PIMCO International Bond (Unhedged)
Standardized Performance
as of 10/29/2020
Objective And Strategy
ObjectiveThe investment seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.
Strategy
The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its assets in Fixed Income Instruments that are economically tied to at least three non-U.S. countries, which may be represented by forwards or derivatives such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements. Fixed Income Instruments include bonds, debt securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public- or private-sector entities. The fund is non-diversified.
Principal Risks
* This portfolio invests in securities of foreign issuers which involves risks not typically associated with domestic issuers, including currency fluctuations and the possibility of political and economic instability. Emerging markets involve risks in addition to those generally associated with foreign securities, because political and economic structures in many emerging markets may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development.
* This portfolio can leverage or use leveraged instruments or derivatives. Portfolios that use leverage, that is, borrow money, are subject to the risk that the cost of borrowing money to leverage will exceed the returns for the securities purchased or that the securities purchased may actually go down in value. Thus, the portfolio's net asset value can decrease more quickly than if the portfolio had not borrowed. Portfolios that use leveraged instruments or derivatives such as futures, options and swap agreements, may expose the portfolio to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The more a portfolio invests in leveraged instruments, the more the leverage will magnify any gains or losses on those investments.
* The Fund could lose money if the issuer of a debt security is unable to meet its financial obligations or goes bankrupt. This fund may invest in securities rated below investment grade or "junk bonds." Junk bonds may be sensitive to economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to a company.
* Fixed income securities are subject to interest rate risk because the prices of fixed income securities tend to move in the opposite direction of interest rates. When interest rates rise, fixed income security prices fall. When interest rates fall, fixed income security prices rise.
* Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a security may be unable to make interest payments and/or repay principal when due. A downgrade to an issuer's credit rating or a perceived change in an issuer's financial strength may affect a security's value, and thus, impact the VA Short-Term Fixed Portfolio's performance.
* During periods of declining interest rates, the issuer of a security may exercise its option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled, forcing the portfolio to reinvest in lower yielding securities.
* Generally, a security is liquid if the Portfolio is able to sell the security at a fair price within a reasonable time. Liquidity is generally related to the market trading volume for a particular security.
* Mortgage-backed securities may be affected by, among other things, changes or perceived changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or the originator of the mortgage, or the quality of the underlying assets. The underlying assets may default or decline in quality or value.
* Sovereign debt securities are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt.
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Global Flexible Allocation03/08/20191.281.28-0.25