Strategy. The Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus the amount of any borrowings made for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of debt securities of US and foreign issuers such as government, corporate, mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities and cash equivalents. The Funds average portfolio duration will normally vary within two years (plus or minus) of the duration of the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. Duration is a measure of a bond prices sensitivity to a change in interest rates. Generally, the longer a bonds duration, the greater its price sensitivity to a change in interest rates. For example, portfolio duration of two years means that … Show more… The Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets (net assets plus the amount of any borrowings made for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of debt securities of US and foreign issuers such as government, corporate, mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities and cash equivalents. The Funds average portfolio duration will normally vary within two years (plus or minus) of the duration of the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. Duration is a measure of a bond prices sensitivity to a change in interest rates. Generally, the longer a bonds duration, the greater its price sensitivity to a change in interest rates. For example, portfolio duration of two years means that if interest rates increased by one percent, the value of the portfolio would decrease by approximately two percent. The Fund seeks to manage duration versus the duration of the benchmark as a reflection of its expectation for future changes in interest rates. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities rated below investment grade (sometimes referred to as high yield securities or junk bonds), including floating rate loans and securities of distressed companies. High yield or junk bonds are bonds that are rated below investment grade (i.e., rated below BBB- or Baa3) by at least one major credit rating agency or, if not rated by any credit rating agency, deemed to be below investment-grade quality by PPM. Investment grade securities could include split-rated securities, which are securities that are rated as investment grade by at least one credit rating agency but rated below investment grade by another agency. Below investment grade securities offer a higher yield, but generally carry more risks than higher rated securities with similar maturities. As a result, an investment in below investment grade securities is considered speculative. The Fund may invest without limit in US dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers, up to 15% of which may be issued by issuers based in emerging markets. Emerging market countries are generally considered to be countries with developing economies or markets and may include any country recognized to be an emerging market country by the International Monetary Fund, MSCI, Inc. or Standard & Poors Corporation or recognized to be a developing country by the United Nations. For purposes of satisfying the 80% requirement, the Fund may also invest in derivative instruments that have economic characteristics similar to the fixed income instruments mentioned above such as futures contracts or swap agreements. Specifically, the Fund may use futures to hedge duration or to increase the Funds exposure to interest rate or yield curve risk. The Fund may also use credit default swaps or credit default swap indices (CDX) to increase or decrease the Funds exposure to credit risk or to hedge credit risk in a particular name, industry or sector. The Fund may, subject to applicable law, invest without limitation in derivative instruments. The Fund may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into purchase and sale contracts of mortgage pools or by using other investment techniques subject to applicable law (such as dollar rolls). Additionally, the Fund has the ability to invest in other investment companies, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), money market funds, unit investment trusts and open-end and closed-end funds, including affiliated investment companies. The Fund may also invest in contingent convertible securities, sometimes referred to as CoCos. CoCos are a form of hybrid debt security issued by banking institutions that are intended to either automatically convert into equity or have their principal written down upon the occurrence of certain pre-specified trigger events. Show less