| Emerging markets risk:Accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards may be less rigorous than international standards. There is a possibility of nationalisation, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign exchange control, political changes, government regulation, social instability or diplomatic developments which could affect adversely the economies of emerging markets or the value of the Fund’s investments.Credit risk:If the issuer of any of the fixed interest securities in which the Fund’s assets are invested defaults, the performance of the Fund will be negatively affected and the Fund could suffer substantial loss. For fixed income securities, a default on interest or principal may adversely impact the performance of the Fund.Interest rate risk:Interest rates in the countries in which the Fund’s assets will be invested may be subject to fluctuations. Any such fluctuations may have a direct effect on the income received by the Fund and its capital value. Bonds are particularly susceptible to interest rate changes and may experience significant price volatility. The prices of bonds generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates rise.Longer term bonds are usually more sensitive to interest rate changes.Currency risk:The assets in which the Fund is invested and the income from the assets will or may be quoted in currency which are different from the Fund’s base currency. The performance of the Fund will therefore be affected by movements in the exchange rate between the currencies in which the assets are held and Fund’s currency of denomination. Investors whose base currency is different (or not in a currency linked to the Fund’s currency of denomination) may be exposed to additional currency risk.Equity risk:Equity markets may fluctuate significantly with prices rising and falling sharply, and this will have a direct impact on the Fund’s net asset value. When equity markets are extremely volatile, the Fund’s net asset value may fluctuate substantially. |