stems from increases in the value of the security sold short, the extent of such loss, like the price of the security sold
short, is theoretically unlimited. By contrast, a fund’s loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security
held by a fund and therefore is limited by the fact that a security’s value cannot drop below zero.
The use of short sales, in effect, leverages a fund’s portfolio, which could increase a fund’s exposure to the market, magnify
losses and increase the volatility of returns.
Although a fund’s share price may increase if the securities in its long portfolio increase in value more than the securities
underlying its short positions, a fund’s share price may decrease if the securities underlying its short positions increase
in value more than the securities in its long portfolio.
In addition, a fund’s short selling strategies may limit its ability to fully benefit from increases in the equity markets.
Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to a fund.
The SEC and other (including non-US) regulatory authorities have imposed, and may in the future impose, restrictions on short
selling, either on a temporary or permanent basis, which may include placing limitations on specific companies and/or industries with respect to which a fund may enter into short positions. Any such restrictions may hinder a fund in, or prevent it from, fully implementing its investment strategies, and may negatively affect performance.
Short Sales Against the Box. A fund may make short sales of common stocks if, at all times when a short position is open, a fund owns the stock or owns preferred stocks or debt securities convertible or exchangeable, without payment of further
consideration, into the shares of common stock sold short. Short sales of this kind are referred to as short sales “against the box.” The broker/dealer that executes a short sale generally invests cash proceeds of the sale until they are paid to a fund. Arrangements may be made with the broker/dealer to obtain a portion of the interest earned by the broker on the investment of short sale proceeds. A fund’s short positions “against the box” will count towards its derivatives exposure for purposes of Rule 18f-4. Uncertainty regarding the tax effects of short sales of appreciated investments may limit the
extent to which a fund may enter into short sales against the box. A fund will incur transaction costs in connection with
short sales against the box.
Subsidiary Companies. A fund may gain exposure to the commodity markets in part by investing a portion of a fund’s assets in a wholly-owned subsidiary (Subsidiary). Investments in a Subsidiary are expected to provide exposure to the commodity markets within the limitations of the Code and IRS rulings (see “Taxes” in Appendix II-H of this SAI). The Subsidiaries are companies organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and each is overseen by its own board of directors.
Among other investments, the Subsidiaries are expected to invest in commodity-linked derivative instruments, such as swaps and futures. The Subsidiaries will also invest in fixed income instruments, cash, cash equivalents and affiliated money
market funds. In monitoring compliance with its investment restrictions, including derivatives exposures for purposes of Rule 18f-4, a fund will consider the assets of its Subsidiary to be assets of the fund.
To the extent that a fund invests in its Subsidiary, a fund may be subject to the risks associated with those derivative instruments and other securities, which are discussed elsewhere in a fund’s prospectus(es) and this SAI. While the Subsidiaries may be considered similar to investment companies, they are not registered under the 1940 Act and are not directly subject
to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act and other US regulations. Changes in the laws of the US or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of a fund or a Subsidiary to operate as intended or may subject the fund or its advisor
to new or additional regulatory requirements and could negatively affect a fund and its shareholders.
In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded regulated investment companies and their shareholders, a fund must, among other things, satisfy several diversification requirements, including the requirement that not more than 25% of the value of the fund's total assets may be invested in the securities (other than those of the US government or other
regulated investment companies) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers which the fund controls and which are engaged
in the same, similar or related trades or businesses. Therefore, so long as a fund is subject to this limit, the fund may
not invest any more than 25% of the value of its total assets in a Subsidiary. Absent this diversification requirement, a fund
would be permitted to invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in a Subsidiary.