse tax consequences that could arise from such investment practices.

Temporary Defensive Positions; Cash Equivalents

In times of unusual or adverse purchase or redemption activity, or market, economic or political conditions, for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest outside the scope of its principal investment focus. Under these or other conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or investment strategies, including substantially reducing or eliminating its short positions, and, as a result, there is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Under these or other conditions, the Fund may, in the discretion of the Manager or the Subadvisor, invest without limit in cash, cash equivalents and/or other fixed-income securities. These include, but are not limited to: short-term obligations issued or guaranteed as to interest and principal by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (including repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities; see “Repurchase Agreements” and “Reverse Repurchase Agreements” for a description of the characteristics and risks of repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements); obligations of banks CDs, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits) and obligations of other banks or S&Ls if such obligations are federally insured; commercial paper (as described in this SAI); investment grade corporate debt securities or money market instruments, for this purpose including U.S. government securities having remaining maturities of one year or less; and other debt instruments not specifically described above if such instruments are deemed by the Manager or Subadvisor to be of comparable high quality and liquidity.

U.S. Government Securities

Securities issued or guaranteed by the United States government or its agencies or instrumentalities include various U.S. Treasury securities, which differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, such as GNMA pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other securities, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Additionally, other securities, such as those issued by FNMA, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality, while others, such as those issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality. U.S. government securities also include government-guaranteed mortgage-backed securities.

While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so, and it is not so obligated by law. Because the U.S. government is not obligated by law to provide support to an instrumentality it sponsors, the Fund will invest in obligations issued by such an instrumentality only if the Manager or Subadvisor determines that the credit risk with respect to the instrumentality does not make its securities unsuitable for investment by the Fund.

Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. Congress to increase the statutory debt ceiling may impact the market value of U.S. government debt securities held by the Fund. If the U.S. Congress is unable to negotiate an adjustment to the statutory debt ceiling, there is also the risk that the U.S. government may default on payments on certain U.S. government securities, including those held by the Fund, which could have a material negative impact on the Fund.

U.S. government securities do not generally involve the credit risks associated with other types of interest bearing securities. As a result, the yields available from U.S. government securities are generally lower than the yields available from other interest bearing securities. Like other fixed-income securities, the values of U.S. government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. When interest rates decline, the values of U.S. government securities can be expected to increase, and when interest rates rise, the values of U.S. government securities can be expected to decrease.

See “Temporary Defensive Positions; Cash Equivalents” for more information.

When-Issued Securities

The Fund may from time to time purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis. When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Debt securities, including municipal securities, are often issued in this manner. The price of such securities, which may be expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time a commitment to purchase is made, but delivery of and payment for the when-issued securities take place at a later date. Normally, the settlement date occurs within one month of the purchase (60 days for municipal bonds and notes). During the period between purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund and no interest accrues to the Fund. To the extent that assets of the Fund are held in cash pending the settlement of a purchase of securities, that Fund would earn no income; however, it is the Fund’s intention that it will be fully invested to the extent practicable and subject to the policies stated herein and in the Prospectus. Although when-issued securities may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Fund intends to purchase such securities with the purpose of actually acquiring them unless a sale appears desirable for investment reasons.

When-issued transactions are entered into in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Fund and not for purposes of leveraging the Fund’s assets. However, the Fund will not accrue any income on these securities prior to delivery. The value of when-issued securities may vary prior to and after delivery depending on market conditions and changes in interest rate levels. There is a risk that a party with whom the Fund has entered into such transactions will not perform its commitment, which could result in a gain or loss to the Fund.

The Fund does not believe that its NAV per share or income will be exposed to additional risk by the purchase of securities on a when-issued basis. At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase a security on a when-issued basis, it will record the transaction and reflect the amount due and the value of the security in determining the Fund’s NAV per share. The market value of the when-issued security may be more or less than the purchase price payable at the settlement date. Liquid assets are maintained to cover “senior securities transactions” which may include, but are not limited to, the Fund’s commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis. The value of the Fund’s “senior securities” holdings are marked-to-market daily to ensure proper coverage. Such securities either will mature or, if necessary, be sold on or before the settlement date.