The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets, including borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies located in emerging market countries (the “80% Policy”). The Fund is sub-advised by Hermes Investment Management Limited (the “Sub-Adviser”).

Equity securities held by the Fund will primarily include common stock, preferred stock, depositary receipts, options on securities, and equity-equivalent securities, such as participation notes (“P-Notes”). Derivatives, such as futures, options on futures, and swaps, may also be held by the Fund incidental to its main investment strategy.

The Sub-Adviser considers emerging market countries to be those included in the Fund’s benchmark index, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index; countries determined by the World Bank to have a low to middle income economy; and other countries or markets with similar emerging market characteristics as determined by the Sub-Adviser. A company is considered to be located in an emerging market country if it has a class of securities whose principal securities market is in an emerging market country; is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, an emerging market country; derives 50% or more of its total revenues or earnings from goods produced, sales made, or services provided in one or more emerging market countries; or maintains 50% or more of its assets in one or more emerging market countries.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization but seeks to have market capitalization size characteristics similar to that of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. As of December 31, 2023, the market capitalization of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index companies ranged from $787 million to $2.1 trillion with a weighted average market capitalization of $109.1 billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the MSCI Emerging Markets Index are subject to change. The Fund is expected to invest its assets among companies located in emerging markets throughout the world. The Fund may also invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and may acquire foreign currency or enter into foreign currency derivatives (including forward foreign currency exchange contracts and currency futures contracts) to seek to hedge foreign currency exposure.

Securities of companies located in emerging market countries may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), which are either sponsored or unsponsored, and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”).

The Sub-Adviser seeks to identify quality companies trading at attractive valuations that are located in emerging market countries that are believed by the Sub-Adviser to have conditions that are supportive of economic growth. To this end, the Sub-Adviser combines a top-down approach to country and sector analysis with a bottom-up approach to fundamental company research, including consideration of the Fund’s responsible investing criteria described below. The country analysis includes an assessment of the risks and opportunities for each emerging market country through in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis. The sector analysis includes a valuation assessment through qualitative analysis. The fundamental company research also utilizes a number of qualitative and quantitative methods. Portfolio construction is determined by the Sub-Adviser based on its level of conviction in the country and company with input from proprietary risk models.

The Fund may sell a security when its fundamentals deteriorate, the target price is reached, other securities are identified to displace a current holding or it does not meet the Fund’s sustainability and corporate responsibility criteria. The Fund may also lend its securities.

Responsible Investing. The Fund has established sustainable and socially responsible investment criteria to determine whether a security qualifies as an investment for the Fund. The Fund seeks to invest in emerging market companies whose products, services or industrial and/or business practices contribute towards addressing one or more global sustainability challenges in local or international markets, including (i) development, poverty and health, (ii) environment and climate change, or (iii) rights and governance. The foregoing are commonly known as environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Investments are selected for financial soundness and evaluated according to these sustainability and corporate responsibility criteria, the application of which is considered to be in the economic interest of the Fund and its shareholders.