Emerging Markets Risk. In addition to the risks of investing in non‑U.S. investments generally, emerging markets investments are subject to greater risks including or arising from political or economic instability, nationalization or confiscatory taxation, capital controls, currency exchange restrictions, sanctions by other countries (such as the United States) and an issuer’s unwillingness or inability to make principal or interest payments on its obligations. Emerging markets companies may be smaller and have shorter operating histories than companies in developed markets. Emerging market investments are also subject to enhanced custody risk, a risk that is inherent in the process of clearing and settling trades and to the holding of securities, cash and other assets by local banks, agents and depositories. Low trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets make trades harder to complete and settle, and governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in designated depositories that may not be subject to independent evaluation. Communications between the U.S. and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. Practices in relation to the settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets. In addition, the laws of certain countries may put limits on a Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or an agent of any of the foregoing goes bankrupt. A Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such custody problems and may have no successful claim for compensation. To the extent a Fund invests in frontier countries, these risks will be magnified. Frontier countries generally have smaller economies or less developed capital markets than traditional emerging market countries.

Equity Securities Risk. The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the Fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the Fund and thus, the value of the Fund’s shares over short or extended periods.

Geographic Focus Risk. The risk that events negatively affecting the fiscal stability of a particular country or region in which the Fund focuses its investments will cause the value of the Fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly. To the extent the Fund focuses its assets in a particular country or region, the Fund is more vulnerable to financial, economic or other political developments in that country or region as compared to a fund that does not focus on holdings in a particular country or region. As a result, the Fund may be more volatile than a fund which is broadly diversified geographically.

Small‑Cap and Mid‑Cap Company Risk. The small- and mid‑capitalization companies in which the Fund invests in may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, these small- and mid‑capitalization companies may have limited product lines, markets, and financial resources, and may depend upon relatively small management groups. Therefore, small- and mid‑capitalization stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies.

Participatory Notes Risk. P‑notes, which are designed to replicate the performance of certain issuers and markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local restrictions, represent interest in securities listed on certain non‑U.S. exchanges, and thus present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P‑notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments. The liquidity of a P‑note reflects the liquidity in the underlying security. At times, it may be more illiquid than trading the underlying security as broker selection is restricted to the underwriter of the P‑note.

Market Risk. The market value of the Fund’s investments will move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based upon overall market and economic conditions, as well as a number of reasons that directly relate to the issuers of the Fund’s investments, such as management performance, financial condition and demand for the issuers’ goods and services.