Fair valuation may require subjective determinations about the value of a security. While the Fund’s and Valuation Designee's policies and procedures are intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing, the Fund cannot ensure that fair values accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing (for instance, in a forced or distressed sale). The prices used by the Fund may differ from the value that would be realized if the securities were sold.
(b) Fair Value Hierarchy U.S. GAAP describes fair value as the price that the Fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. It establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation methods and requires disclosure of the fair value hierarchy, separately for each major category of assets and liabilities, that segregates fair value measurements into levels (Level 1, 2 or 3). The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities. Levels 1, 2 and 3 of the fair value hierarchy are defined as follows:
• Level 1 — Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets or exchanges for identical assets and liabilities.
• Level 2 — Significant other observable inputs, which may include, but are not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are active, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the assets or liabilities (such as interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates) or other market corroborated inputs.
• Level 3 — Significant unobservable inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances, to the extent observable inputs are not available, which may include assumptions made by the Valuation Designee that are used in determining the fair value of investments.
Assets or liabilities categorized as Level 2 or 3 as of period end have been transferred between Levels 2 and 3 since the prior period due to changes in the method utilized in valuing the investments. Transfers from Level 2 to Level 3 are a result of a change, in the normal course of business, from the use of methods used by Pricing Sources (Level 2) to the use of a Broker Quote or valuation technique which utilizes significant unobservable inputs due to an absence of current or reliable market-based data (Level 3). Transfers from Level 3 to Level 2 are a result of the availability of current and reliable market-based data provided by Pricing Sources or other valuation techniques which utilize significant observable inputs. In accordance with the requirements of U.S. GAAP, the amounts of transfers into and out of Level 3, if material, are disclosed in the Notes to Schedule of Investments for the Fund.
For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. GAAP requires a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported fair values that presents changes attributable to realized gain (loss), unrealized appreciation (depreciation), purchases and sales, accrued discounts (premiums), and transfers into and out of the Level 3 category during the period. The end of period value is used for the transfers between Levels of the Fund's assets and liabilities. Additionally, U.S. GAAP requires quantitative information regarding the significant unobservable inputs used in the determination of fair value of assets or liabilities categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. In accordance with the requirements of U.S. GAAP, a fair value hierarchy and, if material, a Level 3 reconciliation and details of significant unobservable inputs, have been included in the Notes to Schedule of Investments for the Fund.
(c) Valuation Techniques and the Fair Value Hierarchy
Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 trading assets and trading liabilities, at fair value The valuation methods (or “techniques”) and significant inputs used in determining the fair values of portfolio securities or other assets and liabilities categorized as Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
Common stocks, ETFs, exchange-traded notes and financial derivative instruments, such as futures contracts, rights and warrants, or options on futures that are traded on a national securities exchange, are stated at the last reported sale or settlement price on the day of valuation. To the extent these securities are actively traded and valuation adjustments are not applied, they are categorized as Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
Investments in registered open-end investment companies (other than ETFs) will be valued based upon the NAVs of such investments and are categorized as Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Investments in unregistered open-end investment companies will be calculated based upon the NAVs of such investments and are considered Level 1 provided that the NAVs are observable, calculated daily and are the value at which both purchases and sales will be conducted.
Fixed income securities including corporate, convertible and municipal bonds and notes, U.S. government agencies, U.S. treasury obligations, sovereign issues, bank loans, convertible preferred securities, non-U.S. bonds, and short-term debt instruments (such as commercial paper, time deposits, and certificates of deposit) are normally valued on the basis of quotes obtained from brokers and dealers or Pricing Sources that use broker-dealer quotations, reported trades or valuation estimates from their internal pricing models. The Pricing Sources' internal models use inputs that are observable such as issuer details, interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, credit risks/spreads, default rates and quoted prices for similar assets. Securities that use similar valuation techniques and inputs as described above are categorized as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Fixed income securities purchased on a delayed-delivery basis or as a repurchase commitment in a sale-buyback transaction are marked to market daily until settlement at the forward settlement date and are categorized as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Mortgage-related and asset-backed securities are usually issued as separate tranches, or classes, of securities within each deal. These securities are also normally valued by Pricing Sources that use broker-dealer quotations, reported trades or valuation estimates from their internal pricing models. The pricing models for these securities usually consider tranche-level attributes, current market data, estimated cash flows and market-based yield spreads for each tranche, and incorporate deal collateral performance, as available. Mortgage-related and asset-backed securities that use similar valuation techniques and inputs as described above are categorized as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Valuation adjustments may be applied to certain securities that are solely traded on a foreign exchange to account for the market movement between the close of the foreign market and the NYSE Close. These securities are valued using Pricing Sources that consider the correlation of the trading patterns of the foreign security to the intraday trading in the U.S. markets for investments. Securities using these valuation adjustments are categorized as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Preferred securities and other equities traded on inactive markets or valued by reference to similar instruments are also categorized as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Valuation adjustments may be applied to certain exchange traded futures and options to account for market movement between the exchange settlement and the NYSE Close. These securities are valued using quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers or Pricing Sources. Financial derivatives using these valuation adjustments are categorized as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Equity exchange-traded options and over the counter financial derivative instruments, such as forward foreign currency contracts and options contracts derive their value from underlying asset prices, indices, reference rates, and other inputs or a combination of these factors. These contracts are normally valued on the basis of quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers or Pricing Sources (normally determined as of the NYSE Close). Depending on the product and the terms of the transaction,