Reminder of risks for the investor
- Risk of capital loss : There is no guarantee of the Sub-fund's performance or protection of capital. As such, the investor may not get back the full amount of the initial investment during redemption.
- Interest rate risk : The risk of a decline in debt instruments as a result of changes in interest rates. This risk is measured by the level of sensitivity. For instance, bond prices tend to move in the opposite direction to interest rates. The net asset value may decline during periods when there is an increase (positive sensitivity) or decrease (negative sensitivity) in interest rates.
- Credit risk : The risk of a deterioration in the credit quality of or default by a public or private issuer. The Sub-fund’s exposure to issuers either through direct investment or via other UCI may give rise to a decline in the net asset value. If the Sub-fund is exposed to unrated or speculative/high yield debt, the credit risk is high and may lead to a decline in the Sub-fund’s net asset value.
- Foreign exchange risk : The Sub-fund may invest in securities and other UCI that in turn are authorised to acquire instruments denominated in currencies other than the fund's base currency. The value of these instruments may fall if the exchange rates vary, which may lead to a decrease in the Sub-fund’s net asset value. Where units (or shares) denominated in a currency other than the fund's base currency have been hedged, the foreign exchange risk is residual as a result of systematic hedging, potentially leading to a performance gap between the different units (or shares).
- Derivative financial instrument risk : The risk arising from the Sub-fund's use of forward financial instruments (derivatives), which may lead to a bigger decrease in the net asset value than on the markets or in the underlying assets in which the Sub-fund has invested.
- Counterparty risk : This type with one or more counterparties potentially exposes the Sub-fund to a risk of insolvency of one or more of these counterparties, which could lead to default on payment and cause a decrease in the Sub-fund’s net asset value.
- Liquidity risk : The risk that a financial market cannot absorb transaction volumes due to trading volumes being too low or pressure on the markets. Such a situation may impact the pricing or timing when the Sub-fund liquidates, initiates or modifies positions and thus cause a decline in the Sub-fund’s net asset value.
- Risks linked to hybrid or subordinated securities : The sub-fund may be exposed to hybrid or subordinated securities. Hybrid and subordinated debt are subject to specific risks of non-payment of coupons and capital loss in certain circumstances. For non-financial bonds, since hybrid debt securities are “deeply subordinated”, there is a low recovery rate in the event of issuer default.
- Risk related to overexposure : The Sub-fund may use forward financial instruments (derivatives) to generate overexposure and thus bring the Sub-fund’s exposure above its net asset value. Depending on the transactions, the impact of a decrease (purchase of exposure) or increase (sale of exposure) in the derivative’s underlying instrument may be amplified and thus amplify any decrease in the Sub-fund’s net asset value.
- Equity risk : Share price fluctuations may have a negative impact on the Sub-fund’s net asset value. The Sub-fund’s net asset value may decrease during periods in which the equity markets are falling.
- Sustainability risk : Any environmental, social or governance event or situation that, if it occurs, could have an actual or potential negative impact on the value of the investment. Specifically, the negative effects of sustainability risks can affect issuers via a range of mechanisms, including: 1) lower revenues; 2) higher costs; 3) damage or impairment of asset value; 4) higher cost of capital; and 5) fines or regulatory risks. Due to the nature of sustainability risks and specific issues such as climate change, the likelihood of sustainability risks impacting returns on financial products is likely to increase in the longer term.
- ESG investment risk and methodological limitations : Extra-financial criteria can be integrated into the investment process using data provided by external providers or directly reported by our analysts, notably in our proprietary ESG analysis grid. Data may be incomplete or inaccurate due to the lack of international standards or systematic verification by external third parties. It can be difficult to compare data because issuers do not necessarily publish the same indicators. The unavailability of data may also force management not to include an issuer in the portfolio. The management company may therefore exclude securities of certain issuers for extra-financial reasons, regardless of market opportunities.