Description

This fund is designed to provide exposure to the emerging markets portion of the international bond market. The fund seeks to track the performance of an index that provides exposure to government bonds in emerging economies. Like other bond funds, the fund is subject to interest rate risk; increases in interest rates may cause the price of the bonds in the portfolio to decrease, reducing the fund’s NAV. The fund is also subject to emerging markets risk—bonds of governments located in these countries tend to be more volatile and less liquid than those in developed countries—and other international risks, such as country/regional risk. Because the fund invests only in U.S. dollar-denominated bonds, it does not subject U.S.-based investors to currency risk. Long-term, risk-tolerant investors who want to diversify their bond portfolio may wish to consider this fund.