To pursue its goal, the fund normally invests substantially all of its assets in equity securities comprising the Solactive GBS Emerging Markets Large & Mid Cap USD Index NTR (index), depositary receipts based on securities comprising the index, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) providing exposure to such securities, and derivatives with economic characteristics similar to such securities or the index. The fund's derivatives investments may include futures, currency forwards, total return swaps and structured notes. Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market companies, ETFs providing exposure to such securities, and derivatives with economic characteristics similar to such securities. Depositary receipts are considered equity securities for purposes of the 80% investment policy. The fund considers emerging market countries to be countries included in the index.

The Solactive GBS Emerging Markets Large & Mid Cap USD Index NTR is a free float market capitalization weighted index designed to measure the performance of emerging market large- and mid-capitalization companies. The index's

universe of eligible securities includes equity securities issued by emerging market companies, listed on a developed or emerging market exchange, and that meet certain tradability and foreign investment limitation requirements. Securities included in the index may be denominated in foreign currencies. To determine if a company is an emerging market company, the index considers the company's country of primary listing, incorporation, domicile, and risk. At each reconstitution, eligible securities are ranked by total market capitalization in descending order and securities representing approximately the top 85% free float market capitalization of each emerging market country are included in the index. As of December 31, 2023, the index considers the following countries to be emerging market countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates. The index reconstitutes semi-annually in May and November. As of December 31, 2023, the index was comprised of 1,949 securities.

Under normal circumstances, in seeking to track the index's performance, the fund generally purchases a representative sample of the securities comprising the index. By using a sampling process, the fund typically will not invest in all of the securities in the index. The fund may also fully replicate the index when determined to be in the best interest of the fund in pursuing its objective.

In seeking to track the index, the fund's assets may be concentrated in (i.e., more than 25% of the fund's assets invested in) an industry or group of industries, but only to the extent that the index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. In addition, a significant portion of the fund's assets will generally be focused in a country or region to the extent the index is focused in a particular country or region. As of December 31, 2023, approximately 30.18% of the index consisted of securities of issuers in the information technology sector and approximately 23.94% of the index consisted of securities of issuers in the financials sector. Additionally, as of December 31, 2023, the index had significant exposure to issuers located in China and the Asian region.

The fund is classified as diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act); however, the fund may become non-diversified solely as a result of changes in the composition of the index (e.g., changes in weightings of one or more component securities). When the fund is non-diversified, it may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers.