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Emerging Markets Currency Fund (LDMAX) - Class A

Fund Finder

What is the Emerging Markets Currency Fund?

Goal & Strategy

The goal of this Fund is long-term growth of capital and current income through investing in currencies of emerging markets. This Fund seeks to identify currencies of countries where the positive fundamentals are not fully reflected in the currency's relative value.

In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may invest substantially in forward foreign currency contracts, which are a type of derivative instrument. The Fund also may invest in other types of derivatives, including options, futures contracts, and swap agreements.

Fund Basics

 
Ticker LDMAX
CUSIP 543908867
Fund Number 8
Inception Date 09/30/1988
YTD Returns at NAV (as of 06/17/2013) -1.99%
Dividend Frequency Monthly
(Daily Accrual)
Expense Ratio (as of 05/31/2013) 1.01%
Lipper Category Avg. 1.09%
Total Net Assets (as of 05/31/2013) $439.62 M
Minimum Initial Investment $1,000 +
Maximum Offering Price (MOP) - Returns with sales charges reflect a maximum sales charge of 2.25%.
Yield(as of 06/17/2013)
Dividend Yield Subsidized1 Unsubsidized2
NAV - 2.69%
MOP - 2.63%
30-Day Standardized Yield (as of 05/31/2013) 0.98%

Price(as of 06/17/2013)
  Price ($) Change ($) Change (%)
NAV 6.42 -0.02 -0.31
MOP 6.57 -0.02 -0.30
52-Week High & Low at NAV ($)
High (02/01/2013) 6.73
Low (06/25/2012) 6.22
In absence of the fee waiver, yields shown would have been lower. Yields for other share classes will vary.

How has the Fund Performed?

Average Annual Returns

(as of 05/31/2013)
  YTD (%) 1-YR (%) 3-YR (%) 5-YR (%) 10-YR (%) Since
Inception (%)
NAV
Lipper Category Avg. -1.81 2.72 2.07 0.38 3.41    -
Index -2.50 5.55 2.78 0.98 6.47    -
MOP -4.43 5.30 2.65 0.85 3.07 5.38
Expense Ratio 1.01%
  YTD (%) 1-YR (%) 3-YR (%) 5-YR (%) 10-YR (%) Since
Inception (%)
NAV -0.12 3.31 2.47 2.61 4.09 5.61
Lipper Category Avg. -0.44 0.19 1.51 0.80 4.21    -
Index -0.30 1.72 2.07 2.04 7.40    -
MOP -2.33 1.00 1.68 2.14 3.85 5.51
Expense Ratio 1.01%
The blended index consists of the following components: J.P. Morgan ELMI+ from inception to 04/30/2012, 50% Barclays GEMS / 50% J.P. Morgan ELMI from 05/01/2012 - 05/31/2012, Barclays GEMS from 06/01/2012 forward.

The performance quoted represents past performance, which is no indication of future results. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance data quoted. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all distributions. Returns shown at net asset value do not reflect the current maximum sales charge, had the sales charge been included, returns would have been lower. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, on any given day or when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost. Therefore, there can be no assurance of future results.

Why This Fund?

Role in Portfolio

A supporting player that provides investors with exposure to emerging markets while adding portfolio diversification through an asset class that reduces exposure to a rise in U.S. interest rates.

Key Advantages

Exposure
Provides investors with an asset class that reduces exposure to a rise in U.S. interest rates and provides and opportunity to benefit from a decline in the U.S. dollar.

How is the Fund Currently Positioned?

(as of 03/29/2013)
  • In an environment with U.S. growth and dollar strength, we concentrated on currency pairings, and made trades based on which currencies we believe will outperform other emerging market currencies on a relative basis, rather than outperform the dollar.
  • Unlike the past few years, the impact on currencies from a global macroeconomic perspective was relatively subdued during the quarter. Therefore, the portfolio is positioned to focus on country-specific, rather than global, drivers of currencies.
  • We added to the portfolio's underweight position, relative to the benchmark, the Barclays Global Emerging Markets Strategy Index, in the Indonesian rupiah, which is faced with inflationary pressures and the effects of an expanding budget deficit.
  • We favor currencies of countries with strong fundamentals that are experiencing growth, such as the Philippine peso and Chilean peso.
The Fund's portfolio is actively managed and may change significantly over time.

The credit qualities of securities in the portfolio are assigned by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), such as Standard & Poor's, Moody's, or Fitch, as an indication of an issuer's creditworthiness. Ratings range from 'AAA' (highest) to 'D' (lowest). Bonds rated 'BBB' or above are considered investment grade. Credit ratings 'BB' and below are lower-rated securities (junk bonds). High-yielding, non-investment-grade bonds (junk bonds) involve higher risks than investment-grade bonds. Adverse conditions may affect the issuer's ability to pay interest and principal on these securities.

RELATED CONTENT

How is the Fund Managed?
Team Leaders
Leah G. Traub, Ph.D.
Partner
Years Experience:  12
David B. Ritt, CFA

Years Experience:  16
Supported By
5 Investment Professionals
10 Years Avg. Industry Experience
Years experience refers to industry experience.