DCI IRELAND FUND PLC. Investment Manager DCI, LLC

Transcription

1 If you are in any doubt about the contents of this Prospectus, the risks involved in investing in the Company or the suitability for you of investment in the Company, you should consult your stock broker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser. Prices for shares in the Company may fall as well as rise. The Directors of the Company whose names appear under the heading "Management and Administration" in this Prospectus accept responsibility for the information contained in this Prospectus. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in this Prospectus is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. The Directors accept responsibility accordingly. DCI IRELAND FUND PLC (An open-ended umbrella variable capital investment company with segregated liability between Funds incorporated with limited liability in Ireland under the Companies Acts 1963 to 2009 with registration number ) authorised as an investment company pursuant to Part XIII of the Companies Act, 1990 P R O S P E C T U S Investment Manager DCI, LLC The date of this Prospectus is 3 November 2010 Q:\Commer\Prospectus2\D\DCI Funds\DCI Ireland Fund 2010 Revamp.DF.doc

2 IMPORTANT INFORMATION This Prospectus should be read in conjunction with the Section entitled "Definitions". The Prospectus This Prospectus describes DCI Ireland Fund plc (the "Company"), an open-ended umbrella variable capital investment company with segregated liability between Funds incorporated in Ireland and authorised by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Central Bank as an investment company pursuant to Part XIII of the Companies Act, The Company is structured as an umbrella fund and may comprise several portfolios of assets. The share capital of the Company ( Shares ) may be divided into different classes of shares ( Funds ) each representing a separate portfolio of assets and further sub-divided to denote differing characteristics attributable to particular Shares, into Classes. This Prospectus may only be issued with one or more Supplements, each containing information relating to a separate Fund. Details relating to Classes may be dealt with in the relevant Fund Supplement or in separate Supplements for each Class. Each Supplement shall form part of, and should be read in conjunction with, this Prospectus. To the extent that there is any inconsistency between this Prospectus and any Supplement, the relevant Supplement shall prevail. The latest published annual and half yearly reports of the Company will be supplied to subscribers free of charge on request and will be available to the public as further described in the section of the Prospectus headed Report and Accounts. Authorisation by the Central Bank The Company is both authorised and supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland ( the Central Bank ). Authorisation of the Company by the Central Bank shall not constitute a warranty as to the performance of the Company and the Central Bank shall not be liable for the performance or default of the Company. The authorisation of the Company is not an endorsement or guarantee of the Company by the Central Bank and the Central Bank is not responsible for the contents of this Prospectus. The Company is authorised to be marketed solely to Qualifying Investors pursuant to Non-UCITS Notice 24 issued by the Central Bank. The minimum subscription for each investor shall not be less than 100,000 or its equivalent in another currency (except in the case of certain investors as further detailed in the section of the Prospectus entitled Application for Shares ). Accordingly, while the Company is authorised by the Central Bank, the Central Bank has not set any limits or other restrictions on the investment objectives, the investment policies or the degree of leverage which may be employed by the Company. The Company must comply with the aim of spreading investment risk in accordance with Section 253(2)(a) of Part XIII of the Companies Act Restrictions on Distribution and Sale of Shares The distribution of this Prospectus and the offering of Shares may be restricted in certain jurisdictions. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorised or the person receiving the offer or solicitation may not lawfully do so. It is the responsibility of any person in possession of this Prospectus and of any person wishing to apply for Shares to inform himself of and to observe all applicable laws and regulations of the countries of his nationality, residence, ordinary residence or domicile. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each Shareholder (and each employee, representative, or other agent of such Shareholder) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of (i) the Fund and (ii) any of its transactions, and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Shareholder relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. The Directors may restrict the ownership of Shares by any person, firm or corporation where such ownership would be in breach of any regulatory or legal requirement or may affect the tax status of the Company. Any restrictions applicable to a particular Fund or Class shall be specified in the relevant Supplement for such Fund or Class. Any person who is holding Shares in contravention of the restrictions set out above or, by virtue of his holding, is in breach of the laws and regulations of any competent jurisdiction or whose holding could, in the opinion of the Directors, cause the Company or any Shareholder or any Fund to incur any liability to taxation or to suffer any pecuniary disadvantage which any or all of them might not otherwise have incurred or sustained or otherwise in circumstances which the Directors believe might be prejudicial to the interests of the Shareholders, shall indemnify the Company, the Investment Manager, the Custodian, the Administrator and Shareholders for any loss suffered by it or them as a result of such person or persons acquiring or holding Shares in the Company. The Directors have the power under the Articles of Association to compulsorily redeem and/or cancel any Shares held or beneficially owned in contravention of the restrictions imposed by them as described herein. 2

3 United States of America None of the Shares have been, nor will be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act ) and, except in a transaction which does not violate the Securities Act or any other applicable United States securities laws (including without limitation any applicable law of any of the States of the United States), none of the Shares may be directly or indirectly offered or sold in the United States of America, or any of its territories or possessions or areas subject to its jurisdiction, or to or for the benefit of a US Person. Neither the Company nor any Fund will be registered under the United States Investment Company Act of 1940 (the Investment Company Act ). This Prospectus has not been filed with or reviewed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or the Commission ) and neither the Commission nor any US state securities administrator has passed upon or endorsed the merits of an investment in the Company or the accuracy or the adequacy of the information contained in this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy Shares in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful. Notwithstanding the foregoing prohibition on offers and sales in the United States or to or for the benefit of US Persons, the Company may make a private placement of its Shares to a limited number or category of US Persons that are "qualified purchasers" as defined in Section 2(a)(51) under the Investment Company Act. Reliance on this Prospectus Statements made in this Prospectus and any Supplement are based on the law and practice in force in the Republic of Ireland at the date of the Prospectus or Supplement as the case may be, which may be subject to change. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor the offer, issue or sale of Shares in the Company shall under any circumstances constitute a representation that the affairs of the Company have not changed since the date hereof. This Prospectus will be updated by the Company to take into account any material changes from time to time and any such amendments will be notified in advance to the Central Bank. Any information or representation not contained herein or given or made by any broker, salesperson or other person should be regarded as unauthorised and should accordingly not be relied upon. Investors should not treat the contents of this Prospectus as advice relating to legal, taxation, investment or other matters. You should consult your stockbroker, accountant, solicitor, independent financial adviser or other professional adviser. The attention of investors is drawn to the potential for above average risk associated with an investment in the Company. Accordingly, such investment should only be undertaken by people in a position to take such a risk. The price of the Shares as well as any income in the Company may fall as well as rise. The difference at any one time between the sale and repurchase price of Shares means that an investment in the Company should be viewed as medium to long term. Redemption Charge The Directors are empowered to levy a redemption charge not exceeding 1% of the Net Asset Value of Shares being redeemed. Details of any such charge with respect to one or more Funds or Classes will be set out in the relevant Supplement. Risk Factors Investors should read and consider the section entitled "Risk Factors" before investing in the Company. Translations This Prospectus and any Supplements may also be translated into other languages. Any such translation shall only contain the same information and have the same meaning as the English language Prospectus and Supplements. To the extent that there is any inconsistency between the English language Prospectus/Supplements and the Prospectus/Supplements in another language, the English language Prospectus/Supplements will prevail, except to the extent (but only to the extent) required by the law of any jurisdiction where the Shares are sold, that in an action based upon disclosure in a prospectus in a language other than English, the language of the Prospectus/Supplement on which such action is based shall prevail. CFTC Notice Pursuant to rules of the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission, (the CFTC ), the Investment Manager is not required to register, and is not registered, with the CFTC as a Commodity Pool Operator ( CPO ) and therefore, 3

4 unlike a registered CPO, the Investment Manager is not required to deliver a disclosure document and a certified annual report that comply with certain CFTC requirements to investors in the Company. Among other things, the exemption requires the Investment Manager to file a Notice of Exemption with the United States National Futures Association (the NFA ). It also requires that all investors in the Company be qualified eligible persons under the CFTC rules. Pursuant to rules of the CFTC, the Investment Manager is not required to register, and is not registered, with the CFTC as a Commodity Trading Advisor ( CTA ). Among other things, the exemption requires the Investment Manager to file a Notice of Exemption with the NFA. Forward Looking Statements This Prospectus contains forward looking statements based on the Investment Manager s experience and expectations about the markets in which the Company invests and the methods by which the Investment Manager expects to cause the Company to invest in those markets. Those statements are sometimes indicated by words such as expects, believes, seeks, may, intends, attempts, will and similar expressions. Those forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to many risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual returns could be much lower than those expressed or implied in any forward looking statements as a result of various factors. Neither the Company nor the Investment Manager has any obligation to revise or update any forward looking statement for any reason. 4

5 DIRECTORY DCI IRELAND FUND PLC Directors Ian Drew (Chairman) Norbert Bannon Richard Donick John McQuown John Broughan Registered Office George s Court Townsend Street Dublin 2 Ireland Investment Manager DCI, LLC 201 Spear Street Suite 250 San Francisco, CA United States of America Administrator and Transfer Agent Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Ireland) Limited George s Court Townsend Street Dublin 2 Ireland Custodian Northern Trust Fiduciary Services (Ireland) Limited George s Court Townsend Street Dublin 2 Ireland Secretary Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Ireland) Limited George s Court Townsend Street Dublin 2 Ireland Ireland Dillon Eustace 33 Sir John Rogerson s Quay Dublin 2 Distributor Diversified Credit Investments, LLC 201 Spear Street Suit 250 San Francisco CA United States of America Tax Advisers Dillon Eustace 33 Sir John Rogerson s Quay Dublin 2 Legal Advisers Auditors Deloitte Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2 Ireland United States Legal Counsel to the Investment Manager Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP 55 Second Street Twenty-fourth Floor San Francisco, CA94105 United States of America 5

6 SECTION TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1. THE COMPANY General Investment Objective and Policies Investment Restrictions Borrowing Powers Adherence to Investment and Borrowing Restrictions Changes to Investment and Borrowing Restrictions Financial Derivative Instruments Financing Counterparties Dividend Policy Risk Factors MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION Directors Investment Manager Administrator Custodian Conflicts of Interest Soft Commissions Cash/Commission Rebates and Fee Sharing FEES AND EXPENSES Establishment Expenses Operating Expenses and Fees Administrator s Fees Custodian s Fees Investment Managers Fees Directors Fees Fee Increases THE SHARES General Abusive Trading Practices/Market Timing Application for Shares Redemption of Shares Conversion of Shares Net Asset Value and Valuation of Assets Suspension of Valuation of Assets Dividends and Distributions TAXATION Irish Taxation Certain U.S. Federal Income Taxation Considerations ERISA Considerations UK Taxation

7 6. GENERAL INFORMATION Incorporation, Registered Office and Share Capital Variation of Share Rights and Pre-Emption Rights Voting Rights Meetings Reports and Accounts Communications and Notices to Shareholders Transfer of Shares Directors Directors' Interests Winding Up Indemnities and Insurance General Material Contracts Documents Available for Inspection Appendix I - Techniques and Instruments for the purpose of Efficient Portfolio Management Appendix II - Definition of US Person

8 DEFINITIONS In this Prospectus the following words and phrases have the meanings set forth below:- All references to a specific time of day are to New York time, unless otherwise specified. "Accounting Date" means 31 December in each year or such other date as the Directors may from time to time decide. "Accounting Period" means a period ending on the Accounting Date and commencing, in the case of the first such period on the date of incorporation of the Company and, in subsequent such periods, on the day following expiry of the last Accounting Period. "Act" means the Companies Acts 1963 to 2009 and every amendment or re-enactment of the same. "Administrator" means Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Ireland) Limited. "Administration Agreement" means the Administration Agreement made between the Company and the Administrator dated 31 st August, "Application Form" means any application form to be completed by subscribers for Shares as prescribed by the Company from time to time. "Articles of Association" means the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. "Auditors" means Deloitte, Ireland. "Base Currency" means the currency of account of a Fund as specified in the relevant Supplement relating to that Fund. "Business Day" means in relation to a Fund such day or days as shall be so specified in the relevant Supplement for that Fund. Central Bank means the Central Bank of Ireland and any successor thereto. CFTC means the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission. "Class" means a particular division of Shares in a Fund. 8

9 "Company" means DCI Ireland Fund plc. "Custodian" means Northern Trust Fiduciary Services (Ireland) Limited. "Custodian Agreement" means the Custodian Agreement made between the Company and the Custodian dated 31 st August, "Dealing Day" means in relation to a Fund such day or days in each month as shall be specified in the relevant Supplement for that Fund. "Dealing Deadline" means in relation to a Fund such time on any Dealing Day as shall be specified in the relevant Supplement for that Fund. "Directors" means the directors of the Company or any duly authorised committee or delegate thereof. Distributor means DCI, LLC. "EEA" means European Economic Area. ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. "euro" or " " means the lawful currency of the participating member states of the European Union which have adopted the single currency in accordance with the EC Treaty of Rome dated 25th March 1957 (as amended by the Maastricht Treaty dated 7th February 1992). Exchange Act means the US Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. "Exempt Irish Investor" means "Exempt Irish Investor" as defined in the Section entitled "Irish Taxation". "Fund" means a sub-fund of the Company representing the designation by the Directors of a particular class of Shares as a sub-fund the proceeds of issue of which are pooled separately and invested in accordance with the investment objective and policies applicable to such sub-fund and which is established by the Directors from time to time with the prior approval of the Central Bank. 9

10 "Initial Price" means the initial price payable for a Share as specified in the relevant Supplement for each Fund. "Investment Company Act" means the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. "Investment Manager" means DCI, LLC to whom the Company has delegated discretionary investment management of the Company and each Fund under an Investment Management Agreement dated 12 th August, 2005 between the Company and the Investment Manager. "Investment Management and Distribution Agreement" means the Investment Management and Distribution Agreement made between the Company and the Investment Manager dated 12 th August, "Intermediary" means "Intermediary" as defined in the section entitled "Taxation". "Ireland" means the Republic of Ireland. "Irish Resident" means "Irish Resident" as defined in the section entitled "Taxation". "Member" means a Shareholder or a person who is registered as the holder of one or more non-participating shares in the Company. "Member State" means a member state of the European Union. "Minimum Holding" means the minimum number or value of Shares which must be held by Shareholders as specified in the relevant Supplement. "Minimum Subscription" means the minimum amount which may be subscribed for Shares in any Fund or Class as specified in the relevant Supplement provided that the minimum amount which may be subscribed may not be less than 100,000 or its equivalent in another currency (subject to any exemption therefrom permitted by the Central Bank) and the aggregate of an investor's investments in one or more Funds or Classes may be taken into account for the purpose of satisfying the minimum subscription requirement. 10

11 "Net Asset Value" means the Net Asset Value of a Fund or attributable to a Class (as appropriate) calculated as referred to herein. "Net Asset Value per Share" means the Net Asset Value of a Fund divided by the number of Shares in issue in that Fund or the Net Asset Value attributable to a Class divided by the number of Shares issued in that Class rounded to such number of decimal places as the Directors may determine. Notices means any notices issued by the Central Bank pursuant to Part XIII of the Companies Act "OECD Member Country" means each of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. "Ordinarily Resident in Ireland" means "Ordinarily Resident in Ireland" as defined in the section entitled "Taxation". "Prospectus" the prospectus of the Company and any Supplements and addenda thereto issued in accordance with the requirements of the Central Bank. "Qualifying Investor" (i) an investor who is a professional client within the meaning of Annex II of Directive 2004/39/EC (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive); or (ii) an investor who receives an appraisal from an EU credit institution, a MiFID firm or a UCITS management company that the investor has the appropriate expertise, experience and knowledge to adequately understand the investment in the Company; or (iii) an investor who certifies that they are an informed investor by providing the following: (a) (b) confirmation (in writing) that the investor has such knowledge of and experience in financial and business matters as would enable the investor to properly evaluate the merits and risks of the prospective investment; or confirmation (in writing) that the investor s business 11

12 involves, whether for its own account or the account of others, the management, acquisition or disposal of property of the same kind as the property of the Company; (subject to any exemption therefrom permitted by the Central Bank). Recognised Clearing System means recognised Clearing System as defined in the section entitled Taxation. "Relevant Declaration" means "Relevant Declaration" as defined in the section entitled "Taxation". Relevant Period means Relevant Period as defined in the section entitled Taxation. Securities Act means the US Securities Act of 1933 as amended. "Share" means a participating share or, save as otherwise provided in this Prospectus, a fraction of a participating share in the capital of the Company. "Shareholder" means a person who is registered as the holder of Shares in the register of Shareholders for the time being kept by or on behalf of the Company. "Supplement" means a supplement to this Prospectus specifying certain information in respect of a Fund and/or one or more Classes. "Taxes Act" means "Taxes Act" as defined in the section entitled "Taxation". "UCITS" means an Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities established pursuant to EC Council Directive 85/611/EEC of 20 December 1985 as amended by EC Council Directive 2001/108/EEC as may be further amended, consolidated or replaced from time to time. "UCITS Regulations" means the European Communities (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) Regulations, 2003 (S.I. No. 211 of 2003) (as amended consolidated or substituted from time to time) and any regulations or notices issued by the Central Bank pursuant thereto for the time being in force. 12

13 "United States" means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Colombia) its territories, possessions and all other areas subject to its jurisdiction. "US Dollar", "USD" or "US$" means United States Dollars, the lawful currency for the time being of the United States of America. "US Person" means a US Person as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act and CFTC Rule 4.7, as described in Appendix IV. "Valuation Point" means such time as shall be specified in the relevant Supplement for each Fund. 13

14 1. THE COMPANY General The Company is an open-ended umbrella variable capital investment company with segregated liability between Funds, incorporated in Ireland on 3 rd of August, 2005 under the Act with registration number The Company has been authorised by the Central Bank as an investment company pursuant to Part XIII of the Companies Act, The Company is structured as an umbrella fund consisting of different Funds each comprising one or more Classes. The Shares of each Class of a Fund will rank pari passu with each other in all respects provided that they may differ as to certain matters including currency of denomination, hedging strategies if any applied to the currency of a particular Class, dividend policy, the level of fees and expenses to be charged, subscription or redemption procedures or the Minimum Subscription and Minimum Holding applicable. The assets of each Fund will be invested separately on behalf of each Fund in accordance with the investment objective and policies of each Fund. A separate portfolio of assets is not maintained for each Class. The investment objective and policies and other details in relation to each Fund are set out in the relevant Supplement which forms part of and should be read in conjunction with this Prospectus. The Base Currency of each Fund is specified in the relevant Supplement. Additional Funds in respect of which a Supplement or Supplements will be issued may be established by the Directors with the prior approval of the Central Bank. Classes in respect of which a Supplement or Supplements will be issued may be established by the Directors and notified to and cleared in advance with the Central Bank or otherwise must be created in accordance with the requirements of the Central Bank. A Class of Shares may be designated in a currency other than the Base Currency of the relevant Fund as detailed in the relevant Supplement or Supplements. Changes in the exchange rate between the Base Currency of the Fund and such designated currency or between the denominated currency of the assets of the Fund and the designated currency of the Class may lead to a depreciation of the value of such Shares as expressed in the designated currency. The Investment Manager may try to mitigate these risks in respect of certain Classes of Shares, as detailed in the Supplement or Supplements, by using financial instruments, such as currency swaps, as a hedge. It is not the intention to over-hedge or under-hedge positions, but this may occur due to factors outside the control of the Company. Over-hedged positions will not exceed 105% of the Net Asset Value of a hedged Class. Hedged positions will be kept under review by the Investment Manager to ensure that over-hedged positions of any hedged Class do not exceed 105% of the Net Asset Value of such Class and that positions in excess of 100% will not be carried forward from month to month. If the Investment Manager enters into such transactions then they will each be solely attributable to the relevant Class of Shares and may not be combined or offset against the exposures of other Classes or specific assets. In such circumstances, Shareholders of that Class may be exposed to fluctuations in the Net Asset Value per Share reflecting the gains/losses on and the costs of the relevant financial instruments and this strategy may substantially limit holders of the Class from benefiting if the Class currency falls against the base currency of the Fund and/or the currency in which the assets of the Fund are denominated. Where the Investment Manager intends to enter into such hedging transactions it will be disclosed in the relevant Supplement or Supplements. The assets and liabilities of the Company shall be allocated to each Fund in the following manner: 14

15 (a) for each Fund, the Company shall keep separate records in which all transactions relating to the relevant Fund shall be recorded and to which the proceeds from the issue of Shares in each Fund and the assets and liabilities and income and expenditure attributable to each Fund shall be applied subject to the provisions of the Articles of Association; (b) any asset derived from another asset of a Fund shall be applied in the records of the relevant Fund as the asset from which it was derived and on each valuation of an asset, the increase or diminution in value thereof shall be applied to the relevant Fund; (c) where the Company incurs a liability which relates to any asset of a particular Fund or to any action taken in connection with an asset of a particular Fund, such liability shall be allocated to that Fund; (d) in circumstances in which an asset or liability cannot be considered as being attributable to a particular Fund such assets or liability shall be allocated between all Funds pro-rata to their Net Asset Value at the time of allocation; and (e) where hedging strategies are used in relation to a Fund or Class, the financial instruments used to implement such strategies shall be deemed to be assets or liabilities (as the case may be) of the relevant Fund as a whole but the gains/losses on the costs of the relevant financial instruments will accrue solely to the relevant Class. The Company has been established as an umbrella company with segregated liability between Funds. As a result, neither the Company nor any Director, receiver, examiner, liquidator or other person shall apply nor be obliged to apply, the assets of any one Fund in satisfaction of any liability incurred on behalf or attributable to any other Fund. In addition, although each Fund is not a separate legal person:- (i) the Company may sue and be sued in respect of a particular Fund and may exercise the same rights of set-off, if any, between the Funds as apply at law in respect of companies; (ii) the property of a Fund is subject to orders of the court as if the Fund were a separate legal person; and (iii) each Fund may be wound-up as if it were a separate legal person, provided always that the appointment of a liquidator and the powers, rights, duties and responsibilities of the liquidator shall be confined to the Fund which is being wound-up. Investment Objective and Policies The specific investment objective and policies of each Fund will be set out in the relevant Supplement to this Prospectus and will be formulated by the Directors at the time of creation of the relevant Fund. There can be no assurance that any Fund will achieve its investment objective. Investors should be aware that the performance of certain Funds may be measured against a specified index or benchmark and in this regard, Shareholders are directed towards the relevant Supplement which will refer to any relevant performance measurement criteria. The Company may at any time change that reference index where, for reasons outside its control, that index has been replaced, or another index or benchmark may reasonably be considered by the Company to have become the appropriate standard for the relevant exposure. Such a change would represent a change in policy of the relevant Fund and Shareholders will be advised of any change in a reference index or benchmark (i) if made by the Directors, 15

16 in advance of such a change and (ii) if made by the Index concerned, in the annual or half-yearly report of the Fund issued subsequent to such change. Unless as otherwise provided in the relevant Supplement for a Fund pending investment of the proceeds of a placing or offer of Shares or where market or other factors so warrant, a Fund's assets may be invested in money market instruments, including but not limited to certificates of deposit, floating rate notes and fixed or variable rate commercial paper listed or traded on exchanges and in cash deposits denominated in such currency or currencies as the Investment Manager may determine. The investment objective of a Fund may not be altered and material changes in the investment policy of a Fund may not be made without approval of Shareholders on the basis of a majority of votes cast at a meeting of the Shareholders of the particular Fund duly convened and held. In the event of a change of the investment objective and/or policy of a Fund, Shareholders in the relevant Fund will be given reasonable notice of such change to enable them to redeem their Shares prior to implementation of such a change. Investment Restrictions Investment of the assets of each Fund must comply with the requirements of the Central Bank. The Directors may impose further restrictions in respect of any Fund. The specific investment and borrowing restrictions applicable to the Company and each Fund will be set out in the relevant Supplement and will be formulated by the Directors at the time of establishment of the relevant Fund. Borrowing Powers The Directors may exercise all borrowing powers on behalf of the Company. The Company may charge, pledge or mortgage its assets on any part thereof as security for such borrowings. Adherence to Investment and Borrowing Restrictions The Company will, with respect to each Fund, adhere to any investment or borrowing restrictions herein in respect of any Shares or Fund or Class in the Company, subject always to the Notices. Changes to Investment and Borrowing Restrictions It is intended that the Company shall have the power (subject to the prior approval of the Central Bank) to avail itself of any change in the investment and borrowing restrictions specified in the Notices which would permit investment by the Company in securities, derivative instruments or in any other forms of investment in which investment is at the date of this Prospectus restricted or prohibited under the Notices. Financial Derivative Instruments Subject to the restrictions set out in the Notices and any additional restrictions in its Supplement, a Fund may engage in transactions involving the use of derivative instruments including but not limited to interest rate and credit default swaps, US Treasury and Note futures and other debt obligations and securities lending as the Investment Manager may deem appropriate for performance enhancement. 16

17 For the purpose of providing margin or collateral in respect of transactions involving derivative instruments, the Company may transfer, mortgage, charge or encumber any assets or cash forming part of the relevant Fund. Financing Counterparties A Fund may enter into transactions with counterparties including counterparties to OTC financial derivative instruments provided that: (a) any over-the-counter counterparty has a credit rating or an implied credit rating of A2/P2 as rated by Standard & Poor s/ibca or Moody s or an equivalent rating provided by an internationally recognised rating agency. An implied credit rating arises where the Manager or Investment Manager determines that the Fund may transact with an unrated entity on the basis of the relationship between the counterparty and its rated parent, or where the counterparty has senior debt/long term rating but no short term rating; (b) risk exposure of the Fund to an individual counterparty does not exceed 140% of the Net Asset Value of the Fund; (c) if the net exposure of the Fund to a single counterparty, including a prime broker, exceeds 40% of the Net Asset Value of the Fund the counterparty s appointment must be in accordance with the following conditions; (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) the counterparty must be regulated by a recognised regulatory Central Bank and it, or its parent company, must have shareholders' funds in excess of 200 million (or its equivalent in another currency) and a minimum credit rating of A1/P1; the arrangement incorporates a legally enforceable right of set-off for the Fund; the counterparty must agree to return the same or equivalent securities to the Fund; and the arrangement must incorporate a procedure to mark positions to market daily; The risk exposure of a Fund to a counterparty will be calculated by adding; (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) the value of securities issued by the counterparty held by the Fund; the outstanding indebtedness of the counterparty to the Fund (including any deposits held with the counterparty); any collateral passed by the Fund to the counterparty and deducting therefrom any outstanding indebtedness of the Fund to the counterparty; and any collateral passed to the Fund by the counterparty. Dividend Policy The dividend policy and information on the declaration and payment of dividends, if any, for each Fund will be specified in the relevant Supplement. The Articles of Association of the Company empower the Directors to declare dividends in respect of any Shares in the Company out of the net income of the Company, defined as the income of the Company from dividends, interest or otherwise and/or net realised 17

18 and unrealised gains (i.e. realised and unrealised capital gains net of all realised and unrealised losses) less accrued expenses of the Company, subject to certain adjustments. Risk Factors General The risks described herein should not be considered to be an exhaustive list of the risks which potential investors should consider before investing in a Fund. Potential investors should be aware that an investment in a Fund may be exposed to other risks of an exceptional nature from time to time. Investment in the Company carries with it a degree of risk. Different risks may apply to different Funds and/or Classes. Details of specific risks attaching to a particular Fund or Class which are additional to those described in this section will be disclosed in the relevant Supplement. Prospective investors should review this Prospectus and the relevant Supplement carefully and in its entirety and consult with their professional and financial advisers before making an application for Shares. Prospective Investors are advised that the value of Shares and the income from them may go down as well as up and, accordingly, an investor may not get back the full amount invested and an investment should only be made by persons who can sustain a loss on their investment. Past performance of the Company or any Fund should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance. The difference at any one time between the sale price (to which may be added a sales charge or commission) and the redemption price of Shares (from which may be deducted a redemption fee) means an investment should be viewed as medium to long term. The attention of potential investors is drawn to the taxation risks associated with investing in the Company. Please refer to the Section of the Prospectus entitled "Taxation". The securities and instruments in which the Company invests are subject to normal market fluctuations and other risks inherent in investing in such investments and there can be no assurance that any appreciation in value will occur. There can be no guarantee that the investment objective of a Fund will actually be achieved. Certain Risks of Debt Securities Debt securities are subject to credit and interest rate risks. Credit risk refers to the likelihood that an issuer will default in the payment of principal and/or interest on an instrument. Financial strength and solvency of an issuer are the primary factors influencing credit risk. In addition, lack or inadequacy of collateral or credit enhancement for a debt instrument may affect its credit risk. Credit risk may change over the life of an investment and securities which are rated by rating agencies are often reviewed and may be subject to downgrade. Interest rate risk refers to the risks associated with market changes in interest rates. Interest rate changes may affect the value of a debt instrument indirectly (especially in the case of fixed rate securities) and directly (especially in the case of instruments whose rates are adjustable). In general, rising interest rates will negatively impact the price of a fixed rate debt instrument and falling interest rates will have a positive effect on price. Adjustable rate instruments also react to interest rate changes in a similar manner although generally to a less degree (depending, however, on the characteristics of the reset terms, including the index chosen, frequency of reset and reset caps or floors, among other factors). Interest rate sensitivity is generally more pronounced and less predictable in instruments with uncertain payment or prepayment schedules. Investment Grade Debt Securities 18

19 Although debt securities rated in the BBB or equivalent category are commonly referred to as investment grade, they may have speculative characteristics. Such investments may, under certain circumstances, lead to a greater degree of fluctuation in the Net Asset Value of the Company or any Fund than if the Company or Fund only invested in higher-rated investment grade securities with similar maturities. In addition, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than is the case with higher grade bonds. Non-Investment Grade Debt Securities Certain Funds may invest (either directly of indirectly through a feeder type investment) in debt securities that are rated below investment grade (such as BB or lower by Standard & Poor s Corporation and/or Ba or lower by Moody s Investors Service, Inc.) or deemed to be below investment grade by the Investment Manager in its sole discretion. These securities, often referred to as high yield debt securities, are considered speculative and, while generally offering greater income than investments in higher quality securities, involve greater risk of loss of principal and income, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change. These lower quality bonds tend to be affected by economic changes and short-term corporate and industry developments, as well as public perception of those changes and developments, to a greater extent than higher quality securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. In addition, the market for lower-rated debt securities may be thinner and less active than that for higher rated debt securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which the lower-rated debt securities are sold. Market quotations may not be available for high yield debt securities, and judgment plays a greater role in valuing high yield corporate debt securities than is the case for securities for which more external sources for quotations and last sale information is available. Adverse publicity and changing investor perception may also affect the availability of outside pricing services to value lower-rated debt securities and the Company s ability to dispose of these securities. In addition, such securities generally present a higher degree of credit risk. Issuers of lower-rated debt securities are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional method of financing available to them so that their ability to service their obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. The risk of loss due to default by such issuers is significantly greater because below investment grade securities generally are unsecured and frequently are subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. Additionally, while the market for high yield debt securities has been in existence for many years and has weathered previous economic downturns, past experience may not provide an accurate indication of future performance of the high yield bond market, especially during periods of economic recession. Interest Rates The values of some or all of a Fund's investments may change in response to movements in interest rates. If rates rise, the values of debt securities generally fall. The longer the average duration of a Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the change in value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a fixed income security that was developed as a more precise alternative to the concept of term to maturity. Duration incorporates a bond s yield, coupon interest payments, fixed maturity, call and put features and prepayment exposure into one measure. Traditionally, a fixed-income security s term to maturity has been used to determine the sensitivity of the security s price to changes in interest rates (which is the interest rate risk or volatility of the security). However, term to maturity measures only the time until a fixed-income 19

20 security provides its final payment, taking no account of the pattern of the security s payments prior to maturity. Duration is used in the management of the portfolio as a tool to measure interest rate risk. The values of any of a Fund's investments may also decline in response to events affecting the issuer or its credit rating. The value of some mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities in which a Fund invests also may fall because of unanticipated levels of principal prepayments that can occur when interest rates decline. Principal and interest payments on such securities depend on payment of the underlying loans, though issuers may support creditworthiness via letters of credit or other instruments. Rating Agencies Ratings assigned by Moody s, Standard & Poor s or Fitch reflect only the views of those agencies and may be subject to certain biases and conflicts of interest. Additionally, no assurance can be given that the ratings assigned to any particular security will not be withdrawn or revised downward in the future. Maturity Risk Interest rate risk will generally affect the price of a debt security more if the security has a longer maturity. Debt securities with longer maturities will therefore be more volatile than other fixed income securities with shorter maturities. Conversely, debt securities with shorter maturities will be less volatile but generally provide lower returns than debt securities with longer maturities. The average maturity of each of the Company s debt security investments will affect the volatility of that Company s value. Credit Risk Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt security will not be able to pay principal and interest when due. Rating agencies assign credit ratings to certain debt securities to indicate their credit risk. The price of a debt security will generally fall if the issuer defaults on its obligation to pay principal or interest, the rating agencies downgrade the issuer s credit rating or other news affects the market s perception of the issuer s credit risk. A portion of a Fund's holdings may be invested in below investment grade issues which may be subject to greater credit risk. Because not all dealers maintain markets in all lower quality and comparable unrated securities, there is no established retail secondary market for many of these securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities may make it more difficult for a Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing a Fund's portfolios. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lowerquality and comparable unrated securities, especially in a thinly traded market. Futures Contracts Certain Funds may invest in futures contracts (either directly or indirectly though a feeder type investment), which may subject them to certain special significant risks as described below: Speculative and Volatile. Futures contracts prices are highly volatile. Price movements of futures contracts are influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships; government trade, fiscal, monetary and exchange programs and policies; national and international political and economic 20

21 events; and changes in interest rates. In addition, governments from time to time intervene, directly and by regulation in certain markets, particularly in currencies and gold. Such intervention is often intended to influence price directly. None of these factors can be controlled by the Investment Manager and no assurances can be given that advice will result in profitable trades for the Company or that the Company will not incur substantial losses. Highly Leveraged. The low margin deposits normally required in futures trading permit an extremely high degree of leverage; margin requirements for futures trading being in some cases as little as 2% of the face value of the contracts traded. For example, if at the time of sale 10% of the price of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a 10% decrease in the price of the futures contract would, if the contract was then closed out, result in a total loss of the margin deposit before any deduction for the trading commission. A decrease of more than 10% would result in a loss of more than the total margin deposit. Accordingly, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss to the Company. Like other leveraged investments, any trade may result in losses in excess of the amount invested. Illiquidity. United States commodity exchanges impose daily limits on the amount by which the price of most futures contracts traded on such exchanges may vary during a single day. Daily limits prevent trades from being executed during a given trading day at a price above or below the daily limit. Once the price of a futures contract has moved to the limit price, it may be difficult, costly or impossible to liquidate a position. Such limits could prevent the Investment Manager from promptly liquidating unfavorable positions and restrict its ability to exercise or offset commodity options held in the Company s accounts. In addition, even if futures prices have not moved to the daily limit, the Investment Manager may be unable to execute trades at favorable prices if the liquidity in the market is not adequate. Daily limits have been applicable to bond futures for some time and have recently been imposed on stock index futures. It is also possible for an exchange or the CFTC to suspend trading in a particular contract, order immediate settlement of a particular contract or order that trading in a particular contract be conducted for liquidation only. Position limits. The CFTC and the United States commodities exchanges have established limits referred to as speculative position limits on the maximum net long or net short speculative positions that any person may hold or control in any particular futures or options contracts traded on United States commodities exchanges. All accounts (proprietary or client) owned or managed by the Investment Manager will be combined for position limit purposes. The Investment Manager could be required to liquidate positions held for the Company in order to comply with such limits. Any such liquidation could result in substantial costs to the Company. Swap Agreements Certain Funds may enter into one or more swap agreements (either directly or indirectly through a feeder type investment). Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to many years. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns earned on specific assets, such as the return on, or increase in value of, a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a basket of securities representing a particular index. A swap contract may not be assigned without the consent of the counter-party, and may result in losses in the event of a default or bankruptcy of the counterparty. Swap agreements are traded in the over-the-counter market and may be considered to be illiquid. 21