<PAGE>
As filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on October 31, 1997
File No. 33-37512
811-6205
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 X
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 17 X
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105
(Address of Principal Executive Office) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code:
(800) 221-5672
EDMUND P. BERGAN, JR.
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105
(Name and address of Agent for Service)
Copies of communications to:
Thomas G. MacDonald
Seward & Kissel
One Battery Park Plaza
New York, New York 10004
<PAGE>
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check
appropriate box)
X immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
This post-effective amendment designates a new effective
date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
<PAGE>
CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
(as required by Rule 404(c))
N-1A ITEM NO. LOCATION IN PROSPECTUS
(CAPTION)
PART A
Item 1. Cover Page Cover Page
Item 2. Synopsis The Funds at a Glance
Item 3. Condensed Financial Financial Highlights
Information
Item 4. General Description of Description of the Funds
Registrant
Item 5. Management of the Fund Management of the Funds;
General Information
Item 6. Capital Stock and Other General Information;
Securities Dividends, Distributions
and Taxes
Item 7. Purchase of Securities Being Purchase and Sale
Offered of Shares; General
Information
Item 8. Redemption or Repurchase General Information;
Purchase and Sale of
Shares
Item 9. Pending Legal Proceedings Not Applicable
<PAGE>
LOCATION IN STATEMENT OF
PART B ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(CAPTION)
Item 10. Cover Page Cover Page
Item 11. Table of Contents Cover Page
Item 12. General Information and Description of the Fund;
History General Information
Item 13. Investment Objectives and Investment Objective,
Policies Policies and Restrictions
Item 14. Management of the Registrant Management of the Fund
Item 15. Control Persons and Principal Management of the Fund;
Holders of Securities General Information
Item 16. Investment Advisory and Management of the Fund
Other Services
Item 17. Brokerage Allocation and Not Applicable
Other Practices
Item 18. Capital Stock and Other General Information
Securities
Item 19. Purchase, Redemption and Purchase of Shares;
Pricing of Securities Being Redemption and
Offered Repurchase of Shares;
Net Asset Value
Item 20. Tax Status Investment Objective,
Policies and Restrictions;
Dividends, Distributions
and Taxes
Item 21. Underwriters General Information
Item 22. Calculation of Performance General Information
Data
Item 23. Financial Statements Financial Statements;
Report of Independent
Auditors
<PAGE>
THE ALLIANCE BOND FUNDS
_______________________________________________________________________________
P.O. BOX 1520, SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY 07096-1520
TOLL FREE (800) 221-5672
FOR LITERATURE: TOLL FREE (800) 227-4618
PROSPECTUS AND APPLICATION
OCTOBER 31, 1997
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
- -ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. -ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT FUND GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
- -U.S. GOVERNMENT -ALLIANCE GLOBAL DOLLAR
PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT FUND
- -ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY -ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC
GOVERNMENT FUND INCOME TRUST
MORTGAGE FUND CORPORATE BOND FUNDS
- -ALLIANCE MORTGAGE -CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
SECURITIES INCOME FUND -ALLIANCE HIGH YIELD FUND
MULTI-MARKET FUNDS
- -ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
- -ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM
MULTI-MARKET TRUST
- -ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY TRUST
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
The Funds at a Glance 2
Expense Information 4
Financial Highlights 7
Glossary 15
Description of the Funds 16
Investment Objectives and Policies 16
Additional Investment Practices 24
Certain Fundamental Investment Policies 35
Risk Considerations 37
Purchase and Sale of Shares 41
Management of the Funds 44
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 46
General Information. 48
Appendix A: Bond Ratings A-1
Appendix B: General Information About Canada,
Mexico and Argentina B-1
Adviser
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, New York 10105
The Alliance Bond Funds provide a broad selection of investment alternatives to
investors seeking high current income. The U.S. Government Funds invest mainly
in U.S. Government securities and the Mortgage Fund invests in mortgage-related
securities, while the Multi-Market Funds diversify their investments among debt
markets around the world and the Global Bond Funds invest primarily in foreign
government securities. The Corporate Bond Funds invest primarily in corporate
debt securities.
Each fund or portfolio (each a "Fund") is, or is a series of, an open-end
management investment company. This Prospectus sets forth concisely the
information which a prospective investor should know about each Fund before
investing. A "Statement of Additional Information" for each Fund that provides
further information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus and
other matters that may be of interest to some investors has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated herein by reference. For
a free copy, write Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the indicated address or
call the "For Literature" telephone number shown above.
Each Fund (except Alliance World Income Trust) offers three classes of shares
through this Prospectus. These shares may be purchased, at the investor's
choice, at a price equal to their net asset value (i) plus an initial sales
charge imposed at the time of purchase (the "Class A shares"), (ii) with a
contingent deferred sales charge imposed on most redemptions made within three
years of purchase (four years of purchase for Alliance Global Strategic Income
Trust and Alliance High Yield Fund) (the "Class B shares"), or (iii) without
any initial or contingent deferred sales charge, as long as the shares are held
for one year or more (the "Class C shares"). Alliance World Income Trust offers
only one class of shares, which may be purchased at a price equal to its net
asset value without any initial or contingent deferred sales charge. See
"Purchase and Sale of Shares."
AN INVESTMENT IN THESE SECURITIES IS NOT A DEPOSIT OR OBLIGATION OF, OR
GUARANTEED OR ENDORSED BY, ANY BANK AND IS NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OR ANY OTHER AGENCY.
INVESTORS ARE ADVISED TO READ THIS PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY AND TO RETAIN IT FOR
FUTURE REFERENCE.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
ALLIANCE
INVESTING WITHOUT THE MYSTERY.SM
(r)/SM These are registered marks used under licenses from the owner, Alliance
Capital Management L.P.
1
THE FUNDS AT A GLANCE
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained in this Prospectus.
THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT ADVISER IS . . .
Alliance Capital Management L.P. ("Alliance"), a global investment manager
providing diversified services to institutions and individuals through a broad
line of investments including more than 100 mutual funds. Since 1971, Alliance
has earned a reputation as a leader in the investment world with over $199
billion in assets under management as of June 30, 1997. Alliance provides
investment management services to 29 of the FORTUNE 100 companies.
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
SEEKS . . . High current income consistent with preservation of capital.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Government
securities.
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
SEEKS . . . As high a level of current income as is consistent with safety of
principal.
INVESTS SOLELY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Government securities
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income, consistent with low volatility
of net asset value.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Government
securities, including mortgage-related securities, and repurchase agreements
relating to U.S. Government securities.
MORTGAGE FUND
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
SEEKS . . . A high level of current income consistent with prudent investment
risk.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of mortgage-related
securities.
MULTI-MARKET FUNDS
WORLD INCOME TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income that is available from a
portfolio of high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than one year.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of debt securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. The Fund
maintains at least 35% of its net assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities.
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income through investment in a
portfolio of high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than three years.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of debt securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. While the Fund
normally will maintain a substantial portion of its assets in debt securities
denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund will invest at least 25% of its net
assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities.
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income that is available from a
portfolio of high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than five years.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of debt securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. The Fund
expects to maintain at least 70% of its assets in debt securities denominated
in foreign currencies, but not more than 25% of the Fund's total assets may be
invested in debt securities denominated in a single currency other than the
U.S. Dollar.
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income that is available from a
portfolio of investment grade debt securities issued or guaranteed by the
governments of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of government securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar, the Canadian Dollar and the Mexican Peso. The
Fund expects to maintain at least 25% of its assets in securities denominated
in the U.S. Dollar. In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of its total
assets in debt securities issued by governmental entities in Argentina.
2
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
SEEKS . . . Primarily a high level of current income and, secondarily, capital
appreciation.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of sovereign debt
obligations and in U.S. and non-U.S. corporate fixed-income securities.
Substantially all of the Fund's assets are invested in lower-rated securities.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
SEEKS . . . Primarily a high level of current income and secondarily capital
appreciation.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of fixed-income
securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers.
CORPORATE BOND FUNDS
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
SEEKS . . . Primarily to maximize income over the long term; secondarily, the
Fund will attempt to increase its capital through appreciation of its
investments.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Dollar-denominated
corporate bonds issued by domestic and foreign issuers that give promise of
relatively attractive yields.
HIGH YIELD FUND
SEEKS . . . A high total return by maximizing current income and, to the extent
consistent with that objective, capital appreciation.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified mix of high yield, below investment
grade fixed-income securities involving greater volatility of price and risk of
principal and income than higher quality fixed-income securities.
A WORD ABOUT RISK . . .
The prices of the shares of the Alliance Bond Funds will fluctuate daily as the
prices of the individual bonds in which they invest fluctuate, so that your
shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
Price fluctuations may be caused by changes in the general level of interest
rates or changes in bond credit quality ratings. Changes in interest rates have
a greater effect on bonds with longer maturities than those with shorter
maturities. Some of the Funds invest in high-yield, high-risk bonds that are
rated below investment grade and are considered to have predominantly
speculative characteristics. The prices of non-U.S. Dollar denominated bonds
also fluctuate with changes in foreign exchange rates. Investment in the Global
Bond Funds, the Multi-Market Funds and any other Fund that may invest a
significant amount of its assets in non-U.S. securities involves risks not
associated with Funds that invest primarily in securities of U.S. issuers.
While the Funds invest principally in fixed-income securities, in order to
achieve their investment objectives, the Funds may at times use certain types
of derivative instruments, such as options, futures, forwards and swaps. These
instruments involve risks different from, and, in certain cases, greater than,
the risks presented by more traditional investments. These risks are fully
discussed in this Prospectus. See "Description of the Funds-Additional
Investment Practices" and "-Risk Considerations."
GETTING STARTED . . .
Shares of the Funds are available through your financial representative and
most banks, insurance companies and brokerage firms nationwide. Shares of each
Fund (except WORLD INCOME) can be purchased for a minimum initial investment of
$250, and subsequent investments can be made for as little as $50. For detailed
information about purchasing and selling shares, see "Purchase and Sale of
Shares." In addition, the Funds offer several time and money saving services to
investors. Be sure to ask your financial representative about:
AUTOMATIC REINVESTMENT
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM
RETIREMENT PLANS
SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
DIVIDEND DIRECTION PLANS
AUTO EXCHANGE
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWALS
CHECK-WRITING
A CHOICE OF PURCHASE PLANS
TELEPHONE TRANSACTIONS
24 HOUR INFORMATION
ALLIANCE
INVESTING WITHOUT THE MYSTERY.SM
(r)/SM These are registered marks used under licenses from the owner, Alliance
Capital Management L.P.
3
EXPENSE INFORMATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES are one of several factors to consider when
you invest in a Fund. The following tables summarize your maximum transaction
costs from investing in a Fund, other than WORLD INCOME, and annual operating
expenses for each class of shares of each Fund. WORLD INCOME, which has only
one class of shares, has no sales charge on purchases or reinvested dividends,
no deferred sales charge, and no redemption fee or exchange fee. For each Fund,
the "Examples" below show the cumulative expenses attributable to a
hypothetical $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return, in each class for
the periods specified.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES(B) CLASS B SHARES(D) CLASS C SHARES
-------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) 4.25%(a) None None None
Sales charge imposed on dividend reinvestments None None None None
Deferred sales charge (as a percentage of
original purchase price or redemption
proceeds, whichever is lower) None 3.0% during 4.0% during 1.0% during
the first year, the first year, the first year,
decreasing 1.0% decreasing 1.0% 0% thereafter
annually to 0% annually to 0%
after the third after the fourth
year (c) year (e)
Exchange fee None None None None
</TABLE>
(A) REDUCED FOR LARGER PURCHASES. PURCHASES OF $1,000,000 OR MORE ARE NOT
SUBJECT TO AN INITIAL SALES CHARGE BUT MAY BE SUBJECT TO A 1% DEFERRED SALES
CHARGE ON REDEMPTIONS WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PURCHASE. SEE "PURCHASE AND SALE OF
SHARES-HOW TO BUY SHARES" -PAGE 41.
(B) FOR ALL FUNDS EXCEPT GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME AND HIGH YIELD.
(C) CLASS B SHARES OF EACH FUND, OTHER THAN GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME AND HIGH
YIELD, AUTOMATICALLY CONVERT TO CLASS A SHARES AFTER SIX YEARS. SEE "PURCHASE
AND SALE OF SHARES-HOW TO BUY SHARES" -PAGE 41.
(D) FOR GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME AND HIGH YIELD ONLY.
(E) SHARES OF GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME AND HIGH YIELD AUTOMATICALLY CONVERT TO
CLASS A SHARES AFTER EIGHT YEARS. SEE "PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES-HOW TO BUY
SHARES"-PAGE 41.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management fees(b)(after waiver) None None None After 1 year $ 56 $ 51 $ 21 $ 31 $ 21
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 85 $ 76 $ 66 $ 66 $ 66
Other expenses After 5 years $116 $113 $113 $113 $113
Interest expense .01% .01% .01% After 10 years $204 $210 $210 $244 $244
Other operating expenses (a)(b)
(after reimbursement) 1.10% 1.10% 1.10%
Total other expenses 1.11% 1.11% 1.10%
Total fund operating expenses(b)(j)
(after waiver/reimbursement) 1.41% 2.11% 2.11%
U.S. GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .53% .53% .53% After 1 year $ 52 $ 48 $ 18 $ 27 $ 17
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 74 $ 64 $ 54 $ 54 $ 54
Other expenses(a) .19% .20% .19% After 5 years $ 96 $ 94 $ 94 $ 93 $ 93
Total fund operating expenses 1.02% 1.73% 1.72% After 10 years $162 $168 $168 $203 $203
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .65% .65% .65% After 1 year $ 64 $ 60 $ 30 $ 40 $ 30
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $109 $101 $ 91 $ 90 $ 90
Other expenses After 5 years $156 $155 $155 $154 $154
Interest expense .64% .64% .63% After 10 years $287 $294 $294 $324 $324
Other operating expenses(a) .63% .65% .64%
Total other expenses 1.27% 1.29% 1.27%
Total fund operating expenses(h) 2.22% 2.94% 2.92%
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 6.
4
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management fees .50% .50% .50% After 1 year $ 59 $ 54 $ 24 $ 34 $ 24
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 93 $ 84 $ 74 $ 74 $ 74
Other expenses After 5 years $130 $127 $127 $127 $127
Interest expense .65% .63% .65% After 10 years $233 $238 $238 $272 $272
Other operating expenses(a) .23% .24% .23%
Total other expenses .88% .87% .88%
Total fund operating expenses(g) 1.68% 2.37% 2.38%
WORLD INCOME
Management fees(c)(after waiver) .49% After 1 year $ 21
12b-1 fees(c)(after waiver) .68% After 3 years $ 66
Other expenses(a) .93% After 5 years $113
Total fund operating After 10 years $243
expenses(c)(after waiver) 2.10%
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .55% .55% .55% After 1 year $ 55 $ 50 $ 20 $ 30 $ 20
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 82 $ 73 $ 63 $ 62 $ 62
Other expenses(a) .44% .45% .43% After 5 years $110 $108 $108 $107 $107
Total fund operating expenses 1.29% 2.00% 1.98% After 10 years $192 $198 $198 $231 $231
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .60% .60% .60% After 1 year $ 58 $ 54 $ 24 $ 34 $ 24
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 92 $ 83 $ 73 $ 73 $ 73
Other expenses After 5 years $128 $126 $126 $125 $125
Interest expense .04% .04% .04% After 10 years $229 $235 $235 $268 $268
Other operating expenses(a) .70% .71% .70%
Total other expenses .74% .75% .74%
Total fund operating expenses(d) 1.64% 2.35% 2.34%
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees(e) .74% .74% .74% After 1 year $ 65 $ 61 $ 31 $ 41 $ 31
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $112 $104 $ 94 $ 94 $ 94
Other expenses After 5 years $162 $160 $160 $160 $160
Interest expense .93% .93% .92% After 10 years $299 $305 $305 $336 $336
Other operating expenses(a) .37% .38% .38%
Total other expenses 1.30% 1.31% 1.30%
Total fund operating expenses(f) 2.34% 3.05% 3.04%
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .75% .75% .75% After 1 year $ 58 $ 53 $ 23 $ 33 $ 23
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 89 $ 81 $ 71 $ 70 $ 70
Other expenses(a) .50% .51% .50% After 5 years $123 $121 $121 $120 $120
Total fund operating expenses 1.55% 2.26% 2.25% After 10 years $219 $225 $225 $258 $258
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees(i)(after waiver) None None None After 1 year $ 61 $ 56 $ 26 $ 36 $ 26
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $100 $ 91 $ 81 $ 81 $ 81
Other expenses(a)(i) After 5 years $141 $138 $138 $138 $138
(after reimbursement) 1.60% 1.60% 1.60% After 10 years $255 $261 $261 $293 $293
Total fund operating
expenses(i)(after waiver/
reimbursement) 1.90% 2.60% 2.60%
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 6.
5
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
CORPORATE BOND CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management fees .57% .57% .57% After 1 year $ 53 $ 48 $ 18 $ 29 $ 18
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 77 $ 67 $ 57 $ 57 $ 57
Other expenses(a) .25% .25% .25% After 5 years $102 $ 99 $ 99 $ 99 $ 99
Total fund operating expenses 1.12% 1.82% 1.82% After 10 years $173 $179 $179 $214 $214
HIGH YIELD CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
- ------------------------------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees (k) (after waiver) None None None After 1 year $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ]
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ]
Other expenses(a) 1.40% 1.40% 1.40% After 5 years $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ]
Total fund operating expenses 1.70% [ ]% [ ]% After 10 years $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ]
</TABLE>
+ ASSUMES REDEMPTION AT END OF PERIOD AND, WITH RESPECT TO SHARES HELD TEN
YEARS, CONVERSION OF CLASS B SHARES TO CLASS A SHARES AFTER SIX YEARS (EIGHT
YEARS IN THE CASE OF GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME AND HIGH YIELD).
++ ASSUMES NO REDEMPTION AT END OF PERIOD AND, WITH RESPECT TO SHARES HELD TEN
YEARS, CONVERSION OF CLASS B SHARES TO CLASS A SHARES AFTER SIX YEARS. (EIGHT
YEARS IN THE CASE OF GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME AND HIGH YIELD)
(A) THESE EXPENSES INCLUDE A TRANSFER AGENCY FEE PAYABLE TO ALLIANCE FUND
SERVICES, INC., AN AFFILIATE OF ALLIANCE.
(B) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS. ABSENT SUCH
WAIVERS AND REIMBURSEMENTS, MANAGEMENT FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .55%, OTHER
EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 1.57% FOR CLASS A, 1.55% FOR CLASS B AND 1.54% FOR
CLASS C AND TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 2.42% FOR CLASS A,
3.10% FOR CLASS B AND 3.09% FOR CLASS C.
(C) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS. ABSENT SUCH WAIVERS, ANNUALIZED MANAGEMENT
FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .65%, ANNUALIZED RULE 12B-1 FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .90% AND
ANNUALIZED TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 2.48%.
(D) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.60%, FOR CLASS B, 2.31% AND FOR CLASS C, 2.30%.
(E) REPRESENTS .65 OF 1% OF THE FUND'S AVERAGE DAILY ADJUSTED TOTAL NET ASSETS.
(F) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.41%, FOR CLASS B, 2.12%, AND FOR CLASS C, 2.12%.
(G) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.03%, FOR CLASS B, 1.74%, AND FOR CLASS C, 1.73%.
(H) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.58%, FOR CLASS B, 2.30%, AND FOR CLASS C, 2.29%.
(I) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT. ABSENT SUCH WAIVERS
AND REIMBURSEMENTS, MANAGEMENT FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .75%, OTHER EXPENSES WOULD
HAVE BEEN 18.15% FOR CLASS A, 17.82% FOR CLASS B, AND 17.74% FOR CLASS C AND
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 19.20% FOR CLASS A, 19.57% FOR
CLASS B, AND 19.49% FOR CLASS C.
(J) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.40% FOR CLASS B, 2.10% AND FOR CLASS C, 2.10%.
(K) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS. ABSENT SUCH
WAIVERS AND REIMBURSEMENTS, MANAGEMENT FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .75, OTHER
EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 3.11% (ANNUALIZED) FOR CLASS A, 3.85% (ANNUALIZED)
FOR CLASS B, AND 3.84% (ANNUALIZED) FOR CLASS C; AND TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES
WOULD HAVE BEEN 3.86% (ANNUALIZED) FOR CLASS A, 4.60% (ANNUALIZED) FOR
CLASS B, AND 4.59% (ANNUALIZED) FOR CLASS C.
The purpose of the tables on pages 4 and 5 is to assist the investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that shareholders of a Fund will
bear directly or indirectly. Long-term shareholders of a Fund may pay aggregate
sales charges totaling more than the economic equivalent of the maximum initial
sales charges permitted by the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. See "Management of the Funds-Distribution Services
Agreements." The Rule 12b-1 fee for each class comprises a service fee not
exceeding .25% of the aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund
attributable to the class and an asset-based sales charge equal to the
remaining portion of the Rule 12b-1 fee. With respect to each of SHORT-TERM
U.S. GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME,
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME and LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, "interest expense"
represents interest paid by the Fund on borrowings for the purpose of making
additional portfolio investments. Such borrowings are intended to enable each
of those Funds to produce higher net yields to shareholders than the Funds
could pay without such borrowings. See "Description of Funds-Risk
Considerations-Effects of Borrowing." Excluding interest expense, total fund
operating expenses of each of SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME and
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT would be lower (see notes (b), (d), (f), (g),
(h) and (j) above) and the cumulative expenses shown in the Examples above
with respect to those Funds would be lower. The Examples set forth above
assume reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and utilize a 5%
annual rate of return as mandated by Commission regulations. "Other Expenses"
are based on estimated amounts for High Yield's current fiscal year. THE
EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES;
ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. ACTUAL RETURNS WILL
VARY.
6
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
_______________________________________________________________________________
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, per share income and
capital changes for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables relating to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT has been
audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, the independent accountants for the Fund, and
the information in the tables relating to U.S. GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, CORPORATE BOND and HIGH YIELD has been
audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the independent auditors for these Funds. A
report of Price Waterhouse LLP or Ernst & Young LLP, as the case may be, on the
information with respect to each Fund appears in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information. The following information for each Fund should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes which are
included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge by
contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or the "For Literature"
telephone number shown on the cover of this Prospectus.
7
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET NET NET
ASSET REALIZED AND INCREASE
VALUE UNREALIZED (DECREASE) IN DIVIDENDS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
BEGINNING OF NET INVESTMENT GAIN (LOSS) ON NET ASSET VALUE NET INVESTMENT FROM NET
FISCAL YEAR OR PERIOD PERIOD INCOME (LOSS) INVESTMENTS FROM OPERATIONS INCOME REALIZED GAINS
--------------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT#
CLASS A
Year Ended 8/31/97 $ 9.66 $.47(h) $.03 $.50 $(.46) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/96 9.70 .47 (.02) .45 (.49) 0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.67 .42 .05 .47 (.41) 0.00
Period Ended 8/31/94** 9.77 .14 (.09) .05 (.12) 0.00
Year Ended 4/30/94 10.22 .35 (.29) .06 (.42) 0.00
5/4/92+ to 4/30/93 10.00 .46 .34 .80 (.46) (.12)
CLASS B
Year Ended 8/31/97 $ 9.77 $.41(h) $.02 $.43 $(.39) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/96 9.81 .41 (.03) .38 (.42) 0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.78 .36 .04 .40 (.34) 0.00
Period Ended 8/31/94** 9.88 .10 (.07) .03 (.11) 0.00
Year Ended 4/30/94 10.31 .40 (.39) .01 (.35) 0.00
5/4/92+ to 4/30/93 10.00 .38 .33 .71 (.38) (.02)
CLASS C
Year Ended 8/31/97 $ 9.76 $.41(h) $.02 $.43 $(.39) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/96 9.80 .40 (.02) .38 (.42) 0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.77 .34 .06 .40 (.34) 0.00
Period Ended 8/31/94** 9.87 .10 (.07) .03 (.11) 0.00
8/2/93++ to 4/30/94 10.34 .26 (.42) (.16) (.25) 0.00
U.S. GOVERNMENT
CLASS A
Year Ended 6/30/97 $ 7.52 $.57(h) $(.10) $.47 $(.57) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/96 7.96 .58 (.44) .14 (.58) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 7.84 .64 .13 .77 (.65) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 8.64 .65 (.80) (.15) (.65) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/93 8.34 .69 .29 .98 (.68) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/92 8.01 .70 .35 1.05 (.72) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/91 8.14 .81 (.11) .70 (.83) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/90 8.49 .86 (.38) .48 (.83) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/89 8.51 .89 (.03) .86 (.88) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/88 8.90 .93 (.39) .54 (.93) 0.00
CLASS B
Year Ended 6/30/97 $ 7.52 $.52(h) $(.10) $.42 $(.52) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/96 7.96 .52 (.44) .08 (.52) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 7.84 .58 .13 .71 (.59) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 8.64 .59 (.80) (.21) (.59) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/93 8.34 .62 .30 .92 (.62) 0.00
9/30/91++ to 6/30/92 8.25 .49 .09 .58 (.49) 0.00
CLASS C
Year Ended 6/30/97 $ 7.52 $.52(h) $(.10) $.42 $(.52) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/96 7.96 .52 (.44) .08 (.52) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 7.83 .58 .14 .72 (.59) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 8.64 .59 (.81) (.22) (.59) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 6/30/93 8.56 .10 .08 .18 (.10) 0.00
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 5/31/97
unaudited $ 9.45 $.26(h) $(.14) $.12 $(.27) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/96 9.52 .51(h) (.04) .47 (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 9.51 .52(h) .02 .54 (.50) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 9.94 .42 (.32) .10 (.48) (.01)
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.84 .57 .11 .68 (.58) 0.00
6/1/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .35 (.17) .18 (.34) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 5/31/97
unaudited $ 9.45 $.24(h) $(.15) $.09 $(.24) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/96 9.52 .44(h) (.04) .40 (.44) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 9.52 .46(h) .01 .47 (.44) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 9.94 .39 (.35) .04 (.42) (.01)
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.84 .49 .12 .61 (.51) 0.00
6/1/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .31 (.17) .14 (.30) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 5/31/97
unaudited) $ 9.45 $.24(h) $(.15) $.09 $(.24) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/96 9.52 .45(h) (.05) .40 (.45) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 9.52 .46(h) .01 .47 (.44) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 9.94 .37 (.33) .04 (.42) (.01)
5/3/93++ to 11/30/93 9.98 .27 (.03) .24 (.28) 0.00
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
8
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DISTRIBUTIONS TOTAL NET ASSETS RATIO OF NET
IN EXCESS TOTAL INVESTMENT AT END OF RATIO INVESTMENT
OF NET RETURN DIVIDENDS NET ASSET RETURN PERIOD OF EXPENSES INCOME (LOSS) PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OF AND VALUE END BASED ON NET (000'S TO AVERAGE TO AVERAGE TURNOVER
INCOME CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PERIOD ASSET VALUE(B) OMITTED) NET ASSETS NET ASSETS RATE
------------ -------- ------------- ---------- -------------- ---------- ------------- ------------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.00 $(0.07) $(.53) $9.63 5.29% $3,901 1.41%(d)(e) 4.90% 65%
0.00 0.00 (.49) 9.66 4.71 3,455 1.53(d)(e) 4.85 110
(.03) 0.00 (.44) 9.70 5.14 2,997 1.40(d) 4.56 15
(.03)(a) 0.00 (.15)(c) 9.67 .53 2,272 1.40(d) 3.98 144
(.09)(a) 0.00 (.51)(c) 9.77 .52 2,003 1.27(d) 4.41 55
0.00 0.00 (.58)(c) 10.22 8.20 6,081 1.00*(d) 4.38* 294
$0.00 $(0.07) $(.46) $9.74 4.45% $6,458 2.11%(d)(e) 4.13% 65%
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.77 3.89 6,781 2.23(d)(e) 4.11 110
(.03) 0.00 (.37) 9.81 4.32 6,380 2.10(d) 3.82 15
(.02)(a) 0.00 (.13)(c) 9.78 .28 6,281 2.10(d) 3.22 144
(.09)(a) 0.00 (.44)(c) 9.88 .03 7,184 2.05(d) 3.12 55
0.00 0.00 (.40)(c) 10.31 7.22 1,292 1.75*(d) 3.36* 294
$0.00 $(0.07) $(.46) $9.73 4.45% $5,012 2.11%(d)(e) 4.15% 65%
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.76 3.90 4,850 2.22(d)(e) 4.11 110
(.03) 0.00 (.37) 9.80 4.33 5,180 2.10(d) 3.80 15
(.02)(a) 0.00 (.13)(c) 9.77 .28 7,128 2.10(d) 3.26 144
(.06)(a) 0.00 (.31)(c) 9.87 (1.56) 8,763 2.10*(d) 2.60* 55
$0.00 $(0.01) $(.58) $7.41 6.49% $354,782 1.02% 7.66% 330%
0.00 0.00 (.58) 7.52 1.74 397,894 1.01 7.38 334
0.00 0.00 (.65) 7.96 10.37 463,660 1.01 8.27 190
0.00 0.00 (.65) 7.84 (1.93) 482,595 1.02 7.76 188
0.00 0.00 (.68) 8.64 12.23 527,968 1.10 8.04 386
0.00 0.00 (.72) 8.34 13.52 492,448 1.12 8.43 418
0.00 0.00 (.83) 8.01 8.97 491,910 1.07 10.02 402
0.00 0.00 (.83) 8.14 5.99 510,675 1.09 10.35 455
0.00 0.00 (.88) 8.49 10.87 532,525 1.11 10.70 148
0.00 0.00 (.93) 8.51 6.41 529,909 1.14 10.70 149
$0.00 $(0.01) $(.53) $7.41 5.69% $471,889 1.73% 6.95% 330%
0.00 0.00 (.52) 7.52 1.01 628,628 1.72 6.67 334
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.96 9.52 774,097 1.72 7.57 190
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.84 (2.63) 756,282 1.72 7.04 188
0.00 0.00 (.62) 8.64 11.45 552,471 1.81 7.25 386
0.00 0.00 (.49) 8.34 6.95 32,227 1.80* 7.40* 418
$0.00 $(0.01) $(.53) $7.41 5.69% $115,607 1.72% 6.96% 330%
0.00 0.00 (.52) 7.52 1.01 166,075 1.71 6.68 334
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.96 9.67 181,948 1.71 7.59 190
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.83 (2.75) 231,859 1.70 6.97 188
0.00 0.00 (.10) 8.64 2.12 67,757 1.80* 6.00* 386
$0.00 $0.00 $(.27) $9.30 1.30% $18,100 2.38%*(e) 5.38%* 67%
0.00 (.03) (.54) 9.45 5.11 16,248 2.22(e) 5.44 159
0.00 (.03) (.53) 9.52 5.91 27,887 2.14(e) 5.53 293
0.00 (.04) (.53) 9.51 1.03 43,173 1.34(e) 4.78 375
0.00 0.00 (.58) 9.94 7.02 59,215 1.54(e) 5.66 499
0.00 0.00 (.34) 9.84 1.84 24,186 1.44*(d)(e) 6.58*(d) 101
$0.00 $0.00 $(.24) $9.30 .94% $40,862 3.12%*(e) 4.64%* 67%
0.00 (.03) (.47) 9.45 4.36 50,386 2.94(e) 4.73 159
0.00 (.03) (.47) 9.52 5.05 84,362 2.85(e) 4.83 293
0.00 (.03) (.46) 9.52 .42 136,458 2.08(e) 4.12 375
0.00 0.00 (.51) 9.94 6.27 168,157 2.26(e) 4.98 499
0.00 0.00 (.30) 9.84 1.50 149,188 2.13*(d)(e) 6.01*(d) 101
$0.00 $0.00 $(.24) $9.30 .94% $35,558 3.10%*(e) 4.66%* 67%
0.00 (.02) (.47) 9.45 4.38 43,457 2.92(e) 4.75 159
0.00 (.03) (.47) 9.52 5.06 68,459 2.85(e) 4.84 293
0.00 (.03) (.46) 9.52 .42 141,838 2.04(e) 4.10 375
0.00 0.00 (.28) 9.94 2.40 228,703 1.74*(e) 3.70* 499
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
9
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET NET NET
ASSET REALIZED AND INCREASE
VALUE UNREALIZED (DECREASE) IN DIVIDENDS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
BEGINNING OF NET INVESTMENT GAIN (LOSS) ON NET ASSET VALUE NET INVESTMENT FROM NET
FISCAL YEAR OR PERIOD PERIOD INCOME (LOSS) INVESTMENTS FROM OPERATIONS INCOME REALIZED GAINS
--------------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 6/30/97
unaudited $8.51 $ .28(h) $ .02 $ .30 $ (.29) $0.00
Year Ended 12/31/96 8.75 .54(h) (.19) .35 (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/95 8.13 .57(h) .64 1.21 (.57) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/94 9.29 .57 (1.13) (.56) (.58) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/93 9.08 .67 .23 .90 (.67) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/92 9.21 .77 (.09) .68 (.81) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/91 8.79 .88 .41 1.29 (.87) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/90 8.76 .87 .03 .90 (.87) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/89 8.81 .97 (.05) .92 (.97) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/88 9.03 .99 (.23) .76 (.98) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/87 9.74 1.00 (.68) .32 (1.00) (.03)
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 6/30/97
unaudited $8.51 $ .24(h) $ .02 $ .26 $ (.25) $0.00
Year Ended 12/31/96 8.75 .48(h) (.19) .29 (.46) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/95 8.13 .51(h) .64 1.15 (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/94 9.29 .51 (1.14) (.63) (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/93 9.08 .61 .22 .83 (.60) 0.00
1/30/92++ to 12/31/92 9.16 .68 (.08) .60 (.68) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 6/30/97
unaudited $8.51 $ .25(h) $ .01 $ .26 $ (.25) $0.00
Year Ended 12/31/96 8.75 .48(h) (.19) .29 (.46) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/95 8.13 .51(h) .64 1.15 (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/94 9.29 .51 (1.14) (.63) (.51) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 12/31/93 9.30 .40 0.00 .40 (.40) 0.00
WORLD INCOME
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $1.67 $ .04(h) $ (.02) $ .02 $ (.05) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 1.66 .09(h) .02 .11 (.10) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 1.88 .11(h) (.23) (.12) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 1.90 .18 (.12) .06 (.05) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 1.91 .22 (.16) .06 (.07) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 1.98 .19 (.17) .02 (.09) 0.00
12/3/90+ to 10/31/91 2.00 .14 (.03) .11 (.13) 0.00
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $7.73 $ .26(h) $ .01 $ .27 $ (.31) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 7.47 .60(h) .35 .95 (.69) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.71 .46(h) (.98) (.52) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 9.25 .93 (.86) .07 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 9.25 .92 (.32) .60 (.60) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.94 .91 (.86) .05 (.72) (.02)
Year Ended 10/31/91 9.89 .97 .06 1.03 (.97) (.01)
Year Ended 10/31/90 9.69 1.09 .19 1.28 (1.08) 0.00
5/5/89+ to 10/31/89 9.70 .53 (.01) .52 (.53) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $7.73 $ .23(h) $ .01 $ .24 $ (.28) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 7.47 .54(h) .35 .89 (.63) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.71 .41(h) (.99) (.58) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 9.25 .94 (.93) .01 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 9.25 .87 (.34) .53 (.53) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.94 .84 (.86) (.02) (.65) (.02)
Year Ended 10/31/91 9.89 .89 .07 .96 (.90) (.01)
2/5/90++ to 10/31/90 9.77 .74 .12 .86 (.74) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $7.73 $ .24(h) $ 0.00 $ .24 $ (.28) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 7.47 .51(h) .38 .89 (.63) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.71 .39(h) (.97) (.58) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 9.25 .58 (.57) .01 0.00 0.00
5/3/93++ to 10/31/93 9.18 .28 .05 .33 (.26) 0.00
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $7.23 $ .24(h) $ .04 $ .28 $ (.33) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 6.83 .59(h) .48 1.07 (.67) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.04 .77(h) (1.31) (.54) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 8.94 .85 (1.08) (.23) (.09) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 8.85 1.02 (.26) .76 (.67) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.91 1.00 (1.23) (.23) (.81) (.02)
5/29/91+ to 10/28/91 10.00 .42 (.09) .33 (.42) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $7.23 $ .22(h) $ .03 $ .25 $ (.30) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 6.83 .53(h) .47 1.00 (.60) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.04 .44(h) (1.05) (.61) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 8.94 .88 (1.18) (.30) (.08) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 8.85 .92 (.22) .70 (.61) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.91 1.04 (1.34) (.30) (.74) (.02)
5/29/91+ to 10/28/91 10.00 .39 (.09) .30 (.39) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $7.23 $ .21(h) $ .04 $ .25 $ (.30) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/96 6.83 .54(h) .47 1.01 (.61) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.04 .44(h) (1.04) (.60) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 8.94 .46 (.75) (.29) (.09) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 10/31/93 8.76 .32 .16 .48 (.30) 0.00
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
10
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DISTRIBUTIONS TOTAL NET ASSETS RATIO OF NET
IN EXCESS TOTAL INVESTMENT AT END OF RATIO INVESTMENT
OF NET RETURN DIVIDENDS NET ASSET RETURN PERIOD OF EXPENSES INCOME (LOSS) PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OF AND VALUE END BASED ON NET (000'S TO AVERAGE TO AVERAGE TURNOVER
INCOME CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PERIOD ASSET VALUE(B) OMITTED) NET ASSETS NET ASSETS RATE
- ------------ ----------- ------------- ---------- -------------- ---------- ------------- ------------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.00 $0.00 $(.29) $8.52 3.54% $380,439 1.56%*(e) 6.55%* 66%
0.00 (.08) (.59) 8.51 4.23 412,899 1.68(e) 6.38 208
0.00 (.02) (.59) 8.75 15.34 502,390 1.66(e) 6.77 285
0.00 (.02) (.60) 8.13 (6.14) 553,889 1.29(e) 6.77 438
(.02) 0.00 (.69) 9.29 10.14 848,069 1.00 7.20 622
0.00 0.00 (.81) 9.08 7.73 789,898 1.18 8.56 555
0.00 0.00 (.87) 9.21 15.44 544,171 1.16 9.92 439
0.00 0.00 (.87) 8.79 11.01 495,353 1.12 10.09 393
0.00 0.00 (.97) 8.76 10.98 556,077 1.13 11.03 328
0.00 0.00 (.98) 8.81 8.64 619,572 1.11 10.80 239
0.00 0.00 (1.03) 9.03 3.49 682,650 1.15 10.79 211
$0.00 $0.00 $(.25) $8.52 3.16% $383,923 2.28%*(e) 5.83%* 66%
0.00 (.07) (.53) 8.51 3.46 477,196 2.37(e) 5.66 208
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.75 14.48 737,593 2.37(e) 6.06 285
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.13 (6.84) 921,418 2.00(e) 6.05 438
(.02) 0.00 (.62) 9.29 9.38 1,454,303 1.70 6.47 622
0.00 0.00 (.68) 9.08 7.81 1,153,957 1.67* 5.92* 555
$0.00 $0.00 $(.25) $8.52 3.16% $31,079 2.26%*(e) 5.84%* 66%
0.00 (.07) (.53) 8.51 3.46 35,355 2.38(e) 5.67 208
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.75 14.46 45,558 2.35(e) 6.07 285
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.13 (6.84) 58,338 1.97(e) 6.06 438
(.01) 0.00 (.41) 9.29 4.34 91,724 1.67* 5.92* 622
$0.00 $0.00 $(.05) $1.64 1.73% $41,024 2.29%*(d) 4.43% N/A
0.00 0.00 (.10) 1.67 6.98 44,890 2.10(d) 5.37 N/A
0.00 (.10) (.10) 1.66 (6.35) 55,778 1.97(d) 6.46 N/A
0.00 (.03) (.08) 1.88 3.27 103,310 1.70(d) 3.96 N/A
0.00 0.00 (.07) 1.90 3.51 149,623 1.54 (d) 5.14 N/A
0.00 0.00 (.09) 1.91 1.26 318,716 1.59(d) 7.21 N/A
0.00 0.00 (.13) 1.98 6.08 1,059,222 1.85*(d) 7.29* N/A
$0.00 $0.00 $(.31) $7.69 3.51% $402,165 1.28%* 6.82%* 143%
0.00 0.00 (.69) 7.73 13.23 386,545 1.29 7.85 208
0.00 (.72) (.72) 7.47 (5.74) 320,333 1.23 7.39 230
0.00 (.61) (.61) 8.71 .84 593,677 1.13 7.28 109
0.00 0.00 (.60) 9.25 6.67 953,571 1.16 8.26 182
0.00 0.00 (.74) 9.25 .49 1,596,903 1.10 9.00 133
0.00 0.00 (.98) 9.94 10.91 2,199,393 1.09 9.64 146
0.00 0.00 (1.08) 9.89 13.86 1,346,035 1.18 10.81 152
0.00 0.00 (.53) 9.69 5.57 210,294 1.14* 10.83* 10
$0.00 $0.00 $(.28) $7.69 3.13% $185,161 1.99%* 6.05%* 143%
0.00 0.00 (.63) 7.73 12.34 273,109 2.00 7.14 208
0.00 (.66) (.66) 7.47 (6.50) 523,530 1.95 6.69 230
0.00 (.55) (.55) 8.71 .12 1,003,633 1.85 6.58 109
0.00 0.00 (.53) 9.25 5.91 1,742,703 1.87 7.57 182
0.00 0.00 (.67) 9.25 (.24) 2,966,071 1.81 8.28 133
0.00 0.00 (.91) 9.94 10.11 3,754,003 1.81 8.87 146
0.00 0.00 (.74) 9.89 9.07 1,950,330 1.86* 9.90* 152
$0.00 $0.00 $(.28) $7.69 3.13% $7,002 1.97%* 6.09%* 143%
0.00 0.00 (.63) 7.73 12.35 10,031 1.98 7.15 208
0.00 (.66) (.66) 7.47 (6.49) 3,416 1.92 6.66 230
0.00 (.55) (.55) 8.71 .12 8,136 1.83 6.50 109
0.00 0.00 (.26) 9.25 3.66 5,538 1.82* 7.19* 182
$0.00 $0.00 $(.33) $7.18 3.94% $64,439 1.59%* 6.71%* 200%
0.00 0.00 (.67) 7.23 16.37 68,776 1.64(f) 8.40 215
0.00 (.67) (.67) 6.83 (6.47) 76,837 1.60(f) 8.56 400
0.00 (.58) (.67) 8.04 (2.64) 52,385 1.41(f) 7.17 605
0.00 0.00 (.67) 8.94 9.01 82,977 1.94(f) 9.17(g) 200
0.00 0.00 (.83) 8.85 (2.80) 141,526 2.53(f) 10.58(g) 239
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.91 3.68 143,594 2.81*(f) 10.17*(g) 121
$0.00 $0.00 $(.30) $7.18 3.50% $77,031 2.30%* 6.00%* 200%
0.00 0.00 (.60) 7.23 15.35 88,427 2.35(f) 7.69 215
0.00 (.60) (.60) 6.83 (7.31) 116,551 2.29(f) 7.53 400
0.00 (.52) (.60) 8.04 (3.35) 233,896 2.11(f) 6.44 605
0.00 0.00 (.61) 8.94 8.25 431,186 2.64(f) 8.46(g) 200
0.00 0.00 (.76) 8.85 (3.51) 701,465 3.24(f) 9.83(g) 239
0.00 0.00 (.39) 9.91 3.36 662,981 3.53*(f) 9.40*(g) 121
$0.00 $0.00 $(.30) $7.18 3.51% $1,292 2.29%* 5.97%* 200%
0.00 0.00 (.61) 7.23 15.36 1,076 2.34(f) 7.62 215
0.00 (.61) (.61) 6.83 (7.29) 786 2.29(f) 7.55 400
0.00 (.52) (.61) 8.04 (3.34) 1,252 2.08(f) 6.10 605
0.00 0.00 (.30) 8.94 5.54 718 2.44*(f) 7.17*(g) 200
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
11
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET NET NET
ASSET REALIZED AND INCREASE
VALUE UNREALIZED (DECREASE) IN DIVIDENDS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
BEGINNING OF NET INVESTMENT GAIN (LOSS) ON NET ASSET VALUE NET INVESTMENT FROM NET
FISCAL YEAR OR PERIOD PERIOD INCOME (LOSS) INVESTMENTS FROM OPERATIONS INCOME REALIZED GAINS
--------------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
INCOME
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 5/31/97
unaudited $ 8.01 $ .55(h) $ (.09) $ .46 $ (.49) $ 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/96 6.75 1.09(h) 1.14 2.23 (.75) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 8.13 1.18(h) (1.59) (.41) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 10.35 1.02 (2.12) (1.10) (.91) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.70 1.09 .66 1.75 (1.09) (.01)
3/27/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .69 (.31) .38 (.68) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 5/31/97
unaudited $ 8.01 $ .53(h) $ (.11) $ .42 $ (.45) $ 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/96 6.75 1.04(h) 1.12 2.16 (.69) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 8.13 1.13(h) (1.61) (.48) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 10.35 .96 (2.13) (1.17) (.84) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.70 1.01 .67 1.68 (1.02) (.01)
3/27/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .64 (.31) .33 (.63) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 5/31/97
unaudited $ 8.01 $ .53(h) $ (.11) $ .42 $ (.45) $ 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/96 6.75 1.05(h) 1.11 2.76 (.69) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 8.13 1.13(h) (1.61) (.48) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 10.34 .96 (2.12) (1.16) (.84) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 11/30/93 10.04 .58 .30 .88 (.58) 0.00
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT
CLASS A
Year Ended 8/31/97 $10.01 $ .88(h) $ 1.85 $ 2.73 $ (.95) $(1.15)
Year Ended 8/31/96 8.02 .84 2.10 2.94 (.95) 0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.14 .86 (1.10) (.24) (.88) 0.00
2/25/94+ to 8/31/94 10.00 .45 (.86) (.41) (.45) 0.00
CLASS B
Year Ended 8/31/97 $10.01 $ .81(h) $ 1.84 $ 2.65 $ (.87) $(1.15)
Year Ended 8/31/96 8.02 .78 2.08 2.86 (.87) 0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.14 .80 (1.11) (.31) (.81) 0.00
2/25/94+ to 8/31/94 10.00 .42 (.86) (.44) (.42) 0.00
CLASS C
Year Ended 8/31/97 $10.01 $ .82(h) $ 1.84 $ 2.66 $ (.88) $(1.15)
Year Ended 8/31/96 8.02 .77 2.10 2.87 (.88) 0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.14 .79 (1.10) (.31) (.81) 0.00
2/25/94+ to 8/31/94 10.00 .42 (.86) (.44) (.42) 0.00
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $10.83 $ .35 $ .50 $ .85 $ (.51) $ (.10)
1/9/96+ to 10/31/96 10.00 .69 .95 1.64 (.81) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $10.83 $ .30 $ .52 $ .82 $ (.48) $ (.10)
3/25/96++ to 10/31/96 9.97 .41 1.01 1.42 (.56) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 4/30/97
unaudited $10.83 $ .32 $ .50 $ .82 $ (.48) $ (.10)
3/25/96++ to 10/31/96 9.97 .39 1.03 1.42 (.56) 0.00
CORPORATE BOND
CLASS A
Year Ended 6/30/97 $13.29 $1.15(h) $ .97 $ 2.12 $(1.22) $ 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/96 12.92 1.26 .27 1.53 (1.16) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 12.51 1.19 .36 1.55 (1.14) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 14.15 1.11 (1.36) (.25) (1.11) (.25)
Year Ended 6/30/93 12.01 1.25 2.13 3.38 (1.24) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/92 11.21 1.06 .82 1.88 (1.08) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/91 11.39 1.11 (.06) 1.05 (1.23) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/90 12.15 1.24 (.86) .38 (1.14) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/89 11.82 1.12 .32 1.44 (1.11) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/88 12.24 1.10 (.38) .72 (1.14) 0.00
Nine Months Ended 6/30/87 12.25 .86 (.06) .80 (.81) 0.00
Year Ended 9/30/86 11.52 1.20 .73 1.93 (1.20) 0.00
CLASS B
Year Ended 6/30/97 $13.29 $1.05(h) $ .98 $ 2.03 $(1.13) $ 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/96 12.92 1.15 .29 1.44 (1.07) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 12.50 1.11 .36 1.47 (1.05) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 14.15 1.02 (1.37) (.35) (1.04) (.25)
1/8/93++ to 6/30/93 12.47 .49 1.69 2.18 (.50) 0.00
CLASS C
Year Ended 6/30/97 $13.29 $1.04(h) $ .99 $ 2.03 $(1.13) $ 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/96 12.93 1.14 .29 1.43 (1.07) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 12.50 1.10 .38 1.48 (1.05) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 14.15 1.02 (1.37) (.35) (1.05) (.25)
5/3/93++ to 6/30/93 13.63 .16 .53 .69 (.17) 0.00
HIGH YIELD
CLASS A
4/22/97+ to 8/31/97 $10.00 $ .37(h) $1.15 $ 1.52 $ (.35) $ 0.00
CLASS B
4/22/97+ to 8/31/97 $10.00 $ .31(h) $1.19 $ 1.50 $ (.33) $ 0.00
CLASS C
4/22/97+ to 8/31/97 $10.00 $ .32(h) $1.18 $ 1.50 $ (.33) $ 0.00
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
12
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DISTRIBUTIONS TOTAL NET ASSETS RATIO OF NET
IN EXCESS TOTAL INVESTMENT AT END OF RATIO INVESTMENT
OF NET RETURN DIVIDENDS NET ASSET RETURN PERIOD OF EXPENSES INCOME (LOSS) PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OF AND VALUE END BASED ON NET (000'S TO AVERAGE TO AVERAGE TURNOVER
INCOME CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PERIOD ASSET VALUE(B) OMITTED) NET ASSETS NET ASSETS RATE
- ------------ ----------- ------------- ---------- -------------- ----------- ------------- ------------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.49) $ 7.98 5.91% $ 430,758 2.23%*(f) 14.06%* 142%
0.00 (.22) (.97) 8.01 35.22 385,784 2.34(f) 14.82 166
0.00 (.97) (.97) 6.75 (3.59) 252,608 2.62(f) 18.09 180
0.00 (.21) (1.12) 8.13 (11.32) 303,538 1.70(f) 11.22 131
0.00 0.00 (1.10) 10.35 18.99 268,233 1.61(f) 10.77 254
0.00 0.00 (.68) 9.70 3.49 61,702 2.45*(d)(f) 10.93* 86
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.45) $ 7.98 5.44% $1,342,657 2.94%*(f) 13.36%* 142%
0.00 (.21) (.90) 8.01 33.96 1,329,719 3.05(f) 14.20 166
0.00 (.90) (.90) 6.75 (4.63) 1,123,074 3.33(f) 17.31 180
0.00 (.21) (1.05) 8.13 (11.89) 1,639,602 2.41(f) 10.53 131
0.00 0.00 (1.03) 10.35 18.15 1,313,591 2.31(f) 10.01 254
0.00 0.00 (.63) 9.70 3.30 216,317 3.13*(d)(f) 10.16* 86
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.45) $ 7.98 5.44% $ 261,454 2.93%*(f) 13.37%* 142%
$0.00 (.21) (.90) 8.01 33.96 250,676 3.04(f) 14.22 166
0.00 (.90) (.90) 6.75 (4.63) 219,009 3.33(f) 17.32 180
0.00 (.21) (1.05) 8.13 (11.89) 369,714 2.39(f) 10.46 131
0.00 0.00 (.58) 10.34 9.00 310,230 2.21*(f) 9.74* 254
$0.00 $0.00 $(2.10) $10.64 30.04% $ 37,416 1.55% 8.49% 314%
0.00 0.00 (.95) 10.01 38.47 23,253 1.65 9.23 315
0.00 0.00 (.88) 8.02 (1.48) 12,020 1.93 11.25 301
0.00 0.00 (.45) 9.14 (3.77) 10,995 .75*(d) 9.82* 100
$0.00 $0.00 $(2.02) $10.64 29.14% $ 93,377 2.26% 7.81% 314%
0.00 0.00 (.87) 10.01 37.36 84,295 2.37 8.57 315
0.00 0.00 (.81) 8.02 (2.40) 62,406 2.64 10.52 301
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.14 (4.17) 47,030 1.45*(d) 9.11* 100
$0.00 $0.00 $(2.03) $10.64 29.17% $ 25,130 2.25% 7.82% 314%
0.00 0.00 (.88) 10.01 37.40 14,511 2.35 8.52 315
0.00 0.00 (.81) 8.02 (2.36) 9,330 2.63 10.46 301
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.14 (4.16) 10,404 1.45*(d) 9.05* 100
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.61) $11.07 7.71% $ 5,649 1.90%*(d) 6.57%* 730%
0.00 0.00 (.81) 10.83 17.31 2,295 1.90*(d) 8.36* 282
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.58) $11.07 7.63 $ 10,212 2.60 5.79 730
0.00 0.00 (.56) 10.83 14.47 800 2.60*(d) 7.26* 282
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.58) $11.07 7.64 $ 2,470 2.60 5.86 730
0.00 0.00 (.56) 10.83 14.47 750 2.60*(d) 7.03* 282
$0.00 $0.00 $(1.22) $14.19 16.59% $ 370,845 1.12% 8.34% 307%
0.00 0.00 (1.16) 13.29 12.14 277,369 1.20 9.46 389
0.00 0.00 (1.14) 12.92 13.26 230,750 1.24 9.70 387
(.03) 0.00 (1.39) 12.51 (2.58) 219,182 1.30 7.76 372
0.00 0.00 (1.24) 14.15 29.62 216,171 1.39 9.29 579
0.00 0.00 (1.08) 12.01 17.43 60,356 1.48 8.98 610
0.00 0.00 (1.23) 11.21 9.71 62,268 1.44 9.84 357
0.00 0.00 (1.14) 11.39 3.27 68,049 1.51 10.70 480
0.00 0.00 (1.11) 12.15 12.99 52,381 1.84 9.53 104
0.00 0.00 (1.14) 11.82 6.24 37,587 1.81 9.24 98
0.00 0.00 (.81) 12.24 7.32 41,072 1.27 9.17 95
0.00 0.00 (1.20) 12.25 17.19 45,178 1.08 9.80 240
$0.00 $0.00 $(1.13) $14.19 15.80% $ 480,326 1.82% 7.62% 307%
0.00 0.00 (1.07) 13.29 11.38 338,152 1.90 8.75 389
0.00 0.00 (1.05) 12.92 12.54 241,393 1.99 9.07 387
(.01) 0.00 (1.30) 12.50 (3.27) 184,129 2.00 7.03 372
0.00 0.00 (.50) 14.15 17.75 55,508 2.10* 7.18* 579
$0.00 $0.00 $(1.13) $14.19 15.80% $ 174,762 1.82% 7.61% 307%
0.00 0.00 (1.07) 13.29 11.30 83,095 1.90 8.74 389
0.00 0.00 (1.05) 12.93 12.62 51,028 1.84 8.95 387
0.00 0.00 (1.30) 12.50 (3.27) 50,860 1.99 6.98 372
0.00 0.00 (.17) 14.15 5.08 5,115 2.05* 5.51* 579
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.35) $11.17 15.33% $ 5,889 1.70%*(d) 8.04%* 73%
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.33) $11.17 15.07% $ 43,297 2.40*(d) 7.19* 73%
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.33) $11.17 15.07% $ 7,575 2.40*(d) 7.24* 73%
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
13
# PRIOR TO JULY 22, 1993, EQUITABLE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
("EQUITABLE") SERVED AS THE INVESTMENT ADVISER TO THE ALLIANCE PORTFOLIOS (THE
"TRUST"), OF WHICH SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT IS A SERIES. ON JULY 22, 1993,
ALLIANCE ACQUIRED THE BUSINESS AND SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE ASSETS OF EQUITABLE
AND BECAME INVESTMENT ADVISER TO THE TRUST.
+ COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS.
++ COMMENCEMENT OF DISTRIBUTION.
* ANNUALIZED.
** REFLECTS NEWLY ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR END.
(A) INCLUDES WITH RESPECT TO SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT A RETURN OF CAPITAL FOR
THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994 OF $(0.08) FOR CLASS A, $(0.08) FOR CLASS B AND
$(0.05) FOR CLASS C AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994 OF $(0.03) FOR
CLASS A AND $(0.02) FOR CLASS B AND CLASS C.
(B) TOTAL INVESTMENT RETURN IS CALCULATED ASSUMING AN INITIAL INVESTMENT MADE
AT THE NET ASSET VALUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD, REINVESTMENT OF ALL
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS AT THE NET ASSET VALUE DURING THE PERIOD, AND A
REDEMPTION ON THE LAST DAY OF THE PERIOD. INITIAL SALES CHARGE OR CONTINGENT
DEFERRED SALES CHARGE IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE CALCULATION OF TOTAL INVESTMENT
RETURN. TOTAL INVESTMENT RETURNS CALCULATED FOR PERIODS OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR
ARE NOT ANNUALIZED.
(C) "TOTAL DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS" INCLUDES DIVIDENDS IN EXCESS OF NET
INVESTMENT INCOME AND RETURN OF CAPITAL. SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT HAD
DIVIDENDS IN EXCESS OF NET INVESTMENT INCOME, FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30,
1994, WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES OF $(.01); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES,
$(.01); AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, $(.01).
(D) NET OF EXPENSES ASSUMED AND/OR WAIVED/REIMBURSED. IF SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 2.20% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 2.17% FOR THE YEAR
ENDED APRIL 30, 1994, 2.95% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994,
3.71% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1995, 3.04% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,
1996 AND 2.42% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1997; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B
SHARES, 4.81% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 3.21% FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994,
3.60% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994, 4.33% FOR THE YEAR
ENDED AUGUST 31, 1995, 3.74% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996 AND 3.10% FOR
THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1997; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 3.10%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994, 3.64% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994 (ANNUALIZED), 4.23% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,
1995, 3.72% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996 AND 3.10% FOR THE YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 1997. IF LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE
EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.55%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.28% (ANNUALIZED)
FOR 1992. THE RATIO OF NET INVESTMENT INCOME TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS FOR LIMITED
MATURITY GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 6.47%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 5.86% (ANNUALIZED)
FOR 1992. IF WORLD INCOME HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE
BEEN 1.87% FOR 1992, 1.92% FOR 1993, 2.08% FOR 1994, 2.35% FOR 1995, 2.48% FOR
1996 AND 2.67% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 1997. IF NORTH
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD
HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 2.49% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992; AND WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 3.16% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992. IF GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES FOR THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 25, 1994 TO AUGUST
31, 1994, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES,
1.91% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.63% (ANNUALIZED); AND
WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 2.59% (ANNUALIZED). IF GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME
HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 9, 1996 TO OCTOBER 31, 1996, THE
EXPENSE RATIO WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 19.20%
(ANNUALIZED) AND 5.07% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 1997;
WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 25, 1996 TO OCTOBER 31,
1996, 19.57% (ANNUALIZED); AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 19.49%
(ANNUALIZED). IF HIGH YIELD HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD
HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 3.11% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT
TO CLASS B SHARES, 3.85% (ANNUALIZED); AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES,
3.84% (ANNUALIZED).
(E) IF SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT HAD NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSES, THE RATIO OF
EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES
1.40% FOR 1996 AND 1997; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.10% FOR 1996 AND
1997; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES 2.10% FOR 1996 AND 1997. IF LIMITED
MATURITY GOVERNMENT HAD NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSES, THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO
AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.42%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992, 1.33% FOR 1993, 1.20% FOR 1994, 1.41% FOR 1995, 1.58%
FOR 1996, AND 1.62% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 1997; WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.10% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992, 2.07% FOR 1993, 1.91%
FOR 1994, 2.11% FOR 1995, 2.30% FOR 1996 AND 2.36% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE SIX
MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 1997; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 1.58% (ANNUALIZED),
FOR 1993, 1.89% FOR 1994, 2.10% FOR 1995, 2.29% FOR 1996 AND 2.34% (ANNUALIZED)
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 1997. IF MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND HAD
NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSE THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD
HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES .97% FOR 1994, 1.03% FOR 1995, 1.03%
FOR 1996 AND 1.07% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 1997; WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 1.68% FOR 1994, 1.74% FOR 1995, 1.74% FOR 1996 AND
1.77% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 1997; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C
SHARES 1.69% FOR 1994, 1.73% FOR 1995, 1.73% FOR 1996, AND 1.76% (ANNUALIZED)
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997.
(F) INCLUDES INTEREST EXPENSES. IF MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY HAD NOT BORNE INTEREST
EXPENSES OR LOAN FEES, THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE
BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.33% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991, 1.33% FOR
1992, 1.40% FOR 1993, 1.30% FOR 1994, 1.55% FOR 1995, AND 1.60% FOR 1996; WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.05% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991, 2.05% FOR 1992, 2.11%
FOR 1993, 2.01% FOR 1994, 2.22% FOR 1995, AND 2.31% FOR 1996; WITH RESPECT TO
CLASS C SHARES, 2.11% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 1.99% FOR 1994, 2.24% FOR 1995,
AND 2.30% FOR 1996. IF NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME HAD NOT BORNE INTEREST
EXPENSES, THE RATIO OF EXPENSES (NET OF INTEREST EXPENSES) TO AVERAGE NET
ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.66% (ANNUALIZED) FOR
1992, 1.33% FOR 1993, 1.37% FOR 1994, 1.51% FOR 1995, 1.41% FOR 1996 AND 1.41%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY 31, 1997; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES,
2.35% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992, 2.04% FOR 1993, 2.07% FOR 1994, 2.22% FOR 1995,
2.12% FOR 1996 AND 2.12% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY 31, 1997; AND
WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 2.04% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 2.06% FOR 1994,
2.21% FOR 1995, 2.12% FOR 1996, AND 2.12% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY
31, 1997.
(G) INCLUDES LOAN FEES. IF MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY HAD NOT INCURRED LOAN FEES,
THE RATIO OF NET INVESTMENT INCOME TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 11.65% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991, 11.78% FOR 1992 AND
9.73% FOR 1993; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 10.88% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991,
11.02% FOR 1992 AND 8.99% FOR 1993; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 7.50%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993.
(H) BASED ON AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING.
14
GLOSSARY
_______________________________________________________________________________
The following terms are frequently used in this Prospectus. Many of these terms
are explained in greater detail under "Description of the Funds-Additional
Investment Practices" and in Appendix A.
BONDS are fixed, floating and variable rate debt obligations.
DEBT SECURITIES are bonds, debentures, notes, bills and repurchase agreements.
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES are debt securities, convertible securities and
preferred stocks and include floating rate and variable rate instruments.
Fixed-income securities may be rated (or if unrated, for purposes of the Funds'
investment policies may be determined by Alliance to be of equivalent quality
to those rated) TRIPLE-A (Aaa or AAA), HIGH QUALITY (Aa or AA or above), HIGH
GRADE (A or above) or INVESTMENT GRADE (Baa or BBB or above) by, as the case
may be, Moody's, S&P, Duff & Phelps or Fitch, or may be lower-rated securities,
as defined below. In the case of "split-rated" fixed-income securities (i.e.,
securities assigned non-equivalent credit quality ratings, such as Baa by
Moody's but BB by S&P, or, to take another example, Ba by Moody's and BB by S&P
but B by Fitch), a Fund will use the rating deemed by Alliance to be the most
appropriate under the circumstances.
LOWER-RATED SECURITIES are fixed-income securities rated Ba or BB or below, or
determined by Alliance to be of equivalent quality, and are commonly referred
to as "junk bonds."
EQUITY SECURITIES are common and preferred stocks, securities convertible into
common and preferred stocks, and rights and warrants to subscribe for the
purchase of common and preferred stocks.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES are bonds, debentures, corporate notes and preferred
stocks that are convertible into common and preferred stock.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES are securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. These securities include
securities backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, those
supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury and those
backed only by the credit of the issuing agency itself. The first category
includes U.S. TREASURY SECURITIES (which are U.S. Treasury bills, notes and
bonds) and certificates issued by GNMA (see below). U.S. Government securities
not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States include
certificates issued by FNMA and FHLMC (see below).
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES are pools of mortgage loans that are assembled for
sale to investors (such as mutual funds) by various governmental,
government-related and private organizations. These securities include:
ARMS, which are adjustable-rate mortgage securities;
SMRS, which are stripped mortgage-related securities;
CMOS, which are collateralized mortgage obligations;
GNMA CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the Government National
Mortgage Association;
FNMA CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the Federal National
Mortgage Association; and
FHLMC CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corporation.
INTEREST-ONLY or IO securities are debt securities that receive only the
interest payments on an underlying debt that has been structured to have two
classes, one of which is the IO class and the other of which is the
PRINCIPAL-ONLY or PO class, which class receives only the principal payments on
the underlying debt obligation. POs are similar to, and are sometimes referred
to as, ZERO COUPON SECURITIES, which are debt securities issued without
interest coupons.
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES are securities issued or guaranteed, as to
payment of principal and interest, by a foreign government or any of its
political subdivisions, authorities, agencies or instrumentalities.
SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS are foreign government debt securities, loan
participations between foreign governments and financial institutions and
interests in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring
the investment characteristics of foreign government securities.
WORLD BANK is the commonly used name for the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development.
LIBOR is the London Interbank Offered Rate.
NRSRO is a nationally recognized securities rating organization.
MOODY'S is Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
S&P is Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.
DUFF & PHELPS is Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co.
FITCH is Fitch Investors Service, L.P.
PRIME COMMERCIAL PAPER is commercial paper rated Prime-1 or higher by Moody's,
A-1 or higher by S&P, Fitch-1 by Fitch or Duff 1 by Duff & Phelps. HIGHER
QUALITY COMMERCIAL PAPER is commercial paper rated at least Prime-2 by Moody's,
A-2 by S&P, Fitch-2 by Fitch or Duff 2 by Duff & Phelps.
QUALIFYING BANK DEPOSITS are certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and
interest-bearing savings deposits of banks having total assets of more than $1
billion and which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
RULE 144A SECURITIES are securities that may be resold pursuant to Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT").
1940 ACT is the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
CODE is the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
COMMISSION is the Securities and Exchange Commission.
EXCHANGE is the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
15
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
_______________________________________________________________________________
Except as noted, (i) the Funds' investment objectives are "fundamental" and
cannot be changed without a shareholder vote, and (ii) the Funds' investment
policies are not fundamental and thus can be changed without a shareholder
vote. No Fund will change a non-fundamental objective or policy without
notifying its shareholders. There is no guarantee that any Fund will achieve
its investment objective.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
The U.S. Government Funds are diversified investment companies that have been
designed to offer investors high current income consistent with preservation of
capital by investing primarily in U.S. Government securities.
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Short-Term U.S. Government Fund ("Short-Term U.S. Government") seeks
high current income consistent with preservation of capital by investing
primarily in a portfolio of U.S. Government securities. Under normal
circumstances, the Fund maintains an average dollar-weighted portfolio maturity
of not more than three years and invests at least 65% of its total assets in
U.S. Government securities and repurchase agreements and forward commitments
relating to U.S. Government securities. In periods of rising interest rates the
Fund may, to the extent it invests in mortgage-related securities, be subject
to the risk that its average dollar-weighted portfolio maturity may be extended
as a result of lower than anticipated prepayment rates. See "Additional
Investment Practices-Mortgage-Related Securities." The Fund's investment
objective is not fundamental.
In addition to investing in U.S. Government securities, the Fund may invest a
portion of its assets in securities of non-governmental issuers. Although these
investments will be of high quality at the time of purchase, they generally
involve higher levels of credit risk than do U.S. Government securities, as
well as the risk (present with all fixed-income securities) of fluctuations in
value as interest rates change. The Fund will not be obligated to dispose of
any security whose credit quality falls below high quality.
The Fund may also (i) invest in certain SMRS, (ii) invest in variable, floating
and inverse floating rate instruments, (iii) make short sales "against the
box," (iv) enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest rate
swaps, caps and floors, (v) enter into reverse repurchase agreements, (vi)
purchase and sell futures contracts for hedging purposes, (vii) purchase and
sell call and put options on futures contracts or on securities, for hedging
purposes or to earn additional income, (viii) make secured loans of portfolio
securities, (ix) enter into repurchase agreements, and (x) purchase securities
for future delivery. The Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets
in securities the disposition of which is restricted under Federal securities
laws (excluding, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Rule 144A
securities). For additional information on the use, risks and costs of these
practices, see "Additional Investment Practices."
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
U.S. Government Portfolio ("U.S. Government") seeks as high a level of current
income as is consistent with safety of principal. As a matter of fundamental
policy, the Fund pursues its objective by investing solely in U.S. Government
securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
These include U.S. Treasury securities, including zero coupon Treasury
securities, and GNMA certificates, including certain SMRS and variable and
floating rate instruments. The average weighted maturity of the Fund's
portfolio of U.S. Government securities is expected to vary between one year or
less and 30 years. For additional information on the use, risks and cost of
these practices, see "Additional Investment Practices." The Fund's investment
objective is not fundamental.
Counsel to the Fund has advised the Fund that, in their view, shares of the
Fund are a legal investment for, among other investors, (i) savings and loan
associations and commercial banks chartered under the laws of the United
States, (ii) savings and loan associations chartered under the laws of
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut*, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii*,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota*, Texas, Utah and Virginia, (iii)
credit unions chartered under the laws of California, Florida*, Georgia,
Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland*, Nevada*, New Hampshire, Ohio*, Oregon*,
Pennsylvania*, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and West Virginia, and (iv)
commercial banks chartered under the laws of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut*, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii*, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
Mexico, New York, North Carolina*, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,
Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. Institutions in
the asterisked(*) states should obtain prior state regulatory approval before
investing in shares of the Fund. In addition, the Fund believes that it is
currently a legal investment for savings and loan associations, credit unions
and commercial banks chartered under the laws of certain other states.
ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc. ("Limited Maturity Government")
seeks the highest level of current income, consistent with low volatility of
net asset value. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund normally has at
least 65% of the value of its total assets invested in U.S. Government
securities, including mortgage-related securities, and repurchase agreements
relating to U.S. Government securities. For a description of these securities,
see "Additional Investment Practices."
16
In pursuing its investment objective and policies, the Fund takes advantage of
a wide range of maturities of debt securities and adjusts the dollar-weighted
average maturity of its portfolio from time to time, depending on its
assessment of relative yields on securities of different maturities and the
expected effect of future changes in interest rates on the market value of the
Fund's portfolio. At all times, however, each security held by the Fund has
either a remaining maturity of not more than ten years or a duration not
exceeding that of a ten-year Treasury note. Duration is a measure that relates
the price volatility of a security to changes in interest rates. The duration
of a debt security is the weighted average term to maturity, expressed in
years, of the present value of all future cash flows, including coupon payments
and principal repayments. Thus, by definition, duration is always less than or
equal to full maturity.
The Fund believes that because of the nature of its assets, it is not exposed
to any material risk of loss as a result of default on its portfolio
securities. The Fund is, however, exposed to the risk that the prices of such
securities will fluctuate, in some cases significantly, as interest rates
change.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in (i) high quality
asset-backed securities, including mortgage-related securities that are not
U.S. Government securities, (ii) Treasury securities issued by private
corporate issuers, (iii) certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and
interest-bearing savings deposits of domestic and foreign banks having total
assets of more than $1 billion, (iv) higher quality commercial paper or, if not
rated, issued by companies that have high quality debt issues outstanding and
(v) high quality debt securities of corporate issuers.
The Fund may also (i) enter into futures contracts and purchase and write
options on futures contracts, (ii) enter into forward commitments for the
purchase or sale of securities, (iii) enter into interest rate swaps, caps and
floors, (iv) invest in Eurodollar instruments, (v) purchase and write put and
call options on foreign currencies, (vi) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments, (vii) enter into repurchase agreements
pertaining to the types of securities in which it invests, (viii) use reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls and (ix) make secured loans of its
portfolio securities. For additional information on the use, risks and costs of
these investment practices, see "Additional Investment Practices."
The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its total assets in debt
securities denominated in U.S. Dollars or in foreign currencies and issued or
guaranteed by foreign governments or issued by foreign non-governmental
issuers, provided that such foreign debt securities are of high quality. The
percentage of the Fund's assets invested in foreign debt securities will vary
and its portfolio of foreign debt securities may include those of a number of
foreign countries or, depending upon market conditions, those of a single
country. See "Risk Considerations-Foreign Investment."
MORTGAGE FUND
ALLIANCE MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund, Inc. ("Mortgage Securities Income")
is a diversified investment company that seeks a high level of current income
to the extent consistent with prudent investment risk. The Fund invests
primarily in a diversified portfolio of mortgage-related securities, including
CMOs, and, as a matter of fundamental policy, maintains at least 65% of its
total assets in mortgage-related securities.
The Fund expects that governmental, government-related or private entities may
create mortgage loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to
those described in this Prospectus. The mortgages underlying these securities
may be instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms
to maturity may differ from customary long-term fixed-rate mortgages. As new
types of mortgage-related securities are developed and offered to investors,
the Fund will consider making investments in such new types of securities. The
Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in lower-rated mortgage-related
securities. See "Risk Considerations-Securities Ratings" and "-Investment in
Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities." The average weighted maturity of the
Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is expected to vary between two and
ten years.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of the value of its total assets in (i) U.S.
Government securities, (ii) qualifying bank deposits, (iii) prime commercial
paper or, if not rated, issued by companies which have an outstanding high
quality debt issue, (iv) high grade debt securities secured by mortgages on
commercial real estate or residential rental properties, and (v) high grade
asset-backed securities.
The Fund may also (i) invest in repurchase agreements pertaining to the types
of securities in which it invests, (ii) enter into forward commitments for the
purchase or sale of securities, (iii) purchase put and call options written by
others and write covered put and call options on the types of securities in
which the Fund may invest for hedging purposes, (iv) enter into interest rate
swaps, caps and floors, (v) enter into interest rate futures contracts, (vi)
invest in variable floating and inverse floating rate instruments, and (vii)
lend portfolio securities. The Fund will not invest in illiquid securities if,
as a result, more than 10% of its total assets would be illiquid. For
additional information on the use, risk and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices."
MULTI-MARKET FUNDS
The Multi-Market Funds are non-diversified investment companies that have been
designed to offer investors a higher yield than a money market fund and less
fluctuation in net asset value than a longer-term bond fund.
17
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET TRUST
ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. ("World Income"), Alliance Short-Term
Multi-Market Trust, Inc. ("Short-Term Multi-Market") and Alliance Multi-Market
Strategy Trust, Inc. ("Multi-Market Strategy") each seek the highest level of
current income, consistent with what Alliance considers to be prudent
investment risk, that is available from a portfolio of high quality debt
securities having remaining maturities of not more than, with respect to WORLD
INCOME, one year, with respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, three years, and
with respect to MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, five years. Each Fund seeks high current
yields by investing in a portfolio of debt securities denominated in the U.S.
Dollar and selected foreign currencies. The Multi-Market Funds seek investment
opportunities in foreign, as well as domestic, securities markets. WORLD
INCOME, which is not a money market fund, will maintain at least 35% of its net
assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET will
normally maintain a substantial portion of its assets in debt securities
denominated in foreign currencies, but will invest at least 25% of its net
assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY normally
expects to maintain at least 70% of its assets in debt securities denominated
in foreign currencies.
In pursuing their investment objectives, the Multi-Market Funds seek to
minimize credit risk and fluctuations in net asset value by investing only in
short-term debt securities. Normally, a high proportion of these Funds'
portfolios consists of money market instruments. Alliance actively manages the
Multi-Market Funds' portfolios in accordance with a multi-market investment
strategy, allocating a Fund's investments among securities denominated in the
U.S. Dollar and the currencies of a number of foreign countries and, within
each such country, among different types of debt securities. Alliance adjusts
each Multi-Market Fund's exposure to each currency such that the percentage of
assets invested in securities of a particular country or denominated in a
particular currency varies in accordance with Alliance's assessment of the
relative yield and appreciation potential of such securities and the relative
strength of a country's currency. Fundamental economic strength, credit quality
and interest rate trends are the principal factors considered by Alliance in
determining whether to increase or decrease the emphasis placed upon a
particular type of security or industry sector within a Fund's investment
portfolio. None of the Multi-Market Funds invests more than 25% of its net
assets in debt securities denominated in a single currency other than the U.S.
Dollar.
The returns available from short-term foreign currency-denominated debt
instruments can be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates. Alliance
believes that the use of foreign currency hedging techniques, including
"cross-hedges" (see "Additional Investment Practices-Forward Foreign Currency
Exchange Contracts"), can help protect against declines in the U.S. Dollar
value of income available for distribution to shareholders and declines in the
net asset value of a Fund's shares resulting from adverse changes in currency
exchange rates. For example, the return available from securities denominated
in a particular foreign currency would diminish in the event the value of the
U.S. Dollar increased against such currency. Such a decline could be partially
or completely offset by an increase in value of a cross-hedge involving a
forward exchange contract to sell a different foreign currency, where such
contract is available on terms more advantageous to a Fund than a contract to
sell the currency in which the position being hedged is denominated. It is
Alliance's belief that cross-hedges can therefore provide significant
protection of net asset value in the event of a general rise in the U.S. Dollar
against foreign currencies. However, a cross-hedge cannot protect against
exchange rate risks perfectly, and if Alliance is incorrect in its judgment of
future exchange rate relationships, a Fund could be in a less advantageous
position than if such a hedge had not been established.
Each Multi-Market Fund invests in debt securities denominated in the currencies
of countries whose governments are considered stable by Alliance. In addition
to the U.S. Dollar, such currencies include, among others, the Australian
Dollar, Austrian Schilling, British Pound Sterling, Canadian Dollar, Danish
Krone, Dutch Guilder, European Currency Unit ("ECU"), French Franc, Irish
Pound, Italian Lira, Japanese Yen, Mexican Peso, New Zealand Dollar, Norwegian
Krone, Spanish Peseta, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc and German Mark.
An issuer of debt securities purchased by a Multi-Market Fund may be domiciled
in a country other than the country in whose currency the instrument is
denominated. In addition, the Funds may purchase debt securities (sometimes
referred to as "linked" securities) that are denominated in one currency while
the principal amounts of, and value of interest payments on, such securities
are determined with reference to another currency. In this regard, as of the
date of this Prospectus each Fund has invested in U.S. Dollar denominated
securities issued by Mexican issuers and/or Peso-linked securities. The value
of these investments may fluctuate inversely in correlation with changes in the
Peso-U.S. Dollar exchange rate and with the general level of interest rates in
Mexico. For a general description of Mexico, see Appendix B and each
Multi-Market Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Each Multi-Market Fund may invest in debt securities denominated in the ECU,
which is a "basket" consisting of specified amounts of the currencies of
certain of the member states of the European Union, a fifteen-nation
organization engaged in cooperative economic activities. The specific amounts
of currencies comprising the ECU may be adjusted by the Council of Ministers of
the European Union to reflect changes in relative values of the underlying
currencies.
Each Multi-Market Fund may invest in debt securities issued by supranational
organizations including the World Bank, which was chartered to finance
development projects in developing member countries; the European Union; the
European Coal and Steel Community, which is an economic union of various
European nations' steel and coal industries; and the Asian
18
Development Bank, which is an international development bank established to
lend funds, promote investment and provide technical assistance to member
nations in the Asian and Pacific regions.
Each Multi-Market Fund seeks to minimize investment risk by limiting its
portfolio investments to debt securities of high quality, and WORLD INCOME will
invest 65% (and normally substantially all) of its total assets in high quality
income-producing debt securities. Accordingly, the Multi-Market Funds'
portfolio securities will consist of (i) U.S. Government securities, (ii) high
quality foreign government securities, (iii) obligations issued by
supranational entities and corporate debt securities having a triple-A rating,
with respect to WORLD INCOME, or a high quality rating, with respect to
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET and MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, (iv) certificates of deposit
and bankers' acceptances issued or guaranteed by, or time deposits maintained
at, banks (including foreign branches of foreign banks) having total assets of
more than $1 billion, with respect to WORLD INCOME, or $500 million, with
respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET and MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, and determined by
Alliance to be of high quality, and (v) prime commercial paper or unrated
commercial paper determined by Alliance to be of equivalent quality and issued
by U.S. or foreign companies having outstanding: in the case of WORLD INCOME,
triple-A debt securities; in the case of MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, high quality
debt securities; and in the case of SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, high grade debt
securities.
As a matter of fundamental policy, each Multi-Market Fund concentrates at least
25% of its total assets in debt instruments issued by domestic and foreign
companies engaged in the banking industry, including bank holding companies.
Such investments may include certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers'
acceptances, and obligations issued by bank holding companies, as well as
repurchase agreements entered into with banks (as distinct from non-banks) in
accordance with the policies set forth with respect to the Funds in "Additional
Investment Practices-Repurchase Agreements." See "Risk
Considerations-Investment in the Banking Industry."
Each Multi-Market Fund may also (i) invest in indexed commercial paper, (ii)
enter into futures contracts and purchase and write options on futures
contracts, (iii) purchase and write put and call options on foreign currencies,
(iv) purchase or sell forward foreign currency exchange contracts, (v) with
respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET and MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, enter into
interest rate swaps, caps and floors, (vi) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments, (vii) make secured loans of its portfolio
securities, and (viii) enter into repurchase agreements. A Multi-Market Fund
will not invest in illiquid securities if, as a result, more than 10% of its
assets would be so invested. For additional information on the use, risks and
costs of these practices, see "Additional Investment Practices." MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY maintains borrowings of approximately 25% of its total assets less
liabilities (other than the amount borrowed). See "Risk Considerations-Effects
of Borrowing."
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
The Global Bond Funds are non-diversified investment companies that have been
designed to offer investors a high level of current income through investments
primarily in foreign government securities.
ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
Alliance North American Government Income Trust, Inc. ("North American
Government Income") seeks the highest level of current income, consistent with
what Alliance considers to be prudent investment risk, that is available from a
portfolio of debt securities issued or guaranteed by the United States, Canada
and Mexico, their political subdivisions (including Canadian provinces but
excluding states of the United States), agencies, instrumentalities or
authorities ("Government securities"). The Fund invests in investment grade
securities denominated in the U.S. Dollar, the Canadian Dollar and the Mexican
Peso and expects to maintain at least 25% of its assets in securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar. In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of
its total assets in debt securities issued by governmental entities of
Argentina ("Argentine Government securities"). The Fund expects that it will
not retain a debt security which is down graded below BBB or Baa, or, if
unrated, determined by Alliance to have undergone similar credit quality
deterioration, subsequent to purchase by the Fund. There may be circumstances,
however, such as the downgrading to below investment grade of all of the
securities of a governmental issuer in one of the countries in which the Fund
has substantial investments, under which the Fund, after considering all the
circumstances, would conclude that it is in the best interests of the
shareholders to retain its holdings in securities of that issuer. The average
weighted maturity of the Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is
expected to vary between one year or less and 30 years.
Alliance believes that the increasingly integrated economic relationship among
the United States, Canada and Mexico, characterized by the reduction and
projected elimination of most barriers to free trade among the three nations
and the growing coordination of their fiscal and monetary policies, will over
the long term benefit the economic performance of all three countries and
promote greater correlation of currency fluctuation among the U.S. and Canadian
Dollars and the Mexican Peso. See, however, Appendix B and the Fund's Statement
of Additional Information with respect to the current state of the Mexican
economy.
Alliance will actively manage the Fund's assets in relation to market
conditions and general economic conditions and adjust the Fund's investments in
an effort to best enable the Fund to achieve its investment objective. Thus,
the percentage of the Fund's assets invested in a particular country or
denominated in a particular currency will vary in accordance with Alliance's
assessment of the relative yield and appreciation potential of such securities
and the relationship of the country's currency to the U.S. Dollar. The Fund
invests at least, and normally substantially more than, 65% of its total assets
in Government securities. To the extent that its assets are not invested in
Government securities, however, the Fund may invest the
19
balance of its total assets in investment grade debt securities issued by the
governments of countries located in Central and South America or any of their
political subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, provided
that such securities are denominated in their local currencies. The Fund will
not invest more than 10% of its total assets in debt securities issued by the
governmental entities of any one such country, except that the Fund may invest
up to 25% of its total assets in Argentine Government securities. The Fund will
normally invest at least 65% of its total assets in income-producing
securities. For a general description of Canada, Mexico and Argentina, see
Appendix B and the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Canadian Government securities include the sovereign debt of Canada or any of
its provinces and Government of Canada bonds and Government of Canada Treasury
bills. Canada Treasury bills are debt obligations with maturities of less than
one year. A new issue of Government of Canada bonds frequently consists of
several different bonds with maturities ranging from one to 25 years.
All Canadian provinces have outstanding bond issues and several provinces also
guarantee bond issues of provincial authorities, agents and Crown corporations.
Each new issue yield is based upon a spread from an outstanding Government of
Canada issue of comparable term and coupon. Many Canadian municipalities,
municipal financial authorities and Crown corporations raise funds through the
bond market in order to finance capital expenditures. Unlike U.S. municipal
securities, which have special tax status, Canadian municipal securities have
the same tax status as other Canadian Government securities and trade similarly
to such securities. The Canadian municipal market may be less liquid than the
provincial bond market.
Canadian Government securities in which the Fund may invest include a modified
pass-through vehicle issued pursuant to the program established under the
National Housing Act of Canada. Certificates issued pursuant to this program
benefit from the guarantee of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a
federal Crown corporation that is (except for certain limited purposes) an
agency of the Government of Canada whose guarantee is an unconditional
obligation of the Government of Canada in most circumstances (similar to that
of GNMA in the United States).
Mexican Government securities denominated and payable in the Mexican Peso
include (i) Cetes, which are book-entry securities sold directly by the Mexican
Government on a discount basis and with maturities that range from seven to 364
days, (ii) Bonds, which are long-term development bonds issued directly by the
Mexican Government with a minimum term of 364 days, and (iii) Ajustabonos,
which are adjustable-rate bonds with a minimum three-year term issued directly
by the Mexican Government with the face amount adjusted each quarter by the
quarterly inflation rate.
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in Argentine Government
securities that are denominated and payable in the Argentine Peso. Argentine
Government securities include (i) Bono de Inversion y Crecimiento ("BIC"),
which are investment and growth bonds issued directly by the Argentine
Government with maturities of up to ten years, (ii) Bono de Consolidacion
Economica ("BOCON"), which are economic consolidation bonds issued directly by
the Argentine Government with maturities of up to ten years and (iii) Bono de
Credito a la Exportacion ("BOCREX"), which are export credit bonds issued
directly by the Argentine government with maturities of up to four years.
Although not all Argentine Government securities are rated investment grade
quality by S&P, Moody's, Duff & Phelps or Fitch, Alliance believes that there
are unrated Argentine Government securities that are of investment grade
quality.
The Fund may also (i) enter into futures contracts and purchase and write
options on futures contracts for hedging purposes, (ii) purchase and write put
and call options on foreign currencies, (iii) purchase or sell forward foreign
currency exchange contracts, (iv) write covered put and call options and
purchase put and call options on U.S. Government and foreign government
securities traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges, and write put and
call options for cross-hedging purposes, (v) enter into interest rate swaps,
caps and floors, (vi) enter into forward commitments for the purchase or sale
of securities, (vii) invest in variable, floating and inverse floating rate
instruments, (viii) make secured loans of its portfolio securities, and (ix)
enter into repurchase agreements. The Fund will not invest in illiquid
securities if, as a result, 10% of its net assets would be so invested. For
additional information on the use, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices." The Fund also maintains borrowings of
approximately one-third of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (other than
the amount borrowed). See "Risk Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
ALLIANCE GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund, Inc. ("Global Dollar Government") seeks
primarily a high level of current income, and secondarily capital appreciation.
In seeking to achieve these objectives, the Fund invests at least 65% of its
total assets in sovereign debt obligations. The Fund's investments in sovereign
debt obligations will emphasize obligations of a type customarily referred to
as "Brady Bonds" that are issued as part of debt restructurings and that are
collateralized in full as to principal due at maturity by zero coupon U.S.
Government securities ("collateralized Brady Bonds"). See "Additional
Investment Practices-Brady Bonds" and "Risk Considerations-Sovereign Debt
Obligations." The Fund may also invest up to 35% of its total assets in U.S.
and non-U.S. corporate fixed-income securities. See "Risk Considerations-U.S.
Corporate Fixed-Income Securities." The Fund will limit its investments in
sovereign debt obligations and U.S. and non-U.S. corporate fixed-income
securities to U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. Alliance expects that, based
upon current market conditions, the Fund's portfolio of U.S. fixed-income
securities will have an average maturity range of approximately nine to 15
years and the Fund's portfolio of non-U.S. fixed-income securities will have an
average maturity range of approximately 15 to 25 years. Alliance anticipates
that the Fund's portfolio of sovereign debt obligations will have a longer
average maturity.
20
Substantially all of the Fund's assets will be invested in lower-rated
securities, which may include securities having the lowest rating for
non-subordinated debt instruments (i.e., rated C by Moody's or CCC or lower by
S&P, Duff & Phelps and Fitch) and unrated securities of comparable investment
quality. These securities are considered to have extremely poor prospects of
ever attaining any real investment standing, to have a current identifiable
vulnerability to default, to be unlikely to have the capacity to pay interest
and repay principal when due in the event of adverse business, financial or
economic conditions, and/or to be in default or not current in the payment of
interest or principal. For a description of bond ratings, see Appendix A. The
Fund may also invest in investment grade securities. Unrated securities will be
considered for investment by the Fund when Alliance believes that the financial
condition of the issuers of such obligations and the protection afforded by the
terms of the obligations themselves limit the risk to the Fund to a degree
comparable to that of rated securities which are consistent with the Fund's
investment objectives and policies. As of August 31, 1997, the percentages of
the Fund's assets invested in securities rated (or considered by Alliance to be
of equivalent quality to securities rated) in particular rating categories were
5% in A and above, 67% in Ba or BB, 9% in B, 2% in CCC and 5% in non-rated. See
"Risk Considerations-Securities Ratings," "-Investment in Fixed-Income
Securities Rated Baa and BBB," "-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income
Securities" and Appendix A.
With respect to its investments in sovereign debt obligations and non-U.S.
corporate fixed-income securities, the Fund will emphasize investments in
countries that are considered at the time of purchase to be emerging or
developing countries by the World Bank. A substantial part of the Fund's
investment focus is expected to be in securities or obligations of Argentina,
Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Russia and Venezuela because these
countries are now, or are expected by Alliance at a future date to be, the
principal participants in debt restructuring programs (including, in the case
of Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines and Venezuela, issuers of currently
outstanding Brady Bonds) that, in Alliance's opinion, will provide the most
attractive investment opportunities for the Fund. Alliance anticipates that
other countries that will provide investment opportunities for the Fund
include, among others, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Jordan, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay. See
"Additional Investment Practices-Brady Bonds."
The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in the sovereign debt
obligations and corporate fixed-income securities of issuers in any one of
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Russia or Venezuela, each
of which is an emerging market country, and the Fund will limit investments in
the sovereign debt obligations of each such country (or of any other single
foreign country) to less than 25% of its total assets. The Fund expects that it
will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in the sovereign debt
obligations and corporate fixed-income securities of issuers in any other
single foreign country and is not required to invest any minimum amount of its
assets in the securities or obligations of issuers located in any particular
country.
A substantial portion of the Fund's investments will be in (i) securities which
were initially issued at discounts from their face values ("Discount
Obligations") and (ii) securities purchased by the Fund at a price less than
their stated face amount or, in the case of Discount Obligations, at a price
less than their issue price plus the portion of "original issue discount"
previously accrued thereon, i.e., purchased at a "market discount."
The Fund may also (i) invest in structured securities, (ii) invest in fixed and
floating rate loans that are arranged through private negotiations between an
issuer of sovereign debt obligations and one or more financial institutions and
in participations in and assignments of these types of loans, (iii) invest in
other investment companies, (iv) invest in warrants, (v) enter into interest
rate swaps, caps and floors, (vi) enter into forward commitments for the
purchase or sale of securities, (vii) make secured loans of its portfolio
securities, (viii) enter into repurchase agreements pertaining to the types of
securities in which it invests, (ix) use reverse repurchase agreements and
dollar rolls, (x) enter into standby commitment agreements, (xi) make short
sales of securities or maintain a short position, (xii) write put and call
options on securities of the types in which it is permitted to invest and write
call options for cross-hedging purposes, (xiii) purchase and sell
exchange-traded options on any securities index composed of the types of
securities in which it may invest, and (xiv) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments. The Fund may also at any time, with respect
to up to 35% of its total assets, temporarily invest funds awaiting
reinvestment or held for reserves for dividends and other distributions to
shareholders in U.S. Dollar-denominated money market instruments. For
additional information on the use, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices." While the Fund does not currently intend to
do so, it reserves the right to borrow an amount not to exceed one-third of the
Fund's assets less liabilities (other than the amount borrowed). See "Risk
Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc. ("Global Strategic Income") is a
non-diversified investment company that seeks primarily a high level of current
income and secondarily capital appreciation. The Fund pursues its investment
objectives by investing primarily in a portfolio of fixed-income securities of
U.S. and non-U.S. companies and U.S. Government and foreign government
securities and supranational entities, including lower-rated securities. The
Fund may also use derivative instruments to attempt to enhance income. The
average weighted maturity of the Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is
expected to vary between five years and 30 years in accordance with Alliance's
changing perceptions of the relative attractiveness of various maturity ranges.
21
Under normal market conditions, at least 65% of the value of the Fund's total
assets will be invested in the fixed-income securities of issuers located in
three countries, one of which may be the United States. No more than 25% of the
value of its total assets, however, will be invested in the securities of any
one foreign government. U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest
include mortgage-related securities and zero coupon securities. Fixed-income
securities in which the Fund may invest include preferred stock,
mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, and zero coupon securities.
The Fund may also invest in rights and warrants (for debt securities or for
equity securities that are acquired in connection with debt instruments), and
loan participations and assignments.
The Fund will maintain at least 65% of the value of its total assets in
investment grade securities and may maintain not more than 35% of the value of
its total assets in lower-rated securities. See "Risk Considerations-Securities
Ratings" and "-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities." Unrated
securities will be considered for investment by the Fund when Alliance believes
that the financial condition of the issuers of such obligations and the
protection afforded by the terms of the obligations themselves limit the risk
to the Fund to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are
consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and policies. Lower-rated
securities in which the Fund may invest include Brady Bonds and fixed-income
securities of issuers located in emerging markets. There is no minimum rating
requirement applicable to the Fund's investments in lower-rated fixed-income
securities.
The Fund may also: (i) invest in foreign currencies, (ii) purchase and write
put and call options on securities and foreign currencies, (iii) purchase or
sell forward foreign exchange contracts, (iv) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments, (v) invest in indexed commercial paper, (vi)
invest in structured securities, (vii) lend portfolio securities amounting to
not more than 25% of its total assets, (viii) enter into repurchase agreements
pertaining to the types of securities in which it invests, (ix) use reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls, (x) purchase and sell securities on a
forward commitment basis, (xi) enter into standby commitments, (xii) enter into
contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery of fixed-income
securities or foreign currencies, or contracts based on financial indices,
including any index of U.S. Government securities, foreign government
securities or common stock, and purchase and write options on futures
contracts, (xiii) invest in Eurodollar instruments, (xiv) enter into interest
rate swaps, caps and floors, and (xv) make short sales of securities or
maintain a short position. For additional information on the use, risks and
costs of these policies and practices see "Additional Investment Practices" and
"Risk Consideration." The Fund may borrow in order to purchase securities or
make other investments, although it currently intends to limit its ability to
borrow to an amount not to exceed 25% of its total assets. See "Risk
Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
CORPORATE BOND FUNDS
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
Corporate Bond Portfolio ("Corporate Bond") is a diversified investment company
that seeks primarily to maximize income over the long term consistent with
providing reasonable safety in the value of each shareholder's investment, and
secondarily to increase its capital through appreciation of its investments in
order to preserve and, if possible, increase the purchasing power of each
shareholder's investment. In pursuing these objectives, the Fund's policy is to
invest in readily marketable securities which give promise of relatively
attractive yields, but which do not involve substantial risk of loss of
capital. The Fund follows a policy of maintaining at least 65% of its net
assets invested in debt securities. Such objectives and policies cannot be
changed without the approval of the shareholders. Although the Fund also
follows a policy of maintaining at least 65% of its total assets invested in
corporate bonds, it is permitted to invest in securities of non-corporate
issuers.
The Fund follows an investment strategy which in certain respects can be
regarded as more aggressive than the strategies of many other funds investing
primarily in corporate bonds. In this regard, the Fund's investment portfolio
normally tends to have a relatively long average maturity and duration, and to
place significant emphasis on both foreign corporate and sovereign debt
obligations and corporate bonds that are expected to benefit from improvement
in their issuers' credit fundamentals. Consequently, in recent years the Fund
frequently has experienced greater net asset value volatility than most other
corporate bond funds. Prospective investors in the Fund should therefore be
prepared to accept the degree of volatility associated with its investment
strategy. See "Risk Considerations."
There is no minimum rating requirement applicable to the Fund's investments in
fixed-income securities, except the Fund expects that it will not retain a
security that is downgraded below B, or if unrated, determined by Alliance to
have undergone similar credit quality deterioration subsequent to purchase.
Currently, the Fund believes its objectives and policies may best be
implemented by investing at least 65% of its total assets in fixed-income
securities considered investment grade or higher. The remainder of the Fund's
assets may be invested in lower-rated fixed-income securities. See "Risk
Considerations-Securities Ratings," "-Investment in Fixed-Income Securities
Rated Baa and BBB," "-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities" and
Appendix A. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997, on a weighted average
basis, the percentages of the Fund's assets invested in securities rated (or
considered by Alliance to be of equivalent quality to securities rated) in
particular rating categories were 29% in A and above, 41% in Baa or BBB, 14% in
Ba or BB, and 12% in B. The Fund did not invest in securities rated below B by
each of Moody's, S&P, Duff & Phelps and Fitch or, if not rated, considered by
Alliance to be of equivalent quality to securities so rated.
22
The Fund may invest up to 50% of the value of its total assets in foreign debt
securities which will consist primarily of corporate fixed-income securities
and sovereign debt obligations. Not more than 15% of the Fund's total assets
may be invested in sovereign debt obligations in the form of foreign
government loan participations and assignments, which may be lower rated and
considered to be predominantly speculative as regards the issuer's capacity to
pay interest and repay principal. All of the Fund's investments, whether
foreign or domestic, are U.S. Dollar-denominated.
Within the foregoing limitations, the Fund has complete flexibility as to the
types of securities in which it will invest and the relative proportions
thereof, and the Fund plans to vary the proportions of its holdings of long-
and short-term fixed-income securities and of equity securities in order to
reflect its assessment of prospective cyclical changes even if such action may
adversely affect current income. However, substantially all of the Fund's
investments will be income producing. The average weighted maturity of the
Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is expected to vary between one
year or less and 30 years.
The Fund may also (i) invest in structured securities, (ii) invest in fixed and
floating rate loans that are arranged through private negotiations between an
issuer of sovereign debt obligations and one or more financial institutions and
in participations in and assignments of these type of loans, (iii) for hedging
purposes, purchase put and call options written by others and write covered put
and call options on the types of securities in which the Fund may invest, (iv)
for hedging purposes, enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest
rate swaps, caps and floors, (v) invest in variable, floating and inverse
floating rate instruments, (vi) invest in zero coupon and pay-in-kind
securities, and (vii) invest in CMOs and multi-class pass-through. As a matter
of fundamental policy, the Fund will not purchase illiquid securities. For
additional information on the use, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices."
ALLIANCE HIGH YIELD FUND
ALLIANCE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC. ("High Yield") is a diversified management
investment company that seeks primarily to achieve high total return by
maximizing current income and, to the extent consistent with that objective,
capital appreciation. The Fund will pursue this objective by investing
primarily in a diversified mix of high yield, below investment grade
fixed-income securities involving greater volatility of price and risk of
principal and income than higher quality fixed-income securities. The below
investment grade debt securities in which the Fund may invest are known as
"junk bonds."
The Fund attempts to achieve its objective by investing primarily in a
diversified mix of high yield, below investment grade fixed-income securities
involving greater volatility of price and risk of principal and income than
higher fixed-income securities. The Fund will be managed to maximize current
income by taking advantage of market developments, yield disparities and
variations in the creditworthiness of issuers. The Fund will use various
strategies in attempting to achieve its objective.
Under normal circumstances, at least 65% of the Fund's total assets will be
invested in high yield fixed-income securities rated below investment grade by
two or more NRSROs (i.e., rated lower than Baa by Moody's or lower than BBB or
lower by S&P) or unrated but deemed by Alliance to be equivalent to such
lower-rated securities. The Fund will not, however, invest more than 10% of its
total assets in (i) fixed-income securities which are rated lower than B3 or B-
or their equivalents by two or more NRSROs or if unrated are of equivalent
quality as determined by Alliance, and (ii) money market instruments of any
entity which has an outstanding issue of unsecured debt that is rated lower
than B3 or B- or their equivalents by two or more NRSROs or if unrated is of
equivalent quality as determined by Alliance.
As of August 31, 1997, on a weighted average basis, the percentages of the
Fund's assets invested in securities rated (or considered by Alliance to be of
equivalent quality to securities rated) in particular rating categories were
12% in A and above, 3% in Ba or BB, 53% in B 2% in CCC and 13% in unrated
securities. The Fund did not invest in securities rated below CCC by each of
Moody's, S&P, Duff & Phelps and Fitch or, if not rated, considered by
Alliance to be of equivalent quality to securities so rated.
Certain of the Fund's investments will be in fixed-income securities which are
providing high current yields because of risks other than credit. For example,
the Fund may invest in securities which have prepayment risks, and non-U.S.
dollar denominated foreign securities, which have currency risks.
See Appendix A, "Bond Ratings," for a description of each rating category. In
the event that any securities held by the Fund fall below those ratings, the
Fund will not be obligated to dispose of such securities and may continue to
hold such securities if, in the opinion of Alliance, such investment is
considered appropriate under the circumstances.
A portion of the Fund's assets are also expected to be invested in foreign
securities, and the Fund may buy and sell foreign currencies principally for
the purpose of preserving the value of foreign securities or in anticipation of
purchasing foreign securities. See "Risk Considerations-Foreign Investment" and
"-Currency Considerations."
In addition, and although not to be emphasized, in furtherance of its
investment objective, the Fund may (i) invest in mortgage-backed and
asset-backed securities, (ii) enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) invest in
loan participations and assignments of loans to corporate, governmental, or
other borrowers originally made by institutional lenders or lending syndicates,
(iv) enter into forward commitments for the purchase or sale of securities and
purchase and sell securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, (v)
write covered put and call options on fixed-income securities, securities
indices and foreign currencies and purchase put or call options on fixed-income
securities, securities indices and foreign curencies, (vi) purchase and sell
futures contracts and related options on debt securities and on indices of debt
securities, (vii) enter into contracts for the purchase or sale of a specific
currency for hedging purposes only, and (viii) lend portfolio securities. For
additional information on the uses, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices."
23
In addition to the foregoing, the Fund may from time to time make investments
in (i) U.S. Government securities, (ii) certificates of deposit, bankers'
acceptances, bank notes, time deposits and interest bearing savings deposits
issued or guaranteed by certain domestic and foreign banks, (iii) commercial
paper (rated at least A-1 by S&P or Prime-1 by Moody's or, if not rated, issued
by domestic or foreign companies having high quality outstanding debt
securities) and participation interests in loans extended by banks to such
companies, (iv) corporate debt obligations with remaining maturities of less
than one year rated at least high quality as well as corporate debt obligations
rated at least high grade provided the corporation also has outstanding an
issue of commercial paper rated at least A-1 by S&P or Prime-1 Moody's, and
(v) floating rate or master demand notes.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT PRACTICES
Some or all of the Funds may engage in the following investment practices to
the extent described in this Prospectus. See the Statement of Additional
Information of each Fund for a further discussion of the uses, risks and costs
of engaging in these practices.
DERIVATIVES. The Funds may use derivatives in furtherance of their investment
objectives. Derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is
derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. These
assets, rates, and indices may include bonds, stocks, mortgages, commodities,
interest rates, currency exchange rates, bond indices and stock indices.
Derivatives can be used to earn income or protect against risk, or both. For
example, one party with unwanted risk may agree to pass that risk to another
party who is willing to accept the risk, the second party being motivated, for
example, by the desire either to earn income in the form of a fee or premium
from the first party, or to reduce its own unwanted risk by attempting to pass
all or part of that risk to the first party.
Derivatives can be used by investors such as the Funds to earn income and
enhance returns, to hedge or adjust the risk profile of a portfolio, and either
to replace more traditional direct investments or to obtain exposure to
otherwise inaccessible markets. Each of the Funds is permitted to use
derivatives for one or more of these purposes, although most of the Funds
generally use derivatives primarily as direct investments in order to enhance
yields and broaden portfolio diversification. Each of these uses entails
greater risk than if derivatives were used solely for hedging purposes.
Derivatives are a valuable tool which, when used properly, can provide
significant benefit to Fund shareholders. A Fund may take a significant
position in those derivatives that are within its investment policies if, in
Alliance's judgement, this represents the most effective response to current or
anticipated market conditions. The MULTI-MARKET FUNDS, HIGH YIELD and GLOBAL
STRATEGIC INCOME in particular generally make extensive use of carefully
selected forwards and other derivatives to achieve the currency hedging that is
an integral part of their investment strategy. Alliance's use of derivatives is
subject to continuous risk assessment and control from the standpoint of each
Fund's investment objectives and policies.
Derivatives may be (i) standardized, exchange-traded contracts or (ii)
customized, privately negotiated contracts. Exchange-traded derivatives tend to
be more liquid and subject to less credit risk than those that are privately
negotiated.
There are four principal types of derivative instruments-options, futures,
forwards and swaps-from which virtually any type of derivative transaction can
be created.
OPTIONS-An option, which may be standardized and exchange-traded, or
customized and privately negotiated, is an agreement that, for a premium
payment or fee, gives the option holder (the buyer) the right but not the
obligation to buy or sell the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount
based on an underlying asset, rate or index) at a specified price (the exercise
price) during a period of time or on a specified date. A call option entitles
the holder to purchase, and a put option entitles the holder to sell, the
underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount based on an underlying asset,
rate or index). Likewise, when an option is exercised the writer of the option
is obligated to sell (in the case of a call option) or to purchase (in the case
of a put option) the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount based on an
underlying asset, rate or index).
FUTURES-A futures contract is an agreement that obligates the buyer to buy
and the seller to sell a specified quantity of an underlying asset (or settle
for cash the value of a contract based on an underlying asset, rate or index)
at a specific price on the contract maturity date. Futures contracts are
standardized, exchange-traded instruments and are fungible (i.e., considered to
be perfect substitutes for each other). This fungibility allows futures
contracts to be readily offset or cancelled through the acquisition of equal
but opposite positions, which is the primary method in which futures contracts
are liquidated. A cash-settled futures contract does not require physical
delivery of the underlying asset but instead is settled for cash equal to the
difference between the values of the contract on the date it is entered into
and its maturity date.
FORWARDS-A forward contract is an obligation by one party to buy, and the
other party to sell, a specific quantity of an underlying commodity or other
tangible asset for an agreed upon price at a future date. Forward contracts are
customized, privately negotiated agreements designed to satisfy the objectives
of each party. A forward contract usually results in the delivery of the
underlying asset upon maturity of the contract in return for the agreed upon
payment.
24
SWAPS-A swap is a customized, privately negotiated agreement that obligates
two parties to exchange a series of cash flows at specified intervals (payment
dates) based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or
rates (interest rates in the case of interest rate swaps, currency exchange
rates in the case of currency swaps) for a specified amount of an underlying
asset (the "notional" principal amount). The payment flows are netted against
each other, with the difference being paid by one party to the other. Except
for currency swaps, the notional principal amount is used solely to calculate
the payment streams but is not exchanged. With respect to currency swaps,
actual principal amounts of currencies may be exchanged by the counterparties
at the initiation, and again upon the termination, of the transaction.
Debt instruments that incorporate one or more of these building blocks for the
purpose of determining the principal amount of and/or rate of interest payable
on the debt instruments are often referred to as "structured securities." An
example of this type of structured security is indexed commercial paper. The
term is also used to describe certain securities issued in connection with the
restructuring of certain foreign obligations. See "Indexed Commercial Paper"
and "Structured Securities" below. The term "derivative" is also sometimes used
to describe securities involving rights to a portion of the cash flows from an
underlying pool of mortgages or other assets from which payments are passed
through to the owner of, or that collateralize, the securities. These
securities are described below under "Mortgage-Related Securities" and "Other
Asset-Backed Securities."
Derivatives involve risks different from, and, in certain cases, greater than,
the risks presented by more traditional investments. Following is a general
discussion of important risk factors and issues concerning the use of
derivatives that investors should understand before investing in a Fund.
MARKET RISK-This is the general risk attendant to all investments that the
value of a particular investment will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's
interest.
MANAGEMENT RISK-Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that
require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated
with stocks and bonds. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not
only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without
the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible
market conditions. In particular, the use and complexity of derivatives require
the maintenance of adequate controls to monitor the transactions entered into,
the ability to assess the risk that a derivative adds to a Fund's portfolio,
and the ability to forecast price, interest rate or currency exchange rate
movements correctly.
CREDIT RISK-This is the risk that a loss may be sustained by a Fund as a
result of the failure of another party to a derivative (usually referred to as
a "counterparty") to comply with the terms of the derivative contract. The
credit risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for
privately negotiated derivatives, since the clearing house, which is the issuer
or counterparty to each exchange-traded derivative, provides a guarantee of
performance. This guarantee is supported by a daily payment system (i.e.,
margin requirements) operated by the clearing house in order to reduce overall
credit risk. For privately negotiated derivatives, there is no similar clearing
agency guarantee. Therefore, the Funds consider the creditworthiness of each
counterparty to a privately negotiated derivative in evaluating potential
credit risk.
LIQUIDITY RISK-Liquidity risk exists when a particular instrument is
difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly
large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many privately
negotiated derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or
liquidate a position at an advantageous price.
LEVERAGE RISK-Since many derivatives have a leverage component, adverse
changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, rate or index can result
in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative
itself. In the case of swaps, the risk of loss generally is related to a
notional principal amount, even if the parties have not made any initial
investment. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss,
regardless of the size of the initial investment.
OTHER RISKS-Other risks in using derivatives include the risk of mispricing
or improper valuation of derivatives and the inability of derivatives to
correlate perfectly with underlying assets, rates and indices. Many
derivatives, in particular privately negotiated derivatives, are complex and
often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash
payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a Fund.
Derivatives do not always perfectly or even highly correlate or track the value
of the assets, rates or indices they are designed to closely track.
Consequently, a Fund's use of derivatives may not always be an effective means
of, and sometimes could be counterproductive to, furthering the Fund's
investment objective.
DERIVATIVES USED BY THE FUNDS. Following is a description of specific
derivatives currently used by one or more of the Funds.
OPTIONS ON SECURITIES. In purchasing an option on securities, a Fund would be
in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the
underlying securities increased (in the case of a call) or decreased (in the
case of a put) by an amount in excess of the premium paid; otherwise the Fund
would experience a loss not greater than the premium paid for the option. Thus,
a Fund would realize a loss if the price of the underlying security declined or
remained the same (in the case of a call) or increased or remained the same (in
the case of a put) or otherwise did not increase (in the case of a put) or
decrease (in the case of a call) by more than the amount of the premium. If a
put or call option purchased by a Fund were permitted to expire without being
sold or exercised, its premium would represent a loss to the Fund.
25
A Fund may write a put or call option in return for a premium, which is
retained by the Fund whether or not the option is exercised. Except with
respect to uncovered call options written for cross-hedging purposes, none of
the Funds will write uncovered call or put options on securities. A call option
written by a Fund is "covered" if the Fund owns the underlying security, has an
absolute and immediate right to acquire that security upon conversion or
exchange of another security it holds, or holds a call option on the underlying
security with an exercise price equal to or less than that of the call option
it has written. A put option written by a Fund is covered if the Fund holds a
put option on the underlying securities with an exercise price equal to or
greater than that of the put option it has written.
The risk involved in writing an uncovered put option is that there could be a
decrease in the market value of the underlying securities. If this occurred, a
Fund could be obligated to purchase the underlying security at a higher price
than its current market value. Conversely, the risk involved in writing an
uncovered call option is that there could be an increase in the market value of
the underlying security, and a Fund could be obligated to acquire the
underlying security at its current price and sell it at a lower price. The risk
of loss from writing an uncovered put option is limited to the exercise price
of the option, whereas the risk of loss from writing an uncovered call option
is potentially unlimited.
A Fund may write a call option on a security that it does not own in order to
hedge against a decline in the value of a security that it owns or has the
right to acquire, a technique referred to as "cross-hedging." A Fund would
write a call option for cross-hedging purposes, instead of writing a covered
call option, when the premium to be received from the cross-hedge transaction
exceeds that to be received from writing a covered call option, while at the
same time achieving the desired hedge. The correlation risk involved in
cross-hedging may be greater than the correlation risk involved with other
hedging strategies.
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, CORPORATE
BOND and HIGH YIELD generally purchase or write privately negotiated options on
securities. A Fund that does so will effect such transactions only with
investment dealers and other financial institutions (such as commercial banks
or savings and loan institutions) deemed creditworthy by Alliance. Alliance has
adopted procedures for monitoring the creditworthiness of such counterparties.
Privately negotiated options purchased or written by a Fund may be illiquid,
and it may not be possible for the Fund to effect a closing transaction at an
advantageous time. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Neither MORTGAGE SECURITIES
INCOME nor CORPORATE BOND will purchase an option on a security if, immediately
thereafter, the aggregate cost of all outstanding options purchased by such
Fund would exceed 2% of the Fund's total assets. Nor will either such Fund
write an option if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate value of the Fund's
portfolio securities subject to outstanding options would exceed 15% of the
Fund's total assets.
OPTIONS ON SECURITIES INDICES. An option on a securities index is similar to an
option on a security except that, rather than taking or making delivery of a
security at a specified price, an option on a securities index gives the holder
the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the
closing level of the chosen index is greater than (in the case of a call) or
less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option.
OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES. A Fund invests in options on foreign currencies
that are privately negotiated or traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges for the
purpose of protecting against declines in the U.S. Dollar value of foreign
currency denominated securities held by a Fund and against increases in the
U.S. Dollar cost of securities to be acquired. The purchase of an option on a
foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against fluctuations in
exchange rates, although if rates move adversely, a Fund may forfeit the entire
amount of the premium plus related transaction costs.
RIGHTS AND WARRANTS. GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest in warrants, and
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may invest in rights and warrants, which are option
securities permitting their holders to subscribe for other securities. GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest in warrants, and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may
invest in rights and warrants, for debt securities or for equity securities
that are acquired in connection with debt instruments. Rights are similar to
warrants except that they have a substantially shorter duration. Rights and
warrants do not carry with them dividend or voting rights with respect to the
underlying securities, or any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result,
an investment in rights and warrants may be considered more speculative than
certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a right or a
warrant does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying
securities, and a right or a warrant ceases to have value if it is not
exercised prior to its expiration date. GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may invest up
to 20% of its total assets in rights and warrants.
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. Futures contracts that a
Fund may buy and sell may include futures contracts on fixed-income or other
securities or foreign currencies, and contracts based on interest rates or
financial indices, including any index of U.S. Government securities, foreign
government securities or corporate debt securities.
Options on futures contracts are options that call for the delivery of futures
contracts upon exercise. Options on futures contracts written or purchased by a
Fund will be traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges and, except with respect to
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, will be used only for
hedging purposes.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME will not enter into a futures contract or write or purchase an option on
a futures contract if immediately thereafter the market values of the
outstanding futures contracts of the Fund and the currencies and futures
contracts subject to outstanding options written by
26
the Fund would exceed 50% of its total assets. MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME will
not write or purchase options on futures contracts. Nor will LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME or GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME enter into a futures contract or, if otherwise permitted, write or
purchase an option on a futures contract, if immediately thereafter the
aggregate of initial margin deposits on all the outstanding futures contracts
of the Fund and premiums paid on outstanding options on futures contracts would
exceed 5% of the market value of the total assets of the Fund. In addition,
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME will not enter into any
futures contract (i) other than one on fixed-income securities or based on
interest rates, or (ii) if immediately thereafter the sum of the then aggregate
futures market prices of financial instruments required to be delivered under
open futures contract sales and the aggregate futures market prices of
instruments required to be delivered under open futures contract purchases
would exceed 30% of the value of the Fund's total assets.
HIGH YIELD will not purchase or sell futures contracts or options on futures
contracts unless either (i) the futures contracts or options thereon are for
"bona fide hedging" purposes (as that term is defined under the Commodities
Futures Trading Commission regulations) or (ii) if for other purposes, the sum
of amounts of initial margin deposits and premiums required to establish
non-hedging positions would not exceed 5% of the Fund's liquidation value.
EURODOLLAR INSTRUMENTS. Eurodollar instruments are essentially U.S.
Dollar-denominated futures contracts or options thereon that are linked to
LIBOR. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate
for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME intend to use
Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in
LIBOR (to which many short-term borrowings and floating rate securities in
which each Fund invests are linked).
FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS. Each Fund that purchases or sells
forward contracts on foreign currencies ("forward contracts") attempts to
minimize the risk to it from adverse changes in the relationship between the
U.S. Dollar and other currencies. A Fund may enter into a forward contract, for
example, when it enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security
denominated in a foreign currency in order to "lock in" the U.S. Dollar price
of the security (a "transaction hedge"). When a Fund believes that a foreign
currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. Dollar, it may enter
into a forward sale contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency
approximating the value of some or all of the Fund's portfolio securities
denominated in such foreign currency, or when the Fund believes that the U.S.
Dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, it may
enter into a forward purchase contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed
dollar amount (a "position hedge"). Instead of entering into a position hedge,
a Fund may, in the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a
different foreign currency for a fixed U.S. Dollar amount where the Fund
believes that the U.S. Dollar value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the
forward contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the U.S. Dollar value
of the currency in which portfolio securities of the Fund are denominated (a
"cross-hedge").
FORWARD COMMITMENTS. Forward commitments are forward contracts for the purchase
or sale of securities, including purchases on a "when-issued" basis or
purchases or sales on a "delayed delivery" basis. In some cases, a forward
commitment may be conditioned upon the occurrence of a subsequent event, such
as approval and consummation of a merger, corporate reorganization or debt
restructuring or approval of a proposed financing by appropriate authorities
(i.e., a "when, as and if issued" trade).
When forward commitments with respect to fixed-income securities are
negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at
the time the commitment is made, but payment for and delivery of the securities
take place at a later date. Normally, the settlement date occurs within two
months after the transaction, but settlements beyond two months may be
negotiated. Securities purchased or sold under a forward commitment are subject
to market fluctuation, and no interest or dividends accrues to the purchaser
prior to the settlement date. At the time a Fund enters into a forward
commitment, it records the transaction and thereafter reflects the value of the
security purchased or, if a sale, the proceeds to be received, in determining
its net asset value. Any unrealized appreciation or depreciation reflected in
such valuation would be canceled if the required conditions did not occur and
the trade were canceled.
The use of forward commitments helps a Fund to protect against anticipated
changes in interest rates and prices. For instance, in periods of rising
interest rates and falling bond prices, a Fund might sell securities in its
portfolio on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling bond
prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising bond prices, a Fund
might sell a security in its portfolio and purchase the same or a similar
security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the
benefit of currently higher cash yields. No forward commitments will be made by
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT or GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME if, as a result, the Fund's aggregate
forward commitments under such transactions would be more than 25% of the total
assets of GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and 30% of the total assets of each of the
other Funds.
A Fund's right to receive or deliver a security under a forward commitment may
be sold prior to the settlement date. The Funds enter into forward commitments,
however, only with the intention of actually receiving securities or delivering
them, as the case may be. If a Fund, however, chooses to dispose of the right
to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or dispose of its
right to deliver or receive against a forward commitment, it may realize a gain
or incur a loss.
27
INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS (SWAPS, CAPS AND FLOORS). Each Fund that may enter
into interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions expects to do so primarily
for hedging purposes, which may include preserving a return or spread on a
particular investment or portion of its portfolio or protecting against an
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later
date. The Funds do not intend to use these transactions in a speculative manner.
Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their
respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of
floating rate payments for fixed rate payments) computed based on a
contractually-based principal (or "notional") amount. Interest rate swaps are
entered into on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with
the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the
two payments). Interest rate caps and floors are similar to options in that the
purchase of an interest rate cap or floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent
that a specified index exceeds (in the case of a cap) or falls below (in the
case of a floor) a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest
on a notional amount from the party selling the interest rate cap or floor. A
Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an
asset-based or liability-based basis, depending upon whether it is hedging its
assets or liabilities.
There is no limit on the amount of interest rate transactions that may be
entered into by a Fund that is permitted to enter into such transactions.
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may enter into interest rate swaps involving
payments to the same currency or in different currencies. SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND will not enter
into an interest rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the unsecured
senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is then
rated in the highest rating category of at least one NRSRO. Each of SHORT-TERM
MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME will enter into interest rate swap, cap or floor
transactions with its respective custodian, and with other counterparties, but
only if: (i) for transactions with maturities under one year, such other
counterparty has outstanding prime commercial paper; or (ii) for transactions
with maturities greater than one year, the counterparty has high quality debt
securities outstanding.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of
banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents
utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has
become well established and relatively liquid. Caps and floors are less liquid
than swaps. These transactions do not involve the delivery of securities or
other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, unless there is a
counterparty default, the risk of loss to a Fund from interest rate
transactions is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is
contractually obligated to make.
STANDBY COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS. Standby commitment agreements are similar to put
options that commit a Fund, for a stated period of time, to purchase a stated
amount of a security that may be issued and sold to the Fund at the option of
the issuer. The price and coupon of the security are fixed at the time of the
commitment. At the time of entering into the agreement, the Fund is paid a
commitment fee regardless of whether the security ultimately is issued. The
Funds will enter into such agreements only for the purpose of investing in the
security underlying the commitment at a yield and price considered advantageous
and unavailable on a firm commitment basis. No Fund will enter into a standby
commitment with a remaining term in excess of 45 days. The Funds will limit
their investments in standby commitments so that the aggregate purchase price
of the securities subject to the commitments does not exceed 20% or 25% with
respect to GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, of their respective assets.
There is no guarantee that the security subject to a standby commitment will be
issued. In addition, the value of the security, if issued, on the delivery date
may be more or less than its purchase price. Since the issuance of the security
is at the option of the issuer, a Fund will bear the risk of capital loss in
the event the value of the security declines and may not benefit from an
appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period if the
issuer decides not to issue and sell the security to the Fund.
INDEXED COMMERCIAL PAPER. Indexed commercial paper may have its principal
linked to changes in foreign currency exchange rates whereby its principal
amount is adjusted upwards or downwards (but not below zero) at maturity to
reflect changes in the referenced exchange rate. Each Fund that invests in such
commercial paper may do so without limitation. A Fund will receive interest and
principal payments on such commercial paper in the currency in which such
commercial paper is denominated, but the amount of principal payable by the
issuer at maturity will change in proportion to the change (if any) in the
exchange rate between the two specified currencies between the date the
instrument is issued and the date the instrument matures. While such commercial
paper entails the risk of loss of principal, the potential for realizing gains
as a result of changes in foreign currency exchange rates enables a Fund to
hedge (or cross-hedge) against a decline in the U.S. Dollar value of
investments denominated in foreign currencies while providing an attractive
money market rate of return. A Fund will purchase such commercial paper for
hedging purposes only, not for speculation.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. U.S. Government securities may be backed by the
full faith and credit of the United States, supported only by the right of the
issuer to borrow from the
28
U.S. Treasury or backed only by the credit of the issuing agency itself. These
securities include:
(i) the following U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full
faith and credit of the United States and differ only in their interest rates,
maturities and times of issuance: U.S. Treasury bills (maturities of one year
or less with no interest paid and hence issued at a discount and repaid at full
face value upon maturity), U.S. Treasury notes (maturities of one to ten years
with interest payable every six months) and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally
maturities of greater than ten years with interest payable every six months);
(ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and
instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Government, such as securities issued by GNMA, the Farmers Home Administration,
the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Export-Import Bank, the
General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration; and
(iii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and
instrumentalities that are not supported by the full faith and credit of the
U.S. Government, such as securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC, and governmental
CMOs.
The maturities of the U.S. Government securities listed in paragraphs (i) and
(ii) above usually range from three months to 30 years. Such securities, except
GNMA certificates, normally provide for periodic payments of interest in fixed
amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. For
information regarding GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC certificates and CMOs, see
"Mortgage-Related Securities" below.
U.S. Government securities also include zero coupon securities and
principal-only securities and certain SMRS. In addition, other U.S. Government
agencies and instrumentalities have issued stripped securities that are similar
to SMRS. Such securities include those that are issued with an IO class and a
PO class. See "Mortgage-Related Securities" below and "Zero Coupon and
Principal-Only Securities" below. Although these stripped securities are
purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment
banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently
developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and,
accordingly, these securities may be illiquid.
Guarantees of securities by the U.S. Government or its agencies or
instrumentalities guarantee only the payment of principal and interest on the
securities, and do not guarantee the securities' yield or value or the yield or
value of the shares of a Fund that holds the securities.
U.S. Government securities are considered among the safest of fixed-income
investments. As a result, however, their yields are generally lower than the
yields available from other fixed-income securities.
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES. The mortgage-related securities in which a Fund
may invest typically are securities representing interests in pools of mortgage
loans made to home owners. The mortgage loan pools may be assembled for sale to
investors (such as a Fund) by governmental or private organizations.
Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA are backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States; those issued by FNMA and FHLMC are not so backed.
Mortgage-related securities bear interest at either a fixed rate or an
adjustable rate determined by reference to an index rate. Mortgage-related
securities frequently provide for monthly payments that consist of both
interest and principal, unlike more traditional debt securities, which normally
do not provide for periodic repayments of principal.
Securities representing interests in pools created by private issuers generally
offer a higher rate of interest than securities representing interests in pools
created by governmental issuers because there are no direct or indirect
governmental guarantees of the underlying mortgage payments. However, private
issuers sometimes obtain committed loan facilities, lines of credit, letters of
credit, surety bonds or other forms of liquidity and credit enhancement to
support the timely payment of interest and principal with respect to their
securities if the borrowers on the underlying mortgages fail to make their
mortgage payments. The ratings of such non-governmental securities are
generally dependent upon the ratings of the providers of such liquidity and
credit support and would be adversely affected if the rating of such an
enhancer were downgraded. A Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without
credit enhancement if the securities meet the Fund's investment standards.
Although the market for mortgage-related securities is becoming increasingly
liquid, those of certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.
One type of mortgage-related security is of the "pass-through" variety. The
holder of a pass-through security is considered to own an undivided beneficial
interest in the underlying pool of mortgage loans and receives a pro rata share
of the monthly payments made by the borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of
any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the securities. Prepayments of
mortgages resulting from the sale, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying
properties are also paid to the holders of these securities, which, as
discussed below, frequently causes these securities to experience significantly
greater price and yield volatility than experienced by traditional fixed-income
securities. Some mortgage-related securities, such as securities issued by
GNMA, are referred to as "modified pass-through" securities. The holders of
these securities are entitled to the full and timely payment of principal and
interest, net of certain fees, regardless of whether payments are actually made
on the underlying mortgages.
Another form of mortgage-related security is a "pay-through" security, which is
a debt obligation of the issuer secured by a pool of mortgage loans pledged as
collateral that is legally required to be paid by the issuer regardless of
whether payments are actually made on the underlying mortgages.
29
Collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) are the predominant type of
"pay-through" mortgage-related security. In a CMO, a series of bonds or
certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of a CMO, often referred
to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated
maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on collateral
underlying a CMO may cause one or more tranches of the CMO to be retired
substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final distribution dates of
the collateral. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be
allocated among several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. In a common
structure, payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the
underlying mortgages are applied to the classes of the series of a CMO in the
order of their respective stated maturities or final distribution dates, so
that no payment of principal will be made on any class of a CMO until all other
classes having an earlier stated maturity or final distribution date have been
paid in full. One or more tranches of a CMO may have coupon rates that reset
periodically, or "float," at a specified increment over an index such as LIBOR.
Floating-rate CMOs may be backed by fixed or adjustable rate mortgages. To
date, fixed-rate mortgages have been more commonly utilized for this purpose.
Floating-rate CMOs are typically issued with lifetime caps on the coupon rate
thereon. These caps, similar to the caps on adjustable-rate mortgages described
below, represent a ceiling beyond which the coupon rate on a floating-rate CMO
may not be increased regardless of increases in the interest rate index to
which the floating-rate CMO is tied. The collateral securing the CMOs may
consist of a pool of mortgages, but may also consist of mortgage-backed bonds
or pass-through securities. CMOs may be issued by a U.S. Government
instrumentality or agency or by a private issuer. Although payment of the
principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately
issued CMOs may be guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC, these CMOs represent
obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by
GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC, any other governmental agency or any other person or entity.
Another type of mortgage-related security, known as adjustable-rate mortgage
securities (ARMS), bears interest at a rate determined by reference to a
predetermined interest rate or index. There are two main categories of rates or
indices: (i) rates based on the yield on U.S. Treasury securities and (ii)
indices derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a
moving average of mortgage rates. Some rates and indices closely mirror changes
in market interest rate levels, while others tend to lag changes in market rate
levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.
ARMS may be secured by fixed-rate mortgages or adjustable-rate mortgages. ARMS
secured by fixed-rate mortgages generally have lifetime caps on the coupon
rates of the securities. To the extent that general interest rates increase
faster than the interest rates on the ARMS, these ARMS will decline in value.
The adjustable-rate mortgages that secure ARMS will frequently have caps that
limit the maximum amount by which the interest rate or the monthly principal
and interest payments on the mortgages may increase. These payment caps can
result in negative amortization (i.e., an increase in the balance of the
mortgage loan). Furthermore, since many adjustable-rate mortgages only reset on
an annual basis, the values of ARMS tend to fluctuate to the extent that
changes in prevailing interest rates are not immediately reflected in the
interest rates payable on the underlying adjustable-rate mortgages.
Stripped mortgage-related securities (SMRS) are mortgage-related securities
that are usually structured with two classes of securities collateralized by a
pool of mortgages or a pool of mortgaged-backed bonds or pass-through
securities, with each class receiving different proportions of the principal
and interest payments from the underlying assets. A common type of SMRS has one
class of interest-only securities (IOs) receiving all of the interest payments
from the underlying assets; while the other class of securities, principal-only
securities (POs), receives all of the principal payments from the underlying
assets. IOs and POs are extremely sensitive to interest rate changes and are
more volatile than mortgage-related securities that are not stripped. IOs tend
to decrease in value as interest rates decrease, while POs generally increase
in value as interest rates decrease. If prepayments of the underlying mortgages
are greater than anticipated, the amount of interest earned on the overall pool
will decrease due to the decreasing principal balance of the assets. Changes in
the values of IOs and POs can be substantial and occur quickly, such as
occurred in the first half of 1994 when the value of many POs dropped
precipitously due to increases in interest rates. For this reason, none of the
Funds relies on IOs and POs as the principal means of furthering its investment
objective.
The value of mortgage-related securities is affected by a number of factors.
Unlike traditional debt securities, which have fixed maturity dates,
mortgage-related securities may be paid earlier than expected as a result of
prepayments of underlying mortgages. Such prepayments generally occur during
periods of falling mortgage interest rates. If property owners make unscheduled
prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in the early
payment of the applicable mortgage-related securities. In that event, a Fund
may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the
mortgage-related securities in investments that provide as high a yield as the
mortgage-related securities. Early payments associated with mortgage-related
securities causes these securities to experience significantly greater price
and yield volatility than is experienced by traditional fixed-income
securities. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by the level of
general interest rates, general economic conditions and other social and
demographic factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of
mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of
mortgage-related securities. Conversely, during periods of rising interest
rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective life of
mortgage-related securities, subjecting them to greater risk of decline in
market value in response to rising interest rates. If the life of a
mortgage-related security is inaccurately predicted, a Fund may not be able to
realize the rate of return it expected.
30
As with fixed-income securities generally, the value of mortgage-related
securities can also be adversely affected by increases in general interest
rates relative to the yield provided by such securities. Such an adverse effect
is especially possible with fixed-rate mortgage securities. If the yield
available on other investments rises above the yield of the fixed-rate mortgage
securities as a result of general increases in interest rate levels, the value
of the mortgage-related securities will decline. Although the negative effect
could be lessened if the mortgage-related securities were to be paid earlier
(thus permitting a Fund to reinvest the prepayment proceeds in investments
yielding the higher current interest rate), as described above the rate of
mortgage prepayments and early payments of mortgage-related securities
generally tend to decline during a period of rising interest rates.
Although the values of ARMS may not be affected as much as the values of
fixed-rate mortgage securities by rising interest rates, ARMS may still decline
in value as a result of rising interest rates. Although, as described above,
the yields on ARMS vary with changes in the applicable interest rate or index,
there is often a lag between increases in general interest rates and increases
in the yield on ARMS as a result of relatively infrequent interest rate reset
dates. In addition, adjustable-rate mortgages and ARMS often have interest rate
or payment caps that limit the ability of the adjustable-rate mortgages or ARMS
to fully reflect increases in the general level of interest rates.
OTHER ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES. The securitization techniques used to develop
mortgage-related securities are being applied to a broad range of financial
assets. Through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations, various
types of assets, including automobile loans and leases, credit card
receivables, home equity loans, equipment leases and trade receivables, are
being securitized in structures similar to the structures used in mortgage
securitizations. These asset-backed securities are subject to risks associated
with changes in interest rates and prepayment of underlying obligations similar
to the risks of investment in mortgage-related securities discussed above.
Each type of asset-backed security also entails unique risks depending on the
type of assets involved and the legal structure used. For example, credit card
receivables are generally unsecured obligations of the credit card holder and
the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal
consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off
certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due.
There have also been proposals to cap the interest rate that a credit card
issuer may charge. In some transactions, the value of the asset-backed security
is dependent on the performance of a third party acting as credit enhancer or
servicer. Furthermore, in some transactions (such as those involving the
securitization of vehicle loans or leases) it may be administratively
burdensome to perfect the interest of the security issuer in the underlying
collateral and the underlying collateral may become damaged or stolen.
ZERO COUPON AND PRINCIPAL-ONLY SECURITIES. Zero coupon securities and
principal-only (PO) securities are debt securities that have been issued
without interest coupons or stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, and
include receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt
obligations and coupons. Such a security pays no interest to its holder during
its life. Its value to an investor consists of the difference between its face
value at the time of maturity and the price for which it was acquired, which is
generally an amount significantly less than its face value. Such securities
usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and are subject
to greater fluctuations in market value in response to changing interest rates
than debt obligations of comparable maturities and credit quality that make
current distributions of interest. On the other hand, because there are no
periodic interest payments to be reinvested prior to maturity, these securities
eliminate reinvestment risk and "lock in" a rate of return to maturity.
Zero coupon Treasury securities are U.S. Treasury bills issued without interest
coupons. Principal-only Treasury securities are U.S. Treasury notes and bonds
that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, and receipts or
certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations and
coupons. Currently the only U.S. Treasury security issued without coupons is
the Treasury bill. Although the U.S. Treasury does not itself issue Treasury
notes and bonds without coupons, under the U.S. Treasury STRIPS program
interest and principal payments on certain long-term Treasury securities may be
maintained separately in the Federal Reserve book entry system and may be
separately traded and owned. In addition, in the last few years a number of
banks and brokerage firms have separated ("stripped") the principal portions
from the coupon portions of U.S. Treasury bonds and notes and sold them
separately in the form of receipts or certificates representing undivided
interests in these instruments (which instruments are generally held by a bank
in a custodial or trust account). The staff of the Commission has indicated
that, in its view, these receipts or certificates should be considered as
securities issued by the bank or brokerage firm involved and, therefore, should
not be included in a Fund's categorization of U.S. Government securities. The
Funds disagree with the staff's position but will not treat such securities as
U.S. Government securities until final resolution of the issue.
Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as a Fund) of a zero
coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was
purchased as income each year even though the holder receives no interest
payment in cash on the security during the year. As a result, in order to make
the distributions necessary for a Fund not to be subject to federal income or
excise taxes, the Fund might be required to pay out as an income distribution
each year an amount, obtained by liquidation of portfolio securities or
borrowings if necessary, greater than the total amount of cash that the Fund
has
31
actually received as interest during the year. Each Fund believes, however,
that it is highly unlikely that it would be necessary to liquidate portfolio
securities or borrow money in order to make such required distributions or to
meet its investment objective. For a discussion of the tax treatment of zero
coupon Treasury securities, see "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes-Zero Coupon
Treasury Securities" in the Statement of Additional Information of each Fund
that is permitted to invest in such securities.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND may also invest in "pay-in-kind"
debentures (i.e., debt obligations the interest on which may be paid in the
form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which have
characteristics similar to zero coupon securities.
VARIABLE, FLOATING AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE INSTRUMENTS. Fixed-income
securities may have fixed, variable or floating rates of interest. Variable and
floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically,
according to a specified formula. A "variable" interest rate adjusts at
predetermined intervals (e.g., daily, weekly or monthly), while a "floating"
interest rate adjusts whenever a specified benchmark rate (such as the bank
prime lending rate) changes.
A Fund may invest in fixed-income securities that pay interest at a coupon rate
equal to a base rate, plus additional interest for a certain period of time if
short-term interest rates rise above a predetermined level or "cap." The amount
of such an additional interest payment typically is calculated under a formula
based on a short-term interest rate index multiplied by a designated factor.
Leveraged inverse floating rate debt instruments are sometimes known as inverse
floaters. The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite
direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is
indexed. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent
that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the
change in the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage inherent in
inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in market value, such
that, during periods of rising interest rates, the market values of inverse
floaters will tend to decrease more rapidly than those of fixed rate securities.
STRUCTURED SECURITIES. Structured securities in which GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND may invest represent interests in
entities organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the
investment characteristics of sovereign debt obligations, with respect to
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, or foreign government
securities, with respect to CORPORATE BOND. This type of restructuring involves
the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, of
specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans or Brady Bonds) and the
issuance by that entity of one or more classes of structured securities backed
by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on
the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued structured
securities to create securities with different investment characteristics such
as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the
extent of the payments made with respect to structured securities is dependent
on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. Because
structured securities typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit
risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments.
Structured securities of a given class may be either subordinated or
unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated
structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks
than unsubordinated structured securities. GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest
up to 25% of its total assets, and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND
may invest without limit, in these types of structured securities.
LOAN PARTICIPATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS. A Fund's investments in loans are expected
in most instances to be in the form of participations in loans and assignments
of all or a portion of loans from third parties. A Fund's investment in loan
participations typically will result in the Fund having a contractual
relationship only with the lender and not with the borrower. A Fund will
acquire participations only if the lender interpositioned between the Fund and
the borrower is a lender having total assets of more than $25 billion and whose
senior unsecured debt is rated investment grade or higher. When a Fund
purchases a loan assignment from a lender it will acquire direct rights against
the borrower on the loan. Because loan assignments are arranged through private
negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, however, the
rights and obligations acquired by a Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may
differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender.
The assignability of certain sovereign debt obligations, with respect to GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, or foreign government
securities, with respect to CORPORATE BOND and HIGH YIELD, is restricted by the
governing documentation as to the nature of the assignee such that the only way
in which the Fund may acquire an interest in a loan is through a participation
and not an assignment. A Fund may have difficulty disposing of assignments and
participations because to do so it will have to assign such securities to a
third party. Because there may not be a liquid market for such investments,
they can probably be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors.
The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse effect on the value
of such investments and a Fund's ability to dispose of particular
participations and assignments when necessary to meet its liquidity needs in
response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for
participations and assignments also may make it more difficult for the Fund to
assign a value to these investments for purposes of valuing the Fund's
portfolio and calculating its net asset value.
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may invest up to 25%, and
CORPORATE BOND may invest up to 15%, of their total assets, in loan
participations and assignments.
32
The government that is the borrower on the loan will be considered by a Fund to
be the issuer of a loan participation or assignment for purposes of its
fundamental investment policy that it may not invest 25% or more of its total
assets in securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities
in the same industry (i.e., foreign government).
BRADY BONDS. Brady Bonds are created through the exchange of existing
commercial bank loans to foreign entities for new obligations in connection
with debt restructurings under a plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of
the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the "Brady Plan"). Brady Bonds have been
issued only recently, and, accordingly, do not have a long payment history.
They may be collateralized or uncollateralized and issued in various currencies
(although most are U.S. Dollar-denominated) and they are actively traded in the
over-the-counter secondary market.
U.S. Dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds, which may be fixed-rate
par bonds or floating rate discount bonds, are generally collateralized in full
as to principal due at maturity by U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations that
have the same maturity as the Brady Bonds. Interest payments on these Brady
Bonds generally are collateralized by cash or securities in an amount that, in
the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of rolling interest
payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at
regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to "value
recovery payments" in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute
supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized. Brady
Bonds are often viewed as having up to four valuation components: (i)
collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity, (ii) collateralized
interest payments, (iii) uncollateralized interest payments, and (iv) any
uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized
amounts constitute the "residual risk"). In the event of a default with respect
to collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations of
the issuer are accelerated, the U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations held as
collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to investors,
nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed. The collateral
will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled maturity of the defaulted
Brady Bonds, which will continue to be outstanding, at which time the face
amount of the collateral will equal the principal payments that would have then
been due on the Brady Bonds in the normal course. In addition, in light of the
residual risk of Brady Bonds and, among other factors, the history of defaults
with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of
countries issuing Brady Bonds, investments in Brady Bonds are to be viewed as
speculative.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. Convertible securities include bonds, debentures,
corporate notes and preferred stocks that are convertible into common stock.
Prior to conversion, convertible securities have the same general
characteristics as non-convertible debt securities, which provide a stable
stream of income with generally higher yields than those of equity securities
of the same or similar issuers. The price of a convertible security will
normally vary with changes in the price of the underlying stock, although the
higher yield tends to make the convertible security less volatile than the
underlying common stock. As with debt securities, the market value of
convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and increase
as interest rates decline. While convertible securities generally offer lower
interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar
quality, they enable investors to benefit from increases in the market price of
the underlying common stock. Convertible debt securities that are rated Baa or
lower by Moody's or BBB or lower by S&P, Duff & Phelps or Fitch and comparable
unrated securities may share some or all of the risks of debt securities with
those ratings. For a description of these risks, see "Risk
Considerations-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities."
SHORT SALES. A short sale is effected by selling a security that a Fund does
not own, or if the Fund owns the security, it is not to be delivered upon
consummation of the sale. A short sale is "against the box" if a Fund owns or
has the right to obtain without payment securities identical to those sold
short. SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT each may make
short sales only against the box and only for the purpose of deferring
realization of gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition,
each of these Funds may not make a short sale if, as a result, more than 10% of
net assets (taken at market value), with respect to GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
and 10% of total assets, with respect to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, would be
held as collateral for short sales.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may make a short sale in anticipation that the market
price of that security will decline. When the Fund makes a short sale of a
security that it does not own, it must borrow from a broker-dealer the security
sold short and deliver the security to the broker-dealer upon conclusion of the
short sale. The Fund may be required to pay a fee to borrow particular
securities and is often obligated to pay over any payments received on such
borrowed securities. The Fund's obligation to replace the borrowed security
will be secured by collateral deposited with a broker-dealer qualified as a
custodian. Depending on the arrangements the Fund makes with the broker-dealer
from which it borrowed the security regarding remittance of any payments
received by the Fund on such security, the Fund may not receive any payments
(including interest) on its collateral deposited with the broker-dealer.
In order to defer realization of gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may also make short sales "against the box."
The Fund may not make a short sale, if as a result, more than 25% of its total
assets would be held as collateral for short sales.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short
sale and the time a Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a
loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a short-term
capital gain.
33
Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs
described above. Although a Fund's gain is limited to the price at which it
sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
Certain special federal income tax considerations may apply to short sales
entered into by a Fund. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in the
relevant Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. A repurchase agreement arises when a buyer purchases a
security and simultaneously agrees to resell it to the vendor at an agreed-upon
future date, normally a day or a few days later. The resale price is greater
than the purchase price, reflecting an agreed-upon interest rate for the period
the buyer's money is invested in the security. Such agreements permit a Fund to
keep all of its assets at work while retaining "overnight" flexibility in
pursuit of investments of a longer-term nature. A Fund requires continual
maintenance of collateral in an amount equal to, or in excess of, the resale
price. If a vendor defaults on its repurchase obligation, a Fund would suffer a
loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less
than the repurchase price. If a vendor goes bankrupt, a Fund might be delayed
in, or prevented from, selling the collateral for its benefit. There is no
percentage restriction on any Fund's ability to enter into repurchase
agreements, except that SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT may enter into repurchase
agreements on not more than 25% of its total assets. The Funds may enter into
repurchase agreements with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or
"primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York),
although LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT currently enter into repurchase agreements only with their
custodians and such primary dealers.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND DOLLAR ROLLS. Reverse repurchase agreements
involve sales by a Fund of portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by
the Fund to repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price. During
the reverse repurchase agreement period, the Fund continues to receive
principal and interest payments on these securities. Generally, the effect of
such a transaction is that a Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested
in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase
agreement, while it will be able to keep the interest income associated with
those portfolio securities. Such transactions are advantageous only if the
interest cost to a Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the
cost of otherwise obtaining the cash.
Dollar rolls involve sales by a Fund of securities for delivery in the current
month and the Fund's simultaneously contracting to repurchase substantially
similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date. During
the roll period, a Fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities.
A Fund is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the
lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the "drop")
as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale.
Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve the risk that the market
value of the securities a Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement
may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities
under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll files for bankruptcy or
becomes insolvent, a Fund's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be
restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or
receiver, whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities.
Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls are speculative techniques and
are considered borrowings by the Funds. SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT may enter
into reverse repurchase agreements with commercial banks and registered
broker-dealers in order to increase income, in an amount up to 33-1/3% of its
total assets. Under normal circumstances, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT does not
expect to engage in reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls with respect
to greater than 50% of its total assets. Reverse repurchase agreements and
dollar rolls together with any borrowings by GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT will not
exceed 33% of its total assets less liabilities (other than amounts borrowed).
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with
commercial banks and registered broker-dealers in order to increase income, in
an amount up to 25% of its total assets. Reverse repurchase agreements and
dollar rolls together with any borrowings by GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME will not
exceed 25% of its total assets. See "Risk Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. A Fund may make secured loans of portfolio
securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions, provided that cash,
liquid high grade debt securities or bank letters of credit equal to at least
100% of the market value of the securities loaned is deposited and maintained
by the borrower with the Fund. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as
with other secured extensions of credit, consist of possible loss of rights in
the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In determining whether to
lend securities to a particular borrower, Alliance will consider all relevant
facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower. While
securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any income earned
thereon and the Fund may invest any cash collateral in portfolio securities,
thereby earning additional income, or receive an agreed-upon amount of income
from a borrower who has delivered equivalent collateral. Each Fund will have
the right to regain record ownership of loaned securities or equivalent
securities in order to exercise ownership rights such as voting rights,
subscription rights and rights to dividends, interest or distributions. A Fund
may pay reasonable finders', administrative and custodial fees in connection
with a loan. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities in excess of 50%, with
respect to HIGH YIELD, 25%, with respect to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, and 20%, with
34
respect to each of LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME,
WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, of its total assets, nor will a
Fund lend portfolio securities to any officer, director, employee or affiliate
of the Fund or Alliance.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. Subject to any more restrictive applicable investment
policies, none of the Funds will maintain more than 15% of its net assets in
illiquid securities. Illiquid securities generally include (i) direct
placements or other securities that are subject to legal or contractual
restrictions on resale or for which there is no readily available market (e.g.,
when trading in the security is suspended or, in the case of unlisted
securities, when market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or
offers), including many currency swaps and any assets used to cover currency
swaps, (ii) over-the-counter options and assets used to cover over-the-counter
options, and (iii) repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days. Rule
144A securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have
a readily available market are not deemed illiquid. Alliance will monitor the
liquidity of each Fund's Rule 144A portfolio securities under the supervision
of the Directors of that Fund. A Fund that invests in illiquid securities may
not be able to sell such securities and may not be able to realize their full
value upon sale.
INVESTMENT IN OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES. GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest
in other investment companies whose investment objectives and policies are
consistent with those of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest not
more than 10% of its total assets in securities of other investment companies.
In addition, under the 1940 Act the Fund may not own more than 3% of the total
outstanding voting stock of any investment company and not more than 5% of the
value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of any
investment company. If the Fund acquired shares in investment companies,
shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund
(including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such
investment companies (including management and advisory fees).
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. A Fund may, following written notice to its shareholders,
take advantage of other investment practices that are not currently
contemplated for use by the Fund, or are not available but may yet be
developed, to the extent such investment practices are consistent with the
Fund's investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Such
investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that are different from
or exceed those involved in the practices described above.
DEFENSIVE POSITION. For temporary defensive purposes, each Fund may invest in
certain types of short-term, liquid, high grade or high quality (depending on
the Fund) debt securities. These securities may include U.S. Government
securities, qualifying bank deposits, money market instruments, prime
commercial paper and other types of short-term debt securities, including notes
and bonds. For Funds that may invest in foreign countries, such securities may
also include short-term, foreign-currency denominated securities of the type
mentioned above issued by foreign governmental entities, companies and
supranational organizations. For a complete description of the types of
securities in which a Fund may invest while in a temporary defensive position,
see the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER. Portfolio turnover rates are set forth under "Financial
Highlights." These rates of portfolio turnover are greater than those of most
other investment companies. A high rate of portfolio turnover involves
correspondingly greater brokerage and other expenses than a lower rate, which
must be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. High portfolio turnover also
may result in the realization of substantial net short-term capital gains. See
"Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in each Fund's Statement of Additional
Information.
CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT POLICIES
Each Fund has adopted certain fundamental investment policies listed below,
which may not be changed without the approval of its shareholders. Additional
investment restrictions with respect to a Fund are set forth in its Statement
of Additional Information.
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT may not (i) invest more than 5% of its total assets
in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities and
repurchase agreements relating thereto), although up to 25% of the Fund's total
assets may be invested without regard to this restriction, or (ii) invest 25%
or more of its total assets in the securities of any one industry.
U.S. GOVERNMENT may not (i) borrow money except from banks for temporary or
emergency purposes and then only in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of
its total assets at the time the borrowing is made, (ii) make loans to other
persons, (iii) effect a short sale of any security, (iv) purchase securities on
margin, but it may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the
clearance of purchases and sales of securities, or (v) write, purchase or sell
puts, calls or combinations thereof.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT may not (i) invest more than 5% of its total assets
in the securities of any one issuer or own more than 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of such issuer (other than U.S. Government securities),
except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may be invested
without regard to the 5% and 10% limitations, (ii) invest 25% or more of its
total assets in securities of companies engaged principally in any one
industry, except that this restriction does not apply to investments in the
mortgage and mortgage-financed industry (in which more than 25% of the value of
the Fund's total assets will, except for temporary defensive positions, be
invested) or U.S. Government securities, (iii) borrow money except from banks
for emergency or temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value
of the total assets of the Fund, except that the Fund may engage in reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls in an amount up to 50% of the Fund's
total assets, and (iv) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its
assets, except to secure permitted borrowings.
35
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME may not (i) invest more than 5% of the value of its
total assets in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government
securities), except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may
be invested without regard to this limitation, (ii) invest more than 25% of the
value of its total assets in the securities of issuers conducting their
principal business activities in a single industry, except that this limitation
shall not apply to investments in the mortgage and mortgage-financed industry
(in which more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets will, except
for temporary defensive positions, be invested) or U.S. Government securities,
(iii) borrow money except from banks for temporary or emergency purposes,
including the meeting of redemption requests which might require the untimely
disposition of securities, borrowing in the aggregate may not exceed 15%, and
borrowing for purposes other than meeting redemptions may not exceed 5% of the
value of the Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less
liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the borrowing is
made, outstanding borrowings in excess of 5% of the value of the Fund's total
assets will be repaid before any subsequent investments are made, (iv) pledge,
hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except in an amount of
not more than 15% of the value of its total assets to secure borrowings for
temporary or emergency purposes and except as provided in (vi) below, provided,
however, that this limitation does not apply to deposits made in connection
with the entering into and holding of interest rate futures contracts, (v)
invest more than 10% of the value of its total assets in the aggregate in
illiquid securities or other illiquid investments and repurchase agreements
maturing in more than seven days, or (vi) lend its portfolio securities if
immediately after such a loan more than 20% of the value of the Fund's total
assets would be subject to such loans.
WORLD INCOME may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities
of companies engaged principally in any one industry other than the banking
industry except that this restriction does not apply to U.S. Government
securities, (ii) borrow money except from banks for temporary or emergency
purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might require the
untimely disposition of securities; borrowing in the aggregate may not exceed
15%, and borrowing for purposes other than meeting redemptions may not exceed
5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less
liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the borrowing is
made; securities will not be purchased while borrowings in excess of 5% of the
value of the Fund's total assets are outstanding, or (iii) pledge, hypothecate,
mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted
borrowings.
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in
securities of companies engaged principally in any one industry other than the
banking industry, except that this restriction does not apply to U.S.
Government securities, (ii) borrow money except from banks for temporary or
emergency purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might
require the untimely disposition of securities; borrowing in the aggregate may
not exceed 15%, and borrowing for purposes other than meeting redemptions may
not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the amount
borrowed) less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the
borrowing is made; securities will not be purchased while borrowings in excess
of 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets are outstanding, or (iii) pledge,
hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure
permitted borrowings.
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in
securities of companies engaged principally in any one industry other than the
banking industry, except that this restriction does not apply to U.S.
Government securities, (ii) borrow money, except the Fund may, in accordance
with provisions of the 1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after such
borrowing, there is asset coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940 Act,
and (b) borrow for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding
5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, or (iii) pledge, hypothecate,
mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted
borrowings.
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total
assets in securities of companies engaged principally in any one industry
except that this restriction does not apply to U.S. Government securities, (ii)
borrow money, except that the Fund may, in accordance with provisions of the
1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after such borrowing, there is asset
coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940 Act, and (b) borrow for
temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of
the total assets of the Fund, or (iii) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or
otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings.
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in
the securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in any
one industry, except that this restriction does not apply to U.S. Government
securities, (ii) purchase more than 10% of any class of the voting securities
of any one issuer, (iii) borrow money, except the Fund may, in accordance with
provisions of the 1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after such borrowing,
there is asset coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940 Act, (b) borrow
for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value
of the total assets of the Fund, and (c) enter into reverse repurchase
agreements and dollar rolls, (iv) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise
encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings, or (v) purchase a
security if, as a result (unless the security is acquired pursuant to a plan of
reorganization or an offer of exchange), the Fund would own more than 3% of the
total outstanding voting stock of any investment company or more than 5% of the
value of the Fund's net assets would be invested in securities of any one or
more investment companies.
36
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may not (i) borrow money, except the Fund may, in
accordance with provisions of the 1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after
such borrowing there is asset coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940
Act, (b) borrow for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding
5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, and (c) enter into reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls, or (ii) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage
or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings.
CORPORATE BOND may not (i) invest more than 5% of its total assets in the
securities of any one issuer other than U.S. Government securities, or (ii) own
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer.
HIGH YIELD may not (i) invest in any one industry if that investment would make
the Fund's holding in that industry exceed 25% of the Fund's total assets and
(ii) will not make an investment unless, when considering all its other
investments, 75% of the value of its assets would consist of cash, cash items,
U.S. Government Securities, securities of other investment companies and other
securities.
RISK CONSIDERATIONS
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. The value of each Fund's shares will fluctuate with
the value of its investments. The value of each Fund's investments will change
as the general level of interest rates fluctuates. During periods of falling
interest rates, the values of a Fund's securities will generally rise, although
if falling interest rates are viewed as a precursor to a recession, the values
of a Fund's securities may fall along with interest rates. Conversely, during
periods of rising interest rates, the values of a Fund's securities will
generally decline. Changes in interest rates have a greater effect on
fixed-income securities with longer maturities and durations than those with
shorter maturities and durations.
In seeking to achieve a Fund's investment objective, there will be times, such
as during periods of rising interest rates, when depreciation and realization
of capital losses on securities in a Fund's portfolio will be unavoidable.
Moreover, medium- and lower-rated securities and non-rated securities of
comparable quality may be subject to wider fluctuations in yield and market
values than higher-rated securities under certain market conditions. Such
fluctuations after a security is acquired do not affect the cash income
received from that security but will be reflected in the net asset value of a
Fund.
U.S. CORPORATE FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. The U.S. corporate fixed-income
securities in which GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and HIGH YIELD invest may include
securities issued in connection with corporate restructurings such as takeovers
or leveraged buyouts, which may pose particular risks. Securities issued to
finance corporate restructurings may have special credit risks due to the
highly leveraged conditions of the issuer. In addition, such issuers may lose
experienced management as a result of the restructuring. Furthermore, the
market price of such securities may be more volatile to the extent that
expected benefits from the restructuring do not materialize. The Funds may also
invest in U.S. corporate fixed-income securities that are not current in the
payment of interest or principal or are in default, so long as Alliance
believes such investment is consistent with the Fund's investment objectives.
The Funds' rights with respect to defaults on such securities will be subject
to applicable U.S. bankruptcy, moratorium and other similar laws.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT. The securities markets of many foreign countries are
relatively small, with the majority of market capitalization and trading volume
concentrated in a limited number of companies representing a small number of
industries. Consequently, a Fund whose investment portfolio includes such
securities may experience greater price volatility and significantly lower
liquidity than a portfolio invested solely in securities of U.S. companies.
These markets may be subject to greater influence by adverse events generally
affecting the market, and by large investors trading significant blocks of
securities, than is usual in the United States. Securities registration,
custody and settlements may in some instances be subject to delays and legal
and administrative uncertainties. Furthermore, foreign investment in the
securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to
varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude
investment in certain securities and may increase the cost and expenses of a
Fund. In addition, the repatriation of investment income, capital or the
proceeds of sales of securities from certain of the countries is controlled
under regulations, including in some cases the need for certain advance
government notification or authority, and if a deterioration occurs in a
country's balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions
on foreign capital remittances. A Fund could also be adversely affected by
delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for
repatriation, as well as by the application to it of other restrictions on
investment. Investing in local markets may require a Fund to adopt special
procedures or seek local governmental approvals or other actions, any of which
may involve additional costs to a Fund. The liquidity of a Fund's investments
in any country in which any of these factors exists could be affected, and
Alliance will monitor the effect of any such factor or factors on a Fund's
investments. Furthermore, transaction costs including brokerage commissions for
transactions both on and off the securities exchanges in many foreign countries
are generally higher than in the U.S.
Issuers of securities in foreign jurisdictions are generally not subject to the
same degree of regulation as are U.S. issuers with respect to such matters as
insider trading rules, restrictions on market manipulation, shareholder proxy
requirements and timely disclosure of information. The reporting, accounting
and auditing standards of foreign countries may differ, in some cases
significantly, from U.S. standards in important respects, and less information
may be available to investors in foreign securities than to investors in U.S.
securities. Substantially less information is publicly available about certain
non-U.S. issuers than is available about most U.S. issuers.
37
The economies of individual foreign countries may differ favorably or
unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic
product or gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment,
resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Nationalization,
expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes,
government regulation, political or social instability or diplomatic
developments could affect adversely the economy of a foreign country or the
Fund's investments in that country. In the event of nationalization,
expropriation or other confiscation, a Fund could lose its entire investment in
securities in the country involved. In addition, laws in foreign countries
governing business organizations, bankruptcy and insolvency may provide less
protection to security holders such as the Fund than that provided by U.S. laws.
WORLD INCOME may invest a portion of its net assets in securities denominated
in the ECU. There are risks associated with concentration of investments in a
particular region of the world such as Western Europe since the economies and
markets of the countries in the region tend to be interrelated and may be
adversely affected by political, economic and other events in a similar manner.
Alliance believes that, except for currency fluctuations between the U.S.
Dollar and the Canadian Dollar, the matters described above are not likely to
have a material adverse effect on NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME'S
investments in the securities of Canadian issuers or investments denominated in
Canadian Dollars. The factors described above are more likely to have a
material adverse effect on the Fund's investments in the securities of Mexican
and other non-Canadian foreign issuers, including investments in securities
denominated in Mexican Pesos or other non-Canadian foreign currencies. If not
hedged, however, currency fluctuations could affect the unrealized appreciation
and depreciation of Canadian Government securities as expressed in U.S. Dollars.
CURRENCY CONSIDERATIONS. Those Funds that invest some portion of their assets
in securities denominated in, and receive revenues in, foreign currencies will
be adversely affected by reductions in the value of those currencies relative
to the U.S. Dollar. These changes will affect a Fund's net assets,
distributions and income. If the value of the foreign currencies in which a
Fund receives income falls relative to the U.S. Dollar between receipt of the
income and the making of Fund distributions, a Fund may be required to
liquidate securities in order to make distributions if the Fund has
insufficient cash in U.S. Dollars to meet the distribution requirements that
the Fund must satisfy to qualify as a regulated investment company for federal
income tax purposes. Similarly, if an exchange rate declines between the time a
Fund incurs expenses in U.S. Dollars and the time cash expenses are paid, the
amount of the currency required to be converted into U.S. Dollars in order to
pay expenses in U.S. Dollars could be greater than the equivalent amount of
such expenses in the currency at the time they were incurred. In light of these
risks, a Fund may engage in certain currency hedging transactions, which
themselves, involve certain special risks. See "Additional Investment
Practices" above.
SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS. No established secondary markets may exist for many
of the sovereign debt obligations in which GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL
STRATEGIC INCOME will invest. Reduced secondary market liquidity may have an
adverse effect on the market price and a Fund's ability to dispose of
particular instruments when necessary to meet its liquidity requirements or in
response to specific economic events such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the issuer. Reduced secondary market liquidity for certain
sovereign debt obligations may also make it more difficult for a Fund to obtain
accurate market quotations for the purpose of valuing its portfolio. Market
quotations are generally available on many sovereign debt obligations only from
a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of
those dealers or prices for actual sales.
By investing in sovereign debt obligations, the Funds will be exposed to the
direct or indirect consequences of political, social and economic changes in
various countries. Political changes in a country may affect the willingness of
a foreign government to make or provide for timely payments of its obligations.
The country's economic status, as reflected, among other things, in its
inflation rate, the amount of its external debt and its gross domestic product,
will also affect the government's ability to honor its obligations.
The sovereign debt obligations in which the Funds will invest in many cases
pertain to countries that are among the world's largest debtors to commercial
banks, foreign governments, international financial organizations and other
financial institutions. In recent years, the governments of some of these
countries have encountered difficulties in servicing their external debt
obligations, which led to defaults on certain obligations and the restructuring
of certain indebtedness. Restructuring arrangements have included, among other
things, reducing and rescheduling interest and principal payments by
negotiating new or amended credit agreements or converting outstanding
principal and unpaid interest to Brady Bonds, and obtaining new credit to
finance interest payments. Certain governments have not been able to make
payments of interest on or principal of sovereign debt obligations as those
payments have come due. Obligations arising from past restructuring agreements
may affect the economic performance and political and social stability of those
issuers.
The ability of governments to make timely payments on their obligations is
likely to be influenced strongly by the issuer's balance of payments, including
export performance, and its access to international credits and investments. To
the extent that a country receives payment for its exports in currencies other
than dollars, its ability to make debt payments denominated in dollars could be
adversely affected. To the extent that a country develops a trade deficit, it
will need to depend on continuing loans from foreign governments, multi-lateral
organizations or private commercial banks, aid payments from foreign
governments and on inflows of foreign
38
investment. The access of a country to these forms of external funding may not
be certain, and a withdrawal of external funding could adversely affect the
capacity of a government to make payments on its obligations. In addition, the
cost of servicing debt obligations can be affected by a change in international
interest rates since the majority of these obligations carry interest rates
that are adjusted periodically based upon international rates.
The Funds are permitted to invest in sovereign debt obligations that are not
current in the payment of interest or principal or are in default so long as
Alliance believes it to be consistent with the Funds' investment objectives.
The Funds may have limited legal recourse in the event of a default with
respect to certain sovereign debt obligations it holds. For example, remedies
from defaults on certain sovereign debt obligations, unlike those on private
debt, must, in some cases, be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party
itself. Legal recourse therefore may be significantly diminished. Bankruptcy,
moratorium and other similar laws applicable to issuers of sovereign debt
obligations may be substantially different from those applicable to issuers of
private debt obligations. The political context, expressed as the willingness
of an issuer of sovereign debt obligations to meet the terms of the debt
obligation, for example, is of considerable importance. In addition, no
assurance can be given that the holders of commercial bank debt will not
contest payments to the holders of securities issued by foreign governments in
the event of default under commercial bank loan agreements.
EFFECTS OF BORROWING. A Fund's loan agreements provide for additional
borrowings and for repayments and reborrowings from time to time, and each Fund
that may borrow expects to effect borrowings and repayments at such times and
in such amounts as will maintain investment leverage in an amount approximately
equal to its borrowing target. The loan agreements provide for a selection of
interest rates that are based on the bank's short-term funding costs in the
U.S. and London markets.
Borrowings by a Fund result in leveraging of the Fund's shares of common stock.
Utilization of leverage, which is usually considered speculative, however,
involves certain risks to a Fund's shareholders. These include a higher
volatility of the net asset value of a Fund's shares of common stock and the
relatively greater effect on the net asset value of the shares. So long as a
Fund is able to realize a net return on its investment portfolio that is higher
than the interest expense paid on borrowings, the effect of leverage will be to
cause the Fund's shareholders to realize a higher current net investment income
than if the Fund were not leveraged. On the other hand, interest rates on U.S.
Dollar-denominated and foreign currency-denominated obligations change from
time to time as does their relationship to each other, depending upon such
factors as supply and demand forces, monetary and tax policies within each
country and investor expectations. Changes in such factors could cause the
relationship between such rates to change so that rates on U.S.
Dollar-denominated obligations may substantially increase relative to the
foreign currency-denominated obligations in which the Fund may be invested. To
the extent that the interest expense on borrowings approaches the net return on
a Fund's investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the Fund's
shareholders will be reduced, and if the interest expense on borrowings were to
exceed the net return to shareholders, a Fund's use of leverage would result in
a lower rate of return than if a Fund were not leveraged. Similarly, the effect
of leverage in a declining market could be a greater decrease in net asset
value per share than if the Fund were not leveraged. In an extreme case if a
Fund's current investment income were not sufficient to meet the interest
expense on borrowings, it could be necessary for the Fund to liquidate certain
of its investments, thereby reducing the net asset value of a Fund's shares.
In the event of an increase in rates on U.S. Government securities or other
changed market conditions, to the point where leverage by MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME or NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME could
adversely affect the Funds' shareholders, as noted above, or in anticipation of
such changes, each Fund may increase the percentage of its investment portfolio
invested in U.S. Government securities, which would tend to offset the negative
impact of leverage on Fund shareholders. Each Fund may also reduce the degree
to which it is leveraged by repaying amounts borrowed.
Under the 1940 Act, a Fund is not permitted to borrow unless immediately after
such borrowing there is "asset coverage," as that term is defined and used in
the 1940 Act, of at least 300% for all borrowings of the Fund. In addition,
under the 1940 Act, in the event asset coverage falls below 300%, a Fund must
within three days reduce the amount of its borrowing to such an extent that the
asset coverage of its borrowings is at least 300%. Assuming, for example,
outstanding borrowings representing not more than one-third of a Fund's total
assets less liabilities (other than such borrowings), the asset coverage of the
Fund's portfolio would be 300%; while outstanding borrowings representing 25%
of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (other than such borrowings), the
asset coverage of the Fund's portfolio would be 400%. A Fund will maintain
asset coverage of outstanding borrowings of at least 300% and if necessary
will, to the extent possible, reduce the amounts borrowed by making repayments
from time to time in order to do so. Such repayments could require a Fund to
sell portfolio securities at times considered disadvantageous by Alliance and
such sales could cause the Fund to incur related transaction costs and to
realize gains on securities held for less than three months. Until the start
of a Fund's first tax year beginning after August 5, 1997, not more than 30%
of a Fund's gross income may be derived from the sale or disposition of stocks
and securities held for less than three months to maintain the Fund's tax
status as a regulated investment company. Such gains would limit the ability
of a Fund to sell other securities held for less than three months that a Fund
might wish to sell in the ordinary course of its portfolio management and
thus might adversely affect the Fund's yield. See "Dividends, Distributions
and Taxes."
39
Each of MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL
STRATEGIC INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may borrow to repurchase its
shares or to meet redemption requests. In addition, each Fund may borrow for
temporary purposes (including the purposes mentioned in the preceding sentence)
in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the assets of the Fund.
Borrowings for temporary purposes are not subject to the 300% asset average
limit described above. See "Certain Fundamental Investment Policies."
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY,
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME may also borrow through the use of reverse repurchase agreements, and
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME also through the use of dollar rolls to the extent permitted by the 1940
Act. See "Investment Objectives and Policies-Reverse Repurchase Agreements and
Dollar Rolls."
INVESTMENT IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY. Due to the investment policies of
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, WORLD INCOME and SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET with respect to
investments in the banking industry, those Funds will have greater exposure to
the risk factors which are characteristic of such investments. In particular,
the value of and investment return on each Fund's shares will be affected by
economic or regulatory developments in or related to the banking industry.
Sustained increases in interest rates can adversely affect the availability and
cost of funds for a bank's lending activities, and a deterioration in general
economic conditions could increase the exposure to credit losses. The banking
industry is also subject to the effects of: the concentration of loan
portfolios in particular business such as real estate, energy, agriculture or
high technology-related companies; national and local regulation; and
competition within those industries as well as with other types of financial
institutions. In addition, each Fund's investments in commercial banks located
in several foreign countries are subject to additional risks due to the
combination in such banks of commercial banking and diversified securities
activities. As discussed above, however, the Funds will seek to minimize their
exposure to such risks by investing only in debt securities which are
determined to be of high quality.
SECURITIES RATINGS. The ratings of fixed-income securities by S&P, Moody's,
Duff & Phelps and Fitch are a generally accepted barometer of credit risk. They
are, however, subject to certain limitations from an investor's standpoint. The
rating of an issuer is heavily weighted by past developments and does not
necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag
between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. In addition,
there may be varying degrees of difference in credit risk of securities within
each rating category.
INVESTMENT IN FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES RATED BAA AND BBB. Securities rated Baa
or BBB are considered to have speculative characteristics and share some of the
same characteristics as lower-rated securities, as described below. Sustained
periods of deteriorating economic conditions or of rising interest rates are
more likely to lead to a weakening in the issuer's capacity to pay interest and
repay principal than in the case of higher-rated securities.
INVESTMENT IN LOWER-RATED FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. Lower-rated securities are
subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher-rated
securities. They are also generally considered to be subject to greater market
risk than higher-rated securities, and the capacity of issuers of lower-rated
securities to pay interest and repay principal is more likely to weaken than is
that of issuers of higher-rated securities in times of deteriorating economic
conditions or rising interest rates. In addition, lower-rated securities may be
more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic conditions than
investment grade securities. Securities rated Ba or BB are judged to have
speculative elements or to be predominantly speculative with respect to the
issuer's ability to pay interest and repay principal. Securities rated B are
judged to have highly speculative elements or to be predominantly speculative.
Such securities may have small assurance of interest and principal payments.
Securities rated Baa by Moody's are also judged to have speculative
characteristics.
The market for lower-rated securities may be thinner and less active than that
for higher-rated securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which
these securities can be sold. To the extent that there is no established
secondary market for lower-rated securities, a Fund may experience difficulty
in valuing such securities and, in turn, the Fund's assets.
Alliance will try to reduce the risk inherent in investment in lower-rated
securities through credit analysis, diversification and attention to current
developments and trends in interest rates and economic and political
conditions. However, there can be no assurance that losses will not occur.
Since the risk of default is higher for lower-rated securities, Alliance's
research and credit analysis are a correspondingly more important aspect of its
program for managing a Fund's securities than would be the case if a Fund did
not invest in lower-rated securities. In considering investments for the Fund,
Alliance will attempt to identify those high-yielding securities whose
financial condition is adequate to meet future obligations, has improved, or is
expected to improve in the future. Alliance's analysis focuses on relative
values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage,
earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer.
NON-RATED SECURITIES. Non-rated securities will also be considered for
investment by NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, CORPORATE BOND and HIGH YIELD when Alliance believes
that the financial condition of the issuers of such securities, or the
protection afforded by the terms of the securities themselves, limits the risk
to the Fund to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are
consistent with the Fund's objective and policies.
40
NON-DIVERSIFIED STATUS. Each of WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME is a "non-diversified" investment
company, which means the Fund is not limited in the proportion of its assets
that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. However, each Fund
intends to conduct its operations so as to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated
investment company" for purposes of the Code, which will relieve the Fund of
any liability for federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed
to shareholders. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in each Fund's
Statement of Additional Information. To so qualify, among other requirements,
each Fund will limit its investments so that, at the close of each quarter of
the taxable year, (i) not more than 25% of the Fund's total assets will be
invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (ii) with respect to 50% of
its total assets, not more than 5% of its total assets will be invested in the
securities of a single issuer and the Fund will not own more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. A Fund's investments in U.S.
Government securities are not subject to these limitations. Because each of
WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME is a
non-diversified investment company, it may invest in a smaller number of
individual issuers than a diversified investment company, and an investment in
such Fund may, under certain circumstances, present greater risk to an investor
than an investment in a diversified investment company.
Foreign government securities are not treated like U.S. Government securities
for purposes of the diversification tests described in the preceding paragraph,
but instead are subject to these tests in the same manner as the securities of
non-governmental issuers. In this regard sovereign debt obligations issued by
different issuers located in the same country are often treated as issued by a
single issuer for purposes of these diversification tests. Certain issuers of
structured securities and loan participations may be treated as separate
issuers for the purposes of these tests. Accordingly, in order to meet the
diversification tests and thereby maintain its status as a regulated investment
company, each of GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME
will be required to diversify its portfolio of foreign government securities in
a manner which would not be necessary if the Fund had made similar investments
in U.S. Government securities.
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES
_______________________________________________________________________________
HOW TO BUY SHARES
You can purchase shares of any of the Funds at a price based on the next
calculated net asset value after receipt of a proper purchase order either
through broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries, or directly
through Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. ("AFD"), each Fund's principal
underwriter. The minimum initial investment in each Fund (except WORLD INCOME)
is $250. The minimum for subsequent investments in each Fund is $50.
Investments of $25 or more are allowed under the automatic investment program
of each Fund. Share certificates are issued only upon request. See the
Subscription Application and Statements of Additional Information for more
information.
Existing shareholders may make subsequent purchases by electronic funds
transfer if they have completed the Telephone Transactions section of the
Subscription Application or the Shareholder Options form obtained from Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. ("AFS"), each Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend
disbursing agent. Telephone purchase orders can be made by calling (800)
221-5672 and may not exceed $500,000.
Each Fund (except WORLD INCOME) offers three classes of shares through this
Prospectus, Class A, Class B and Class C. WORLD INCOME offers only one class of
shares, which may be purchased without any initial sales charge or contingent
deferred sales charge ("CDSC"). The Funds may refuse any order to purchase
shares. In this regard, the Funds reserve the right to restrict purchases of
Fund shares (including through exchanges) when they appear to evidence a
pattern of frequent purchases and sales made in response to short-term
considerations.
CLASS A SHARES-INITIAL SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class A shares at net asset value plus an initial sales
charge, as follows:
Initial Sales Charge
as % of Commission to
Net Amount as % of Dealer/Agent as %
Amount Purchased Invested Offering Price of Offering Price
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than $100,000 4.44% 4.25% 4.00%
$100,000 to less than $250,000 3.36 3.25 3.00
$250,000 to less than $500,000 2.30 2.25 2.00
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000 1.78 1.75 1.50
On purchases of $1,000,000 or more, you pay no initial sales charge but may pay
a CDSC equal to 1% of the lesser of net asset value at the time of redemption
or original cost if you redeem within one year; Alliance may pay the dealer or
agent a fee of up to 1% of the dollar amount purchased. Certain purchases of
Class A shares may qualify for reduced or eliminated sales charges in
accordance with a Fund's Combined Purchase Privilege, Cumulative Quantity
Discount, Statement of Intention, Privilege for Certain Retirement Plans,
Reinstatement Privilege and Sales at Net Asset Value programs. Consult the
Subscription Application and Statements of Additional Information.
41
CLASS B SHARES-DEFERRED SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class B shares at net asset value without an initial sales
charge. However, you may pay a CDSC if you redeem shares within three years
(four years in the case of GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and HIGH YIELD) after
purchase. The amount of the CDSC (expressed as a percentage of the lesser of
the current net asset value or original cost) will vary according to the number
of years from the purchase of Class B shares until the redemption of those
shares.
The amount of the CDSC for each Fund is as set forth below. Class B shares of a
Fund purchased prior to the date of this Prospectus may be subject to a
different CDSC schedule, which was disclosed in the Fund's prospectus in use at
the time of purchase and is set forth in the Fund's current Statement of
Additional Information.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and HIGH YIELD:
Year Since Purchase CDSC
First 4.00%
Second 3.00%
Third 2.00%
Fourth 1.00%
Fifth and thereafter None
ALL OTHER FUNDS:
Year Since Purchase CDSC
First 3.0%
Second 2.0%
Third 1.0%
Fourth and thereafter None
Class B shares are subject to higher distribution fees than Class A shares for
a period of six years, eight years in the case of GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and
HIGH YIELD, (after which they convert to Class A shares). The higher fees mean
a higher expense ratio, so Class B shares pay correspondingly lower dividends
and may have a lower net asset value than Class A shares.
CLASS C SHARES-ASSET-BASED SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class C shares without any initial sales charge. A Fund will
thus receive the full amount of your purchase, and, if you hold your shares for
one year or more, you will receive the entire net asset value of your shares
upon redemption. Class C shares incur higher distribution fees than Class A
shares and do not convert to any other class of shares of the Fund. The higher
fees mean a higher expense ratio, so Class C shares pay correspondingly lower
dividends and may have a lower net asset value than Class A shares.
Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC
equal to 1% of the lesser of their original cost or net asset value at the time
of redemption.
APPLICATION OF THE CDSC
Shares obtained from dividend or distribution reinvestment are not subject to
the CDSC. The CDSC is deducted from the amount of the redemption and is paid to
AFD. The CDSC will be waived on redemptions of shares following the death or
disability of a shareholder, to meet the requirements of certain qualified
retirement plans or pursuant to a monthly, bimonthly or quarterly systematic
withdrawal plan. See the Statements of Additional Information.
HOW THE FUNDS VALUE THEIR SHARES
The net asset value of each class of shares of a Fund is calculated by dividing
the value of the Fund's net assets allocable to that class by the outstanding
shares of that class. Shares are valued each day the Exchange is open as of the
close of regular trading (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The securities in
a Fund are valued at their current market value determined on the basis of
market quotations or, if such quotations are not readily available, such other
methods as the Fund's Directors or Trustees believe accurately reflect fair
market value.
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
Certain employee benefit plans, including employer-sponsored tax-qualified
401(k) plans and other defined contribution retirement plans ("Employee Benefit
Plans"), may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of
shares of the Funds, including maximum and minimum initial investment
requirements, that are different from those described in this Prospectus. Such
Employee Benefit Plans may also not offer all Classes of shares of the Funds.
In addition, the Class A, Class B and Class C CDSC may be waived for
investments made through such Employee Benefit Plans.
GENERAL
The decision as to which class of shares is most beneficial to you depends on
the amount and intended length of your investment. If you are making a large
investment, thus qualifying for a reduced sales charge, you might consider
Class A shares. If you are making a smaller investment, you might consider
Class B shares because 100% of your purchase is invested immediately. If you
are unsure of the length of your investment, you might consider Class C shares
because there is no initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held
for one year or more, no CDSC. Consult your financial agent. Dealers and agents
may receive differing compensation for selling Class A, Class B or Class C
shares. There is no size limit on purchases of Class A shares. The maximum
purchase of Class B shares is $250,000. The maximum purchase of Class C shares
is $1,000,000.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and HIGH YIELD FUND offer a fourth class of shares,
Advisor Class shares, by means of separate prospectuses. Advisor Class shares
may be purchased and held solely by (i) accounts established under a fee-based
program sponsored and maintained by a registered broker-dealer or other
financial intermediary and approved by AFD, (ii) a self-directed defined
contribution employee benefit plan (e.g., a 401(k) plan) that has at least
1,000 participants or $25 million in assets and (iii) certain other categories
of investors described in the prospectuses for the Advisor Class, including
investment advisory clients of, and certain other persons associated with,
Alliance and its affiliates or the Funds. Advisor Class shares are offered
without any initial sales charge or CDSC and without an ongoing distribution
fee and are expected, therefore, to have different performance than Class A,
Class B or Class C shares. You may obtain more information about Advisor Class
shares by contacting AFS at (800) 221-5672 or by contacting your financial
representative.
A transaction, service, administrative or other similar fee may be charged by
your broker-dealer, agent, financial intermediary or other financial
representative with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Class A,
Class B or Class C shares made through such financial representative. Such
financial intermediaries may also impose requirements with respect to the
purchase, sale or exchange of shares that are different from, or in addition
to, those imposed by a Fund, including requirements as to the minimum initial
and subsequent investment amounts.
In addition to the discount or commission paid to dealers or agents, AFD from
time to time pays additional cash or other incentives to dealers or agents,
including EQ Financial Consultants Inc., an affiliate of AFD, in connection
with the sale of shares of the Funds. Such additional amounts may be utilized,
in whole or in part, in some cases together with other revenues of such dealers
or agents, to provide additional compensation to registered representatives who
sell shares of
42
the Funds. On some occasions, such cash or other incentives will be conditioned
upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of the shares of a Fund
and/or other Alliance Mutual Funds during a specific period of time. Such
incentives may take the form of payment for attendance at seminars, meals,
sporting events or theater performances, or payment for travel, lodging and
entertainment incurred in connection with travel by persons associated with a
dealer or agent and their immediate family members to urban or resort locations
within or outside the United States. Such dealer or agent may elect to receive
cash incentives of equivalent amount in lieu of such payments.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any day the
Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial intermediary. The
price you will receive is the net asset value (less any applicable CDSC) next
calculated after the Fund receives your request in proper form. Proceeds
generally will be sent to you within seven days. However, for shares recently
purchased by check or electronic funds transfer, a Fund will not send proceeds
until it is reasonably satisfied that the check or electronic funds transfer
has been collected (which may take up to 15 days).
SELLING SHARES THROUGH YOUR BROKER
Your broker must receive your request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, and your
broker must transmit your request to the Fund by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, for
you to receive that day's net asset value (less any applicable CDSC). Your
broker is responsible for furnishing all necessary documentation to a Fund and
may charge you for this service.
SELLING SHARES DIRECTLY TO A FUND
Send a signed letter of instruction or stock power form to AFS, along with
certificates, if any, that represent the shares you want to sell. For your
protection, signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, a member firm of a
national stock exchange or other eligible guarantor institution. Stock power
forms are available from your financial intermediary, AFS and many commercial
banks. Additional documentation is required for the sale of shares by
corporations, intermediaries, fiduciaries and surviving joint owners. For
details contact:
Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 1520
Secaucus, NJ 07096-1520
(800) 221-5672
Alternatively, a request for redemption of shares for which no stock
certificates have been issued can also be made by telephone to (800) 221-5672.
Telephone redemption requests must be made by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund
business day in order to receive that day's net asset value, and, except for
certain omnibus accounts, may be made only once in any 30-day period. A
shareholder who has completed the Telephone Transactions section of the
Subscription Application, or the Shareholder Options form obtained from AFS,
can elect to have the proceeds of his or her redemption sent to his or her bank
via an electronic funds transfer. Proceeds of telephone redemptions also may be
sent by check to a shareholder's address of record. Redemption requests by
electronic funds transfer may not exceed $100,000 and redemption requests by
check may not exceed $50,000. Telephone redemption is not available for shares
held in nominees or "street name" accounts or retirement plan accounts or
shares held by a shareholder who has changed his or her address of record
within the previous 30 calendar days.
GENERAL
The sale of shares is a taxable transaction for federal tax purposes. Under
unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment for
up to seven days or longer, as permitted by federal securities law. The Funds
reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has remained
below $200 for 90 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to
increase the account value before the account is closed.
During drastic economic or market developments, you might have difficulty
reaching AFS by telephone, in which event you should issue written instructions
to AFS. AFS is not responsible for the authenticity of telephonic requests to
purchase, sell or exchange shares. AFS will employ reasonable procedures to
verify that telephone requests are genuine, and could be liable for losses
resulting from unauthorized transactions if it failed to do so. Dealers and
agents may charge a commission for handling telephonic requests. The telephone
service may be suspended or terminated at any time without notice.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
AFS offers a variety of shareholder services. For more information about these
services or your account, call AFS's toll-free number, (800) 221-5672. Some
services are described in the attached Subscription Application. A shareholder
manual explaining all available services will be provided upon request. To
request a shareholder manual, call (800) 227-4618.
HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
You may exchange your shares of WORLD INCOME for Class A shares of other
Alliance Mutual Funds and shares of most Alliance money market funds. You may
exchange your shares of any other Fund for shares of the same class of other
Alliance Mutual Funds (including AFD Exchange Reserves, a money market fund
managed by Alliance). Exchanges of shares are made at the net asset values next
determined, without sales or service charges. Exchanges may be made by
telephone or written request. Telephone exchange requests must be received by
AFS by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day in order to receive that
day's net asset value.
43
Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges for the purpose of
determining the CDSC, if any, upon redemption and, in the case of Class B
shares, for the purpose of conversion to Class A shares. After an exchange,
your Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares in accordance
with the conversion schedule applicable to the Class B shares of the Alliance
Mutual Fund you originally purchased for cash ("original shares"). When
redemption occurs, the CDSC applicable to the original shares is applied.
Please read carefully the prospectus of the mutual fund into which you are
exchanging before submitting the request. Call AFS at (800) 221-5672 to
exchange uncertificated shares. An exchange is a taxable capital transaction
for federal tax purposes. The exchange service may be changed, suspended, or
terminated on 60 days' written notice.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
_______________________________________________________________________________
ADVISER
Alliance, which is a Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at
1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been retained under
an advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") to provide investment advice
and, in general, to conduct the management and investment program of each Fund,
subject to the general supervision and control of the Directors or Trustees of
the Fund.
Alliance is a leading international investment manager supervising client
accounts with assets as of June 30, 1997 totaling more than $199 billion (of
which more than $71 billion represented the assets of investment companies).
Alliance's clients are primarily major corporate employee benefit funds, public
employee retirement systems, investment companies, foundations and endowment
funds. The 54 registered investment companies managed by Alliance comprising
116 separate investment portfolios currently have over two million
shareholders. As of June 30, 1997, Alliance was retained as an investment
manager for 29 of the Fortune 100 companies.
Alliance Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC"), the sole general partner of,
and the owner of a 1% general partnership interest in, Alliance, is an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United
States ("Equitable"), one of the largest life insurance companies in the United
States, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Equitable Companies
Incorporated, a holding company controlled by AXA, a French insurance holding
company. Certain information concerning the ownership and control of Equitable
by AXA is set forth in each Fund's Statement of Additional Information under
"Management of the Fund."
The following table lists the person or persons who are primarily responsible
for the day-to-day management of each Fund's portfolio, the length of time that
each person has been primarily responsible, and each person's principal
occupation during the past five years.
Principal occupation
Employee; time period; during the past
Fund title with ACMC five years
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short-Term U.S. Patricia J. Young since 1995 Associated with
Government -Senior Vice President Alliance.
Jeffrey S. Phlegar (see above)
since 1997-(see above)
U.S. Government Wayne D. Lyski since 1983 Associated with
-Executive Vice President Alliance.
Patricia J. Young since 1997 (see above)
-(see above)
Jeffrey S. Phlegar Associated with
since 1997-Vice President Alliance.
Limited Maturity Patricia J. Young (see above)
Government since inception-(see above)
Jeffrey S. Phlegar (see above)
since 1997-(see above)
Mortgage Securities Patricia J. Young since (see above)
Income 1992-(see above)
Jeffrey S. Phlegar (see above)
since 1997-(see above)
World Income Douglas J. Peebles since Associated with
inception-Vice President Alliance.
Short-Term Douglas J. Peebles since (see above)
Multi-Market 1995-(see above)
Multi-Market Strategy Douglas J. Peebles since (see above)
inception-(see above)
North American Wayne D. Lyski since inception (see above)
Government Income -(see above)
Global Dollar Wayne D. Lyski since inception (see above)
Government -(see above)
Global Strategic Wayne D. Lyski since inception (see above)
Income -(see above)
Douglas J. Peebles since (see above)
inception-(see above)
Corporate Bond Wayne D. Lyski since (see above)
1987-(see above)
Paul J. DeNoon since (see above)
January 1992-(see above)
High Yield Wayne C. Tappe Associated with
since 1991-Vice President* Alliance.
Nelson Jantzen Associated with
since 1991-Senior Alliance.
Vice President*
* ASSOCIATED WITH EQUITABLE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION ("EQUITABLE
CAPITAL") PRIOR TO JULY 22, 1993. ON THAT DATE ALLIANCE ACQUIRED THE BUSINESS
AND SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THE ASSETS OF EQUITABLE CAPITAL.
PERFORMANCE OF A SIMILARLY MANAGED PORTFOLIO
Alliance is the investment adviser of a portfolio (the "Historical Portfolio")
of a registered investment company, sold only to separate accounts of insurance
companies in connection with variable life insurance contracts and variable
annuities certificates and contracts (the "Contracts"), that has substantially
the same investment objective and policies and has been managed in accordance
with essentially the same
44
investment strategies and techniques as those contemplated for the HIGH YIELD
FUND. See "Description of the Funds." Alliance since July 22, 1993, and prior
thereto, Equitable Capital, whose advisory business Alliance acquired on that
date, have served as investment adviser to the Historical Portfolio since its
inception in 1987.
The following tables set forth performance results for the Historical Portfolio
since its inception (January 2, 1987), together with those of the Lipper High
Current Yield Mutual Funds Average as a comparative benchmark. As of February
28, 1997, the assets in the Historical Portfolio totalled approximately $234
million. The data below does not represent the performance of the Fund.
The performance data does not reflect account charges applicable to the
Contracts or imposed at the insurance company separate account level. In
addition, the performance data does not reflect the Fund's estimated higher
expenses, which, if reflected, would lower the performance of the Historical
Portfolio. The performance data have not been adjusted for taxes, if any,
payable with respect to the Historical Portfolio. The rates of return shown for
the Historical Portfolio are not an estimate or guarantee of future investment
performance of the Fund.
The Lipper High Current Yield Bond Funds Average is a survey of the performance
of a large number of mutual funds the investment objective of each of which is
similar to that of the Fund. This survey is published by Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc. ("Lipper"), a firm recognized for its reporting of performance
of actively managed funds. According to Lipper, performance data are presented
net of investment management fees, operating expenses and, for funds with Rule
12b-1 plans, asset-based sales charges.
The performance results presented below are based on percent changes in net
asset values of the Historical Portfolio with dividends and capital gains
reinvested. Cumulative rates of return reflect performance over a stated period
of time. Annualized rates of return represent the rate of growth that would
have produced the corresponding cumulative return had performance been constant
over the entire period.
ANNUALIZED RATES OF RETURN
PERIODS ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1997
-------------------------------
PORTFOLIO/BENCHMARK 1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION*
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historical Portfolio 21.06% 13.25% 14.85% 11.78% 11.62%
Lipper High Current Yield
Mutual Funds Average 13.38 8.47 11.42 9.27 9.57
CUMULATIVE RATES OF RETURN
PERIODS ENDING FEBRUARY 28, 1997
--------------------------------
PORTFOLIO/BENCHMARK 1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION*
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historical Portfolio 21.06% 45.24% 99.87% 204.39% 205.67%
Lipper High Current Yield
Mutual Funds Average 13.38 27.72 71.98 144.71 153.00
* JANUARY 2, 1987
EXPENSES OF THE FUND
In addition to the payments to Alliance under the Advisory Agreement with HIGH
YIELD, HIGH YIELD pays certain other costs, including (i) custody, transfer and
dividend disbursing expenses, (ii) fees of the Directors who are not affiliated
with Alliance, (iii) legal and auditing expenses, (iv) clerical, accounting and
other office costs, (v) costs of printing the Fund's prospectuses and
shareholder reports, (vi) costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, (vii)
interest charges, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, (viii) costs of
stationary and supplies, (ix) expenses and fees related to registration and
filing with the Commission and with state regulatory authorities, and (x) upon
the approval of the Board of Directors, costs of personnel of Alliance or its
affiliates rendering clerical, accounting and other office services and (xi)
such promotional, shareholder servicing and other expenses as may be
contemplated by the Distribution Services Agreement, described below.
DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENTS
Rule 12b-1 adopted by the Commission under the 1940 Act permits an investment
company to pay expenses associated with the distribution of its shares in
accordance with a duly adopted plan. Each Fund has adopted one or more "Rule
12b-1 plans" (for each Fund, a "Plan") and has entered into a Distribution
Services Agreement (the "Agreement") with AFD. Pursuant to its Plan, a Fund
pays to AFD a Rule 12b-1 distribution services fee, which may not exceed for
each Fund other than WORLD INCOME an annual rate of .30% (.50% with respect to
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT) of the Fund's aggregate average daily net assets
attributable to the Class A shares, 1.00% of the Fund's aggregate average daily
net assets attributable to the Class B shares and 1.00% of the Fund's aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to the Class C shares, and for WORLD
INCOME may not exceed an annual rate of .90% of the Fund's aggregate average
daily net assets, for distribution expenses. The Trustees of SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT currently limit payments with respect to Class A shares under the
Plan to .30% of the Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to
Class A shares. The Plans provide that a portion of the distribution services
fee in an amount not to exceed .25% of the aggregate average daily net assets
of each Fund attributable to each class of shares constitutes a service fee
used for personal service and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts.
The Plans provide that AFD will use the distribution services fee received from
a Fund in its entirety for payments (i) to compensate broker-dealers or other
persons for providing distribution assistance, (ii) to otherwise promote the
sale of shares of the Fund, and (iii) to compensate broker-dealers, depository
institutions and other financial intermediaries for providing administrative,
accounting and other services with respect to the Fund's shareholders. In this
regard, some payments under the Plans are used to compensate financial
intermediaries with trail or maintenance commissions in an amount equal to,
with respect to each Fund other than WORLD INCOME, .25%, annualized, with
respect to Class A shares and
45
Class B shares, and 1.00%, annualized, with respect to Class C shares, and,
with respect to WORLD INCOME, .90%, annualized, of the assets maintained in a
Fund by their customers. Distribution services fees received from the Funds,
except SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, with respect to Class A shares will not
be used to pay any interest expenses, carrying charges or other financing
costs or allocation of overhead of AFD. Distribution services fees received
from the Funds, with respect to Class B and Class C shares, may be used for
these purposes. The Plans also provide that Alliance may use its own
resources to finance the distribution of each Fund's shares.
The Funds are not obligated under the Plans to pay any distribution services
fee in excess of the amounts set forth above. Except as noted below for
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, with respect to Class A shares of each Fund,
distribution expenses accrued by AFD in one fiscal year may not be paid from
distribution services fees received from the Fund in subsequent fiscal years.
AFD's compensation with respect to Class B and Class C shares under the Plans
of the other Funds is directly tied to the expenses incurred by AFD. Actual
distribution expenses for Class B and Class C shares for any given year,
however, will probably exceed the distribution services fees payable under the
applicable Plan with respect to the class involved and, in the case of Class B
and Class C shares, payments received from CDSCs. The excess will be carried
forward by AFD and reimbursed from distribution services fees payable under the
Plan with respect to the class involved and, in the case of Class B and Class C
shares, payments subsequently received through CDSCs, so long as the Plan is in
effect. Since AFD's compensation under the Plan of SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT
is not directly tied to its expenses incurred, the amount of compensation
received by it during any year may be more or less than its actual expenses.
Unreimbursed distribution expenses incurred as of the end of each Fund's most
recently completed fiscal year, and carried over for reimbursement in future
years in respect of the Class B and Class C shares for all Funds (except
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT), were, as of that time, as follows:
Amount of Unreimbursed Distribution Expenses
(as % of Net Assets of Class)
-----------------------------------------------
Class B Class C
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Government $ 8,593,091 (1.56%) $3,589,130 (2.63%)
Limited Maturity Government $ 472,895 (.73%) $2,677,214 (4.92%)
Mortgage Securities Income $12,491,371 (2.79%) $2,688,747 (6.50%)
Short-Term Multi-Market $26,166,892 (6.40%) $1,343,129 (20.59%)
Multi-Market Strategy $ 9,610,982 (9.58%) $ 454,910 (57.38%)
North American
Government Income $35,196,166 (2.88%) $3,291,519 (1.40%)
Global Dollar Government $ 2,214,590 (2.54%) $ 460,747 (2.29%)
Corporate Bond $ 9,163,392 (2.23%) $2,093,526 (1.77%)
Global Strategic Income $ 131,691 (53.37%) $ 84,063 (37.53%)
High Yield* $ 1,679,237 (8.5%) $ 79,092 (2.36%)
* FOR THE FISCAL PERIOD APRIL 22, 1997 (COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS) THROUGH
AUGUST 31, 1997.
The Plans are in compliance with rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. which effectively limit the annual asset-based sales
charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on a class of shares to
.75% and .25%, respectively, of the average annual net assets attributable to
that class. The rules also limit the aggregate of all front-end, deferred and
asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to a class of shares by a mutual
fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of cumulative gross sales of
shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum.
The Glass-Steagall Act and other applicable laws may limit the ability of a
bank or other depository institution to become an underwriter or distributor of
securities. However, in the opinion of the Funds' management, based on the
advice of counsel, these laws do not prohibit such depository institutions from
providing services for investment companies such as the administrative,
accounting and other services referred to in the Agreements. In the event that
a change in these laws prevented a bank from providing such services, it is
expected that other service arrangements would be made and that shareholders
would not be adversely affected. The State of Texas requires that shares of a
Fund may be sold in that state only by dealers or other financial institutions
that are registered there as broker-dealers.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
_______________________________________________________________________________
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends on shares of a Fund will be declared on each Fund business day from
the Fund's net investment income. Dividends on shares for Saturdays, Sundays
and holidays will be declared on the previous business day. Each Fund pays
dividends on its shares after the close of business on the twentieth day of
each month or, if such day is not a business day, the first business day
thereafter. At your election (which you may change at least 30 days prior to
the record date for a particular dividend or distribution), dividends and
distributions are paid in cash or reinvested without charge in additional
shares of the same class having an aggregate net asset value as of the payment
date of the dividend or distribution equal to the cash amount thereof.
If you receive an income dividend or capital gains distribution in cash you
may, within 120 days following the date of its payment, reinvest the dividend
or distribution in additional shares of that Fund without charge by returning
to Alliance, with appropriate instructions, the check representing such
dividend or distribution. Thereafter, unless you otherwise specify, you will be
deemed to have elected to reinvest all subsequent dividends and distributions
in shares of that Fund.
Cash dividends can be paid by check or, if the shareholder so elects,
electronically via the ACH network. There is no sales or other charge in
connection with the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.
Dividends paid by a Fund, if any, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C
shares will be calculated in the same manner at the same time on the same day
and will be in the same amount, except that the higher
46
distribution services fees applicable to Class B and Class C shares, and any
incremental transfer agency costs relating to Class B shares, will be borne
exclusively by the class to which they relate.
While it is the intention of each Fund to distribute to its shareholders
substantially all of each fiscal year's net income and net realized capital
gains, if any, the amount and timing of any such dividend or distribution must
necessarily depend upon the realization by such Fund of income and capital
gains from investments. There is no fixed dividend rate, and there can be no
assurance that a Fund will pay any dividends or realize any capital gains.
If you buy shares just before a Fund deducts a distribution from its net asset
value, you will pay the full price for the shares and then receive a portion of
the price back as a taxable distribution.
FOREIGN INCOME TAXES
Investment income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may
be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. To the extent that
any Fund is liable for foreign income taxes withheld at the source, each Fund
intends, if possible, to operate so as to meet the requirements of the Code to
"pass through" to the Fund's shareholders credits or deductions for foreign
income taxes paid, but there can be no assurance that any Fund will be able to
do so.
U.S. FEDERAL TAXES
Each Fund intends to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated investment company"
under the Internal Revenue Code. So long as a Fund distributes at least 90% of
its income, qualification as a regulated investment company relieves that Fund
of Federal income taxes on that part of its taxable income, including net
capital gains, which it pays out to its shareholders. Dividends out of net
ordinary income and distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable
to the recipient shareholders as ordinary income. In the case of corporate
shareholders, such dividends may be eligible for the dividends-received
deduction, except that the amount eligible for the deduction is limited to the
amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund. A corporation's
dividends-received deduction will be disallowed with respect to a dividend
unless the corporation holds shares in the Fund on the ex-dividend rate and for
at least 45 more days during the 90-day period surrounding the ex-dividend
rate. Furthermore, the dividends-received deduction will be disallowed to the
extent that a corporation's investment in shares of a Fund is financed with
indebtedness.
Pursuant to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, two different tax rates apply to
net capital gains-that is, the excess of net gains from capital assets held for
more than one year ("long-term capital assets") over net losses from capital
assets held for not more than one year ("short-term capital assets"). One rate
(generally 28%) applies to net gains on capital assets held for more than one
year but not more than 18 months ("mid-term gains") and a second, preferred
rate (generally 20%) applies to the balance of such net capital gains
("adjusted net capital gains"). Distributions of net capital gains will be
treated in the hands of shareholders as mid-term gains to the extent designated
by the Fund as deriving from net gains from assets held for more than one year
but not more than 18 months, and the balance will be treated as adjusted net
capital gains. Distributions of mid-term gains and adjusted net capital gains
will be taxable to shareholders as such, regardless of how long a shareholder
has held the shares in the Fund.
Under current federal tax law, the amount of income dividend or capital gains
distribution declared by a Fund during October, November or December of a year
to shareholders of record as of a specified date in such a month that is paid
during January of the following year is includable in the prior year's taxable
income of shareholders that are calendar year taxpayers.
Any dividend or distribution received by a shareholder on shares of a Fund will
have the effect of reducing the net asset value of such shares by the amount of
such dividend or distribution. Furthermore, a dividend or distribution made
shortly after the purchase of such shares by a shareholder, although in effect
a return of capital to that particular shareholder, would be taxable to him or
her as described above. Any loss realized on the sale of shares held six months
or less will be a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain
distributions received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.
A dividend or capital gains distribution with respect to shares of a Fund held
by a tax-deferred or qualified plan, such as an individual retirement account,
403(b)(7) retirement plan or corporate pension or profit-sharing plan, will not
be taxable to the plan. Distributions from such plans will be taxable to
individual participants under applicable tax rules without regard to the
character of the income earned by the qualified plan.
Distributions by a Fund may be subject to state and local taxes. U.S.
GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, WORLD
INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME and CORPORATE BOND are qualified to do business in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and, therefore, are subject to the Pennsylvania
foreign franchise and corporate net income tax in respect of their business
activities in Pennsylvania. Accordingly, shares of such Funds are exempt from
Pennsylvania personal property taxes. These Funds anticipate continuing such
business activities but reserve the right to suspend them at any time,
resulting in the termination of the exemptions.
A Fund will be required to withhold 31% of any payments made to a shareholder
if the shareholder has not provided a certified taxpayer identification number
to the Fund, or the Secretary of the Treasury notifies a Fund that a
shareholder has not reported all interest and dividend income required to be
shown on the shareholder's federal income tax return.
Under certain circumstances, if a Fund realizes losses from fluctuations in
currency exchange rates after paying a dividend, all or a portion of the
dividend may subsequently be characterized as a return of capital. See
"Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in the Statements of Additional
Information.
47
Shareholders will be advised annually as to the federal tax status of dividends
and capital gains distributions made by a Fund for the preceding year.
Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding their own tax
situation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Consistent with the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best price and execution, a Fund may
consider sales of its shares as a factor in the selection of dealers to enter
into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
ORGANIZATION
Each of the following Funds is a Maryland corporation organized in the year
indicated: U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO and CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO (each a
series of Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.) (1973), ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT FUND, INC. (1992), ALLIANCE MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND, INC.
(1983), ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC. (1990), ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM
MULTI-MARKET TRUST, INC. (1989), ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST, INC.
(1991), ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST, INC. (1992), ALLIANCE
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND, INC. (1993), ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME
TRUST, INC. (1995) and ALLIANCE HIGH YIELD FUND, INC. (1996). Prior to March 1,
1996, ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND, INC. was known as Alliance
Mortgage Strategy Trust, Inc. Prior to January 4, 1993, CORPORATE BOND
PORTFOLIO was known as Monthly Income Portfolio. ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT FUND is a series of The Alliance Portfolios, a Massachusetts
business trust that was organized in 1987. Prior to August 2, 1993, The
Alliance Portfolios was known as The Equitable Funds and SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT was known as The Equitable Short-Term U.S. Government Fund.
It is anticipated that annual shareholder meetings will not be held;
shareholder meetings will be held only when required by federal or state law.
Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Directors or
Trustees.
A shareholder in a Fund will be entitled to share pro rata with other holders
of the same class of shares all dividends and distributions arising from the
Fund's assets and, upon redeeming shares, will receive the then current net
asset value of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable
CDSC. The Funds are empowered to establish, without shareholder approval,
additional portfolios, which may have different investment objectives, and
additional classes of shares. If an additional portfolio or class were
established in a Fund, each share of the portfolio or class would normally be
entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally, shares of each portfolio and
class would vote together as a single class on matters, such as the election of
Directors or Trustees, that affect each portfolio and class in substantially
the same manner. Class A, Class B and Class C shares have identical voting,
dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears its own
distribution and transfer agency expenses. Each class of shares votes
separately with respect to a Fund's Rule 12b-1 distribution plan and other
matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law.
Shares are freely transferable, are entitled to dividends as determined by the
Directors and Trustees and, in liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive
the net assets of the Fund. Since this Prospectus sets forth information about
all the Funds, it is theoretically possible that a Fund might be liable for any
materially inaccurate or incomplete disclosure in this Prospectus concerning
another Fund. Based on the advice of counsel, however, the Funds believe that
the potential liability of each Fund with respect to the disclosure in this
Prospectus extends only to the disclosure relating to that Fund. Certain
additional matters relating to a Fund's organization are discussed in its
Statement of Additional Information.
PENDING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME
On July 25, 1995, a Consolidated and Supplemental Class Action Complaint
("Complaint") styled In re ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST,
INC. LITIGATION was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District
of New York against the Fund, Alliance, ACMC, AFD, The Equitable Companies
Incorporated ("ECI"), a parent of the Adviser, and certain current and former
officers and directors of the Fund and ACMC, alleging violations of the federal
securities laws, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the
Fund's investments in Mexican and Argentine securities. The Complaint sought
certification of a plaintiff class of all persons who purchased or owned Class
A, B or C shares of the Fund from March 27, 1992 through December 23, 1994.
Plaintiffs alleged that during 1995 the Fund's losses exceeded $750,000,000 and
sought as relief unspecified damages, costs and attorney's fees. On September
26, 1996, the District Court granted defendants' motion to dismiss the
Complaint as to all claims.
On October 29, 1996, plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to file an amended
complaint. In the proposed amended complaint ("Amended Complaint"), plaintiffs
asserted claims against the Fund, Alliance, ACMC, AFD, ECI, and certain current
and former officers and directors of the Fund and ACMC alleging violations of
federal securities laws, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. The principal
allegations of the Amended Complaint related to the Fund's hedging practices,
the Fund's investments in certain mortgage-backed securities, and the risks and
objectives of the Fund as described in the Fund's marketing materials. The
Amended Complaint made similar request for class certification and damages as
the Complaint. On July 15, 1997, the District Court denied plaintiffs' motion
to file the Amended Complaint and dismissed the case. On August 13, 1997,
plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal of the District Court's denial of their
motion to file the Amended Complaint to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Second Circuit.
48
The Fund and Alliance believe that the allegations in the Complaint and the
Amended Complaint are without merit and intend to defend vigorously against
those claims.
REGISTRAR, TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
AFS, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance, located at 500 Plaza
Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094, acts as each Fund's registrar, transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based upon the number of
shareholder accounts maintained for the Fund. The transfer agency fee with
respect to Class B shares will be higher than the transfer agency fee with
respect to Class A shares or Class C shares.
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
AFD, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance, located at 1345 Avenue of
the Americas, New York, New York 10105, is the principal underwriter of shares
of the Funds.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
From time to time, the Funds advertise their "yield" and "total return," which
are computed separately for Class A, Class B and Class C shares. A Fund's yield
for any 30-day (or one-month) period is computed by dividing the net investment
income per share earned during such period by the maximum public offering price
per share on the last day of the period, and then annualizing such 30-day (or
one-month) yield in accordance with a formula prescribed by the Commission
which provides for compounding on a semi-annual basis. A Fund may also state in
sales literature an "actual distribution rate" for each class which is computed
in the same manner as yield except that actual income dividends declared per
share during the period in question are substituted for net investment income
per share. The actual distribution rate is computed separately for Class A,
Class B and Class C shares. Advertisements of a Fund's total return disclose
its average annual compounded total return for the periods prescribed by the
Commission. A Fund's total return for each such period is computed by finding,
through the use of a formula prescribed by the Commission, the average annual
compounded rate of return over the period that would equate an assumed initial
amount invested to the value of the investment at the end of the period. For
purposes of computing total return, income dividends and capital gains
distributions paid on shares of a Fund are assumed to have been reinvested when
paid and the maximum sales charges applicable to purchases and redemptions of a
Fund's shares are assumed to have been paid. A Fund's advertisements may quote
performance rankings or ratings of a Fund by financial publications or
independent organizations such as Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. and
Morningstar, Inc. or compare a Fund's performance to various indices.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus and the Statements of Additional Information, which have been
incorporated by reference herein, do not contain all the information set forth
in the Registration Statements filed by the Funds with the Commission under the
Securities Act. Copies of the Registration Statements may be obtained at a
reasonable charge from the Commission or may be examined, without charge, at
the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH
OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
THIS PROSPECTUS IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE AN OFFER BY EACH FUND ONLY OF THE
SECURITIES OF WHICH IT IS THE ISSUER AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE AN OFFER
BY ANY FUND OF THE SECURITIES OF ANY OTHER FUND WHOSE SECURITIES ARE ALSO
OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS. NO FUND INTENDS TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO
THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE DISCLOSURE IN THIS PROSPECTUS RELATING TO
ANY OTHER FUND. SEE "GENERAL INFORMATION-ORGANIZATION."
49
APPENDIX A: BOND RATINGS
_______________________________________________________________________________
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
Aaa-Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry
the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt
edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable
margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are
likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair
the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa-Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high
grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of
protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of
protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements
present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than the Aaa
securities.
A-Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are
to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa-Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations, i.e.,
they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payment and
principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great
length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in
fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba-Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their
future cannot be considered as well-assured. Often the protection of interest
and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B-Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of
other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa-Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in
default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or
interest.
Ca-Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a
high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C-Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues so
rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any
real investment standing.
Absence of Rating-When no rating has been assigned or where a rating has been
suspended or withdrawn, it may be for reasons unrelated to the quality of the
issue.
Should no rating be assigned, the reason may be one of the following:
1. An application for rating was not received or accepted.
2. The issue or issuer belongs to a group of securities or companies that are
not rated as a matter of policy.
3. There is a lack of essential data pertaining to the issue or issuer.
4. The issue was privately placed, in which case the rating is not published
in Moody's publications.
Suspension or withdrawal may occur if new and material circumstances arise, the
effects of which preclude satisfactory analysis; if there is no longer
available reasonable up-to-date data to permit a judgment to be formed; if a
bond is called for redemption; or for other reasons.
Note-Moody's applies numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating
classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The
modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic
rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier
3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating
category.
STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS SERVICES
AAA-Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA-Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A-Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
BBB-Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest
and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection
parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for
debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C-Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having
predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and
CCC the highest. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures
to adverse conditions.
CI-The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being
paid.
D-Debt rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when
interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due even if
the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such
payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used
upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are
jeopardized.
Plus (+) or Minus (-)-The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the
addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major
rating categories.
NR-Not rated.
DUFF & PHELPS CREDIT RATING CO.
AAA-Highest credit quality. The risk factors are negligible, being only
slightly more than for risk-free U.S. Treasury debt.
AA+,AA, AA- -High credit quality. Protection factors are strong. Risk is modest
but may vary slightly from time to time because of economic conditions.
A+, A, A- -Protection factors are average but adequate. However, risk factors
are more variable and greater in periods of economic stress.
BBB+, BBB, BBB- -Below average protection factors but still considered
sufficient for prudent investment. Considerable variability in risk during
economic cycles.
BB+, BB, BB- -Below investment grade but deemed likely to meet obligations when
due. Present or prospective financial protection factors fluctuate according to
industry conditions or company fortunes. Overall quality may move up or down
frequently within this category.
B+, B, B- -Below investment grade and possessing risk that obligations will not
be met when due. Financial protection factors will fluctutate widely according
to economic cycles, industry conditions and/or company fortunes. Potential
exists for frequent changes in the rating within this category or into a higher
or lower rating grade
CCC-Well below investment grade securities. Considerable uncertainty exists as
to timely payment of principal or interest. Protection factors are narrow and
risk can be substantial with unfavorable economic/industry conditions, and/or
with unfavorable company developments.
DD-Defaulted debt obligations. Issuer failed to meet scheduled principal and/or
interest payments.
FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE, L.P.
AAA-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality.
The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay
principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
AA-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The
obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong, although
not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds rated in the AAA and AA
categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments,
short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated F- 1+.
A-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The
obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be
strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions
and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality.
The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be
adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however,
are more likely to have adverse impact on these bonds, and therefore impair
timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below
investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings.
BB-Bonds are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to pay interest and
repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic changes. However,
business and financial alternatives can be identified which could assist the
obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
B-Bonds are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class are
currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued
timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's limited margin
of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout
the life of the issue.
CCC-Bonds have certain identifiable characteristics which, if not remedied, may
lead to default.
The ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and economic
environment.
CC-Bonds are minimally protected. Default in payment of interest and/or
principal seems probable over time.
C-Bonds are in imminent default in payment of interest or principal.
DDD, DD, D-Bonds are in default on interest and/or principal payments. Such
bonds are extremely speculative and should be valued on the basis of their
ultimate recovery value in liquidation or reorganization of the obligor. DDD
represents the highest potential for recovery on these bonds, and D represents
the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) Minus (-)-Plus and minus signs are used with a rating symbol to
indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and
minus signs, however, are not used in the AAA, DDD, DD or D categories.
NR-Indicates that Fitch does not rate the specific issue.
A-2
APPENDIX B: GENERAL INFORMATION
ABOUT CANADA, MEXICO AND ARGENTINA
_______________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CANADA
Canada consists of a federation of ten Provinces and two federal territories
(which generally fall under federal authority) with a constitutional division
of powers between the federal and Provincial governments. The Parliament of
Canada has jurisdiction over all areas not assigned exclusively to the
Provincial legislatures, and has jurisdiction over such matters as the federal
public debt and property, the regulation of trade and commerce, currency and
coinage, banks and banking, national defense, the postal services, navigation
and shipping and unemployment insurance.
The Canadian economy is based on the free enterprise system, with business
organizations ranging from small owner-operated businesses to large
multinational corporations. Manufacturing and resource industries are large
contributors to the country's economic output, but as in many other highly
developed countries, there has been a gradual shift from a largely
goods-producing economy to a predominantly service-based one. Agriculture and
other primary production play a small but key role in the economy. Canada is
also an exporter of energy to the United States in the form of natural gas (of
which Canada has substantial reserves) and hydroelectric power, and has
significant mineral resources.
Canadian Dollars are fully exchangeable into U.S. Dollars without foreign
exchange controls or other legal restriction. Since the major developed-country
currencies were permitted to float freely against one another, the range of
fluctuation in the U.S. Dollar/Canadian Dollar exchange rate generally has been
narrower than the range of fluctuation between the U.S. Dollar and most other
major currencies. Between 1991 and 1995, Canada experienced a weakening of its
currency. In January 1995, the Canadian Dollar fell to a nine-year low against
the U.S. Dollar, decreasing in value compared to the U.S. Dollar by
approximately 20% from October 1991. Since January 1996, however, the Canadian
Dollar has remained steady in value against the U.S. Dollar at a level
approximately 3% to 4% above that low. The range of fluctuation that occurred
in the past is not necessarily indicative of the range of fluctuation that
will occur in the future. Future rates of exchange cannot be accurately
predicted.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES
The United Mexican States ("Mexico") is a nation formed by 31 states and a
Federal District (Mexico City). The Political Constitution of Mexico, which
took effect on May 1, 1917, established Mexico as a Federal Republic and
provides for the separation of executive, legislative and judicial branches.
The President and the members of the General Congress are elected by popular
vote.
Over the past decade, the Mexican economy has experienced improvement in a
number of areas, including eight consecutive years (1987-1994) of growth in
gross domestic product and a substantial reduction in the rate of inflation and
in public sector financial deficit. In 1994, Mexico experienced an economic
crisis that led to the devaluation of the Peso in December 1994. Much of the
past improvement in the Mexican economy has been attributable to a series of
economic policy initiatives initiated by the Mexican government over the past
decade, which seek to modernize and reform the Mexican economy, control
inflation, reduce the financial deficit, increase public revenues through the
reform of the tax system, establish a competitive and stable currency exchange
rate, liberalize trade restrictions and increase investment and productivity,
while reducing the government's role in the economy. In this regard, the
Mexican government has been proceeding with a program for privatizing certain
state owned enterprises, developing and modernizing the securities markets,
increasing investment in the private sector and permitting increased levels of
foreign investment. The adoption effective January 1, 1994 by Canada, the
United States and Mexico of the North American Free Trade Agreement could also
contribute to the growth of the Mexican economy.
In 1994 Mexico faced internal and external conditions that resulted in an
economic crisis that continues to affect the Mexican economy adversely. Growing
trade and current account deficits, which could no longer be financed by
inflows of foreign capital, were factors contributing to the crisis. A
weakening economy and unsettling political and social developments caused
investors to lose confidence in the Mexican economy. This resulted in a large
decline in foreign reserves followed by a sharp and rapid devaluation of the
Mexican Peso. The ensuing economic and financial crisis resulted in higher
inflation and domestic interest rates, a contraction in real gross domestic
product and a liquidity crisis.
In response to the adverse economic conditions that developed at the end of
1994, the Mexican government instituted a new economic program; and a new
accord among the government and the business and labor sectors of the economy
was entered into in an effort to stabilize the economy and the financial
markets. To help relieve Mexico's liquidity crisis and restore financial
stability to Mexico's economy, the Mexican government also obtained financial
assistance from the United States, other countries and certain international
agencies conditioned upon the implementation and continuation of the economic
reform program.
B-1
In October 1995, and again in October 1996, the Mexican government
announced new accords designed to encourage economic growth and reduce
inflation. While it cannot be accurately predicted whether these accords will
achieve their objectives, the Mexican economy has stabilized since the
economic crisis of 1994, and the high inflation and high interest rates that
continued to be a factor after 1994 have subsided as well. After declining for
five consecutive quarters beginning with the first quarter of 1995, Mexico's
gross domestic product began to grow in the second quarter of 1996. That
growth was sustained in 1996, resulting in a 5.1% increase from 1995, and,
according to preliminary estimates, continued at the same rate during the
first quarter of 1997, compared with the first quarter of 1996. In addition,
inflation dropped from a 52% annual rate in 1995 to a 27.7% annual rate in
1996. In May 1997, the monthly inflation rate was 0.9%, the first time since
December 1994 that the monthly inflation rate was below 1%. The inflation rate
for the first half of 1997 was 8.7%, compared with 15.3% for the first half of
1996. Mexico's economy may also be influenced by international economic
conditions, particularly those in the United States, and by world prices for
oil and other commodities. The recovery of the economy will require continued
economic and fiscal discipline as well as stable political and social
conditions. There is no assurance that Mexico's economic policy initiatives
will be successful or that succeeding administrations will continue these
initiatives.
In August 1976, the Mexican government established a policy of allowing the
Mexican Peso to float against the U.S. Dollar and other currencies. Under this
policy, the value of the Mexican Peso consistently declined against the U.S.
Dollar. Under economic policy initiatives implemented since December 1987, the
Mexican government introduced a series of schedules allowing for the gradual
devaluation of the Mexican Peso against the U.S. Dollar. These gradual
devaluations continued until December 1994. On December 22, 1994, the Mexican
government announced that it would permit the Peso to float against other
currencies, resulting in a precipitous decline against the U.S. Dollar. By
December 31, 1996, the Peso-Dollar exchange rate had decreased approximately
40% from that on December 22, 1994. In 1996, the average annual Peso-Dollar
exchange rate decreased approximately 15% from that in 1995, which itself had
decreased approximately 47% from that in 1994. The Peso-Dollar exchange rate
has been relatively stable in 1997. On September 30, 1997, the Peso-Dollar
exchange rate was 7.77.
Mexico has in the past imposed strict foreign exchange controls. There is no
assurance that future regulatory actions in Mexico would not affect the Fund's
ability to obtain U.S. Dollars in exchange for Mexican Pesos.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA
The Republic of Argentina ("Argentina") consists of 23 provinces and the
federal capital of Buenos Aires. Its federal constitution provides for an
executive branch headed by a President, a legislative branch and a judicial
branch. Each province has its own constitution, and elects its own governor,
legislators and judges, without the intervention of the federal government.
The military has intervened in the political process on several occasions since
the 1930's and has ruled the country for 22 of the past 65 years. The most
recent military government ruled the country from 1976 to 1983. Four
unsuccessful military uprisings have occurred since 1983, the most recent in
December 1990.
Shortly after taking office in 1989, the country's current President adopted
market-oriented and reformist policies, including a large privatization
program, a reduction in the size of the public sector and an opening of the
economy to international competition.
In the decade prior to the announcement of a new economic plan in March 1991,
the Argentine economy was characterized by low and erratic growth, declining
investment rates and rapidly worsening inflation. Despite its strengths, which
include a well-balanced natural resource base and a high literacy rate, the
Argentine economy failed to respond to a series of economic plans in the
1980's. The 1991 economic plan represented a pronounced departure from its
predecessors in calling for raising revenues, cutting expenditures and reducing
the public deficit. The extensive privatization program commenced in 1989 was
accelerated, the domestic economy deregulated and opened up to foreign trade
and the frame-work for foreign investment reformed. As a result of the economic
stabilization reforms, gross domestic product increased for four consecutive
years before declining in 1995. During 1996, however, gross domestic product
increased 4.3% from 1995. During the first quarter of 1997, gross domestic
product increased 8.1% compared to the first quarter of 1996, and preliminary
data for the third quarter of 1997 indicate an 8.4% increase from the second
quarter of 1996. The rate of inflation is generally viewed to be under control.
Significant progress was also made between 1991 and 1994 in rescheduling
Argentina's debt with both external and domestic creditors, which improved
fiscal cash flows in the medium terms and allowed a return to voluntary credit
markets. Further reforms are currently being implemented in order to sustain
and continue the progress to date. There is no assurance that Argentina's
economic policy initiatives will be successful or that succeeding
administrations will continue these initiatives.
In 1995 economic policy was directed toward the effects of the Mexican currency
crisis. The Mexican currency crisis led to a run on bank deposits, which has
been brought under control by a series of measures designed to strengthen the
financial system. The measures included the "dollarization" of banking
reserves, the establishment of two trust funds and strengthening bank reserve
requirements.
In 1991 the Argentine government enacted currency reforms, which required the
domestic currency to be fully backed by international reserves, in an effort to
make the Argentine Peso fully convertible into the U.S. Dollar at a rate of one
to one.
The Argentine Peso has been the Argentine currency since January 1, 1992. Since
that date, the rate of exchange from the Argentine Peso to the U.S. Dollar has
remained approximately one to one. The fixed exchange rate has been
B-2
instrumental in stabilizing the economy, but has not reduced pressures from
high rates of unemployment. It is not clear that the government will be able to
resist pressure to devalue the currency. However, the historic range is not
necessarily indicative of fluctuations that may occur in the exchange rate over
time and future rates of exchange cannot be accurately predicted. The Argentine
foreign exchange market was highly controlled until December 1989, when a free
exchange rate was established for all foreign currency transactions. Argentina
has eliminated restrictions on foreign direct investment and capital
repatriation. In 1993, legislation was adopted abolishing previous requirements
of a three-year waiting period for capital repatriation. Under the legislation,
foreign investors are permitted to remit profits at any time.
B-3
<PAGE>
[LOGO] ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC
________________________________________________________________
P.O. Box 1520, Secaucus, New Jersey 07096-1520
Toll Free (800) 221-5672
For Literature: Toll Free (800) 227-4618
________________________________________________________________
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
February 28, 1997
(as amended October 31, 1997)
________________________________________________________________
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the Fund's
current Prospectus for Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. (the
"Fund"). A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained by contacting
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or "For Literature"
telephone number shown above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Description of the Fund. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Management of the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Expenses of the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purchase of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Redemption and Repurchase of Shares. . . . . . . . . .
Shareholder Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net Asset Value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes . . . . . . . . . .
Portfolio Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Report of Independent Auditors and
Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A (Obligations of U.S. Government Agencies
or Instrumentalities). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Appendix B (Bond and Commercial Paper Ratings) . . . . B-1
Appendix C (Futures Contracts) . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Appendix D (Additional Information About
The United Mexican States) . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
____________________
(R): This registered service mark used under license from
the owner, Alliance Capital Management L.P.
<PAGE>
________________________________________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION TO THE FUND
The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management
investment company commonly known as a "mutual fund." The
investment objective and policies of the Fund are set forth
below. The Fund's investment objective may not be changed
without shareholder approval. Except as otherwise provided
below, the Fund's investment policies are not designated
"fundamental policies" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act") and may, therefore,
be changed by the Fund's Board of Directors without a shareholder
vote. However, the Fund will not change its investment policies
without contemporaneous written notice to shareholders. There
can be, of course, no assurance that the Fund will achieve its
investment objective.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Fund's investment objective is to seek the highest
level of current income, consistent with what Alliance Capital
Management L.P. (the "Adviser"), the Fund's Adviser, considers to
be prudent investment risk, that is available from a portfolio of
high- quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than one year. The Fund seeks high current yields by
investing in a portfolio of debt securities denominated in the
U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. Accordingly, the
Fund will seek investment opportunities in foreign, as well as
domestic, securities markets. The Fund will maintain at least
35% of its net assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. The
Fund, which is not a money market fund, is designed for the
investor who seeks a higher yield than a money market fund and
less fluctuation in net asset value than a longer-term bond fund.
In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund seeks to
minimize credit risk and fluctuations in net asset value by
investing only in short-term debt securities. Normally, a high
proportion of the Fund's portfolio consists of money market
instruments. The Fund's Adviser actively manages the Fund's
portfolio in accordance with a multi-market investment strategy,
allocating the Fund's investments among securities denominated in
the U.S. Dollar and the currencies of a number of foreign
countries and, within each such country, among different types of
debt securities. The Adviser adjusts the Fund's exposure to each
currency based on its perception of the most favorable markets
and issuers. In this regard, the percentage of assets invested
in securities of a particular country or denominated in a
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<PAGE>
particular currency will vary in accordance with the Adviser's
assessment of the relative yield and appreciation potential of
such securities and the relationship of a country's currency to
the U.S. Dollar. Fundamental economic strength, credit quality
and interest rate trends are the principal factors considered by
the Adviser in determining whether to increase or decrease the
emphasis placed upon a particular type of security or industry
sector within the Fund's investment portfolio. The Fund will not
invest more than 25% of its net assets in debt securities
denominated in a single currency other than the U.S. Dollar.
The returns currently available from short-term foreign
currency-denominated debt instruments can be adversely affected
by changes in exchange rates. The Fund's Adviser believes that
the use of foreign currency hedging techniques, including "cross-
hedges" (see "Investment Practices--Forward Foreign Currency
Exchange Contracts," below), can help protect against declines in
the U.S. Dollar value of income available for distribution to
shareholders and declines in the net asset value of the Fund's
shares resulting from adverse changes in currency exchange rates.
For example, the return available from securities denominated in
a particular foreign currency would diminish in the event the
value of the U.S. Dollar increased against such currency. Such a
decline could be partially or completely offset by an increase in
value of across-hedge involving a forward exchange contract to
sell a different foreign currency, where such contract is
available on terms more advantageous to the Fund than a contract
to sell the currency in which the position being hedged is
denominated. It is the Adviser's belief that cross-hedges can
therefore provide significant protection of net asset value in
the event of a general rise in the U.S. Dollar against foreign
currencies. However, a cross-hedge cannot protect against
exchange rate risks perfectly, and if the Fund's Adviser were
incorrect in its judgment of future exchange rate relationships,
the Fund could be in a less advantageous position than if such a
hedge had not been established.
The Fund invests in debt securities denominated in the
currencies of countries participating in the European Monetary
System ("EMS"). The EMS comprises the commitments of certain
member states of the European Union to jointly manage the
exchange rates of their currencies with the goal of promoting the
harmonization and integration of the economies of the member
states through exchange- rate stability. The nine countries
currently participating in the EMS, and their currencies, are
Belgium (Franc), Denmark (Danish Krone), France (Franc), Germany
(Mark), Great Britain (Pound Sterling), Ireland (Punt), Italy
(Lira), Netherlands (Guilder) and Spain (Peseta). The Fund also
invests in debt securities denominated in the currencies of other
countries whose governments are considered stable by the Adviser.
In addition to the U.S. Dollar, such currencies include, among
3
<PAGE>
others, the Australian Dollar, Austrian Schilling, Canadian
Dollar, Japanese Yen, New Zealand Dollar, Swedish Krona and Swiss
Franc.
An issuer of debt securities purchased by the Fund may
be domiciled in a country other than the country in whose
currency the instrument is denominated. In addition, the Fund
may purchase debt securities denominated in one currency, the
principal amounts of which and value of interest payments on
which are determined with reference (or "linked") to another
currency. The value of these investments may fluctuate inversely
in correlation with changes in the Peso-Dollar exchange rate and
with the general level of interest rates in Mexico, and, when
added to the Fund's investments in Mexican Peso denominated
securities, may exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's net assets.
For a general description of Mexico, see Appendix D.
The Fund may invest in debt securities denominated in
the European Currency Unit ("ECU"), which is a "basket"
consisting of specified amounts of the currencies of certain of
the twelve member states of the European Union, a fifteen-nation
organization engaged in cooperative economic activities. The
specific amounts of currencies comprising the ECU may be adjusted
by the Council of Ministers of the European Union to reflect
changes in relative values of the underlying currencies. The
Fund's Adviser does not believe that such adjustments will
adversely affect holders of ECU- denominated obligations or the
marketability of such securities. European governments and
supranational organizations (discussed below), in particular,
issue ECU-denominated obligations.
The Fund may invest in debt securities issued by
supranational organizations such as: the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (the "World Bank"), which was
chartered to finance development projects in developing member
countries; the European Union; the European Coal and Steel
Community, which is an economic union of various European
nations' steel and coal industries; and the Asian Development
Bank, which is an international development bank established to
lend funds, promote investment and provide technical assistance
to member nations in the Asian and Pacific regions.
The Fund seeks to minimize investment risk by limiting
its portfolio investments to income producing debt securities of
high quality and will invest at least 65% (and normally
substantially all) of its total assets in such securities. The
Fund's portfolio securities will consist only of: (i) debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies or instrumentalities ("U.S. Government Securities");
(ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by a foreign government or
any of its political subdivisions, authorities, agencies, or
4
<PAGE>
instrumentalities, all of which are rated AAA or AA by Standard &
Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P") or Aaa or Aa by Moody's Investors
Services, Inc. ("Moody's") or, if unrated, determined by the
Fund's Adviser to be of equivalent quality; (iii) obligations
issued or guaranteed by supranational entities and corporate debt
securities, all of which are rated AAA by S&P or Aaa by Moody's
or, if unrated, determined by the Fund's Adviser to be of
equivalent quality; (iv) certificates of deposit and bankers'
acceptances issued or guaranteed by, or time deposits maintained
at, banks (including foreign branches of U.S. banks or U.S. or
foreign branches of foreign banks) having total assets of more
than $1 billion and determined by the Adviser to be of high
quality; and (v) commercial paper rated A-1 by S&P, Prime-1 by
Moody's, Fitch-1 by Fitch Investors Service, Inc., or Duff 1 by
Duff & Phelps Inc. or, if not rated, issued by U.S. or foreign
companies having outstanding debt securities rated AAA by S&P or
Aaa by Moody's and determined by the Adviser to be of equivalent
quality.
Under normal circumstances, and as a matter of
fundamental policy, the Fund "concentrates" at least 25% of its
total assets in debt instruments issued by domestic and foreign
companies engaged in the banking industry, including bank holding
companies. Such investments may include certificates of deposit,
time deposits, bankers' acceptances, and obligations issued by
bank holding companies, as well as repurchase agreements entered
into with banks (as distinct from non-bank dealers) in accordance
with the policies set forth in "Repurchase Agreements" below.
However, when business or financial conditions warrant the Fund
may, for temporary defensive purposes, vary from its policy of
investing at least 25% of its total assets in the banking
industry. For example, the Fund may reduce its position in debt
instruments issued by domestic and foreign banks and bank holding
companies and increase its position in U.S. Government Securities
or cash equivalents.
Due to the Fund's investment policy with respect to
investments in the banking industry, the Fund will have greater
exposure to the risk factors which are characteristic of such
investments. In particular, the value of and investment return
on the Fund's shares will be affected by economic or regulatory
developments in or related to the banking industry. Sustained
increases in interest rates can adversely affect the availability
and cost of funds for a bank's lending activities, and a
deterioration in general economic conditions could increase the
exposure to credit losses. The banking industry is also subject
to the effects of: the concentration of loan portfolios in
particular businesses such as real estate, energy, agriculture or
high technology-related companies; national and local regulation;
and competition within those industries as well as with other
types of financial institutions. In addition, the Fund's
5
<PAGE>
investments in commercial banks located in several foreign
countries are subject to additional risks due to the combination
in such banks of commercial banking and diversified securities
activities. As discussed above, however, the Fund will seek to
minimize its exposure to such risks by investing only in debt
securities which are determined to be of high quality.
Investing in securities issued by foreign governments
and corporations involves considerations and possible risks not
typically associated with investing in obligations issued by the
U.S. government and domestic corporations. The values of foreign
investments are affected by changes in currency rates or exchange
control regulations, application of foreign tax laws, including
withholding taxes, changes in governmental administration or
economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or
changed circumstances in dealings between nations. Costs are
incurred in connection with conversions between various
currencies. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions are
generally higher than in the United States, and foreign
securities markets may be less liquid, more volatile and less
subject to governmental supervision than in the United States.
Investments in foreign countries could be affected by other
factors not present in the United States, including
expropriation, confiscatory taxation, lack of uniform accounting
and auditing standards and potential difficulties in enforcing
contractual obligations and could be subject to extended
settlement periods.
The Fund will invest a portion of its net assets in
securities denominated in the currencies of countries
participating in the EMS or denominated in the ECU. There are
risks associated with concentration of investments in a
particular region of the world such as Western Europe since the
economies and markets of the countries in the region tend to be
interrelated and may be adversely affected by political, economic
and other events in a similar manner.
The net asset value of the Fund's shares will change as
the general levels of interest rates fluctuate. When interest
rates decline, the value of a portfolio primarily invested in
debt securities can be expected to rise. Conversely, when
interest rates rise, the value of a portfolio primarily invested
in debt securities can be expected to decline. However, a
shorter average maturity is generally associated with a lower
level of market value volatility and, accordingly, it is expected
that the net asset value of the Fund's shares normally will
fluctuate less than that of a longer- term bond fund.
The Fund is a "non-diversified" investment company,
which means the Fund is not limited in the proportion of its
assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer.
6
<PAGE>
However, the Fund conducts, and intends to continue to conduct,
its operations so as to qualify as a "regulated investment
company" for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the "Code"), which will relieve the Fund of any
liability for federal income tax to the extent its earnings are
distributed to shareholders. See "Dividends, Distributions and
Taxes-U.S. Federal Income Taxes." To so qualify, among other
requirements, the Fund will limit its investments so that, at the
close of each quarter of the taxable year, (i) not more than 25%
of the market value of the Fund's total assets will be invested
in the securities of a single issuer, and (ii) with respect to
50% of the market value of its total assets, not more than five
percent of the market value of its total assets will be invested
in the securities of a single issuer and the Fund will not own
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single
issuer. The Fund's investments in U.S. Government Securities are
not subject to these limitations. Because the Fund, as a non-
diversified investment company, may invest in a smaller number of
individual issuers than a diversified investment company, an
investment in the Fund may, under certain circumstances, present
greater risk to an investor than an investment in a diversified
company.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. For a description of
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or
instrumentalities ("U.S. Government Securities"), see Appendix A.
CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT AND BANKERS ACCEPTANCES.
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository
institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer
agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of
the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The
certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior
to maturity. Bankers' acceptances typically arise from short
term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain
funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an
acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an
importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific
merchandise. The draft is then "accepted" by a bank that, in
effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the
instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held
by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in
the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific
maturity. Although maturities for acceptance can be as long as
270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
COMMERCIAL PAPER. The Fund may invest without
limitation in commercial paper which is indexed to certain
specific foreign currency exchange rates. Commercial paper
7
<PAGE>
consists of short-term (usually from 1-270 days) unsecured
promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their
current operations. The terms of such commercial paper provide
that its principal amount is adjusted upwards or downwards (but
not below zero) at maturity to reflect changes in the exchange
rate between two currencies while the obligation is outstanding.
The Fund will purchase such commercial paper with the currency in
which it is denominated and, at maturity, will receive interest
and principal payments thereon in that currency, but the amount
of principal payable by the issuer at maturity will change in
proportion to the change (if any) in the exchange rate between
the two specified currencies between the date the instrument is
issued and the date the instrument matures. While such
commercial paper entails the risk of loss of principal, the
potential for realizing gains as a result of changes in foreign
currency exchange rates enables the Fund to hedge (or cross-
hedge) against a decline in the U.S. Dollar value of investments
denominated in foreign currencies while providing an attractive
money market rate of return. The Fund will purchase such
commercial paper for hedging purposes only, not for speculation.
A variable amount master demand note (which is a type of
commercial paper) represents a direct borrowing arrangement
involving periodically fluctuating rates of interest under a
letter of agreement between a commercial paper issuer and an
institutional lender pursuant to which the lender may determine
to invest varying amounts.
For a description of commercial paper ratings, see
Appendix B.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. The Fund has adopted the following
investment policy which may be changed by the vote of the Board
of Directors. The Fund will not invest in illiquid securities if
immediately after such investment more than 10% of the Fund's
total assets (taken at market value) would be invested in such
securities. In addition, the Fund will not maintain more than 15%
of its net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose,
illiquid securities include, among others, (a) securities that
are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available
market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale,
(b) options purchased by the Fund over-the-counter and the cover
for options written by the Fund over-the-counter, and
(c) repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days. See
"Additional Investment Policies," below.
Historically, illiquid securities have included
securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale
because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), securities which are
otherwise not readily marketable and repurchase agreements having
8
<PAGE>
a maturity of longer than seven days. Securities eligible for
resale under Rule 144A, as amended, that have legal or
contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available
market are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation.
Securities which have not been registered under the Securities
Act are referred to as private placements or restricted
securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the
secondary market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a
significant amount of these restricted or other illiquid
securities because of the potential for delays on resale and
uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an
adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a
mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other
illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might
thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven
days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted
securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional
expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a
public offering of securities.
In recent years, however, a large institutional market
has developed for certain securities that are not registered
under the Securities Act including repurchase agreements,
commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and
corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an
efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security
can be readily resold or on an issuer's ability to honor a demand
for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal
restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain
institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such
investments.
Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows a broader
institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to
restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A
establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of
the Securities Act for resales of certain securities to qualified
institutional buyers. An insufficient number of qualified
institutional buyers interested in purchasing certain restricted
securities held by the Fund, however, could affect adversely the
marketability of such portfolio securities and the Fund might be
unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable
prices. Rule 144A has already produced enhanced liquidity for
many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such
securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation
and the consequent inception of the PORTAL System, an automated
system for the clearance and settlement of transactions in
unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuer which is
sponsored by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
("NASD").
9
<PAGE>
The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of
Directors, will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in
the Fund's portfolio that are eligible for resale pursuant to
Rule 144A. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser will
consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the frequency
of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers
making quotations to purchase or sell the security; (3) the
number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) the
number of dealers undertaking to make a market in the security;
(5) the nature of the security (including its unregistered
nature) and the nature of the marketplace for the security (e.g.,
the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of
soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer); and (6) any
applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
interpretation or position with respect to such type of security.
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. The
Fund may enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future
delivery of fixed-income securities or foreign currencies, or
contracts based on financial indices including any index of U.S.
Government Securities, foreign government securities or corporate
debt securities ("futures contracts") and may purchase and write
put and call options to buy or sell futures contracts ("options
on futures contracts"). A "sale" of a futures contract means the
acquisition of a contractual obligation to deliver the securities
or foreign currencies called for by the contract at a specified
price on a specified date. A "purchase" of a futures contract
means the incurring of a contractual obligation to acquire the
securities or foreign currencies called for by the contract at a
specified price on a specified date. The purchaser of a futures
contract on an index agrees to take or make delivery of an amount
of cash equal to the difference between a specified dollar
multiple of the value of the index on the expiration date of the
contract ("current contract value") and the price at which the
contract was originally struck. No physical delivery of the
fixed-income securities underlying the index is made. Options on
futures contracts to be written or purchased by the Fund will be
traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges or over-the-counter.
The successful use of such instruments draws upon the
Adviser's special skills and experience with respect to such
instruments and usually depends on the Adviser's ability to
forecast interest rate and currency exchange rate movements
correctly. Should interest or exchange rates move in an
unexpected manner, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated
benefits of futures contracts or options on futures contracts or
may realize losses and thus will be in a worse position than if
such strategies had not been used. In addition, the correlation
between movements in the price of futures contracts or options on
futures and movements in the price of the securities and
10
<PAGE>
currencies hedged or used for cover will not be perfect and could
produce unanticipated losses.
The Board of Directors has adopted the requirement that
futures contracts and options on futures contracts only be used
as a hedge and not for speculation. In addition to this
requirement, the Board of Directors has also restricted the
Fund's use of futures contracts so that the aggregate of the
market value of the outstanding futures contracts purchased by
the Fund and the market value of the currencies and futures
contracts subject to outstanding options written by the Fund may
not exceed 50% of the market value of the total assets of the
Fund. These restrictions will not be changed by the Fund's Board
of Directors without considering the policies and concerns of the
various applicable federal and state regulatory agencies. The
Fund's Custodian will place liquid assets in a separate account
of the Fund having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the
Fund's commitments in futures contracts.
The Fund will not (i) enter into any futures contracts
or options on futures contracts if immediately thereafter the
aggregate of margin deposits on all the outstanding futures
contracts of the Fund and premiums paid on outstanding options on
futures contracts would exceed 5% of the market value of the
total assets of the Fund, or (ii) enter into any futures
contracts or options on futures contracts if the aggregate of the
market value of the outstanding futures contracts of the Fund and
the market value of the currencies and futures contracts subject
to outstanding options written by the Fund would exceed 50% of
the market value of the total assets of the Fund.
See Appendix C for further discussion of the use, risks
and costs of futures contracts and options on futures contracts.
OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES. The Fund may purchase
and write put and call options on foreign currencies for the
purpose of protecting against declines in the U.S. Dollar value
of foreign currency-denominated portfolio securities and against
increases in the U.S. Dollar cost of such securities to be
acquired. As in the case of other kinds of options, however, the
writing of an option on a foreign currency constitutes only a
partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received, and the
Fund could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at
disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The
purchase of an option on a foreign currency may constitute an
effective hedge against fluctuations in exchange rates although,
in the event of rate movements adverse to the Fund's position, it
may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related
transaction costs. Options on foreign currencies to be written
or purchased by the Fund are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges
11
<PAGE>
or over-the-counter. There is no specific percentage limitation
on the Fund's investments in options on foreign currencies.
See Appendix C for further discussion of the use, risks
and costs of options on foreign currencies.
FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS. The Fund
may purchase or sell forward foreign currency exchange contracts
("forward contracts") to attempt to minimize the risk to the Fund
from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. Dollar
and foreign currencies. A forward contract is an obligation to
purchase or sell a specific currency for an agreed price at a
future date which is individually negotiated and privately traded
by currency traders and their customers. The Fund may enter into
a forward contract, for example, when it enters into a contract
for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign
currency in order to "lock in" the U.S. Dollar price of the
security ("transaction hedge"). Additionally, for example, when
the Fund believes that a foreign currency may suffer a
substantial decline against the U.S. Dollar, it may enter into a
forward sale contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency
approximating the value of some or all of the Fund's portfolio
securities denominated in such foreign currency, or when the Fund
believes that the U.S. Dollar may suffer a substantial decline
against a foreign currency, it may enter into a forward purchase
contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount
("position hedge"). In this situation the Fund may, in the
alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different
foreign currency for a fixed U.S. Dollar amount where the Fund
believes that the U.S. Dollar value of the currency to be sold
pursuant to the forward contract will fall whenever there is a
decline in the U.S. Dollar value of the currency in which
portfolio securities of the Fund are denominated ("cross-
hedge"). To the extent required by applicable law, the Fund's
Custodian will place liquid assets in a separate account of the
Fund having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the Fund's
commitments under forward contracts entered into with respect to
position hedges and cross-hedges. If the value of the assets
placed in a separate account declines, additional liquid assets
or securities will be placed in the account on a daily basis so
that the value of the account will equal the amount of the Fund's
commitments with respect to such contracts. As an alternative to
maintaining all or part of the separate account, the Fund may
purchase a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the amount
of foreign currency being hedged by a forward sale contract at a
price no higher than the forward contract price or the Fund may
purchase a put option permitting the Fund to sell the amount of
foreign currency subject to a forward purchase contract at a
price as high or higher than the forward contract price. In
addition, the Fund may use such other methods of "cover" as are
permitted by applicable law.
12
<PAGE>
The Fund may purchase or sell forward foreign currency
exchange contracts. While these contracts are not presently
regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the
"CFTC"), the CFTC may in the future assert authority to regulate
forward contracts. In such event the Fund's ability to utilize
forward contracts in the manner set forth in the Prospectus may
be restricted. Forward contracts will reduce the potential gain
from a positive change in the relationship between the U.S.
Dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency
prices may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than
if it had not entered into such contracts. The use of foreign
currency forward contracts will not eliminate fluctuations in the
underlying U.S. Dollar equivalent value of the prices of or rates
of return on the Fund's foreign currency-denominated portfolio
securities and the use of such techniques will subject the Fund
to certain risks.
The matching of the increase in value of a forward
contract and the decline in the U.S Dollar equivalent value of
the foreign currency-denominated asset that is the subject of the
hedge generally will not be precise. In addition, the Fund may
not always be able to enter into foreign currency forward
contracts at attractive prices and this will limit the Fund's
ability to use such contract to hedge or cross-hedge its assets.
Also, with regard to the Fund's use of cross-hedges, there can be
no assurance that historical correlations between the movement of
certain foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar will
continue. Thus, at any time poor correlation may exist between
movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies
underlying the Fund's cross-hedges and the movements in the
exchange rates of the foreign currencies in which the Fund's
assets that are the subject of such cross-hedges are denominated.
GENERAL. The successful use of the foregoing investment
practices draws upon the Adviser's special skills and experience
with respect to such instruments and usually depends on the
Adviser's ability to forecast interest rate and currency exchange
rate movements correctly. Should interest or exchange rates move
in an unexpected manner, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated
benefits of futures contracts, options or forward contracts or
may realize losses and thus be in a worse position than if such
strategies had not been used. Unlike many exchange-traded
futures contracts and options on futures contracts, there are no
daily price fluctuation limits with respect to options on
currencies and forward contracts, and adverse market movements
could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of
time. In addition, the correlation between movements in the
prices of such instruments and movements in the prices of the
securities and currencies hedged or used for cover will not be
perfect and could produce unanticipated losses.
13
<PAGE>
The Fund's ability to dispose of its positions in
futures contracts, options and forward contracts will depend on
the availability of liquid markets in such instruments. Markets
in options and futures with respect to a number of fixed-income
securities and currencies are relatively new and still
developing. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading
interest that may exist in various types of futures contracts,
options and forward contracts. If a secondary market does not
exist with respect to an option purchased or written by the Fund
over-the-counter, it might not be possible to effect a closing
transaction in the option (i.e., dispose of the option) with the
result that (i) an option purchased by the Fund would have to be
exercised in order for the Fund to realize any profit and
(ii) the Fund may not be able to sell currencies or portfolio
securities covering an option written by the Fund until the
option expires or it delivers the underlying futures contract or
currency upon exercise. Therefore, no assurance can be given
that the Fund will be able to utilize these instruments
effectively for the purposes set forth above.
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Fund may make
secured loans of its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and
financial institutions provided that cash, U.S. Government
Securities or other liquid high-quality debt securities or bank
letters of credit equal to at least 100% of the market value of
the securities loaned is deposited and maintained by the borrower
with the Fund. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as
with other extensions of credit, consist of possible loss of
rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In
determining whether to lend securities to a particular borrower,
the Fund's Adviser (subject to review by the Board of Directors)
will consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including the
creditworthiness of the borrower. While securities are on loan,
the borrower will pay the Fund any income earned thereon and the
Fund may invest any cash collateral in portfolio securities,
thereby earning additional income, or receive an agreed upon
amount of income from a borrower who has delivered equivalent
collateral. The Fund will have the right to regain record
ownership of loaned securities or equivalent securities in order
to exercise ownership rights such as voting rights, subscription
rights and rights to dividends, interest or other distributions.
The Fund may pay reasonable finders', administrative and
custodial fees in connection with a loan. The Fund will not lend
portfolio securities in excess of 20% of the value of its total
assets, nor will the Fund lend its portfolio securities to any
officer, director, employee or affiliate of the Fund or the
Adviser. The Board of Directors will monitor the Fund's lending
of portfolio securities.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into
"repurchase agreements" pertaining to the types of securities it
14
<PAGE>
may invest in with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or
"primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York) in such securities. There is no percentage restriction
on the Fund's ability to enter into repurchase agreements.
Currently the Fund enters into repurchase agreements only with
its Custodian and such primary dealers. A repurchase agreement
arises when a buyer such as the Fund purchases a security and
simultaneously agrees to resell it to the vendor at an agreed
upon future date, normally one day or a few days later. The
resale price is greater than the purchase price, reflecting an
agreed upon interest rate which is effective for the period of
time the buyer's money is invested in the security and which is
related to the current market rate rather than the coupon rate on
the purchased security. Such agreements permit the Fund to keep
all of its assets at work while retaining "overnight" flexibility
in pursuit of investments of a longer-term nature. The Fund
requires continual maintenance by its Custodian for its account
in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book Entry System of collateral
in an amount equal to, or in excess of, the market value of the
securities which are the subject of the agreement. In the event
a vendor defaulted on its repurchase obligation, the Fund might
suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of
the collateral were less than the repurchase price. In the event
of a vendor's bankruptcy, the Fund might be delayed in, or
prevented from, selling the collateral for the Fund's benefit.
The Fund's Board of Directors has established procedures, which
are periodically reviewed by the Board, pursuant to which the
Fund's Adviser monitors the creditworthiness of the dealers with
which the Fund enters into repurchase agreement transactions.
CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT POLICIES
The following restrictions, which supplement those set
forth in the Fund's Prospectus, may not be changed without
shareholder approval, which means the affirmative vote of the
holders of (i) 67% or more of the shares represented at a meeting
at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented
or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares, whichever is
less.
The Fund may not:
1. Make loans except through (i) the purchase of debt
obligations in accordance with its investment objectives and
policies; (ii) the lending of portfolio securities; or (iii) the
use of repurchase agreements;
2. Participate on a joint or joint and several basis in
any securities trading account;
15
<PAGE>
3. Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising
control;
4. Make short sales of securities or maintain a short
position, unless at all times when a short position is open it
owns an equal amount of such securities or securities convertible
into or exchangeable for, without payment of any further
consideration, securities of the same issue as, and equal in
amount to, the securities sold short ("short sales against the
box"), and unless not more than 10% of the Fund's net assets
(taken at market value) is held as collateral for such sales at
any one time (it is the Fund's present intention to make such
sales only for the purpose of deferring realization of gain or
loss for Federal income tax purposes);
5. Purchase a security if, as a result (unless the
security is acquired pursuant to a plan of reorganization or an
offer of exchange), the Fund would own any securities of an open-
end investment company or more than 3% of the total outstanding
voting stock of any closed-end investment company or more than 5%
of the value of the Fund's total assets would be invested in
securities of any one or more closed-end investment companies; or
6. (i) Purchase or sell real estate, except that it may
purchase and sell securities of companies which deal in real
estate or interests therein; (ii) purchase or sell commodities or
commodity contracts (except currencies, futures contracts on
currencies and related options, forward contracts or contracts
for the future acquisition or delivery of fixed-income securities
and related options, futures contracts and options on futures
contracts and other similar contracts); (iii) invest in interests
in oil and gas, or other mineral exploration or development
programs; (iv) purchase securities on margin except for such
short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of
transactions; and (v) act as an underwriter of securities, except
that the Fund may acquire restricted securities under
circumstances in which, if such securities were sold, the Fund
might be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the
Securities Act.
To reduce investment risk, as a matter of fundamental
policy, the Fund may not: (i) invest 25% or more of its total
assets in securities of companies engaged principally in any one
industry other than the banking industry, except that this
restriction does not apply to U.S. Government Securities;
(ii) borrow money except from banks for temporary or emergency
purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which
might require the untimely disposition of securities; borrowing
in the aggregate may not exceed 15%, and borrowing for purposes
other than meeting redemptions may not exceed 5%, of the value of
the Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less
16
<PAGE>
liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the
borrowing is made; securities will not be purchased while
borrowings in excess of 5% of the value of the Fund's total
assets are outstanding; or (iii) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or
otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted
borrowings.
In connection with the qualification or registration of
the Fund's shares for sale under the securities laws of certain
states, the Fund has agreed, in addition to the foregoing
investment restrictions, that it will (i) not purchase the
securities of any company that has a record of less than three
years of continuous operation (including that of predecessors) if
such purchase at the time thereof would cause more than 5% of its
total assets, taken at current value, to be invested in the
securities of such companies, (ii) not purchase puts, calls,
straddles, spreads and any combination thereof if by reason
thereof the value of its aggregate investment in such classes of
securities will exceed 5% of its total assets, (iii) not invest
in warrants (other than warrants acquired by the Fund as a part
of a unit or attached to securities at the time of purchase), if
as a result of such warrants valued at the lower of such cost or
market, would exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's net assets at
the time of purchase provided that not more than 2% of the Fund's
net assets at the time of purchase may be invested in warrants
not listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock
Exchange, (iv) prohibit the purchase or retention by the Fund of
the securities of any issuer if the officers, directors or
trustees of the Fund, its advisers or managers owning
beneficially more than one-half of 1% of the securities of each
issuer together own beneficially more than 5% of such securities,
(v) prohibit the purchase of the securities of any issuer if such
purchase at the time thereof would cause more than 10% of the
voting securities of any issuer to be held by the Fund.
Whenever any investment policy or restriction states a
minimum or maximum percentage of the Fund's assets which may be
invested in any security or other asset, it is intended that such
minimum or maximum percentage limitation be determined
immediately after and as a result of the Fund's acquisition of
such security or other asset. Accordingly, any later increase or
decrease in percentage beyond the specified limitations resulting
from a change in values or net assets will not be considered a
violation at any such maximum.
17
<PAGE>
_________________________________________________________________
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
_________________________________________________________________
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The Directors and officers of the Fund, their ages and
their principal occupations during the past five years are set
forth below. Each such Director and officer is also a trustee,
director or officer of other registered investment companies
sponsored by the Adviser. Unless otherwise specified, the
address of each such person is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, New York 10105.
DIRECTORS
JOHN D. CARIFA,* 52, Chairman and President of the Fund,
is the President, Chief Operating Officer, and a Director of
Alliance Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC") with which he
has been associated since prior to 1992.
RUTH BLOCK, 66, was formerly an Executive Vice President
and the Chief Insurance Officer of The Equitable Life Assurance
Society of the United States ("Equitable"). She is a Director of
Ecolab Incorporated (specialty chemicals) and Amoco Corporation
(oil and gas). Her address is P.O. Box 4653, Stamford,
Connecticut 06903.
DAVID H. DIEVLER, 68, was formerly Chairman of the Board
and President of the Fund and a Senior Vice President of ACMC
with which he had been associated since prior to 1992. He is
currently an independent consultant. His address is P.O. Box
167, Spring Lake, New Jersey 07762
JOHN H. DOBKIN, 55, has been the President of Historic
Hudson Valley (historic preservation) since prior to 1992.
Previously, he was Director of the National Academy of Design.
His address is Historic Hudson Valley, 150 White Plains Rd.,
Tarrytown, New York 10591.
WILLIAM H. FOULK, JR., 65, is an Investment Adviser and
an Independent Consultant. He was formerly Senior Manager of
Barrett Associates, Inc., a registered investment adviser, with
which he had been associated since prior to 1992. His address is
Suite 100, 2 Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.
_________________________
*. An "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the 1940
Act.
18
<PAGE>
DR. JAMES M. HESTER, 73, is President of the Harry Frank
Guggenheim Foundation and a Director of Union Carbide Corporation
with which he has been associated since prior to 1992. He was
formerly President of New York University, The New York Botanical
Garden and Rector of the United Nations University. His address
is 45 East 89th Street, New York, New York 10128.
CLIFFORD L. MICHEL, 58, is a partner of the law firm of
Cahill Gordon & Reindel with which he has been associated since
prior to 1992. He is President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director of Wenonah Development Company (investment holding
company) and a Director of Placer Dome, Inc. (mining). His
address is 80 Pine Street, New York, NY 10005.
DONALD J. ROBINSON, 63, was formerly a senior partner of
the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and is currently
of counsel to that firm. His address is 666 Fifth Avenue, 19th
Floor, New York, New York 10103.
OFFICERS
JOHN D. CARIFA, Chairman and President, see the
biography under "DIRECTORS" above.
KATHLEEN A. CORBET, 37, Senior Vice President, has been
a Senior Vice President of ACMC since July 1993. Previously, she
held various responsibilities as head of Equitable Capital
Management Corporation's Fixed Income Management Department,
Private Placement Secondary Trading and Fund Management since
prior to 1992.
WAYNE D. LYSKI, 56, Senior Vice President, is an
Executive Vice President of ACMC with which he has been
associated since prior to 1992.
DOUGLAS J. PEEBLES, 32, Vice President, is a Vice
President of ACMC with which he has been associated since prior
to 1992.
EDMUND P. BERGAN, JR., 47, Secretary, is a Senior Vice
President and General Counsel of Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.
("AFD") with which he has been associated since prior to 1992.
ANDREW L. GANGOLF, 43, Assistant Secretary, has been a
Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of AFD since
December 1994. Prior thereto he was a Vice President and
Assistant Secretary of Delaware Management Company, Inc. since
October 1992 and a Vice President and Counsel to Equitable since
prior to 1992.
19
<PAGE>
DOMENICK PUGLIESE, 36, Assistant Secretary, is a Vice
President and Assistant General Counsel of AFD with which he has
been associated since May 1995. Previously, he was Vice President
and Counsel of Concord Holding Corporation since 1994, Vice
President and Associate General Counsel of Prudential Securities
since prior to 1992.
EMILIE D. WRAPP, 41, Assistant Secretary, is a Vice
President and Special Counsel of AFD, with which she has been
associated since prior to 1992.
MARK D. GERSTEN, 47, Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer, is a Senior Vice President of Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. ("AFS"), with which he has been associated since prior to
1992.
JUAN J. RODRIGUEZ, 40, Controller, is an Assistant Vice
President of AFS with which he has been associated since prior to
1992.
CARLA LAROSE, 34, Assistant Controller, is a Manager of
AFS with which she has been associated since 1992.
JOSEPH J. MANTINEO, 38, Assistant Controller, is a Vice
President of AFS with which he has been associated since prior to
1992.
VINCENT S. NOTO, 32, Assistant Controller, is a Vice
President of AFS with which he has been associated since prior to
1992.
The aggregate compensation paid by the Fund to each of
the Directors during its fiscal year ended October 31, 1996, the
aggregate compensation paid to each of the Directors during
calendar year 1996 by all of the funds to which the Adviser
provides investment advisory services (collectively, the
"Alliance Fund Complex"), and the total number of registered
investment companies (and separate investment portfolios within
those companies) in the Alliance Fund Complex with respect to
which each of the Directors serves as a director or trustee, are
set forth below. Neither the Fund nor any fund in the Alliance
Fund Complex provides compensation in the form of pension or
retirement benefits to any of its directors or trustees. Each of
the Directors is a director or trustee of one or more other
registered investment companies in the Alliance Fund Complex.
20
<PAGE>
Total Number
Total Number of Investment
of Funds in Portfolios
the Alliance within the
Fund Complex, Funds,
Including the Including the
Total Fund, as to Fund, as to
Compensation which the which the
Aggregate from the Director is Director is a
Name of Director Compensation Alliance a Director Director or
of the Fund From the Fund Fund Complex or Trustee Trustee
John D. Carifa $-0- $-0- 52 114
Ruth Block $3,000 $157,500 38 76
David H. Dievler $3,110 $182,000 45 79
John H. Dobkin $3,243 $121,250 31 52
William H. Foulk, Jr. $3,243 $144,250 34 70
Dr. James M. Hester $3,110 $148,500 39 73
Clifford L. Michel $3,110 $146,048 39 88
Donald J. Robinson $231 $137,250 42 102
As of October 3, 1997, the Directors and officers of the
Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.
ADVISER
Alliance Capital Management L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership with principal offices at 1345 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been retained under an
investment advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") to
provide investment advice and, in general, to conduct the
management and investment program of the Fund under the
supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors (see "Management of
the Fund" in the Prospectus).
Alliance is a leading international investment
manager supervising client accounts with assets as of June 30,
1997 of more than $199 billion (of which more than $71 billion
represented the assets of investment companies). The Adviser's
clients are primarily major corporate employee benefit funds,
public employee retirement systems, investment companies,
foundation and endowment funds. As of June 30, 1997, the Adviser
was an investment manager of employee benefit fund assets for 29
of the FORTUNE 100 companies. As of that date, the Adviser and
its subsidiaries employed approximately 1,500 employees who
operated out of domestic offices and the offices of subsidiaries
in Bahrain, Bangalore, Chennai, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Mumbai,
Paris, Singapore, Tokyo and Toronto and affiliate offices located
21
<PAGE>
in Vienna, Warsaw, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo and Moscow. The 54
registered investment companies comprising more than 116 separate
investment portfolios managed by the Adviser currently have more
than two million shareholders.
Alliance Capital Management Corporation, the sole
general partner of, and the owner of a 1% general partnership
interest in, the Adviser, is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary
of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States
("Equitable"), one of the largest life insurance companies in the
United States and a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Equitable
Companies Incorporated ("ECI"). ECI is a holding company
controlled by AXA-UAP, a French insurance holding company which
at September 30, 1997, beneficially owned approximately 59% of
the outstanding voting shares of ECI. As of June 30, 1997, ACMC,
Inc. and Equitable Capital Management Corporation, each a wholly-
owned direct or indirect subsidiary of Equitable, together with
Equitable, owned in the aggregate approximately 57% of the issued
and outstanding units representing assignments of beneficial
ownership of limited partnership interests in the Adviser.
AXA-UAP is a holding company for an international
group of insurance and related financial services companies.
AXA-UAP's insurance operations include activities in life
insurance, property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. The
insurance operations are diverse geographically, with activities
principally in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific
area. AXA-UAP is also engaged in asset management, investment
banking, securities trading, brokerage, real estate and other
financial services activities principally in the United States,
as well as in Western Europe and the Asia/Pacific area.
Based on information provided by AXA-UAP, as of
September 30, 1997 more than 25% of the voting power of AXA-UAP
was controlled directly and indirectly by FINAXA, a French
holding company. As of September 30, 1997 more than 25% of the
voting power of FINAXA was controlled directly and indirectly by
four French mutual insurance companies (the "Mutuelles AXA"), one
of which, AXA Assurances I.A.R.D. Mutuelle, itself controlled
directly and indirectly more than 25% of the voting power of
FINAXA. Acting as a group, the Mutuelles AXA control AXA-UAP and
FINAXA.
Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides
investment advisory services and order placement facilities for
the Fund and pays all compensation of Directors and officers of
the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Adviser. The Adviser
or its affiliates also furnishes the Fund, without charge,
management supervision and assistance and office facilities and
provides persons satisfactory to the Fund's Board of Directors to
serve as the Fund's officers.
22
<PAGE>
For the services rendered by the Adviser under the
Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser at the annual rate
of .65 of 1% of the average daily value of the Fund's net assets.
The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly. For the fiscal years
of the Fund ended in 1994, 1995 and 1996 advisory fees payable to
the Adviser amounted to $772,916, $451,385, and $316,077,
respectively. Of those amounts, $190,256, $111,110 and $77,804
for fiscal years of the Fund ended in 1994, 1995 and 1996,
respectively, were waived by the Adviser so that during such
period, the Fund paid advisory fees in amounts aggregating,
$582,660, $340,275 and $238,273, respectively.
The Advisory Agreement became effective on July 22,
1992. The Advisory Agreement was approved by the unanimous vote,
cast in person, of the Fund's Directors, including the Directors
who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested
persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of any such party, at a
meeting called for that purpose and held on September 10, 1991.
At a meeting held on June 11, 1992, a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund approved the Advisory Agreement.
The Advisory Agreement continues in effect for
successive twelve-month periods computed from each November 1,
provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually by a vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities or by the Fund's Board of Directors, and in either
case approval by a majority of the Directors who are not parties
to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons, as defined in
the 1940 Act, of any such party. Most recently, continuance of
the Agreement was approved for the period ending October 31, 1998
by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Directors
who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested
persons of any such party, at their Regular Meeting held on
September 9, 1997.
The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by
a vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities
or by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Directors on 60 days'
written notice, or by the Adviser on 60 days' written notice, and
will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The
Advisory Agreement provides that in the absence of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Adviser, or of reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder,
the Adviser shall not be liable for any action or failure to act
in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Certain other clients of the Adviser may have investment
objectives and policies similar to those of the Fund. The
Adviser may, from time to time, make recommendations which result
in the purchase or sale of a particular security by its other
23
<PAGE>
clients simultaneously with the Fund. If transactions on behalf
of more than one client during the same period increase the
demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities
being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price or quantity.
It is the policy of the Adviser to allocate advisory
recommendations and the placing of orders in a manner which is
deemed equitable by the Adviser to the accounts involved,
including the Fund. When two or more of the clients of the
Adviser (including the Fund) are purchasing or selling the same
security on a given day from the same broker-dealer, such
transactions may be averaged as to price.
The Adviser may act as an investment adviser to other
persons, firms or corporations, including investment companies,
and is investment adviser to ACM Institutional Reserves, Inc.,
AFD Exchange Reserves, The Alliance Fund, Inc., Alliance All-Asia
Investment Fund, Inc., Alliance Balanced Shares, Inc., Alliance
Bond Fund, Inc., Alliance Capital Reserves, Alliance Developing
Markets Fund, Inc., Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund, Inc.,
Alliance Global Environment Fund, Inc., Alliance Global Small Cap
Fund, Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc., Alliance
Government Reserves, Alliance Greater China '97 Fund, Inc.,
Alliance Growth and Income Fund, Inc., Alliance High Yield Fund,
Inc., Alliance Income Builder Fund, Inc., Alliance International
Fund, Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc., Alliance
Mortgage Securities Income Fund, Inc., Alliance Money Market
Fund, Alliance Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc., Alliance
Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance Municipal Income Fund II,
Alliance Municipal Trust, Alliance New Europe Fund, Inc.,
Alliance North American Government Income Trust, Inc., Alliance
Premier Growth Fund, Inc., Alliance Quasar Fund, Inc., Alliance
Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc., Alliance/Regent Sector
Opportunity Fund, Inc., Alliance Short-Term Multi-Market Trust,
Inc., Alliance Technology Fund, Inc., Alliance Utility Income
Fund, Inc., Alliance Variable Products Series Fund, Inc.,
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc., Alliance Worldwide
Privatization Fund, Inc., The Alliance Portfolios, Fiduciary
Management Associates and The Hudson River Trust, all registered
open-end investment companies; and to ACM Government Income Fund,
Inc., ACM Government Securities Fund, Inc., ACM Government
Spectrum Fund, Inc., ACM Government Opportunity Fund, Inc., ACM
Managed Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Dollar Income Fund, Inc.,
ACM Municipal Securities Income Fund, Inc., Alliance All-Market
Advantage Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund,
Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund II, Inc., The Austria
Fund, Inc., The Korean Investment Fund, Inc., The Southern Africa
Fund, Inc. and The Spain Fund, Inc., all registered closed-end
investment companies.
24
<PAGE>
_________________________________________________________________
EXPENSES OF THE FUND
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENT
The Fund has entered into a Distribution Services
Agreement (the "Agreement") with AFD, the Fund's principal
underwriter (the "Principal Underwriter") and the Adviser to
permit the Principal Underwriter to distribute the Funds shares
and to permit the Fund to pay distribution service fees to defray
expenses associated with the distribution of its shares in
accordance with a plan which is included in the Agreement and has
been duly adopted and approved in accordance with Rule 12b-1
adopted by the Commission under the 1940 Act (the "Rule 12b-1
Plan").
Distribution services fees are accrued daily and paid
monthly and are charged as expenses of the Fund as accrued. The
distribution services fee, which provides for the financing of
the Fund's shares, is designed to permit an investor to purchase
Fund shares through broker-dealers without the assessment of a
front-end or contingent deferred sales charge and, at the same
time, to permit the Principal Underwriter to compensate broker-
dealers in connection with the sale of such shares.
Under the Agreement, the Treasurer of the Fund reports
the amounts expended under the Rule 12b-1 Plan and the purposes
for which such expenditures were made to the Directors of the
Fund on a quarterly basis. Also, the Agreement provides that the
selection and nomination of Directors who are not interested
persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) are committed to the
discretion of the Directors, who are not interested, then in
office.
The Agreement became effective on July 22, 1992. The
Agreement was approved by the unanimous vote, cast in person, of
the Fund's Directors (including the Directors who are not parties
to the Agreement or "interested persons", as defined in the 1940
Act, of any such party) at a meeting called for that purpose held
on October 14, 1991.
The Adviser may from time to time and from its own funds
or such other resources as may be permitted by rules of the
Commission make payments for distribution services to the
Principal Underwriter; the latter may in turn pay part or all of
such compensation to brokers or other persons for their
distribution assistance.
25
<PAGE>
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1996,
distribution services fees for expenditures under the Agreement
to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $437,644. Of that
amount, $106,979 was waived by the Principal Underwriter so that
during such period, the Fund paid distribution services fees for
expenditures in an amount aggregating $330,665 which constituted
.68 of 1%, annualized, of the Fund's average daily net assets
during the period, and the Adviser made payments from its own
resources as described above aggregating $470,524. Of the
$801,189 paid by the Fund and the Adviser under the Plan, $89,102
was spent on advertising, $8,838 on the printing and mailing of
prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders,
$521,723 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial
intermediaries (including, $145,095 to the Fund's Principal
Underwriter), $3,079 for compensation to sales personnel and
$178,447 on the printing of sales literature, travel,
entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses.
The Agreement will continue for successive twelve-month
periods (computed from each October 1), provided, however, that
such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by
the Directors of the Fund, or by vote of the holders of a
majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined
in the 1940 Act), and in either case by a majority of the
Directors who are not interested persons, as defined in the 1940
Act, of any such party (other than as directions of the Fund) and
who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the
operation of the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any agreements related
thereto. Most recently, continuance of the Agreement was
approved for the period ending October 31, 1998 by the Board of
Directors, including a majority of the Directors who are not
"interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act, at their Regular
Meeting held on September 9, 1997.
All material amendments to the Agreement must be
approved by a vote of the Directors or of the holders of the
Fund's outstanding voting securities and in either case, by a
majority of the disinterested Directors, cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval; and
the Agreement may not be amended in order to increase materially
the costs that the Fund may bear pursuant to the Agreement
without the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of
the Fund. The Agreement may be terminated (a) by the Fund without
penalty at any time by a majority vote of the disinterested
Directors who have no direct or indirect financial interest in
the Plan, the Agreement or any related agreement or by a majority
vote of the outstanding shares of the Fund, or (b) by the
Principal Underwriter. To terminate the Agreement, any party
must give the other parties 60 days' written notice; to terminate
the Plan only, the Fund is not required to give prior written
notice to the Principal Underwriter.
26
<PAGE>
TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
Alliance Fund Services, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Adviser, receives a transfer agency fee per
account holder of the Fund, plus reimbursement for out-of-pocket
expenses. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1996, the Fund
paid Alliance Fund Services, Inc. $52,232 for transfer agency
services.
________________________________________________________________
PURCHASE OF SHARES
_________________________________________________________________
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Fund's Prospectus under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares--How to Buy Shares."
GENERAL
Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis at
a price equal to their net asset value, without any sales charge,
through (i) investment dealers that are members of the NASD and
have entered into selected dealer agreements with the Principal
Underwriter ("selected dealers"), (ii) depository institutions
and other financial intermediaries or their affiliates that have
entered into selected agent agreements with the Principal
Underwriter ("selected agents") and (iii) the Principal
Underwriter. The minimum for initial investments is $10,000;
subsequent investments (excluding reinvestments of dividends and
capital gains distributions in shares) must be in the minimum
amount of $1,000. The subscriber may use the Subscription
Application found in the Prospectus for his or her initial
investment.
Investors may purchase shares of the Fund through
selected broker-dealers, agents, financial intermediaries or
other financial representatives or directly through the Principal
Underwriter. A transaction, service, administrative or other
similar fee may be charged by your broker-dealer, agent,
financial intermediary or other financial representative with
respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares made through
such financial representative. Such financial representative may
also impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or
exchange of shares that are different from, or in addition to,
those imposed by the Fund, including requirements as to the
minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts.
The Fund may refuse any order for the purchase of
shares. The Fund reserves the right to suspend the sale of its
27
<PAGE>
shares to the public in response to conditions in the securities
markets or for other reasons.
The public offering price of shares of the Fund is their
net asset value. On each Fund business day on which a purchase
or redemption order is received by the Fund and trading in the
types of securities in which the Fund invests might materially
affect the value of Fund shares, the per share net asset value is
computed as of the next close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time) by dividing the value of the Fund's total assets, less its
liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding.
A Fund business day is any day on which the Exchange is open for
trading.
The Fund will accept unconditional orders for its shares
to be executed at the public offering price equal to their net
asset value next determined, as described below. Orders received
by the Principal Underwriter prior to the close of regular
trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for
trading are priced at the net asset value computed as of the
close of regular trading on the Exchange on that day. In the
case of orders for purchase of shares placed through selected
dealers, agents or financial representatives, as applicable, the
applicable public offering price will be the net asset value as
so determined, but only if the selected dealer, agent or
financial representative receives the order prior to the close of
regular trading on the Exchange and transmits it to the Principal
Underwriter prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. The selected
dealer, agent or financial representative, as applicable, is
responsible for transmitting such orders by 5:00 p.m. If the
selected dealer, agent or financial representative fails to do
so, the investor's right to that day's closing price must be
settled between the investor and the selected dealer, agent or
financial representative, as applicable. If the selected dealer,
agent or financial representative, as applicable, receives the
order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange, the
price will be based on the net asset value determined as of the
close of regular trading on the Exchange on the next day it is
open for trading.
Following the initial purchase of Fund shares, a
shareholder may place orders to purchase additional shares by
telephone if the shareholder has completed the appropriate
portion of the Subscription Application or an "Autobuy"
application obtained by calling the "For Literature" telephone
number shown on the cover of this Statement of Additional
Information. Except with respect to certain omnibus accounts,
telephone purchase orders may not exceed $500,000. Payment for
shares purchased by telephone can be made only by Electronic
Funds Transfer from a bank account maintained by the shareholder
28
<PAGE>
at a bank that is a member of the National Automated Clearing
House Association ("NACHA"). If a shareholder's telephone
purchase request is received before 3:00 p.m. New York time on a
Fund business day, the order to purchase shares is automatically
placed the following Fund business day, and the applicable public
offering price will be the public offering price determined as of
the close of business on such following business day.
Full and fractional shares are credited to a
subscriber's account in the amount of his or her subscription.
As a convenience to the subscriber, and to avoid unnecessary
expense to the Fund, stock certificates representing shares of
the Fund are not issued except upon written request to the Fund
by the shareholder or his or her authorized selected dealer or
agent. This facilitates later redemption and relieves the
shareholder of the responsibility for and inconvenience of lost
or stolen certificates. No certificates are issued for
fractional shares, although such shares remain in the
shareholder's account on the books of the Fund.
In addition to the discount or commission amount paid to
dealers or agents, the Principal Underwriter from time to time
pays additional cash or other incentives to dealers or agents,
including EQ Financial Consultants, Inc., formerly Equico
Securities, Inc., an affiliate of the Principal Underwriter, in
connection with the sale of shares of the Fund. Such additional
amounts may be utilized, in whole or in part, to provide
additional compensation to registered representatives who sell
shares of the Fund. On some occasions, cash or other incentives
will be conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar
amount of the shares of the Fund and/or other mutual funds
managed by the Adviser, during a specific period of time. On
some occasions, such cash or other incentives may take the form
of payment for attendance at seminars, meals, sporting events or
theater performances, or payment for travel, lodging and
entertainment incurred in connection with travel taken by persons
associated with a dealer and their immediate family members to
urban or resort locations within or outside of the United States.
Such dealer or agent may elect to receive cash incentives of
equivalent amount in lieu of such payments.
The Principal Underwriter is not obligated to sell any
specific amount of shares and will purchase shares for resale
only against orders for shares.
29
<PAGE>
_______________________________________________________________
REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES
_______________________________________________________________
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Fund's Prospectus under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares--How to Sell Shares."
REDEMPTION
Subject only to the limitations described below, the
Fund's Articles of Incorporation requires that the Fund redeem
the shares tendered to it, as described below, at a redemption
price equal to their net asset value as next computed following
the receipt of shares tendered for redemption in proper form.
There is no redemption charge. Payment of the redemption price
will be made within seven days after the Fund's receipt of such
tender for redemption. If a shareholder is in doubt about what
documents are required by his or her fee-based program or
employee benefit plan, the shareholder should contact his or her
financial representative.
The right of redemption may not be suspended or the date
of payment upon redemption postponed for more than seven days
after shares are tendered for redemption, except for any period
during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend
and holiday closings) or during which the Commission determines
that trading thereon is restricted, or for any period during
which an emergency (as determined by the Commission) exists as a
result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is
not reasonably practicable or as a result of which it is not
reasonably practicable for the Fund to determine fairly the value
of its net assets, or for such other periods as the Commission
may by order permit for the protection of security holders of the
Fund.
Payment of the redemption price will be made in cash.
The value of a shareholder's shares on redemption or repurchase
may be more or less than the cost of such shares to the
shareholder, depending upon the market value of the Fund's
portfolio securities at the time of such redemption or
repurchase. Payment received by a shareholder upon redemption or
repurchase of his or her shares, assuming the shares constitute
capital assets in his or her hands, will result in long-term or
short-term capital gains (or loss) depending upon the
shareholder's holding period and basis in respect of the shares
redeemed.
To redeem shares of the Fund for which no share
certificates have been issued, the registered owner or owners
30
<PAGE>
should forward a letter to the Fund containing a request for
redemption. The signature or signatures on the letter must be
guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in
Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
To redeem shares of the Fund represented by share
certificates, the investor should forward the appropriate share
certificate or certificates, endorsed in blank or with blank
stock powers attached, to the Fund with the request that the
shares represented thereby, or a specified portion thereof, be
redeemed. The stock assignment form on the reverse side of each
share certificate surrendered to the Fund for redemption must be
signed by the registered owner or owners exactly as the
registered name appears on the face of the certificate or,
alternatively, a stock power signed in the same manner may be
attached to the share certificate or certificates or, where
tender is made by mail, separately mailed to the Fund. The
signature or signatures on the assignment form must be guaranteed
in the manner described above.
TELEPHONE REDEMPTION BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER. Each
Fund shareholder is entitled to request redemption by electronic
funds transfer, once in any 30-day period (except for certain
omnibus accounts), of shares for which no share certificates have
been issued by telephone at (800) 221-5672 by a shareholder who
has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription
Application or, in the case of an existing shareholder, an
"Autosell" application obtained from Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
A telephone redemption request may not exceed $100,000 (except
for certain omnibus accounts), and must be made by 4:00 p.m.
Eastern time on a Fund business day as defined above. Proceeds
of telephone redemptions will be sent by Electronic Funds
Transfer to a shareholder's designated bank account at a bank
selected by the shareholder that is a member of the NACHA.
TELEPHONE REDEMPTION BY CHECK. Except for certain
omnibus accounts or as noted below, each Fund shareholder is
eligible to request redemption by check, once in any 30-day
period, of Fund shares for which no stock certificates have been
issued by telephone at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time on a Fund business day in an amount not exceeding $50,000.
Proceeds of such redemptions are remitted by check to the
shareholder's address of record. Telephone redemption by check is
not available with respect to shares (i) for which certificates
have been issued, (ii) held in nominee or "street name" accounts,
(iii) held by a shareholder who has changed his or her address of
record within the preceding 30 calendar days or (iv) held in any
retirement plan account. A shareholder otherwise eligible for
telephone redemption by check may cancel the privilege by written
instruction to Alliance Fund Services, Inc. or by checking the
31
<PAGE>
appropriate box on the Subscription Application found in the
Prospectus.
TELEPHONE REDEMPTION--GENERAL. During periods of
drastic economic or market developments, such as the market break
of October 1987, it is possible that shareholders would have
difficulty in reaching Alliance Fund Services, Inc. by telephone
(although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in
connection with the 1987 market break). If a shareholder were to
experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written
instructions to Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address shown
on the cover of this Statement of Additional Information. The
Fund reserves the right to suspend or terminate its telephone
redemption service at any time without notice. None of the Fund,
the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter or Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone
requests for redemptions that the Fund reasonably believes to be
genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to
verify that telephone requests for redemptions are genuine,
including, among others, recording such telephone instructions
and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions
to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such
procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from
unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Selected
dealers or agents may charge a commission for handling telephone
requests for redemptions.
REPURCHASE
The Fund may repurchase shares through the Principal
Underwriter, selected financial intermediaries or selected
dealers or agents. The repurchase price will be the net asset
value next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives
the request, except that requests placed through selected dealers
or agents before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on
any day will be executed at the net asset value determined as of
such close of regular trading on that day if received by the
Principal Underwriter prior to its close of business on that day
(normally 5:00 p.m. Eastern time). The financial intermediary or
selected dealer or agent is responsible for transmitting the
request to the Principal Underwriter by 5:00 p.m. If the
financial intermediary or selected dealer or agent fails to do
so, the shareholder's right to receive that day's closing price
must be settled between the shareholder and the dealer or agent.
A shareholder may offer shares of the Fund to the Principal
Underwriter either directly or through a selected dealer or
agent. Neither the Fund nor the Principal Underwriter charges a
fee or commission in connection with the repurchase of shares of
the Fund. Normally, if shares of the Fund are offered through a
financial intermediary or selected dealer or agent, the
repurchase is settled by the shareholder as an ordinary
32
<PAGE>
transaction with or through the selected dealer or agent, who may
charge the shareholder for this service. The repurchase of
shares of the Fund as described above is a voluntary service of
the Fund and the Fund may suspend or terminate this practice at
any time.
GENERAL
The Fund has minimums of $10,000 for initial
investments, $1,000 for subsequent investments and $5,000 for
account balances. A shareholder subject to the minimum account
balance requirement must increase his or her account balance to
at least $5,000 within sixty days after notice has been mailed by
the Fund of a deficient balance, or the Fund will close the
account and mail a check for the proceeds to the shareholder.
The Fund intends at least once each six months to review its
shareholder balances in regard to the $5,000 minimum and to send
appropriate notices to shareholders with deficient accounts. The
Fund imposes no minimums for redemptions by mail or for
redemptions made on an account's behalf by brokerage firms or
other financial institutions. However, such firms may have
internal procedures that include minimums. The minimum account
balance requirement is not applicable to Retirement Plans.
In the case of redemption or repurchase of shares of the
Fund recently purchased by check, redemption proceeds will not be
made available until the Fund is reasonably assured that the
check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the
purchase date.
_________________________________________________________________
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
_________________________________________________________________
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Fund's Prospectus under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares--Shareholder Services."
RETIREMENT PLANS
The Fund may be a suitable investment vehicle for part
or all of the assets held in various types of retirement plans,
such as those listed below. The Fund has available forms of such
plans pursuant to which investments can be made in the Fund and
other mutual funds managed by the Adviser. Persons desiring
information concerning these plans should contact Alliance Fund
Services, Inc. at the "For Literature" telephone number on the
cover of this Statement of Additional Information, or write to:
Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
33
<PAGE>
Retirement Plans
P.O. Box 1520
Secaucus, New Jersey 07096-1520
INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT ("IRA"). Individuals who
receive compensation, including earnings from self-employment,
are entitled to establish and make contributions to an IRA.
Taxation of the income and gains paid to an IRA by the Fund is
deferred until distribution from the IRA. An individual's
eligible contribution to an IRA will be deductible if neither the
individual nor his or her spouse is an active participant in an
employer-sponsored retirement plan. If the individual or his or
her spouse is an active participant in an employer-sponsored
retirement plan, the individual's contributions to an IRA may be
deductible, in whole or in part, depending on the amount of the
adjusted gross income of the individual and his or her spouse.
EMPLOYER-SPONSORED PROFIT-SHARING AND MONEY PURCHASE
PENSION. Sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations may
sponsor qualified money purchase pension and profit-sharing plans
under which annual tax-deductible contributions are made within
prescribed limits based on compensation paid to participating
individuals. The minimum initial investment requirement may be
waived with respect to certain of these qualified plans.
SIMPLIFIED EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN ("SEP"). Sole
proprietors, partnerships and corporations may sponsor a SEP
under which they make annual tax-deductible contributions to an
IRA established by each eligible employee within prescribed
limits based on employee compensation.
The Alliance Plans Division of Frontier Trust Company, a
subsidiary of Equitable, which serves as custodian or trustee
under the retirement plan prototype forms available from the
Fund, charges certain nominal fees for establishing an account
and for annual maintenance. A portion of these fees is remitted
to Alliance Fund Services, Inc. as compensation for its services
to the retirement plan accounts maintained with the Fund.
Distributions from retirement plans are subject to
certain Code requirements in addition to normal redemption
procedures. For additional information please contact Alliance
Fund Services, Inc.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN
Any shareholder who owns or purchases shares of the Fund
having a current net asset value of at least $10,000 may
establish a systematic withdrawal plan under which the
shareholder will periodically receive a payment in a stated
amount of not less than $50 on a selected date. Systematic
34
<PAGE>
withdrawal plan participants must elect to have their dividends
and distributions from the Fund automatically reinvested in
additional shares of the Fund.
Shares of the Fund owned by a participant in the Fund's
systematic withdrawal plan will be redeemed as necessary to meet
withdrawal payments and such payments will be subject to any
taxes applicable to redemptions. Shares acquired with reinvested
dividends and distributions will be liquidated first to provide
such withdrawal payments and thereafter other shares will be
liquidated to the extent necessary, and depending upon the amount
withdrawn, the investor's principal may be depleted. A systematic
withdrawal plan may be terminated at any time by the shareholder
or the Fund.
Withdrawal payments will not automatically end when a
shareholder's account reaches a certain minimum level. Therefore,
redemptions of shares under the plan may reduce or even liquidate
a shareholder's account and may subject the shareholder to the
Fund's involuntary redemption provisions. See "Redemption and
Repurchase of Shares--General." Purchases of additional shares
concurrently with withdrawals are undesirable because of sales
charges when purchases are made. While an occasional lump-sum
investment may be made by a shareholder who is maintaining a
systematic withdrawal plan, such investment should normally be an
amount equivalent to three times the annual withdrawal or $5,000,
whichever is less.
Payments under a systematic withdrawal plan may be made
by check or electronically via the Automated Clearing House
("ACH") network. Investors wishing to establish a systematic
withdrawal plan in conjunction with their initial investment in
shares of the Fund should complete the appropriate portion of the
Subscription Application found in the Prospectus, while current
Fund shareholders desiring to do so can obtain an application
form by contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or
the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this
Statement of Additional Information.
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS
Each shareholder of the Fund receives semi-annual and
annual reports which include a portfolio of investments,
financial statements and, in the case of the annual report, the
report of the Fund's independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP as
well as a confirmation of each purchase and redemption. By
contacting his or her broker or Alliance Fund Services, Inc., a
shareholder can arrange for copies of his or her account
statements to be sent to another person.
_________________________________________________________________
35
<PAGE>
NET ASSET VALUE
_________________________________________________________________
Portfolio securities that are actively traded in the
over- the-counter market, including listed securities for which
the primary market is believed to be over-the-counter, are valued
at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices
provided by the principal market makers. Any security for which
the primary market is on an exchange is valued at the last sale
price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was
no sale on such day, the last bid price quoted on such day.
Options will be valued at market value or fair market value if no
market exists. Futures contracts will be valued in a like
manner, except that open futures contracts sales will be valued
using the closing settlement price or, in the absence of such a
price, the most recently quoted asked price. Securities and
assets for which market quotations are not readily available are
valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the
direction of the Board of Directors of the Fund. However,
readily marketable fixed-income securities may be valued on the
basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices
are believed by the Adviser to reflect the fair market value of
such securities. The prices provided by a pricing service take
into account institutional size trading in similar groups of
securities and any developments related to specific securities.
U.S. Government Securities and other debt instruments having 60
days or less remaining until maturity are stated at amortized
cost if their original maturity was 60 days or less, or by
amortizing their fair value as of the 61st day prior to maturity
if their original term to maturity exceeded 60 days (unless in
either case the Fund's Board of Directors determines that this
method does not represent fair value).
For purposes of determining the Fund's net asset value
per share, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in
foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. Dollars at the
mean of the bid and asked prices of such currencies against the
U.S. Dollar last quoted by a major bank which is a regular
participant in the institutional foreign exchange markets or on
the basis of a pricing service which takes into account the
quotes provided by a number of such major banks.
________________________________________________________________
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
________________________________________________________________
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION OF DIVIDENDS AND
DISTRIBUTIONS
36
<PAGE>
GENERAL
The Fund intends for each taxable year to be qualified
as a "regulated investment company" under the Code.
Qualification relieves the Fund of Federal income tax liability
on that part of its investment company taxable income and net
capital gains which it timely distributes to its shareholders.
Such qualification does not, of course, involve governmental
supervision of management or investment practices or policies.
Investors should consult their own counsel for a complete
understanding of the requirements the Fund must meet to qualify
for such treatment.
The information set forth in the Prospectus and the
following discussion relate solely to the United States Federal
income taxes on dividends and distributions by the Fund and
assumes that the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment
company. Investors should consult their own tax counsel with
respect to the specific tax consequences of their being
shareholders of the Fund, including the effect and applicability
of Federal, state, local and foreign tax laws to their own
particular situation and the possible effects of changes therein.
In order to qualify as a regulated investment company
for any taxable year, the fund must, among other things, derive
at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest,
certain payments with respect to securities loans and gains from
the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign
currency or certain other income (including, but not limited to,
gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with
respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or
currency. In addition, the Fund will qualify as a regulated
investment company for any taxable year only if it satisfies the
diversification requirements set forth in the Fund's Prospectus
under the heading "Additional Investment Considerations--Non-
Diversified Status."
The Fund intends to declare and distribute dividends in
the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application
of the 4% Federal excise tax imposed on certain undistributed
income of regulated investment companies. The Fund will be
required to pay the 4% excise tax to the extent it does not
distribute to its shareholders during any calendar year an amount
equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for the
calendar year, (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income and
foreign currency gains for the twelve months ended October 31 of
such year and (iii) any ordinary income or capital gain net
income from the preceding calendar year that was not distributed
during such year. For this purpose, income or gain retained by
37
<PAGE>
the Fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be
considered to have been distributed by the Fund by year-end. For
Federal income and excise tax purposes, dividends declared and
payable to shareholders of record as of a date in October,
November or December but actually paid during the following
January will be treated as having been distributed by the Fund
and will be taxable to these shareholders in the year declared
and not in the subsequent calendar year in which the shareholders
actually receive the dividend.
Dividends of the Fund's net ordinary income and
distributions of any net realized short-term capital gain are
taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Since the Fund
expects to derive substantially all of its gross income
(exclusive of capital gains) from sources other than dividends,
it is expected that none of the Fund's dividends or distributions
will qualify for the dividends-received deduction for
corporations.
Pursuant to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, two
different tax rates apply to net capital gains---that is, the
excess of net gains from capital assets held for more than one
year over net losses from capital assets held for not more than
one year. One rate (generally 28%) applies to net gains on
capital assets held for more than one year but not more than 18
months ("mid-term gains"), and a second rate (generally 20%)
applies to the balance of such net capital gains ("adjusted net
capital gains"). Except as noted below, distributions of net
capital gains will be treated in the hands of shareholders as
mid-term gains to the extent designated by the Fund as deriving
from net gains from assets held for more than one year but not
more than 18 months, and the balance will be treated as adjusted
net capital gains. Gains derived from assets sold before May 7,
1997 and held for more than 18 months will be treated as mid-term
gains. Gains derived from assets sold after May 6, 1997 and
before July 29, 1997 and held for more than one year will be
treated as adjusted net capital gains. Distributions of mid-term
gains and adjusted net capital gains will be taxable to
shareholders as such, regardless of how long a shareholder has
held shares in the Fund. Any dividend or distribution received
by a shareholder on shares of the Fund will have the effect of
reducing the net asset value of such shares by the amount of such
dividend or distribution. Furthermore, a dividend or
distribution made shortly after the purchase of such shares by a
shareholder, although in effect a return of capital to that
particular shareholder, would be taxable to him or her as
described above. If a shareholder has held shares in the Fund
for six months or less and during that period has received a
distribution of net capital gains, any loss recognized by the
shareholder on the sale of those shares during the six-month
38
<PAGE>
period will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent
of the distribution.
Dividends are taxable in the manner discussed regardless
of whether they are paid to the shareholder in cash or are
reinvested in additional shares of the Fund.
The Fund may be required to withhold federal income tax
at the rate of 31% of all taxable distributions payable to
shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct
taxpayer identification numbers or to make required
certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue
Services that they are subject to backup withholding. Corporate
shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code
are exempt from such backup withholding. Backup withholding is
not an additional tax; any amount so withheld may be credited
against a shareholder's federal income tax liability or refunded.
FOREIGN TAX CREDIT
Income received by the Fund may also be subject to
foreign income taxes, including withholding taxes. The United
States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries
which entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of such taxes or
exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to
determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the
amount of the Fund's assets to be invested within various
countries is not known. If more than 50% of the value of the
Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of
stocks or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund will be
eligible and intends to file an election with the Internal
Revenue Service to pass through to its shareholders the amount of
foreign taxes paid by the Fund. However, there can be no
assurance that the Fund will be able to do so. Pursuant to this
election a shareholder will be required to (i) include in gross
income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his
pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by the Fund, (ii) treat his
pro rata share of such foreign taxes as having been paid by him,
and (iii) either deduct such pro rata share of foreign taxes in
computing his taxable income or treat such foreign taxes as a
credit against United States federal income taxes. Shareholders
who are not liable for federal income taxes, such as retirement
plans qualified under section 401 of the Code, will not be
affected by any such pass through of taxes by the Fund. No
deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by an individual
shareholder who does not itemize deductions. In addition,
certain shareholders may be subject to rules which limit or
reduce their ability to fully deduct, or claim a credit for,
their pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. A
shareholder's foreign tax credit with respect to a dividend
39
<PAGE>
received from the Fund will be disallowed unless the shareholder
holds shares in the Fund on the ex-dividend date and for at least
15 other days during the 30-day period beginning 15 days prior to
the ex-dividend date. Each shareholder will be notified within
60 days after the close of the Fund's taxable year whether the
foreign taxes paid by the Fund will pass through for that year
and, if so, such notification will designate (i) the
shareholder's portion of the foreign taxes paid to each such
country and (ii) the portion of dividends that represents income
derived from sources within each such country.
The federal income tax status of each year's
distributions by the Fund will be reported to shareholders and to
the Internal Revenue Service. The foregoing is only a general
description of the treatment of foreign taxes under the United
States federal income tax laws. Because the availability of a
foreign tax credit or deduction will depend on the particular
circumstances of each shareholder, potential investors are
advised to consult their own tax advisers.
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION OF THE FUND
The following discussion relates to certain significant
United States federal income tax consequences to the Fund with
respect to the determination of its "investment company taxable
income" each year. This discussion assumes that the Fund will be
taxed as a regulated investment company for each of its taxable
years.
CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS--"SECTION 988" GAINS OR LOSSES
Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to
fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the
Fund accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or
other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time
the Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such
liabilities are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss.
Similarly, gains or losses from the disposition of foreign
currencies, from the disposition of debt securities denominated
in a foreign currency, or from the disposition of a forward
contract denominated in a foreign currency which are attributable
to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the
date of acquisition of the asset and the date of disposition also
are treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains or losses,
referred to under the Code as "section 988" gains or losses,
increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's investment company
taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as
ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount
of the Fund's net capital gain. Because section 988 losses
reduce the amount of ordinary dividends the Fund will be allowed
to distribute for a taxable year, such section 988 losses may
40
<PAGE>
result in all or a portion of prior dividend distributions for
such year being recharacterized as a non-taxable return of
capital to shareholders, rather than as an ordinary dividend,
reducing each shareholder's basis in his Fund shares. To the
extent that such distributions exceed such shareholder's basis,
each will be treated as a gain from the sale of shares.
OPTIONS, FUTURES CONTRACTS, AND FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY
CONTRACTS
Certain listed options, regulated futures contracts and
forward foreign currency contracts are considered "section 1256
contracts" for Federal income tax purposes. Section 1256
contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year will
be "marked to market" and treated for Federal income tax purposes
as though sold for fair market value on the last business day of
such taxable year. Gain or loss realized by the Fund on section
1256 contracts other than forward foreign currency contracts will
be considered 60% long- term and 40% short-term capital gain or
loss, although the Fund may elect to have the gain or loss it
realizes on certain contracts taxed as "section 988" gain or
loss. Gain or loss realized by the Fund on forward foreign
currency contracts generally will be treated as section 988 gain
or loss and will therefore be characterized as ordinary income or
loss and will increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's net
investment income available to be distributed to holders as
ordinary income, as described above. The Fund can elect to
exempt its section 1256 contracts which are part of a "mixed
straddle" (as described below) from the application of section
1256.
The Treasury Department has the authority to issue
regulations that would permit or require the Fund either to
integrate a foreign currency hedging transaction with the
investment that is hedged and treat the two as a single
transaction, or otherwise to treat the hedging transaction in a
manner that is consistent with the hedged investment. The
regulations issued under this authority generally should not
apply to the type of hedging transactions in which the Fund
intends to engage.
With respect to over-the-counter put and call options,
gain or loss realized by the Fund upon the lapse or sale of such
options held by the Fund will be either long-term or short-term
capital gain or loss depending upon the Fund's holding period
with respect to such option. However, gain or loss realized upon
the lapse or closing out of such options that are written by the
Fund will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. In
general, if the Fund exercises an option or an option that the
Fund has written is exercised, gain or loss on the option will
not be separately recognized, but the premium received or paid
41
<PAGE>
will be included in the calculation of gain or loss upon
disposition of the property underlying the option.
Gain or loss realized by the Fund on the lapse or sale
of put and call options on foreign currencies which are traded
over- the-counter or on certain foreign exchanges will be treated
as section 988 gain or loss and will therefore be characterized
as ordinary income or loss and will increase or decrease the
amount of the Fund's net investment income available to be
distributed to shareholders as ordinary income, as described
above. The amount of such gain or loss shall be determined by
subtracting the amount paid, if any, for or with respect to the
option (including any amount paid by the Fund upon termination of
an option written by the Fund) from the amount received, if any,
for or with respect to the option (including any amount received
by the Fund upon termination of an option held by the Fund). In
general, if the Fund exercises such an option on a foreign
currency, or such an option that the Fund has written is
exercised, gain or loss on the option will be recognized in the
same manner as if the Fund had sold the option (or paid another
person to assume the Fund's obligation to make delivery under the
option) on the date on which the option is exercised, for the
fair market value of the option. The foregoing rules will also
apply to other put and call options which have as their
underlying property foreign currency and which are traded over-
the-counter or on certain foreign exchanges to the extent gain or
loss with respect to such options is attributable to fluctuations
in foreign currency exchange rates.
TAX STRADDLES
Any option, futures contract, forward foreign currency
contract or other position entered into or held by the Fund in
conjunction with any other position held by the Fund may
constitute a "straddle" for Federal income tax purposes. A
straddle of which at least one, but not all, the positions are
section 1256 contracts may constitute a "mixed straddle". In
general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect
the character and timing of the Fund's gains and losses with
respect to straddle positions by requiring, among other things,
that (i) loss realized on disposition of one position of a
straddle not be recognized to the extent that the Fund has
unrealized gains with respect to the other position in such
straddle; (ii) the Fund's holding period in straddle positions be
suspended while the straddle exists (possibly resulting in gain
being treated as short-term capital gain rather than long-term
capital gain); (iii) losses recognized with respect to certain
straddle positions which are part of a mixed straddle and which
are non-section 1256 positions be treated as 60% long-term and
40% short-term capital loss; (iv) losses recognized with respect
to certain straddle positions which would otherwise constitute
42
<PAGE>
short- term capital losses be treated as long-term capital
losses; and (v) the deduction of interest and carrying charges
attributable to certain straddle positions may be deferred. The
Treasury Department is authorized to issue regulations providing
for the proper treatment of a mixed straddle where at least one
position is ordinary and at least one position is capital. No
such regulations have yet been issued. Various elections are
available to the Fund which may mitigate the effects of the
straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles. In
general, the straddle rules described above do not apply to any
straddles held by the Fund all of the offsetting positions of
which consist of section 1256 contracts.
TAXATION OF FOREIGN SHAREHOLDERS
The foregoing discussion relates only to United States
Federal income tax law as it affects shareholders who are United
States residents or United States corporations. The effects of
Federal income tax law on shareholders who are non-resident alien
individuals or foreign corporations may be substantially
different. Foreign investors should consult their counsel for
further information as to the U.S. tax consequences of receipt of
income from the Fund.
________________________________________________________________
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
________________________________________________________________
Subject to the general supervision of the Board of
Directors of the Fund, the Adviser is responsible for the
investment decisions and the placing of the orders for portfolio
transactions for the Fund. The Fund's portfolio transactions
occur primarily with issuers, underwriters or major dealers
acting as principals. Such transactions are normally on a net
basis which do not involve payment of brokerage commissions. The
cost of securities purchased from an underwriter usually includes
a commission paid by the issuer to the underwriters; transactions
with dealers normally reflect the spread between bid and asked
prices. Premiums are paid with respect to options purchased by
the Fund and brokerage commissions are payable with respect to
transactions in exchange-traded futures contracts.
The Fund has no obligation to enter into transactions in
portfolio securities with any dealer, issuer, underwriter or
other entity. In placing orders, it is the policy of the Fund to
obtain the best price and execution for its transactions. Where
best price and execution may be obtained from more than one
dealer, the Adviser may, in its discretion, purchase and sell
securities through dealers who provide research, statistical and
other information to the Adviser. Such services may be used by
43
<PAGE>
the Adviser for all of its investment advisory accounts and,
accordingly, not all such services may be used by the Adviser in
connection with the Fund. The supplemental information received
from a dealer is in addition to the services required to be
performed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement, and the
expenses of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a
result of the receipt of such information. Portfolio securities
will not be purchased from or sold to Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette Securities Corporation, an affiliate of the Adviser, or
any other subsidiary or affiliate of Equitable.
________________________________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION
________________________________________________________________
CAPITALIZATION
The Fund's shares have non-cumulative voting rights,
which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares
voting for the election of Directors can elect 100% of the
Directors if they choose to do so, and in such event the holders
of the remaining less than 50% of the shares voting for such
election of Directors will not be able to elect any person or
persons to the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors is authorized to reclassify and
issue any unissued shares to any number of additional series
without shareholder approval. Accordingly, the Board in the
future, for reasons such as the desire to establish one or more
additional portfolios of the Fund with different investment
objectives, policies or restrictions, may create additional
series of shares. Any issuance of shares of another series would
be governed by the 1940 Act and the laws of the State of
Maryland. If shares of another series were issued in connection
with the creation of a second portfolio, each share of either
portfolio would normally be entitled to one vote for all
purposes. Generally, shares of both portfolios would vote as a
single series for the election of Directors and on any other
matter that affected both portfolios in substantially the same
manner. As to matters affecting each portfolio differently, such
as approval of the Advisory Agreement and changes in investment
policy, shares of each portfolio would vote as separate series.
Procedures for calling a shareholders meeting for the
removal of Directors of the Fund, similar to those set forth in
Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act, are available to shareholders of
the Fund. Meetings of shareholders may be called by 10% of the
Fund's outstanding shareholders.
44
<PAGE>
The outstanding voting shares of the Fund as of October
3, 1997 consisted of 23,563,778 shares of common stock. To the
knowledge of the Fund, the following persons owned of record or
beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund as
of October 3, 1997:
% of
Name and Address No. of Shares Fund
Teachers Retirement System** 10,101,010.101 42.87%
of Louisiana
8401 United Plaza Blvd.,
3rd fl.
Baton Rouge, LA. 70809-7017
CUSTODIAN
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. ("Brown Brothers"), 40
Water Street, Boston Massachusetts, will act as the Fund's
custodian for the assets of the Fund, but plays no part in
deciding on the purchase or sale of portfolio securities.
Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Directors, Brown
Brothers may enter into sub-custodial agreements for the holding
of the Fund's foreign securities.
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc., 1345 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10105, serves as the Fund's
Principal Underwriter and as such may solicit orders from the
public to purchase shares of the Fund. Under the Distribution
Services Agreement the Fund has agreed to indemnify the Principal
Underwriter, in the absence of its willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations
thereunder, against certain civil liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
COUNSEL
Legal matters in connection with the issuance of the
shares of common stock offered hereby are passed upon by Seward &
Kissel, New York, New York. Seward & Kissel has relied upon the
opinion of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP, Baltimore, Maryland,
for matters relating to Maryland law.
_________________________
**.
45
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Ernst & Young LLP, New York, New York, have been
appointed as independent auditors for the Fund.
YIELD AND TOTAL RETURN QUOTATIONS
From time to time the Fund advertises its "yield,"
"actual distribution rate" and "total return." The Fund's yield
for any 30- day (or one month) period is computed by dividing the
net investment income per share earned during such period by the
Fund's net asset value per share on the last day of the period,
and then annualizing such 30-day (or one-month) yield in
accordance with a formula prescribed by the Commission which
provides for compounding on a semi-annual basis. The Fund may
also advertise in items of sales literature an actual
distribution rate which is computed in the same manner as yield,
except that actual income dividends declared per share during the
period in question are substituted for net investment income per
share. Advertisements of the Fund's total return disclose its
average annual compounded total return for its most recently
completed one-, five- and ten-year periods (or the period since
the Fund's inception). The Fund's total return for such period
is computed by finding, through the use of a formula prescribed
by the Commission, the average annual compounded rate of return
over the period that would equate an assumed initial amount
invested to the value of the investment at the end of the period.
For purposes of computing total return, income dividends and
capital gains distributions paid on shares of the Fund are
assumed to have been reinvested when received.
The Fund's yield for the month ended April 30, 1997 was
4.29%. The Fund's actual distribution rate for such period was
6.31%. The Fund's average annual total return for the one-year
period ended April 30, 1997 was 4.61%. The Fund's average annual
total return for the five-year period ended April 30, 1997 was
1.62%. For the period from December 3, 1990 (commencement of
distribution) through April 30, 1997 the Fund's average annual
total return was 2.43%.
Yield and total return are not fixed and will fluctuate
in response to prevailing market conditions or as a function of
the type and quality of the securities in the Fund's portfolio,
the Fund's average portfolio maturity and its expenses.
Quotations of yield and total return do not include any provision
for the effect of individual income taxes. An investor's
principal invested in the Fund is not fixed and will fluctuate in
response to prevailing market conditions.
Advertisements quoting performance rankings of the Fund
as measured by financial publications or by independent
46
<PAGE>
organizations such as Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.
("Lipper"), Morningstar, Inc. and advertisements presenting
yield, total return and net asset value volatility may also from
time to time be sent to investors or placed in newspapers and
magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times,
Barrons, Investor's Daily, Money Magazine, Changing Times,
Business Week and Forbes or other media on behalf of the Fund.
In addition, the Fund may also compare its performance to other
short-term investments including money market funds which, unlike
the Fund, seek to maintain a stable net asset value per share.
In this regard, the Fund may present quotations of money market
fund performance as provided by independent organizations such as
Donoghue, Inc. or another similar organization.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Any shareholder inquiries may be directed to the
shareholder's broker or other financial adviser or to Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. at the address or telephone numbers shown on
the front cover of this Statement of Additional Information. This
Statement of Additional Information does not contain all the
information set forth in the Registration Statement filed by the
Fund with the Commission. Copies of the Registration Statement
may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may
be examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in
Washington, D.C.
47
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
APRIL 30, 1997
ALLIANCE CAPITAL
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS
APRIL 30, 1997 (UNAUDITED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000) U.S. $ VALUE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
CANADA-5.2%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-5.2%
Government of Canada Treasury Bill
2.80%, 5/08/97 (a)(b)
(cost $2,217,941) CA$ 3,000 $ 2,146,490
CZECH REPUBLIC-2.7%
DEBT OBLIGATION-2.7%
International Bank For
Reconstruction & Development
11.50%, 10/09/97 (a)
(cost $1,302,750) CZK 35,000 1,122,759
MEXICO-4.5%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-4.5%
Mexican Treasury Bill
26.30%, 6/26/97 (a)(b)
(cost $1,848,556) MXP 15,006 1,825,632
POLAND-2.1%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-2.1%
Polish Treasury Bill
21.70%, 11/26/97 (a)(b)
(cost $897,229) PLN 3,130 881,605
UNITED STATES-85.2%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-33.7%
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
Zero coupon, 7/18/97 (a) US$ 14,000 13,833,456
TIME DEPOSITS-51.5%
Deutsche Bank
5.42%, 6/13/97 (a) 10,000 10,000,000
Dresdner Bank
5.34%, 5/13/97 (a) 10,000 10,000,000
Republic National Bank of New York
5.69%, 5/01/97 1,100 1,100,000
------------
21,100,000
Total United States Securities
(cost $34,934,987) 34,933,456
TOTAL INVESTMENTS-99.7%
(cost $41,201,463) 40,909,942
Other assets less liabilities-0.3% 113,930
NET ASSETS-100% $ 41,023,872
(a) Securities, or portion thereof, with an aggregate market value of
$39,809,942 have been segregated to collateralize forward exchange currency
contracts.
(b) Annualized yield to maturity at purchase date.
See notes to financial statements.
5
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
APRIL 30, 1997 (UNAUDITED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
ASSETS
Investments in securities, at value (cost $41,201,463) $40,909,942
Cash 40,472
Receivable for investment securities sold 1,200,183
Interest receivable 22,392
Unrealized appreciation of forward exchange currency contracts 113,328
Receivable for capital stock sold 4,500
Total assets 42,490,817
LIABILITIES
Payable for investment securities purchased 1,100,000
Payable for capital stock redeemed 73,779
Dividend payable 71,735
Distribution fee payable 23,217
Advisory fee payable 16,467
Accrued expenses 181,747
Total liabilities 1,466,945
NET ASSETS $41,023,872
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS
Capital stock, at par $ 49,945
Additional paid-in capital 45,999,037
Distributions in excess of net investment income (742,285)
Accumulated net realized loss on investments and
foreign currency transactions (4,096,924)
Net unrealized depreciation of investments and foreign
currency denominated assets and liabilities (185,901)
$41,023,872
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE (based on 24,972,520 shares outstanding) $1.64
See notes to financial statements.
6
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
SIX MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 1997 (UNAUDITED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
INVESTMENT INCOME
Interest $1,450,373
EXPENSES
Advisory fee $ 140,186
Distribution fee 194,105
Administrative 74,381
Audit and legal 54,209
Custodian 51,104
Transfer agency 25,952
Registration 15,088
Directors' fees 12,182
Printing 5,412
Miscellaneous 3,416
Total expenses 576,035
Less: Fees waived by Adviser and Distributor (81,955)
Net expenses 494,080
Net investment income 956,293
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS
AND FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS
Net realized gain on investment transactions 6,111
Net realized gain on foreign currency transactions 80,028
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of:
Investments (336,677)
Foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities 32,208
Net loss on investments and foreign currency transactions (218,330)
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS $ 737,963
See notes to financial statements.
7
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED
APRIL 30, 1997 OCTOBER 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1996
-------------- ------------
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income $ 956,293 $ 2,612,380
Net realized gain on investments and
foreign currency transactions 86,139 475,207
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) of investments and
foreign currency denominated assets and
liabilities (304,469) 206,348
Net increase in net assets from operations 737,963 3,293,935
DIVIDENDS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Net investment income (1,350,304) (3,023,315)
CAPITAL STOCK TRANSACTIONS
Net decrease (3,253,997) (11,158,351)
Total decrease (3,866,338) (10,887,731)
NET ASSETS
Beginning of year 44,890,210 55,777,941
End of period $41,023,872 $ 44,890,210
See notes to financial statements.
8
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
APRIL 30, 1997 (UNAUDITED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE A: SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. (the "Fund"), was incorporated in the State
of Maryland on October 29, 1990 as a non-diversified, open-end management
investment company. The following is a summary of significant accounting
policies followed by the Fund.
1. SECURITY VALUATION
Investments are stated at value. Investments for which market quotations are
readily available are valued at the closing price on the day of valuation or,
if no such closing price is available, at the mean of the last bid and ask
price quoted on such day. However, readily marketable portfolio securities may
be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices
are believed by the Adviser to reflect the fair value of such securities.
Options are valued at market value or fair value using methods determined by
the Board of Directors. Securities which mature in 60 days or less are valued
at amortized cost, which approximates market value, unless this method does not
represent fair value. Securities for which market quotations are not readily
available and restricted securities are valued in good faith at fair value
using methods determined by the Board of Directors. In determining fair value,
consideration is given to cost, operating and other financial data.
2. CURRENCY TRANSLATION
Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies and commitments under
forward foreign exchange currency contracts are translated into U.S. dollars at
the mean of the quoted bid and asked price of such currencies against the U.S.
dollar on the valuation date. Purchases and sales of portfolio securities are
translated at the rates of exchange prevailing when such securities were
acquired or sold. Income and expenses are translated at rates of exchange
prevailing when earned or accrued.
Net realized gain on foreign currency transactions represents foreign exchange
gains and losses from sales and maturities of securities, holdings of foreign
currencies, exchange gains and losses realized between the trade and settlement
dates on investment transactions, and the difference between the amounts of
interest recorded on the Fund's books and the U.S. dollar equivalent amounts
actually received or paid. Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities represents net currency
gains and losses from valuing foreign currency denominated assets and
liabilities at period end exchange rates.
3. TAXES
It is the Fund's policy to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code
applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute all of its
investment company taxable income and net realized gains, if any, to
shareholders. Therefore, no provisions for federal income or excise taxes are
required.
4. INVESTMENT INCOME AND INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
Interest income is accrued daily. Investment transactions are accounted for on
the date securities are purchased or sold. Investment gains and losses are
determined on the identified cost basis. The Fund accretes discounts as
adjustment to interest income.
5. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend
date and are determined in accordance with income tax regulations.
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund's distributions of income and capital
gains are subject to recharacterization, which may include a tax return of
capital, at the end of the year to reflect the final investment results for
that year.
NOTE B: ADVISORY FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
Under the terms of an investment advisory agreement, the Fund pays Alliance
Capital Management L.P. (the "Adviser") an advisory fee at an annual rate of
.65 of 1% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Such fee is accrued
daily and paid monthly. For the six months ended April 30, 1997, the Adviser
agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fee. The amount of such fee waiver
was $34,507.
Pursuant to the advisory agreement, the Fund paid $74,381 to the Adviser
representing reimbursement of the costs of certain legal and accounting
services provided to the Fund by the Adviser for the six months ended April 30,
1997.
9
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Fund compensates Alliance Fund Services, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Adviser) under a Transfer Agency Agreement for providing personnel and
facilities to perform transfer agency services for the Fund. Such compensation
amounted to $17,941 for the six months ended April 30, 1997.
NOTE C: DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENT
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Services Agreement (the "Agreement")
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the
Agreement, the Fund pays a distribution fee to the Distributor at an annual
rate of up to .90 of 1% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The fees
are accrued daily and paid monthly. For the six months ended April 30, 1997,
the Distributor agreed to waive a portion of its distribution fee. The amount
of such fee waiver was $47,448. The Agreement provides that the Distributor
will use the payments in their entirety for distribution assistance and
promotional activities. The Agreement also provides that the Adviser may use
its own resources to finance the distribution of the Fund's shares.
NOTE D: INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
At April 30, 1997, the cost of investments for federal income tax purposes was
the same as the cost for financial reporting purposes, resulting in net
unrealized depreciation of investments of $291,521 (excluding foreign currency
transactions).
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund had a capital loss carryforward at
October 31, 1996 of $4,183,063 of which $4,135,663 expires in the year 2002,
and $47,400 expires in 2003.
1. FORWARD EXCHANGE CURRENCY CONTRACTS
The Fund enters into forward exchange currency contracts for investment
purposes and to hedge its exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange
rates on its foreign portfolio holdings and to hedge certain firm purchase and
sale commitments denominated in foreign currencies. A forward exchange currency
contract is a commitment to purchase or sell a foreign currency at a future
date at a negotiated forward rate. The gain or loss arising from the difference
between the original contracts and the closing of such contracts is included in
realized gains or losses from foreign currency transactions.
Fluctuations in the value of forward exchange currency contracts are recorded
for financial reporting purposes as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund.
The Fund's custodian will place and maintain cash not available for investment
or other liquid high quality debt securities in a separate account of the Fund
having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the Fund's commitments under
forward exchange currency contracts entered into with respect to position
hedges.
Risks may arise from the potential inability of a counterparty to meet the
terms of a contract and from unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign
currency relative to the U.S. dollar. The face or contract amount, in U.S.
dollars, as reflected in the following table, reflects the total exposure the
Fund has in that particular currency contract.
10
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
At April 30, 1997, the Fund had outstanding forward exchange currency
contracts, as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CONTRACT VALUE ON U.S. $ UNREALIZED
AMOUNT ORIGINATION CURRENT APPRECIATION
(000) DATE VALUE (DEPRECIATION)
-------- ----------- ----------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FOREIGN CURRENCY BUY CONTRACTS
Deutsche Marks, expiring 7/07/97 3,450 $2,232,718 $2,000,941 $ (231,777)
Finnish Markka, expiring 7/15/97 5,000 1,072,471 966,592 (105,879)
FOREIGN CURRENCY SALE CONTRACTS
Deutsche Marks, expiring
7/07/97-7/15/97 4,481 2,854,708 2,599,310 255,398
Swiss Francs, expiring 7/07/97 3,000 2,245,845 2,050,259 195,586
------------
$ 113,328
</TABLE>
2. OPTION TRANSACTIONS
For hedging and investment purposes, the Fund purchases and writes (sells) put
and call options on U.S. and foreign government securities and foreign
currencies that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and
over-the-counter markets.
The risk associated with purchasing an option is that the Fund pays a premium
whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, the Fund bears the risk
of loss of premium and change in market value should the counterparty not
perform under the contract. Put and call options purchased are accounted for in
the same manner as portfolio securities. The cost of securities acquired
through the exercise of call options is increased by premiums paid. The
proceeds from securities sold through the exercise of put options are decreased
by the premiums paid.
When the Fund writes an option, the premium received by the Fund is recorded as
a liability and is subsequently adjusted to the current market value of the
option written. Premiums received from written options which expire unexercised
are recorded by the Fund on the expiration date as realized gains from options
written. The difference between the premium and the amount paid on effecting a
closing purchase transaction, including brokerage commissions, is also treated
as a realized gain, or if the premium is less than the amount paid for the
closing purchase transaction, as a realized loss. If a call option is
exercised, the premium is added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying
security or currency in determining whether the Fund has realized a gain or
loss. If a put option is exercised, the premium reduces the cost basis of the
security or currency purchased by the Fund. In writing an option, the Fund
bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security or
currency underlying the written option. Exercise of an option written by the
Fund could result in the Fund selling or buying a security or currency at a
price different from the current market value. There were no transactions in
written options for the six months ended April 30, 1997.
11
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE E: CAPITAL STOCK
There are 3,000,000,000 shares of $.002 par value capital stock authorized.
Transactions in capital stock were as follows:
SHARES AMOUNT
--------------------------- ------------------------------
SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED
APRIL 30,1997 OCTOBER 31, APRIL 30,1997 OCTOBER 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1996 (UNAUDITED) 1996
------------ ------------ -------------- --------------
Shares sold 928,179 592,826 $ 1,541,475 $ 987,152
Shares issued in
reinvestment of
dividends 338,541 798,519 561,312 1,327,317
Shares redeemed (3,232,447) (8,120,965) (5,356,784) (13,472,820)
Net decrease (1,965,727) (6,729,620) $(3,253,997) $(11,158,351)
12
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
_______________________________________________________________________________
SELECTED DATA FOR A SHARE OF CAPITAL STOCK OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED
APRIL 30, YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31,
1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------
(UNAUDITED) 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992
------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 1.67 $ 1.66 $ 1.88 $ 1.90 $ 1.91 $ 1.98
INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Net investment income .04(a) .09(a) .11(a) .18 .22 .19
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments and foreign currency
transactions (.02) .02 (.23) (.12) (.16) (.17)
Net increase (decrease) in net asset
value from operations .02 .11 (.12) .06 .06 .02
LESS: DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income
and other sources (.05) (.10) -0- (.05) (.07) (.09)
Tax return of capital -0- -0- (.10) (.03) -0- -0-
Total dividends and distributions (.05) (.10) (.10) (.08) (.07) (.09)
Net asset value, end of period $ 1.64 $ 1.67 $ 1.66 $ 1.88 $ 1.90 $ 1.91
TOTAL RETURN:
Total investment return based on
net asset value(b) 1.73% 6.98% (6.35)% 3.27% 3.51% 1.26%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted) $41,024 $44,890 $55,778 $103,310 $149,623 $318,716
Ratio to average net assets of:
Expenses, net of waivers/reimbursements 2.29%(c) 2.10% 1.97% 1.70% 1.54% 1.59%
Expenses, before waivers/reimbursements 2.67%(c) 2.48% 2.35% 2.08% 1.92% 1.87%
Net investment income 4.43%(c) 5.37% 6.46% 3.96% 5.14% 7.21%
</TABLE>
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) Total investment return is calculated assuming an initial investment made
at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, and
redemption on the last day of the period. Total investment return calculated
for a period of less than one year is not annualized.
(c) Annualized.
13
<PAGE>
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS
OCTOBER 31, 1996 ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000) U.S. $ VALUE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUSTRALIA-5.1%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-5.1%
Australian Treasury Bill
7.46%, 11/07/96 (a) (b)
(cost $2,272,134) AU$ 2,875 $ 2,274,876
CANADA-3.3%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-3.3%
Government of Canada Treasury Bill
3.20%, 1/30/97 (b)
(cost $1,479,633) CA$ 2,000 1,480,040
CZECH REPUBLIC-2.9%
DEBT OBLIGATION-2.9%
International Bank For Reconstruction
& Development 11.50%, 10/09/97
(cost $1,302,750) CZK 35,000 1,302,583
MEXICO-5.3%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-5.3%
Mexican Treasury Bill
33.00%, 12/26/96 (a) (b)
(cost $2,526,011) MXP 20,104 2,394,762
NEW ZEALAND-4.9%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION-4.9%
Government of New Zealand
9.00%, 11/15/96 (a)
(cost $2,017,222) NZ$ 3,100 2,193,095
UNITED STATES-78.5%
GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS-60.0%
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
Zero coupon, 11/12/96 (a) US$ 13,500 13,477,972
Zero coupon, 11/20/96 (a) 13,500 13,463,093
------------
26,941,065
DEBT OBLIGATION-7.8%
SMM Trust Co., Ltd. FRN
5.625%, 11/22/96 (a) (c) 3,500 3,499,650
TIME DEPOSIT-10.7%
Societe Generale 5.65%, 11/01/96 4,800 4,800,000
Total United States Securities
(cost $35,243,165) 35,240,715
TOTAL INVESTMENTS-100.0%
(cost $44,840,915) 44,886,071
Other assets less liabilities-0.0% 4,139
NET ASSETS-100% $44,890,210
(a) Securities, or portion thereof, with an aggregate market value of
$37,303,448 have been segregated to collateralize forward exchange currency
contracts.
(b) Annualized yield to maturity at purchase date.
(c) Stated interest rate in effect at October 31, 1996.
Glossary:
FRN - Floating Rate Note.
See notes to financials.
5
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
OCTOBER 31, 1996 ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
ASSETS
Investments in securities, at value (cost $44,840,915 ) $44,886,071
Cash 77,795
Interest receivable 140,306
Unrealized appreciation of forward exchange currency contracts 71,169
Total assets 45,175,341
LIABILITIES
Dividend payable 82,246
Distribution fee payable 25,986
Advisory fee payable 18,461
Payable for capital stock redeemed 2,510
Accrued expenses 155,928
Total liabilities 285,131
NET ASSETS $44,890,210
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS
Capital stock, at par $ 53,876
Additional paid-in capital 49,249,103
Distributions in excess of net investment income (348,274)
Accumulated net realized loss on investments and foreign
currency transactions (4,183,063)
Net unrealized appreciation of investments and foreign
currency denominated assets and liabilities 118,568
$44,890,210
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE (based on 26,938,247 shares outstanding) $1.67
See notes to financial statements.
6
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, 1996 ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
INVESTMENT INCOME
Interest $3,634,040
EXPENSES
Advisory fee $ 316,077
Distribution fee 437,644
Administrative 143,138
Custodian 100,803
Audit and legal 100,056
Transfer agency 52,232
Registration 23,218
Directors' fees 20,573
Printing 9,282
Amortization of organization expenses 2,103
Miscellaneous 1,317
Total expenses 1,206,443
Less: Fees waived by Adviser and Distributor (184,783)
Net expenses 1,021,660
Net investment income 2,612,380
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS
AND FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS
Net realized loss on investment transactions (47,400)
Net realized gain on foreign currency transactions 522,607
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of:
Investments 332,534
Foreign currrency denominated assets and liabilities (126,186)
Net gain on investments and foreign currency transactions 681,555
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS $3,293,935
See notes to financial statements.
7
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
OCTOBER 31, OCTOBER 31,
1996 1995
------------- -------------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income $ 2,612,380 $ 4,487,361
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and
foreign currency transactions 475,207 (11,249,384)
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) of investments and foreign
currency denominated assets and liabilities 206,348 347,772
Net increase (decrease) in net assets from
operations 3,293,935 (6,414,251)
DIVIDENDS TO SHAREHOLDERS
Net investment income (3,023,315) -0-
Tax return of capital -0- (4,174,324)
CAPITAL STOCK TRANSACTIONS
Net decrease (11,158,351) (36,943,380)
Total decrease (10,887,731) (47,531,955)
NET ASSETS
Beginning of year 55,777,941 103,309,896
End of year (including undistributed net
investment income of $345,602 at
October 31, 1995) $ 44,890,210 $ 55,777,941
See notes to financial statements.
8
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
OCTOBER 31, 1996 ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE A: SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. (the "Fund"), was incorporated in the State
of Maryland on October 29, 1990 as a non-diversified, open-end management
investment company. The following is a summary of significant accounting
policies followed by the Fund.
1. SECURITY VALUATION
Investments are stated at value. Investments for which market quotations are
readily available are valued at the closing price on the day of valuation or,
if no such closing price is available, at the mean of the last bid and ask
price quoted on such day. Options are valued at market value or fair value
using methods determined by the Board of Directors. Securities which mature in
60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value,
unless this method does not represent fair value. Securities for which market
quotations are not readily available and restricted securities are valued in
good faith at fair value using methods determined by the Board of Directors. In
determining fair value, consideration is given to cost, operating and other
financial data.
2. CURRENCY TRANSLATION
Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies and commitments under
forward foreign exchange currency contracts are translated into U.S. dollars at
the mean of the quoted bid and asked price of such currencies against the U.S.
dollar. Purchases and sales of portfolio securities are translated at the rates
of exchange prevailing when such securities were acquired or sold. Income and
expenses are translated at rates of exchange prevailing when accrued.
Net realized gain on foreign currency transactions represents foreign exchange
gains and losses from sales and maturities of securities, holdings of foreign
currencies, exchange gains and losses realized between the trade and settlement
dates on security transactions, and the difference between the amounts of
interest recorded on the Fund's books and the U.S. dollar equivalent amounts
actually received or paid. Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
of foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities represents net currency
gains and losses from valuing foreign currency denominated assets and
liabilities at period end exchange rates.
3. ORGANIZATION EXPENSES
Organization expenses of approximately $153,000 have been deferred and were
amortized on a straight-line basis through December 1995.
4. TAXES
It is the Fund's policy to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code
applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute all of its
investment company taxable income and net realized gains, if applicable, to
shareholders. Therefore, no provisions for federal income or excise taxes are
required.
5. INVESTMENT INCOME AND INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
Interest income is accrued daily. Investment transactions are accounted for on
the date securities are purchased or sold. Investment gains and losses are
determined on the identified cost basis. The Fund accretes discounts as
adjustments to interest income.
6. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend
date and are determined in accordance with income tax regulations.
7. RECLASSIFICATION OF NET ASSETS
As of October 31, 1996, the Fund reclassified certain components of net assets.
The reclassification resulted in increases to additional paid-in capital,
distributions in excess of net investment income, and accumulated net realized
loss on investments and foreign currency transactions of $805,548, $282,941 and
$522,607, respectively. These reclassifications were the result of permanent
book to tax differences resulting primarily from foreign currency gains. Net
assets were not affected by the change.
9
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE B: ADVISORY FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
Under the terms of an investment advisory agreement, the Fund pays Alliance
Capital Management L.P. (the "Adviser"), an advisory fee at an annual rate of
.65 of 1% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Such fee is accrued
daily and paid monthly. For the year ended October 31, 1996, the Adviser agreed
to waive a portion of its advisory fee. The amount of such fee waiver was
$77,804.
Pursuant to the advisory agreement, the Fund paid $143,138 to the Adviser
representing the costs of certain legal and accounting services provided to the
Fund by the Adviser for the year ended October 31, 1996.
The Fund compensates Alliance Fund Services, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Adviser) under a Transfer Agency Agreement for providing personnel and
facilities to perform transfer agency services for the Fund. Such compensation
amounted to $45,028 for the year ended October 31, 1996.
NOTE C: DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENT
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Services Agreement (the "Agreement")
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the
Agreement, the Fund pays a distribution fee to the Distributor at an annual
rate of up to .90 of 1% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Such fee
is accrued daily and paid monthly. For the year ended October 31, 1996, the
Distributor agreed to waive a portion of its distribution fee. The amount of
such fee waiver was $106,979. The Agreement provides that the Distributor will
use such payments in their entirety for distribution assistance and promotional
activities. The Agreement also provides that the Adviser may use its own
resources to finance the distribution of the Fund's shares.
NOTE D: INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
1. FORWARD EXCHANGE CURRENCY CONTRACTS
The Fund enters into forward exchange currency contracts for investment
purposes and to hedge its exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange
rates on its foreign portfolio holdings and to hedge certain firm purchase and
sale commitments denominated in foreign currencies. A forward exchange currency
contract is a commitment to purchase or sell a foreign currency at a future
date at a negotiated forward rate. The gain or loss arising from the difference
between the original contracts and the closing of such contracts is included in
realized gains or losses from foreign currency transactions.
Fluctuations in the value of forward exchange currency contracts are recorded
for financial reporting purposes as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund.
The Fund's custodian will place and maintain cash not available for investment
or other liquid high quality debt securities in a separate account of the Fund
having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the Fund's commitments under
forward exchange currency contracts entered into with respect to position
hedges.
Risks may arise from the potential inability of a counterparty to meet the
terms of a contract and from unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign
currency relative to the U.S. dollar. The face or contract amount, in U.S.
dollars, as reflected in the following table, reflects the total exposure the
Fund has in that particular currency contract.
10
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
At October 31, 1996, the Fund had outstanding forward exchange currency
contracts, as follows:
CONTRACT VALUE ON U.S. $ UNREALIZED
AMOUNT ORIGINATION CURRENT APPRECIATION
(000) DATE VALUE (DEPRECIATION)
-------- ----------- ---------- --------------
FOREIGN CURRENCY BUY CONTRACTS
Deutsche Marks,
expiring 1/27/97 4,387 $2,902,989 $2,913,873 $ 10,884
FOREIGN CURRENCY SALE CONTRACTS
Australian Dollars,
expiring 11/07/96 2,800 2,222,080 2,218,506 3,574
Japanese Yen,
expiring 11/07/96 185,000 1,666,667 1,626,607 40,060
New Zealand Dollars,
expiring 11/15/96 3,100 2,174,340 2,190,176 (15,836)
Swiss Francs,
expiring 01/06/97 3,776 3,042,784 3,010,297 32,487
---------
$ 71,169
2. OPTION TRANSACTIONS
For hedging and investment purposes, the Fund purchases and writes (sells) put
and call options on U.S. and foreign government securities and foreign
currencies that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and
over-the-counter markets.
The risk associated with purchasing an option is that the Fund pays a premium
whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, the Fund bears the risk
of loss of premium and change in market value should the counterparty not
perform under the contract. Put and call options purchased are accounted for in
the same manner as portfolio securities. The cost of securities acquired
through the exercise of call options is increased by premiums paid. The
proceeds from securities sold through the exercise of put options are decreased
by the premiums paid.
When the Fund writes an option, the premium received by the Fund is recorded as
a liability and is subsequently adjusted to the current market value of the
option written. Premiums received from written options which expire unexercised
are recorded by the Fund on the expiration date as realized gains from options
written. The difference between the premium and the amount paid on effecting a
closing purchase transaction, including brokerage commissions, is also treated
as a realized gain, or if the premium is less than the amount paid for the
closing purchase transaction, as a realized loss. If a call option is
exercised, the premium is added to the proceeds from the sale of the underlying
security or currency in determining whether the Fund has realized a gain or
loss. If a put option is exercised, the premium reduces the cost basis of the
security or currency purchased by the Fund. In writing an option, the Fund
bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security or
currency underlying the written option. Exercise of an option written by the
Fund could result in the Fund selling or buying a security or currency at a
price different from the current market value. There were no transactions in
written options for the year ended October 31, 1996.
At October 31, 1996, the cost of investments for federal income tax purposes
was the same as the cost for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, gross
unrealized appreciation of investments was $179,022 and gross unrealized
depreciation of investments was $133,866, resulting in net unrealized
appreciation of $45,156 (excluding foreign currency transactions).
11
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund had a capital loss carryforward at
October 31, 1996 of $4,183,063 of which $4,135,663 expires in the year 2002,
and $47,400 expires in 2003.
NOTE E: CAPITAL STOCK
There are 3,000,000,000 shares of $.002 par value capital stock authorized.
Transactions in capital stock were as follows:
SHARES AMOUNT
--------------------------- ------------------------------
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
OCTOBER 31, OCTOBER 31, OCTOBER 31, OCTOBER 31,
1996 1995 1996 1995
------------ ------------ -------------- --------------
Shares sold 592,826 1,085,952 $ 987,152 $ 1,896,175
Shares issued in
reinvestment of
dividends 798,519 1,306,475 1,327,317 2,239,687
Shares redeemed (8,120,965) (23,684,048) (13,472,820) (41,079,242)
Net decrease (6,729,620) (21,291,621) $(11,158,351) $(36,943,380)
12
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
SELECTED DATA FOR A SHARE OF CAPITAL STOCK OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31,
---------------------------------------------------------------
1996 1995 1994 1993 1992
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of year $1.66 $1.88 $1.90 $1.91 $1.98
INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
NET INVESTMENT INCOME .09(a) .11(a) .18 .22 .19
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments and foreign currency
transactions .02 (.23) (.12) (.16) (.17)
Net increase (decrease) in net asset
value from operations .11 (.12) .06 .06 .02
LESS: DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income
and other sources (.10) -0- (.05) (.07) (.09)
Tax return of capital -0- (.10) (.03) -0- -0-
Total dividends and distributions (.10) (.10) (.08) (.07) (.09)
Net asset value, end of year $1.67 $1.66 $1.88 $1.90 $1.91
TOTAL RETURN:
Total investment return based on net
asset value(b) 6.98% (6.35)% 3.27% 3.51% 1.26%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of year (000's omitted) $44,890 $55,778 $103,310 $149,623 $318,716
Ratio to average net assets of:
Expenses, net of waivers/reimbursements 2.10% 1.97% 1.70% 1.54% 1.59%
Expenses, before waivers/reimbursements 2.48% 2.35% 2.08% 1.92% 1.87%
Net investment income 5.37% 6.46% 3.96% 5.14% 7.21%
</TABLE>
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
(b) Total investment return is calculated assuming an initial investment made
at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, and
redemption on the last day of the period. Total investment return calculated
for a period of less than one year is not annualized.
13
REPORT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
_______________________________________________________________________________
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ALLLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. (the "Fund"), including the portfolio of
investments, as of October 31, 1996, and the related statement of operations
for the year then ended, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the
two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of
the periods indicated therein. These financial statements and financial
highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility
is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights
based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial
highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned
as of October 31, 1996, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers. An
audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management as well as evaluating the overall financial
statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis
for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to
above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. at October 31, 1996, the results of its
operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of
the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each
of the indicated periods, in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
December 12, 1996
14
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF OBLIGATIONS
ISSUED OR GUARANTEED BY U.S. GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES OR INSTRUMENTALITIES
FEDERAL FARM CREDIT SYSTEM NOTES AND BONDS--are bonds
issued by a cooperatively owned nationwide system of banks and
associations supervised by the Farm Credit Administration, an
independent agency of the U.S. Government. These bonds are not
guaranteed by the U.S. Government.
MARITIME ADMINISTRATION BONDS--are bonds issued and
provided by the Department of Transportation of the U.S.
Government and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government.
FHA DEBENTURES--are debentures issued by the Federal
Housing Administration of the U.S. Government and are guaranteed
by the U.S. Government.
GNMA CERTIFICATES--are mortgage-backed securities which
represent a partial ownership interest in a pool of mortgage
loans issued by lenders such as mortgage bankers, commercial
banks and savings and loan associations. Each mortgage loan
included in the pool is either insured by the Federal Housing
Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration.
FHLMC BONDS--are bonds issued and guaranteed by the
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
FNMA BONDS--are bonds issued and guaranteed by the
Federal National Mortgage Association.
FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK NOTES AND BONDS--are notes and
bonds issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank System and are not
guaranteed by the U.S. Government.
STUDENT LOAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION ("SALLIE MAE") NOTES
AND BONDS--are notes and bonds issued by the Student Loan
Marketing Association.
Although this list includes a description of the primary
types of U.S. Government agency or instrumentality obligations in
which the Fund intends to invest, the Fund may invest in
obligations of U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities
other than those listed above.
A-1
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APPENDIX B
BOND AND COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
STANDARD & POOR's BOND RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's corporate debt rating is a current
assessment of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to
a specific obligation. Debt rated "AAA" has the highest rating
assigned by Standard & Poor's. Capacity to pay interest and
repay principal is extremely strong. Debt rated "AA" has a very
strong capacity to pay interest and to repay principal and
differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree. Debt
rated "A" has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse
effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than
a debt of a higher rated category.
The ratings from "AA" and "A" may be modified by the
addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within
the major rating categories.
MOODY's BOND RATINGS
Excerpts from Moody's description of its corporate bond
ratings: Aaa - judged to be the best quality, carry the smallest
degree of investment risk; Aa - judged to be of high quality by
all standards; A - possess many favorable investment attributes
and are to be considered as higher medium grade obligations; Baa
- - considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are neither
highly protected nor poorly secured.
FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE BOND RATINGS
AAA. Securities of this rating are regarded as strictly
high-grade, broadly marketable, suitable for investment by
trustees and fiduciary institutions, and liable to but slight
market fluctuation other than through changes in the money rate.
The factor last named is of importance varying with the length of
maturity. Such securities are mainly senior issues of strong
companies, and are most numerous in the railway and public
utility fields, though some industrial obligations have this
rating. The prime feature of an AAA rating is showing of
earnings several times or many times interest requirements with
such stability of applicable earnings that safety is beyond
reasonable question whatever changes occur in conditions. Other
features may enter in, such as a wide margin of protection
through collateral security or direct lien on specific property
as in the case of high class equipment certificates or bonds that
are first mortgages on valuable real estate. Sinking funds or
voluntary reduction of the debt by call or purchase are often
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factors, while guarantee or assumption by parties other than the
original debtor may also influence the rating.
AA. Securities in this group are of safety virtually
beyond question, and as a class are readily salable while many
are highly active. Their merits are not greatly unlike those of
the AAA class, but a security so rated may be of junior though
strong lien--in many cases directly following an AAA security--or
the margin of safety is less strikingly broad. The issue may be
the obligation of a small company, strongly secured but
influenced as to ratings by the lesser financial power of the
enterprise and more local type of market.
A. A securities are strong investments and in many
cases of highly active market, but are not so heavily protected
as the two upper classes or possibly are of similar security but
less quickly salable. As a class they are more sensitive in
standing and market to material changes in current earnings of
the company. With favoring conditions such securities are likely
to work into a high rating, but in occasional instances changes
cause the rating to be lowered.
STANDARD & POOR's COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
A is the highest commercial paper rating category
utilized by S&P, which uses the number 1+, l, 2 and 3 to denote
relative strength within its A classification. Commercial paper
issues rated A by S&P have the following characteristics:
Liquidity ratios are better than industry average. Long-term
debt rating is A or better. The issuer has access to at least
two additional channels of borrowing. Basic earnings and cash
flow are in an upward trend. Typically, the issuer is a strong
company in a well-established industry and has superior
management.
MOODY's COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or related supporting
institutions) have a superior capacity for repayment of short-
term promissory obligations. Prime-1 repayment capacity will
normally be evidenced by the following characteristics: Leading
market positions in well established industries; high rates of
return on funds employed; conservative capitalization structures
with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection; broad
margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high
internal cash generation; well established access to a range of
financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers rated Prime-2 (or related supporting
institutions) have a strong capacity for repayment of short-term
promissory obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many
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of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree.
Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more
subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while
still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions.
Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
Issuers rated Prime-3 (or related supporting
institutions) have an acceptable capacity for repayment of short-
term promissory obligations. The effect of industry
characteristics and market composition may be more pronounced.
Variability in earnings and profitability may result in changes
in the level of debt protection measurements and the requirement
for relatively high financial leverage. Adequate alternate
liquidity is maintained.
FITCH-1, FITCH-2, DUFF 1 AND DUFF 2
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
Commercial paper rated "Fitch-1" is considered to be the
highest grade paper and is regarded as having the strongest
degree of assurance for timely payment. "Fitch-2" is considered
very good grade paper and reflects an assurance of timely payment
only slightly less in degree than the strongest issue.
Commercial paper issues rated "Duff 1" by Duff & Phelps,
Inc. have the following characteristics: very high certainty of
timely payment, excellent liquidity factors supported by strong
fundamental protection factors, and risk factors which are very
small. Issues rated "Duff 2" have a good certainty of timely
payment, sound liquidity factors and company fundamentals, small
risk factors, and good access to capital markets.
B-3
<PAGE>
APPENDIX C
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES
CONTRACTS AND FOREIGN CURRENCIES
FUTURES CONTRACTS
The Fund may enter into contracts for the purchase or
sale for future delivery of fixed-income securities or foreign
currencies, or contracts based on financial indices including any
index of U.S. Government Securities, foreign government
securities or corporate debt securities. U.S. futures contracts
have been designed by exchanges which have been designated
"contracts markets" by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
("CFTC"), and must be executed through a futures commission
merchant, or brokerage firm, which is a member of the relevant
contract market. Futures contracts trade on a number of exchange
markets, and, through their clearing corporations, the exchanges
guarantee performance of the contracts as between the clearing
members of the exchange. The Fund will enter into futures
contracts which are based on debt securities that are backed by
the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as long-
term U.S. Treasury Bonds, Treasury Notes, Government National
Mortgage Association modified pass-through mortgage-backed
securities and three-month U.S. Treasury Bills. The Fund may
also enter into futures contracts which are based on bonds issued
by entities other than the U.S. government.
At the same time a futures contract is purchased or
sold, the Fund must allocate cash or securities as a deposit
payment ("initial deposit"). It is expected that the initial,
deposit would be approximately 1 1/2%-5% of a contract's face
value. Daily thereafter, the futures contract is valued and the
payment of "variation margin" may be required, since each day the
Fund would provide or receive cash that reflects any decline or
increase in the contracts value.
At the time of delivery of securities pursuant to such a
contract, adjustments are made to recognize differences in value
arising from the delivery of securities with a different interest
rate from that specified in the contract. In some (but not many)
cases, securities called for by a futures contract may not have
been issued when the contract was written.
Although futures contracts by their terms call for the
actual delivery or acquisition of securities, in most cases the
contractual obligation is fulfilled before the date of the
contract without having to make or take delivery of the
securities. The offsetting of a contractual obligation is
accomplished by buying (or selling, as the case may be) on a
commodities exchange an identical futures contract calling for
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delivery in the same month. Such a transaction, which is
effected through a member of an exchange, cancels the obligation
to make or take delivery of the securities. Since all
transactions in the futures market are made, offset or fulfilled
through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the
contracts are traded, the Fund will incur brokerage fees when it
purchases or sells futures contracts.
The purpose of the acquisition or sale of a futures
contract, in the case of a portfolio, such as the portfolio of
the Fund, which holds or intends to acquire fixed-income
securities, is to attempt to protect the Fund from fluctuations
in interest or foreign exchange rates without actually buying or
selling fixed-income securities or foreign currency. For
example, if interest rates were expected to increase, the Fund
might enter into futures contracts for the sale of debt
securities. Such a sale would have much the same effect as
selling an equivalent value of the debt securities owned by the
Fund. If interest rates did increase, the value of the debt
securities in the portfolio would decline, but the value of the
futures contracts to the Fund would increase at approximately the
same rate, thereby keeping the net asset value of the Fund from
declining as much as it otherwise would have. The Fund could
accomplish similar results by selling debt securities and
investing in bonds with short maturities when interest rates are
expected to increase. However, since the futures market is more
liquid than the cash market, the use of futures contracts as an
investment technique allows the Fund to maintain a defensive
position without having to sell its portfolio securities.
Similarly, when it is expected that interest rates may
decline, futures contracts may be purchased to attempt to hedge
against anticipated purchases of debt securities at higher
prices. Since the fluctuations in the value of futures contracts
should be similar to those of debt securities, the Fund could
take advantage of the anticipated rise in the value of debt
securities without actually buying them until the market had
stabilized. At that time, the futures contracts could be
liquidated and the Fund could then buy debt securities on the
cash market. To the extent the Fund enters into futures
contracts for this purpose, the assets in the segregated asset
account maintained to cover the Fund's obligations with respect
to such futures contracts will consist of cash, cash equivalents
or high quality liquid debt securities from its portfolio in an
amount equal to the difference between the fluctuating market
value of such futures contracts and the aggregate value of the
initial and variation margin payments made by the Fund with
respect to such futures contracts.
The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and
futures markets, due to differences in the nature of those
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markets, are subject to distortions. First, all participants in
the futures market are subject to initial deposit and variation
margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation
margin requirements, investors may close futures contracts
through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal
relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, the
liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering
into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking
delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take
delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus
producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of
speculators, the margin deposit requirements in the futures
market are less onerous than margin requirements in the
securities market. Therefore, increased participation by
speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price
distortions. Due to the possibility of distortion, a correct
forecast of general interest rate trends by the Adviser may still
not result in a successful transaction.
In addition, futures contracts entail risks. Although
the Fund believes, that use of such contracts will benefit the
Fund, if the Adviser's investment judgment about the general
direction of interest rates is incorrect, the Fund's overall
performance would be poorer than if it had not entered into any
such contract. For example, if the Fund has hedged against the
possibility of an increase in interest rates which would
adversely affect the price of debt securities held in its
portfolio and interest rates decrease instead, the Fund will lose
part or all of the benefit of the increased value of its debt
securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting
losses in its futures positions. In addition, in such
situations, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to
sell debt securities from its portfolio to meet daily variation
margin requirements. Such sales of bonds may be, but will not
necessarily be, at increased prices which reflect the rising
market. The Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it
may be disadvantageous to do so.
OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS
The Fund intends to purchase and write options on
futures contracts for hedging purposes. The purchase of a call
option on a futures contract is similar in some respects to the
purchase of a call option on an individual security. Depending
on the pricing of the option compared to either the price of the
futures contract upon which it is based or the price of the
underlying debt securities, it may or may not be less risky than
ownership of the futures contract or underlying debt securities.
As with the purchase of futures contracts, when the Fund is not
fully invested it may purchase a call option on a futures
C-3
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contract to hedge against a market advance due to declining
interest rates.
The writing of a call option on a futures contract
constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the
security or foreign currency which is deliverable upon exercise
of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration of
the option is below the exercise price, the Fund will retain the
full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge
against any decline that may have occurred in the Fund's
portfolio holdings. The writing of a put option on a futures
contract constitutes a partial hedge against increasing prices of
the security or foreign currency which is deliverable upon
exercise of the futures contract. If the futures price at
expiration of the option is higher than the exercise price, the
Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which
provides a partial hedge against any increase in the price of
securities which the Fund intends to purchase. If a put or call
option the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will incur a
loss which will be reduced by the amount of the premium it
receives. Depending on the degree of correlation between changes
in the value of its portfolio securities and changes in the value
of its futures positions, the Fund's losses from existing options
on futures may to some extent be reduced or increased by changes
in the value of portfolio securities.
The purchase of a put option on a futures contract is
similar in some respects to the purchase of protective put
options on portfolio securities. For example, the Fund may
purchase a put option on a futures contract to hedge the Fund's
portfolio against the risk of rising interest rates.
The amount of risk the Fund assumes when it purchases an
option on a futures contract is the premium paid for the option
plus related transaction costs. In addition to the correlation
risks discussed above, the purchase of an option also entails the
risk that changes in the value of the underlying futures contract
will not be fully reflected in the value of the option purchased.
OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES
The Fund may purchase and write options on foreign
currencies for hedging purposes in a manner similar to that in
which futures contracts on foreign currencies, or forward
contracts, will be utilized. For example, a decline in the
dollar value of a foreign currency in which portfolio securities
are denominated will reduce the dollar value of such securities,
even if their value in the foreign currency remains constant. In
order to protect against such diminutions in the value of
portfolio securities, the Fund may purchase put options on the
foreign currency. If the value of the currency does decline, the
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<PAGE>
Fund will have the right to sell such currency for a fixed amount
in dollars and will thereby offset, in whole or in part, the
adverse effect on its portfolio which otherwise would have
resulted.
Conversely, where a rise in the dollar value of a
currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated is
projected, thereby increasing the cost of such securities, the
Fund may purchase call options thereon. The purchase of such
options could offset, at least partially, the effects of the
adverse movements in exchange rates. As in the case of other
types of options, however, the benefit to the Fund deriving from
purchases of foreign currency options will be reduced by the
amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In
addition, where currency exchange rates do not move in the
direction or to the extent anticipated the Fund could sustain
losses on transactions in foreign currency options which would
require it to forego a portion or all of the benefits of
advantageous changes in such rates.
The Fund may write options on foreign currencies for the
same types of hedging purposes. For example, where the Fund
anticipates a decline in the dollar value of foreign currency
denominated securities due to adverse fluctuations in exchange
rates it could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call
option on the relevant currency. If the expected decline occurs,
the option will most likely not be exercised, and the diminution
in value of portfolio securities will be offset by the amount of
the premium received.
Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge
against an anticipated increase in the dollar cost of securities
to be acquired, the Fund could write a put option on the relevant
currency which, if rates move in the manner projected, will
expire unexercised and allow the Fund to hedge such increased
cost up to the amount of the premium. As in the case of other
types of options, however, the writing of a foreign currency
option will constitute only a partial hedge up to the amount of
the premium, and only if rates move in the expected direction. If
this does not occur, the option may be exercised and the Fund
would be required to purchase or sell the underlying currency at
a loss which may not be offset by the amount of the premium.
Through the writing of options on foreign currencies, the Fund
also may be required to forego all or a portion of the benefits
which might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements
in exchange rates.
The Fund intends to write covered call options on
foreign currencies. A call option written on a foreign currency
by the Fund is "covered" if the Fund owns the underlying foreign
currency covered by the call or has an absolute and immediate
C-5
<PAGE>
right to acquire that foreign currency without additional cash
consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a
segregated account by its Custodian) upon conversion or exchange
of other foreign currency held in its portfolio. A call option
is also covered if the Fund has a call on the same foreign
currency and in the same principal amount as the call written
where the exercise price of the call held (a) is equal to or less
than the exercise price of the call written or (b) is greater
than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is
maintained by the Fund in cash, U.S. Government Securities and
other high quality liquid debt securities in a segregated account
with its Custodian.
The Fund also intends to write call options on foreign
currencies that are not covered for cross-hedging purposes. A
call option on a foreign currency is for cross-hedging purposes
if it is not covered, but is designed to provide a hedge against
a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a security which the Fund
owns or has the right to acquire and which is denominated in the
currency underlying the option due to an adverse change in the
exchange rate. In such circumstances, the Fund collateralizes
the option by maintaining in a segregated account with the Fund's
Custodian, cash or U.S. government securities or other high
quality liquid debt securities in an amount not less than the
value of the underlying foreign currency in U.S. dollars marked
to market daily.
ADDITIONAL RISKS OF OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS, FORWARD
CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES
Unlike transactions entered into by the Fund in futures
contracts, options on foreign currencies and forward contracts
are not traded on contract markets regulated by the CFTC or (with
the exception of certain foreign currency options) by the SEC. To
the contrary, such instruments are traded through financial
institutions acting as market-makers, although foreign currency
options are also traded on certain national securities exchanges,
such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and the Chicago Board
Options Exchange, subject to SEC regulation. Similarly, options
on currencies may be traded over-the-counter. In an over-the-
counter trading environment, many of the protections afforded to
exchange participants will not be available. For example, there
are no daily price fluctuation limits, and adverse market
movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a
period of time. Although the purchaser of an option cannot lose
more than the amount of the premium plus related transaction
costs, this entire amount could be lost. Moreover, the option
writer and a trader of forward contracts could lose amounts
substantially in excess of their initial investments, due to the
margin and collateral requirements associated with such
positions.
C-6
<PAGE>
Options on foreign currencies traded on national
securities exchanges are within the jurisdiction of the SEC, as
are other securities traded on such exchanges. As a result, many
of the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges
will be available with respect to such transactions. In
particular, all foreign currency option positions entered into on
a national securities exchange are cleared and guaranteed by the
Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), thereby reducing the risk
of counterparty default. Further, a liquid secondary market in
options traded on a national securities exchange may be more
readily available than in the over-the-counter market,
potentially permitting the Fund to liquidate open positions at a
profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the
event of adverse market movements.
The purchase and sale of exchange-traded foreign
currency options, however, is subject to the risks of the
availability of a liquid secondary market described above, as
well as the risks regarding adverse market movements, margining
of options written, the nature of the foreign currency market,
possible intervention by governmental authorities and the effects
of other political and economic events. In addition, exchange-
traded options on foreign currencies involve certain risks not
presented by the over-the-counter market. For example, exercise
and settlement of such options must be made exclusively through
the OCC, which has established banking relationships in
applicable foreign countries for this purpose. As a result, the
OCC may, if it determines that foreign governmental restrictions
or taxes would prevent the orderly settlement of foreign currency
option exercises, or would result in undue burdens on the OCC or
its clearing member, impose special procedures on exercise and
settlement, such as technical changes in the mechanics of
delivery of currency, the fixing of dollar settlement prices or
prohibitions on exercise.
In addition, futures contracts, options on futures
contracts, forward contracts and options on foreign currencies
may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions are
subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in
or the prices of foreign currencies or securities. The value of
such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other
complex foreign political and economic factors, (ii) lesser
availability than in the United States of data, on which to make
trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Fund's ability to act upon
economic events occurring in foreign markets during nonbusiness
hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different
exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin
requirements than in the United States, and (v) lesser trading
volume.
C-7
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_______________________________________________________________
APPENDIX D: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT
THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES
_______________________________________________________________
Territory and Population
The United Mexican States ("Mexico") occupies a
territory of approximately 1.97 million square kilometers (759
thousand square miles). To the north, Mexico shares a border
with the United States of America, and to the south it has
borders with Guatemala and Belize. Its coastline is along both
the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Mexico comprises 31
states and a Federal District (Mexico City). It is the second
most populous nation in Latin America, with an estimated
population of 91.1 million, as reported by the National Institute
of Statistics, Geography and Informatics in 1995.
Mexico's three largest cities are Mexico City,
Guadalajara and Monterrey, with estimated populations in 1995 of
16.4 million, 3.3 million and 2.9 million, respectively. In the
1980s, Government efforts concerning family planning and birth
control, together with declining birth rates among women under 35
and those living in urban areas, have resulted in a reduction of
the population growth rate to a projected 1.6% in 1997.
Government
The present form of government was established by the
Constitution, which took effect on May 1, 1917. The Constitution
establishes Mexico as a Federal Republic and provides for the
separation of the executive, legislative and judicial branches.
The President and the members of Congress are elected by popular
vote of Mexican citizens over 18 years of age.
Executive authority is vested in the President, who is
elected for a single six-year term. The executive branch
consists of 17 ministries, the office of the Federal Attorney
General, the Federal District Department and the office of the
Attorney General of the Federal District.
Federal Legislative authority is vested in the Congress,
which is composed of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
Senators serve a six-year term. Deputies serve a three-year
term, and neither Senators nor Deputies may serve consecutive
terms in the same Chamber. The Senate has 128 members, four from
each state and four from the Federal District. The Chamber of
Deputies has 500 members, of whom 300 are elected by direct vote
from the electoral districts and 200 are elected by a system of
proportional representation. The Constitution provides that the
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President may veto bills and that Congress may override such
vetoes with a two-thirds majority of each Chamber.
Federal Judicial authority is vested in the Supreme
Court of Justice, the Circuit and District courts, and the
Federal Judicial Board. The Supreme Court has 11 members who are
selected by the Senate from a pool of candidates nominated by the
President. Its members serve for 15 year terms, except for the
current members of the Court, whose appointments range from eight
to 20 years.
Mexico has diplomatic relations with approximately 176
countries. It is a charter member of the United Nations and a
founding member of the Organization of American States, the
International Monetary Fund (the "IMF"), the World Bank, the
International Finance Corporation, the Inter-American Development
Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Mexico became a member of the Organization for Economic
Corporation and Development (the "OECD") on April 14, 1994 and
the World Trade Organization ("WTO") on January 1, 1995 (the date
on which the WTO superseded the General Agreement on Trade and
Tariffs ("GATT")).
Politics
The Partido Revolucionario Institucional ("PRI") is the
dominant political party in Mexico. Since 1929 the PRI has won
all presidential elections and until the 1997 Congressional
elections held a majority in Congress. Until 1989 it had also
won all of the state governorships. The oldest opposition party
in Mexico is the Partido Accion Nacional ("PAN"). The third
major party in Mexico is the Partido de la Revolucion Democratica
("PRD").
On August 21, 1994, elections were held to select a new
President of Mexico for a six-year term beginning on December 1,
1994. In addition, elections were held for three-quarters of the
Senate and the entire Chamber of Deputies. The candidate of the
PRI, Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, won the Presidential election
with 48.77% of the votes, the candidate of the PAN was second
with 25.94% of the votes and the PRD candidate was third with
16.6% of the votes. With respect to the Congressional elections,
the PRI maintained its majority in both chambers, with 93 seats
in the Senate and 298 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. The PAN
had the second largest representation with 25 seats in the Senate
and 118 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and the PRD had the
third largest representation with 10 seats in the Senate and 70
seats in the Chamber of Deputies. The PRI won two additional
seats pursuant to proportional representation and the PAN and the
PRD each won one seat in extraordinary elections held on
April 30, 1995. In the mid-term Congressional elections on
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July 6, 1997, the PRI lost its majority in the Chamber of
Deputies and now holds 239 of its 500 seats. Elections will next
be held by 2000 (Presidential).
At the beginning of 1994 armed insurgents attacked (and
in some cases temporarily seized control of) several villages in
the southern state of Chiapas. While the Government responded by
providing support to the local authorities and publicly offering
to negotiate a peaceful resolution that would address the
underlying concerns of the local population, the conflict
remained a source of debate and uncertainty for the remainder of
the year. Negotiations with the insurgents continued through the
spring of 1994, but subsequently were broken off. In December of
1994, the Congress approved the creation of a Congressional peace
commission, to be formed by members of both chambers of Congress,
which would be responsible for mediating the negotiations between
the Government and the insurgents. By the end of 1994, however,
the insurgents had not agreed to resume negotiations and there
were additional incidents of civil unrest.
In the Spring of 1995, the Government renewed its
efforts to resolve its differences with the insurgents in the
Chiapas region by facilitating their participation in the
political process. On March 9, 1995, Congress approved a law
granting temporary amnesty to insurgents who participate in peace
talks with the Government, and on March 13, 1995, the law
establishing the framework for these peace talks took effect. On
September 11, 1995, the Government and the insurgents reached an
agreement pursuant to which both sides accepted a common
political agenda and procedural rules, and agreed to the creation
of a working committee regarding the rights of indigenous
peoples. This agreement was expected to represent a first step
toward a comprehensive peace agreement between the parties. The
working committee began negotiations on October 17, 1995 and
concluded a second round of meetings on November 19, 1995 having
made significant progress in laying out the framework for a
plenary session that took place from January 10 through
January 19, 1996. The attendees at the plenary session drafted
an agreement on a series of measures aimed at enhancing and
guaranteeing the rights of the indigenous population. The
agreement was signed on February 16, 1996. Talks with the
insurgents have continued but are currently on hold.
On August 28, 1996, a newly formed group calling itself
the Popular Revolutionary Army attacked military and police
targets in small cities of some southern states of Mexico. It is
generally believed that this group does not enjoy popular
support, and its terrorists attacks have been condemned by both
Government and nongovernment representatives. The Government has
announced the apprehension of several alleged members of the
group.
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In addition to the civil unrest in Chiapas, certain
national developments have led to disillusionment among the
electorate with the institutions of government. These events
include the assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio, the likely
successor to former President Salinas and the murder of Mr. Jose
Francisco Ruiz Massieu, a high-ranking PRI official. There have
also been mushrooming revelations linking Mexico's drug cartels
with high Government and military officials. These revelations
could jeopardize Mexico's status as an ally of the U.S. in the
war against narcotics smuggling. While Mexico is currently
certified as an ally there is no assurance that the certification
will be maintained. A loss of certification could result in the
termination of U.S. economic assistance to Mexico.
On January 17, 1995, the major political parties of
Mexico entered into a new accord to further the opening of the
political process in Mexico. On July 25, 1996, the Mexican
Government announced certain proposed constitutional amendments
aimed at reforming the electoral law that were ratified on
August 22, 1996. The amendments, which had been agreed to by the
President and the leaders of the four major political parties
represented in Congress, among other things, exclude the
President from the Federal Electoral Institute, an autonomous
agency charged with organizing elections; eliminate the Electoral
Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, which had been responsible
for determining the validity of presidential elections; impose
limits on expenditures on political campaigns and controls on the
source of and uses of funds contributed to a political party;
grant voting rights to Mexican citizens residing abroad; reduce
from 315 to 300 the maximum number of congressional
representatives who may belong to a single party, and establish
an electoral procedure intended to result in a more proportional
representation in the Senate. The Mexican Supreme Court is
empowered to determine the constitutionality of electoral laws
and the Mexican Federal Electoral Court, which has been part of
the executive branch, will become part of the judicial branch.
Money and Banking
Banco de Mexico, chartered in 1925, is the central bank
of Mexico. It is the Federal Government's primary authority for
the execution of monetary policy and the regulation of currency
and credit. It is authorized by law to regulate interest rates
payable on time deposits, to establish minimum reserve
requirements for credit institutions and to provide discount
facilities for certain types of bank loans. The currency unit of
Mexico is the Peso. Mexico repealed its exchange control rules
in 1991 and now maintains only a market exchange rate.
A constitutional amendment relating to Banco de Mexico's
activities and role within the Mexican economy became effective
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on August 23, 1993. The amendment's purpose was to reinforce the
independence of Banco de Mexico, which may in the future act as a
counterbalance to the executive and legislative branches in
monetary policy matters. The amendment significantly strengthens
Banco de Mexico's authority with respect to monetary policy,
foreign exchange and related activities and the regulation of the
financial services industry. On April 1, 1994, a new law
governing the activities of Banco de Mexico became effective.
The new law was intended to put into effect the greater degree of
autonomy granted to Banco de Mexico under the constitutional
amendment described above and also established a Foreign Exchange
Commission charged with determining the nation's exchange rate
policies.
Trade Reform
Mexico became a member of the GATT in 1986 and has been
a member of the WTO since January 1, 1995, the date on which the
WTO superseded the GATT. Mexico has also entered into NAFTA with
the United States and Canada. In addition, Mexico signed a
framework for a free trade agreement in 1992 with Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as a step toward
establishing a free-trade area by the end of 1997, and entered
into a definitive free trade agreement with Costa Rica in April
1994. A free trade agreement between Mexico and Chile went into
effect on January 1, 1992. A free trade agreement with Colombia
and Venezuela was signed in June 1994 and a similar agreement
with Bolivia was signed in September 1994; both agreements
entered into force in January 1995. In connection with the
implementation of NAFTA, amendments to several laws relating to
financial services (including the Banking Law and the Securities
Market Law) became effective on January 1, 1994. These measures
permit non-Mexican financial groups and financial intermediaries,
through Mexican subsidiaries, to engage in various activities in
the Mexican financial system, including banking and securities
activities.
Economic Information Regarding Mexico
During the period from World War II through the mid-
1970's, Mexico experienced sustained economic growth. During the
mid 1970's, Mexico experienced high inflation and, as a result,
the government embarked on a high-growth strategy based on oil
exports and external borrowing. The steep decline in oil prices
in 1981 and 1982, together with high international interest rates
and the credit markets' unwillingness to refinance maturing
external Mexican credits, led in 1982 to record inflation,
successive devaluations of the peso by almost 500% in total, a
pubic sector deficit of 16.9% of GDP and, in August 1982, a
liquidity crisis that precipitated subsequent restructurings of a
large portion of the country's external debt. Through much of
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the 1980's, the Mexican economy continued to experience high
inflation and large foreign indebtedness. In February 1990,
Mexico became the first Latin American country to reach an
agreement with external creditor banks and multi-national
agencies under the U.S. Treasury's approach to debt reduction
known as the "Brady Plan."
The value of the peso has been central to the
performance of the Mexican economy. From late 1982 until
November 11, 1991, Mexico maintained a dual foreign exchange rate
system, with a "controlled" rate and a "free market" rate. The
controlled exchange rate applied to certain imports and exports
of goods, advances and payments of registered foreign debt and
funds used in connection with the in-bond industry (the industry
is comprised of companies which import raw materials without
paying a duty), and payments of royalties and technical
assistance under registered agreements requiring such payments.
The free market rate was used for all other types of
transactions. The dual system assisted in controlling the value
of the Mexican Peso, particularly from 1983 to 1985. In later
years the difference between the two rates was not significant.
Mexico has since repealed the controlled rate.
A fixed exchange rate was maintained from February to
December 1988. Thereafter, under a Government implemented
devaluation schedule, the intended annual rate of devaluation was
gradually lowered from 16.7% in 1989 to 11.4% in 1990, 4.5% in
1991 and 2.4% in 1992. From October 1992 through December 20,
1994, the peso/dollar exchange rate was allowed to fluctuate
within a band that widened daily. The ceiling of the band, which
was the maximum selling rate, depreciated at a daily rate of
0.0004 pesos (equal to approximately 4.5% per year), while the
floor of the band, i.e., the minimum buying rate, remained fixed.
Banco de Mexico agreed to intervene in the foreign exchange
market to the extent that the peso/dollar exchange rate reached
either the floor or the ceiling of the band.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Beginning on January 1, 1994,
volatility in the peso/dollar exchange rate began to increase,
with the value of the peso relative to the dollar declining at
one point to an exchange rate of 3.375 pesos to the U.S. Dollar,
a decline of approximately 8.69% from the high of 3.1050 pesos
reached in early February. This increased volatility was
attributed to a number of political and economic factors,
including a growing current account deficit, the relative
overvaluation of the peso, investor reactions to the increase in
U.S. interest rates, lower than expected economic growth in
Mexico in 1993, uncertainty concerning the Mexican Presidential
elections in August 1994 and certain related developments.
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On December 20, 1994, increased pressure on the
peso/dollar exchange rate led Mexico to increase the ceiling of
the Banco de Mexico intervention band. That action proved
insufficient to address the concerns of foreign investors, and
the demand for foreign currency continued. On December 22, the
Government adopted a free exchange rate policy, eliminating the
intervention band and allowing the peso to float freely against
the dollar. The value of the peso continued to weaken relative
to the dollar in the following days. There was substantial
volatility in the peso/dollar exchange during the first quarter
of 1995, with the peso/dollar exchange rate falling to a low
point of 7.588 pesos to the U.S. Dollar on March 13, 1995. By
the end of April and through September 1995, the exchange rate
began to stabilize; however, the exchange rate began to show
signs of renewed volatility in October and November 1995. The
peso/dollar exchange rate fell to a low for the year of 8.14
pesos to the U.S. Dollar on November 13, 1995. The peso/dollar
exchange rate announced by Banco de Mexico on October 27, 1997
(to take effect on the second business day thereafter) for the
payment of obligations denominated in dollars and payable in
pesos was 8.39 pesos to the U.S. Dollar.
In order to address the adverse economic situation that
developed at the end of 1994, the Government announced in January
1995 a new economic program and a new accord among the Government
and the business and labor sectors of the economy, which,
together with a subsequent program announced in March 1995 and
the international support package described below, formed the
basis of Mexico's 1995 economic plan (the "1995 Economic Plan").
The objectives of the 1995 Economic Plan were to stabilize the
financial markets, lay the foundation for a return to lower
inflation rates over the medium-term, preserve Mexico's
international competitiveness, maintain the solvency of the
banking system and attempt to reassure long-term investors of the
strong underlying fundamentals of the Mexican economy.
The central elements of the 1995 Economic Plan were
fiscal reform, aimed at increasing public revenues through price
and tax adjustments and reducing public sector expenditures;
restrictive monetary policy, characterized by limited credit
expansion; stabilization of the exchange rate while maintaining
the current floating exchange rate policy; reduction of the
current account deficit; introduction of certain financial
mechanisms to enhance the stability of the banking sector; and
maintenance and enhancement of certain social programs, to ease
the transition for the poorest segments of society.
In addition to the actions described above, in the
beginning of 1995, the Government engaged in a series of
discussions with the IMF, the World Bank, the Inter-American
Development Bank and the U.S. and Canadian Governments in order
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to obtain the international financial support necessary to
relieve Mexico's liquidity crisis and aid in restoring financial
stability to Mexico's economy. The proceeds of the loans and
other financial support have been and will be used to refinance
public sector short-term debt, primarily Tesobonos, to restore
the country's international reserves and to support the banking
sector. The largest component of the international support
package is up to $20 billion in support from the United States
pursuant to four related agreements entered into on February 21,
1995. During 1995, the U.S. Government and the Canadian
Government disbursed $13.7 billion of proceeds to Mexico under
these agreements and the North American Framework Agreement
("NAFA"), the proceeds of which were used by Mexico to refinance
maturing short-term debt, including Tesobonos and $1 billion of
short-term swaps under the NAFA.
Using resources made available through the international
support package as well as operations by Banco de Mexico, in 1995
Mexico altered its debt profile significantly. The outstanding
Tesobono balance was reduced from $29.2 billion at December 31,
1994 to $16.2 billion at the end of the first quarter of 1995,
$10.0 billion at the end of the second quarter, $2.5 billion at
the end of the third quarter and $246 million at the end of the
fourth quarter. By February 16, 1996, Mexico had no Tesobonos
outstanding, and has not issued Tesobonos since that date. As of
December 31, 1996, 100% of Mexico's net internal debt was
denominated and payable in pesos, as compared with only 44.3% of
such debt at the end of 1994.
On May 31, 1995, the Government announced the Plan
Nacional de Desarrollo 1995-2000 (1995-2000 National Development
Plan, or the "Development Plan"). The Development Plan covers
five topics: sovereignty; the rule of law; democratic
development; social development; and economic growth. The
fundamental strategic objective of the Development Plan is to
promote vigorous and sustainable economic growth. Among other
things, the Development Plan calls for steps to increase domestic
savings, preferences for channeling foreign investment into
direct productive investment, the elimination of unnecessary
regulatory obstacles to foreign participation in productive
activities and further deregulation of the economy.
On October 29, 1995, the Government announced the
establishment of a new accord among the Government and the
business, labor and agricultural sectors of the economy known as
the Alianza para la Recuperacion Economica (Alliance for Economic
Recovery or "ARE"). The chief objectives of the ARE, which was
replaced by the ACE (as defined below), were to stimulate
economic recovery and job creation, and to strengthen the basis
for gradual and sustainable economic growth.
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On October 26, 1996, the Government announced the
establishment of another accord among the Government and the
business, labor and agricultural sectors of the economy known as
the Alianza para el Crecimiento Economico (Alliance for Economic
Growth or "ACE"). The chief objectives of the ACE are to foster
sustainable economic growth by emphasizing (i) the export sector,
particularly through domestic and foreign investment, (ii) public
investment, particularly in the hydrocarbon, electricity,
transportation and water sectors, private consumption and
(iii) fiscal and monetary discipline in order to encourage an
environment of greater price stability and lower interest rates.
On June 3, 1997, the Government announced the Programa
Nacional de Financiamiento del Desarrollo 1997-2000 (National
Development Financing Program 1997-2000, or "PRONAFIDE"). The
PRONAFIDE's goals are to: (i) achieve, on average, real GDP
growth of 5% per year, (ii) generate more than one million jobs
per year, (iii) increase real wages and salaries, (iv) strengthen
the capacity of the Government to respond to social needs and
(v) avoid an economic crisis of the type suffered by Mexico
during the past 20 years.
The effects of the devaluation of the peso, as well as
the Government's response to that and related events, were
apparent in the performance of the Mexican economy during 1995
and 1996. Recent trade figures show a reversal of Mexico's trade
deficit during 1995. The value of imports (including in-bond
industries) decreased by 8.7% between 1994 and 1995, to $72.5
billion in 1995. Although the value of imports (including in-
bond industries) in 1996 increased approximately 23.4% from 1995,
to $89.5 billion, exports increased by almost the same amount.
During 1995, Mexico registered a $7.089 billion trade surplus,
its first annual trade surplus since 1989. Mexico registered a
surplus in its trade balance of $6.531 billion during 1996, down
approximately 7.9% from 1995. During 1996, Mexico's current
account balance registered a deficit of $1.922 billion, as
compared with a deficit of $1.577 billion in 1995.
Banco de Mexico is currently disclosing reserve figures
on a weekly basis. On December 31, 1996, Mexico's international
reserves amounted to $17,509 million, as compared to $15,741
million at December 31, 1995, $6,148 million at December 31, 1994
and $24,538 million at December 31, 1993.
During 1995 real GDP decreased by 6.9%, as compared with
a growth rate of 3.5% during 1994. This downward trend continued
into the first quarter of 1996, but turned around in the second
quarter of 1996. The real GDP continued to grow in the third and
fourth quarters of 1996, resulting in an overall GDP growth rate
of 5.1% for 1996. According to preliminary estimates, the GDP
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continued to grow by 5.1% during the first quarter of 1997,
compared to the first quarter of 1996. The Government currently
projects a 4.5% increase in the GDP for 1997. Although the
Mexican economy has stabilized, there can be no assurance that
the government's plan will lead to a full recovery.
Statistical and Related Information
Concerning Mexico
The following provides certain statistical and related
information regarding historical rates of exchange between the
U.S. Dollar and the Mexican Peso, information concerning
inflation rates, historical information regarding the Mexican GDP
and information concerning interest rates on certain Mexican
Government Securities. Historical information is not necessarily
indicative of future fluctuations or exchange rates. In 1982,
Mexico imposed strict foreign exchange controls which shortly
thereafter were relaxed and were eliminated in 1991.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES. There is no assurance that
future regulatory actions in Mexico will not affect the Fund's
ability to obtain U.S. Dollars in exchange for Mexican Pesos.
The following table sets forth the exchange rates of the
Mexican Peso to the U.S. Dollar with respect to each year from
1981 to 1996 and for each of the six months ended June 1997.
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Free Market Rate Controlled Rate
________________ _______________
End of End of
Period Average Period Average
______ ________ _______ _______
1981. . . . . . . 26 24 -- --
1982. . . . . . . 148 57 96 57
1983. . . . . . . 161 150 143 120
1984. . . . . . . 210 185 192 167
1985. . . . . . . 447 310 371 256
1986. . . . . . . 915 637 923 611
1987. . . . . . . 2.209 1.378 2.198 1.366
1988. . . . . . . 2.281 2.273 2.257 2.250
1989. . . . . . . 2.681 2.483 2.637 2.453
1990. . . . . . . 2.943 2.838 2.939 2.807
1991. . . . . . . 3.075 3.016 3.065* 3.007*
1992. . . . . . . 3.119 3.094 -- --
1993. . . . . . . 3.192 3.155 -- --
1994. . . . . . . 5.325 3.222 -- --
1995. . . . . . . 7.643 6.419 -- --
1996. . . . . . . 7.851 7.598 -- --
1997
January 7.839 7.831 -- --
February 7.784 7.793 -- --
March 7.891 7.963 -- --
April 7.927 7.904 -- --
May 7.909 7.906 -- --
June 7.958 7.947 -- --
* Through November 10, 1991.
Source: Banco de Mexico.
INFLATION AND CONSUMER PRICES. Through much of the
1980's, the Mexican economy continued to be affected by high
inflation, low growth and high levels of domestic and foreign
indebtedness. The annual inflation rate, as measured by the
consumer price index, rose from 28.7% in December 1981 to 159.2%
in December 1987. In December 1987, the Mexican Government
agreed with labor and business to curb the economy's inflationary
pressures by freezing wages and prices (the "1987 accord"). The
1987 accord included the implementation of restrictive fiscal and
monetary policies, the elimination of trade barriers and the
reduction of import tariffs. After substantive increases in
public sector prices and utility rates, price controls were
introduced.
The 1987 accord was succeeded by a series of additional
accords, each of which continued to stress the moderation of
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inflation, fiscal discipline and a gradual devaluation of the
peso. There was a gradual reduction in the number of goods and
services whose prices were covered by such accords. The two most
recent of these accords also incorporated a reduction in the
income tax rate applicable to corporations and certain self-
employed individuals from 35% to 34% and a reduction in the
withholding tax applicable to interest payments on publicly
issued external debt and external debt payable to certain
financial institutions from 15% to 4.9%. Under the later of
these two accords, tax benefits were proposed for workers
receiving salaries not exceeding twice the minimum wage and asset
taxes to be reduced to 1.8%. These policies lowered the consumer
inflation rate from 159.2% in 1987, to 19.7% in 1989, 29.9% in
1990, 18.8% in 1991, 11.9% in 1992, 8.0% in 1993, and 7.1% in
1994.
Over the medium-term, the Government is committed to
reversing the decline in real wages experienced in the last
decade through control of inflation, a controlled gradual upward
adjustment of wages and a reduction in income taxes for the lower
income brackets. Nonetheless, the effect of the devaluation of
the peso and the Government's response to that event and related
developments caused a significant increase in inflation in 1995,
as well a decline in real wages for much of the population during
1995. Inflation during 1995 (as measured by the increase in the
National Consumer Price Index), was 52.0%, as compared with 7.1%
during 1994. Inflation during 1996 was 27.7%. In May 1997, the
monthly consumer inflation rate was 0.9%, the first time the
monthly inflation rate was below 1% since December 1994. The
inflation rate during the first six months of 1997 was 8.7%,
compared to 15.3% during the first six months of 1996.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX. The following table sets forth
the changes in the Mexican consumer price index for the year
ended December 31 for the years 1981 through 1996 and for the six
months ended June 30, 1997.
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Annual
Increases in
National Consumer
Price Index
_________________
1981 .................................. 28.7%
1982................................... 98.9
1983................................... 80.8
1984................................... 59.2
1985................................... 63.7
1986...................................105.7
1987...................................159.2
1988................................... 51.7
1989................................... 9.7
1990................................... 29.9
1991................................... 18.8
1992................................... 11.9
1993................................... 8.0
1994................................... 7.1
1995................................... 52.0
1996................................... 27.7
1997(1)................................ 8.7
(1) For the six months ended June 30.
Source: Banco de Mexico.
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MEXICAN GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. The following table
sets forth certain information concerning Mexico's GDP for the
years 1990 through 1996 at historical and constant prices.
Gross Change from
Gross Domestic Product Prior Year at
Domestic Product at 1980 Prices(1) Constant Prices
________________ _________________ _______________
(millions of Mexican New Pesos) (percentage)
1991. . . . 865,166 5,463 3.6
1992. . . . 1,019,156 5,616 2.8
1993. . . . 1,145,382 5,659 0.7
1994. . 1,272,799 5,858 3.5
1995(2). 1,604,368 5,452 (6.9)
1996(2)(3) 2,285,266 1,270.4(4) 3.0
(1) Constant peso with purchasing power at December 31, 1980,
expressed in new pesos.
(2) Preliminary.
(3) Annualized.
(4) Constant peso with purchasing power at December 31, 1993.
Source: Ministry of Finance and Public Credit
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INTEREST RATES. The following table sets forth the
average interest rates per annum on 28-day and 91-day Cetes, the
average weighted cost of term deposits for commercial banks
("CPP"), the average interest rate ("TIIP") and the equilibrium
interest rate ("TIIE") for the periods listed below:
Average Cetes and Interest Rates
_________________________________
28-Day 91-Day
Cetes Cetes CPP TIIP TIIE
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
1990:
Jan.-June 41.2 40.7 43.2% _____ _____
July-Dec. 28.3 29.4 31.0 _____ _____
1991:
Jan.-June 21.2 21.7 24.3 _____ _____
July-Dec. 17.3 18.0 20.8 _____ _____
1992:
Jan.-June 13.8 13.8 16.9 _____ _____
July-Dec. 17.4 18.0 20.7 _____ _____
1993:
Jan.-June 16.4 17.3 20.9 20.4(1) _____
July-Dec. 13.5 13.6 16.2 16.1 _____
1994:
Jan.-June 13.0 13.5 14.2 15.3 _____
July-Dec. 15.2 15.7 16.8 20.4 _____
1995:
Jan.-June 55.0 54.3 49.6 63.6 71.2(2)
July-Dec. 41.9 42.2 40.7 44.5 44.5
1996:
Jan.-June 35.4 37.2 34.5 37.3 37.2
July-Dec. 27.4 28.6 26.9 30.2 30.1
1997:
January 23.6 24.6 24.1 25.9 26.0
February 19.8 22.0 21.1 22.2 22.1
March 21.7 22.3 21.1 24.0 24.0
April 21.4 22.4 21.1 23.8 24.0
May 18.4 20.6 18.7 20.6 20.7
June 20.2 21.4 18.8 22.5 22.5
(1) February-June average
(2) Average for the last two weeks of March
Source: Banco de Mexico
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PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a) Financial Statements
Included in the Prospectus:
Financial Highlights.
Included in the Statement of Additional Information:
Portfolio of Investments - October 31, 1996.
Statement of Assets and Liabilities - October 31,
1996.
Statement of Operations - year ended October 31, 1996.
Statement of Changes in Net Assets - years ended
October 31, 1996 and October 31, 1995.
Notes to Financial Statements - October 31, 1996.
Financial Highlights - for the years ended October 31,
1996, October 31, 1995, October 31, 1994,
October 31, 1993 and October 31, 1992.
Report of Independent Auditors.
Portfolio of Investments - April 30, 1997 (unaudited).
Statement of Assets and Liabilities - April 30, 1997
(unaudited).
Statement of Operations - for the six months ended
April 30, 1997 (unaudited).
Statement of Changes in Net Assets - for year ended
October 31, 1996 and the six months ended April 30,
1997 (unaudited).
Notes to Financial Statements - April 30, 1997
(unaudited).
Financial Highlights - for the six months ended
April 30, 1997 (unaudited) and the years ended
October 31, 1996, October 31, 1995, October 31,
1994, October 31, 1993 and October 31, 1992.
Included in Part C of the Registration Statement:
All other schedules are either omitted because they
are not required under the related instructions,
they are inapplicable, or the required information
is presented in the financial statements or notes
which are included in the Statement of Additional
Information of the Registration Statement.
(b) Exhibits
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(1)(a) Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
of the Registrant - filed herewith.
(1)(b) Articles of Amendment - filed herewith.
(2) By-Laws of the Registrant - filed herewith.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Specimen of Stock Certificate - Incorporated
herein by reference from Exhibit 4 to
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A
(File Nos. 33-37512 and 811-6263), filed on
October 31, 1990.
(5) Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and
Alliance Capital Management L.P. - filed herewith.
(6) (a) Distribution Services Agreement between the
Registrant and Alliance Fund Distributors,
Inc. - filed herewith.
(b) Selected Dealer Agreement between Alliance
Fund Distributors, Inc. and selected dealers
offering shares of Registrant - filed
herewith.
(c) Selected Agent Agreement between Alliance Fund
Distributors, Inc. and selected agents making
available shares of Registrant - filed
herewith.
(7) Not applicable.
(8) Custodian Contract between the Registrant and Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. - filed herewith.
(9) Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant
and Alliance Fund Services. Inc. - filed herewith.
(10) (a) Opinion and Consent of Seward & Kissel - filed
herewith.
(b) Opinion of Venable, Baetjer and Howard LLP -
filed herewith.
(11) Consent of Independent Auditors - filed herewith.
(12) Not applicable.
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(13) Investment Representation Letter of Alliance
Capital Management L.P. - filed herewith.
(14) Not applicable.
(15) Rule 12b-1 Plan - See Exhibit 6(a) hereto.
(16) Schedule for computation of performance
quotations - filed herewith.
(17) Financial Data Schedule - Incorporated by reference
to the (i) Financial Data Schedule contained in the
Registrant's most recent Semi-Annual Report on Form
N-SAR with respect to a fiscal year ended and
(ii) Financial Data Schedule contained in any more
recent such report of the Registrant with respect
to a six-month period ended.
Other Exhibits: Powers of Attorney of Ms. Block and Messrs.
Carifa, Dievler, Dobkin, Foulk, Hester, Michel and Robinson -
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment
No. 14 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
October 31, 1996.
ITEM 25. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with
Registrant.
None.
ITEM 26. Number of Holders of Securities.
Registrant had as of October 3, 1997, 1,477 record
holders of shares of Common Stock.
ITEM 27. Indemnification.
It is the Registrant's policy to indemnify its directors
and officers, employees and other agents to the maximum
extent permitted by Section 2-418 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Maryland and as set
forth in Article EIGHTH of Registrant's Articles of
Incorporation, filed as Exhibit 1 in response to Item
24, Article VII and Article VIII of the Registrant's
By-laws filed as Exhibit 2 in response to Item 24 and
Section 7 of the proposed Distribution Services
Agreement filed as Exhibit 6(a) in response to Item 24,
all as set forth below. The liability of the
Registrant's directors and officers is dealt with in
Article EIGHTH of Registrant's Articles of
Incorporation, and Article VII, Section 7 and Article
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VIII, Section 1 through Section 6 of the Registrant's
By-laws, as set forth below. The Investment Adviser's
liability for any loss suffered by the Registrant or its
shareholders is set forth in Section 4 of the proposed
Advisory Agreement filed as Exhibit 5 in response to
Item 24, as set forth below.
Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law
reads as follows:
"2-418 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS,
EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS.--(a) In this section the
following words have the meaning indicated.
(1) "Director" means any person who is or was
a director of a corporation and any person who,
while a director of a corporation, is or was
serving at the request of the corporation as a
director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or
agent of another foreign or domestic corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, other
enterprise, or employee benefit plan.
(2) "Corporation" includes any domestic or
foreign predecessor entity of a corporation in a
merger, consolidation, or other transaction in
which the predecessor's existence ceased upon
consummation of the transaction.
(3) "Expenses" include attorney's fees.
(4) "Official capacity" means the following:
(i) When used with respect to a
director, the office of director in the
corporation; and
(ii) When used with respect to a person
other than a director as contemplated in subsection
(j), the elective or appointive office in the
corporation held by the officer, or the employment
or agency relationship undertaken by the employee
or agent in behalf of the corporation.
(iii) "Official capacity" does not
include service for any other foreign or domestic
corporation or any partnership, joint venture,
trust, other enterprise, or employee benefit plan.
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(5) "Party" includes a person who was, is, or
is threatened to be made a named defendant or
respondent in a proceeding.
(6) "Proceeding" means any threatened,
pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, or
investigative.
(B) (1) A corporation may indemnify any
director made a party to any proceeding by reason
of service in that capacity unless it is
established that:
(i) The act or omission of the director
was material to the matter giving rise to the
proceeding; and
1. Was committed in bad faith; or
2. Was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty; or
(ii) The director actually received an
improper personal benefit in money, property, or
services; or
(iii) In the case of any criminal
proceeding, the director had reasonable cause to
believe that the act or omission was unlawful.
(2) (i) Indemnification may be against
judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and
reasonable expenses actually incurred by the
director in connection with the proceeding.
(ii) However, if the proceeding was one
by or in the right of the corporation,
indemnification may not be made in respect of any
proceeding in which the director shall have been
adjudged to be liable to the corporation.
(3) (i) The termination of any proceeding by
judgment, order or settlement does not create a
presumption that the director did not meet the
requisite standard of conduct set forth in this
subsection.
(ii) The termination of any proceeding
by conviction, or a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, or an entry of an order of probation
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prior to judgment, creates a rebuttable presumption
that the director did not meet that standard of
conduct.
(c) A director may not be indemnified under
subsection (b) of this section in respect of any
proceeding charging improper personal benefit to
the director, whether or not involving action in
the director's official capacity, in which the
director was adjudged to be liable on the basis
that personal benefit was improperly received.
(d) Unless limited by the charter:
(1) A director who has been successful, on
the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any
proceeding referred to in subsection (b) of this
section shall be indemnified against reasonable
expenses incurred by the director in connection
with the proceeding.
(2) A court of appropriate jurisdiction upon
application of a director and such notice as the
court shall require, may order indemnification in
the following circumstances:
(i) If it determines a director is
entitled to reimbursement under paragraph (1) of
this subsection, the court shall order
indemnification, in which case the director shall
be entitled to recover the expenses of securing
such reimbursement; or
(ii) If it determines that the director
is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnification in view of all the relevant
circumstances, whether or not the director has met
the standards of conduct set forth in subsection
(b) of this section or has been adjudged liable
under the circumstances described in subsection (c)
of this section, the court may order such
indemnification as the court shall deem proper.
However, indemnification with respect to any
proceeding by or in the right of the corporation or
in which liability shall have been adjudged in the
circumstances described in subsection (c) shall be
limited to expenses.
(3) A court of appropriate jurisdiction may
be the same court in which the proceeding involving
the director's liability took place.
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(e) (1) Indemnification under subsection (b)
of this section may not be made by the corporation
unless authorized for a specific proceeding after a
determination has been made that indemnification of
the director is permissible in the circumstances
because the director has met the standard of
conduct set forth in subsection (b) of this
section.
(2) Such determination shall be made:
(i) By the board of directors by a
majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors
not, at the time, parties to the proceeding, or, if
such a quorum cannot be obtained, then by a
majority vote of a committee of the board
consisting solely of two or more directors not, at
the time, parties to such proceeding and who were
duly designated to act in the matter by a majority
vote of the full board in which the designated
directors who are parties may participate;
(ii) By special legal counsel selected
by the board or a committee of the board by vote as
set forth in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph,
or, if the requisite quorum of the full board
cannot be obtained therefor and the committee
cannot be established, by a majority vote of the
full board in which director who are parties may
participate; or
(iii) By the stockholders.
(3) Authorization of indemnification and
determination as to reasonableness of expenses
shall be made in the same manner as the
determination that indemnification is permissible.
However, if the determination that indemnification
is permissible is made by special legal counsel,
authorization of indemnification and determination
as to reasonableness of expenses shall be made in
the manner specified in subparagraph (ii) of
paragraph (2) of this subsection for selection of
such counsel.
(4) Shares held by directors who are parties
to the proceeding may not be voted on the subject
matter under this subsection.
(f)(1) Reasonable expenses incurred by a
director who is a party to a proceeding may be paid
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or reimbursed by the corporation in advance of the
final disposition of the proceeding, upon receipt
by the corporation of:
(i) A written affirmation by the
director of the director's good faith belief that
the standard of conduct necessary for
indemnification by the corporation as authorized in
this section has been met; and
(ii) A written undertaking by or on
behalf of the director to repay the amount if it
shall ultimately be determined that the standard of
conduct has not been met.
(2) The undertaking required by subparagraph
(ii) of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be
an unlimited general obligation of the director but
need not be secured and may be accepted without
reference to financial ability to make the
repayment.
(3) Payments under this subsection shall be
made as provided by the charter, bylaws, or
contract or as specified in subsection (e) of this
section.
(g) The indemnification and advancement of
expenses provided or authorized by this section may
not be deemed exclusive of any other rights, by
indemnification or otherwise, to which a director
may be entitled under the charter, the bylaws, a
resolution of stockholders or directors, an
agreement or otherwise, both as to action in an
official capacity and as to action in another
capacity while holding such office.
(h) This section does not limit the
corporation's power to pay or reimburse expenses
incurred by a director in connection with an
appearance as a witness in a proceeding at a time
when the director has not been made a named
defendant or respondent in the proceeding.
(i) For purposes of this section:
(1) The corporation shall be deemed to have
requested a director to serve an employee benefit
plan where the performance of the director's duties
to the corporation also imposes duties on, or
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otherwise involves services by, the director to the
plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan:
(2) Excise taxes assessed on a director with
respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to
applicable law shall be deemed fines; and
(3) Action taken or omitted by the director
with respect to an employee benefit plan in the
performance of the director's duties for a purpose
reasonably believed by the director to be in the
interest of the participants and beneficiaries of
the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose which
is not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation.
(j) Unless limited by the charter:
(1) An officer of the corporation shall be
indemnified as and to the extent provided in
subsection (d) of this section for a director and
shall be entitled, to the same extent as a
director, to seek indemnification pursuant to the
provisions of subsection (d);
(2) A corporation may indemnify and advance
expenses to an officer, employee, or agent of the
corporation to the same extent that it may
indemnify directors under this section; and
(3) A corporation, in addition, may indemnify
and advance expenses to an officer, employee, or
agent who is not a director to such further extent,
consistent with law, as may be provided by its
charter, bylaws, general or specific action of its
board of directors or contract.
(k)(1) A corporation may purchase and maintain
insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a
director, officer, employee, or agent of the
corporation, or who, while a director, officer,
employee, or agent of the corporation, is or was
serving at the request, of the corporation as a
director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or
agent of another foreign or domestic corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, other
enterprise, or employee benefit plan against any
liability asserted against and incurred by such
person in any such capacity or arising out of such
person's position, whether or not the corporation
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would have the power to indemnify against liability
under the provisions of this section.
(2) A corporation may provide similar
protection, including a trust fund, letter of
credit, or surety bond, not inconsistent with this
section.
(3) The insurance or similar protection may
be provided by a subsidiary or an affiliate of the
corporation.
(l) Any indemnification of, or advance of
expenses to, a director in accordance with this
section, if arising out of a proceeding by or in
the right of the corporation, shall be reported in
writing to the stockholders with the notice of the
next stockholders' meeting or prior to the
meeting."
Article EIGHTH of the Registrant's Articles of Incorporation
reads as follows:
"(1) To the full extent that limitations on the
liability of directors and officers are permitted by the
Maryland General Corporation Law, no director or officer
of the Corporation shall have any liability to the
Corporation or its stockholders for damages. This
limitation on liability applies to events occurring at
the time a person serves as a director or officer of the
Corporation whether or not such person is a director or
officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability
is asserted.
"(2) The Corporation shall indemnify and advance
expenses to its currently acting and its former
directors to the full extent that indemnification of
directors is permitted by the Maryland General
Corporation Law. The Corporation shall indemnify and
advance expenses to its officers to the same extent as
its directors and to such further extent as is
consistent with law. The Board of Directors may by
By-Law, resolution or agreement make further provisions
for indemnification of directors, officers, employees
and agents to the full extent permitted by the Maryland
General Corporation Law.
"(3) No provision of this Article shall be effective to
protect or purport to protect any director or officer of
the Corporation against any liability to the Corporation
or its stockholders to which he would otherwise be
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subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office.
"(4) References to the Maryland General Corporation Law
in this Article are to the law as from time to time
amended. No amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
of the Corporation shall affect any right of any person
under this Article based on any event, omission or
proceeding prior to such amendment."
The Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Alliance Capital
Management L.P. provides that Alliance Capital Management L.P.
will not be liable under such agreements for any mistake of
judgment or in any event whatsoever except for lack of good faith
and that nothing therein shall be deemed to protect Alliance
Capital Management L.P. against any liability to Registrant or
its security holders to which it would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in
the performance of its duties thereunder, or by reason of
reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder.
The Distribution Services Agreement between the Registrant and
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. provides that the Registrant
will indemnify, defend and hold Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.,
and any person who controls it within the meaning of Section 15
of the Investment Company Act of 1940, free and harmless from and
against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses
which Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. or any controlling person
may incur arising out of or based upon any alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in Registrant's
Registration Statement, Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information or arising out of, or based upon any alleged omission
to state a material fact required to be stated in any one of the
foregoing or necessary to make the statements in any one of the
foregoing not misleading.
The foregoing summaries are qualified by the entire text of
Registrant's Articles of Incorporation, the Advisory Agreement
between Registrant and Alliance Capital Management L.P. and the
Distribution Services Agreement between Registrant and Alliance
Fund Distributors, Inc. filed herewith as Exhibits 1, 5 and 6(a),
respectively, in response to Item 24 and each of which are
incorporated by reference herein.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") may be permitted to
directors, officer and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is
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<PAGE>
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
question of whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.
In accordance with Release No. IC-11330 (September 2, 1980), the
Registrant will indemnify its directors, officers, investment
manager and principal underwriters only if (1) a final decision
on the merits was issued by the court or other body before whom
the proceeding was brought that the person to be indemnified (the
"indemnitee") was not liable by reason or willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office ("disabling conduct") or
(2) a reasonable determination is made, based upon a review of
the facts, that the indemnitee was not liable by reason of
disabling conduct, by (a) the vote of a majority of a quorum of
the directors who are neither "interested persons" of the
Registrant as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 nor parties to the proceeding
("disinterested, non-party directors"), or (b) an independent
legal counsel in a written opinion. The Registrant will advance
attorneys fees or other expenses incurred by its directors,
officers, investment adviser or principal underwriters in
defending a proceeding, upon the undertaking by or on behalf of
the indemnitee to repay the advance unless it is ultimately
determined that he is entitled to indemnification and, as a
condition to the advance, (1) the indemnitee shall provide a
security for his undertaking, (2) the Registrant shall be insured
against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (3) a
majority of a quorum of disinterested, non-party directors of the
Registrant, or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion,
shall determine, based on a review of readily available facts (as
opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to
believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to
indemnification.
Article VII, Section 7 of the Registrant's By-laws reads as
follows:
"Section 7. Insurance Against Certain Liabilities. The
Corporation shall not bear the cost of insurance that
protects or purports to protect directors and officers
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of the Corporation against any liabilities to the
Corporation or its security holders to which any such
director or officer would otherwise be subject by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct
of his office."
ARTICLE VIII, Section 1 through Section 6 of the Registrant's
By-laws reads as follows:
"Section 1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The Corporation shall indemnify its directors to the
fullest extent that indemnification of directors is
permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law. The
Corporation shall indemnify its officers to the same
extent as its directors and to such further extent as is
consistent with law. The Corporation shall indemnify
its directors and officers who while serving as
directors or officers also serve at the request of the
Corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee,
employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or
employee benefit plan to the fullest extent consistent
with law. The indemnification and other rights provided
by this Article shall continue as to a person who has
ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to
the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators
of such a person. This Article shall not protect any
such person against any liability to the Corporation or
any stockholder thereof to which such person would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of his office ("disabling
conduct").
"Section 2. Advances. Any current or former director
or officer of the Corporation seeking indemnification
within the scope of this Article shall be entitled to
advances from the Corporation for payment of the
reasonable expenses incurred by him in connection with
the matter as to which he is seeking indemnification in
the manner and to the fullest extent permissible under
the Maryland General Corporation Law. The person
seeking indemnification shall provide to the Corporation
a written affirmation of his good faith belief that the
standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the
Corporation has been met and a written undertaking to
repay any such advance if it should ultimately be
determined that the standard of conduct has not been
met. In addition, at least one of the following
additional conditions shall be met: (a) the person
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seeking indemnification shall provide a security in form
and amount acceptable to the Corporation for his
undertaking; (b) the Corporation is insured against
losses arising by reason of the advance; or (c) a
majority of a quorum of directors of the Corporation who
are neither "interested persons" as defined in Section
2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, nor parties to the proceeding ("disinterested
non-party directors"), or independent legal counsel, in
a written opinion, shall have determined, based on a
review of facts readily available to the Corporation at
the time the advance is proposed to be made, that there
is reason to believe that the person seeking
indemnification will ultimately be found to be entitled
to indemnification.
"Section 3. Procedure. At the request of any person
claiming indemnification under this Article, the Board
of Directors shall determine, or cause to be determined,
in a manner consistent with the Maryland General
Corporation Law, whether the standards required by this
Article have been met. Indemnification shall be made
only following: (a) a final decision on the merits by a
court or other body before whom the proceeding was
brought that the person to be indemnified was not liable
by reason of disabling conduct or (b) in the absence of
such a decision, a reasonable determination, based upon
a review of the facts, that the person to be indemnified
was not liable by reason of disabling conduct by (i) the
vote of a majority of a quorum of disinterested
non-party directors or (ii) an independent legal counsel
in a written opinion.
"Section 4. Indemnification of Employees and Agents.
Employees and agents who are not officers or directors
of the Corporation may be indemnified, and reasonable
expenses may be advanced to such employees or agents, as
may be provided by action of the Board of Directors or
by contract, subject to any limitations imposed by the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
"Section 5. Other Rights. The Board of Directors may
make further provision consistent with law for
indemnification and advance of expenses to directors,
officers, employees and agents by resolution, agreement
or otherwise. The indemnification provided by this
Article shall not be deemed exclusive of any other
right, with respect to indemnification or otherwise, to
which those seeking indemnification may be entitled
under any insurance or other agreement or resolution of
stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
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<PAGE>
The rights provided to any person by this Article shall
be enforceable against the Corporation by such person
who shall be presumed to have relied upon it in serving
or continuing to serve as a director, officer, employee,
or agent as provided above.
"Section 6. Amendments. References in this Article are
to the Maryland General Corporation Law and to the
Investment Company Act of 1940 as from time to time
amended. No amendment of these By-laws shall effect any
right of any person under this Article based on any
event, omission or proceeding prior to the amendment."
The Registrant participates in a joint directors and
officers liability insurance policy issued by the ICI
Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage under this policy
has been extended to directors, trustees and officers
of the investment companies managed by Alliance Capital
Management L.P. Under this policy, outside trustees and
directors would be covered up to the limits specified
for any claim against them for acts committed in their
capacities as trustee or director. A pro rata share of
the premium for this coverage is charged to each
investment company and to the Adviser.
ITEM 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
The descriptions of Alliance Capital Management L.P.
under the captions "Management of the Fund" in the
Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional
Information constituting Parts A and B, respectively, of
this Registration Statement are incorporated by
reference herein.
The information as to the directors and executive
officers of Alliance Capital Management Corporation, the
general partner of Alliance Capital Management L.P., set
forth in Alliance Capital Management L.P.'s Form ADV
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
April 21, 1988 (File No. 801-32361) and amended through
the date hereof, is incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 29. Principal Underwriters.
(a) Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc., the Registrant's
Principal Underwriter in connection with the sale
of shares of the Registrant, also acts as Principal
Underwriter or Distributor for the following
investment companies:
ACM Institutional Reserves Inc.
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AFD Exchange Reserves
The Alliance Fund, Inc.
Alliance All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc.
Alliance Balanced Shares, Inc.
Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.
Alliance Capital Reserves
Alliance Developing Markets Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Environment Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Small Cap Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc.
Alliance Government Reserves
Alliance Greater China '97 Fund, Inc.
Alliance Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance High Yield Fund, Inc.
Alliance Income Builder Fund, Inc.
Alliance International Fund
Alliance Money Market Fund
Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc.
Alliance Municipal Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Municipal Income Fund II
Alliance Municipal Trust
Alliance New Europe Fund, Inc.
Alliance North American Government Income Trust,
Inc.
Alliance Premier Growth Fund, Inc.
Alliance Quasar Fund, Inc.
Alliance Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc.
Alliance/Regent Sector Opportunity Fund, Inc.
Alliance Short-Term Multi-Market Trust, Inc.
Alliance Technology Fund, Inc.
Alliance Utility Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Variable Products Series Fund, Inc.
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
Alliance Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc.
Fiduciary Management Associates
The Alliance Portfolios
(b) The following are the Directors and Officers of
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. the principal
place of business of which is 1345 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York, 10105.
POSITIONS AND OFFICES POSITIONS AND
NAME WITH UNDERWRITER WITH REGISTRANT
Michael J. Laughlin Chairman
Robert L. Errico President
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Edmund P. Bergan, Jr. Senior Vice President, Secretary
General Counsel, and
Secretary
James S. Comforti Senior Vice President
James L. Cronin Senior Vice President
Daniel J. Dart Senior Vice President
Richard A. Davies Senior Vice President
and Managing Director
Byron M. Davis Senior Vice President
Anne S. Drennan Senior Vice President
and Treasurer
Mark J. Dunbar Senior Vice President
Bradley F. Hanson Senior Vice President
Geoffrey L. Hyde Senior Vice President
Robert H. Joseph, Jr. Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
Richard E. Khaleel Senior Vice President
Stephen R. Laut Senior Vice President
Daniel D. McGinley Senior Vice President
Ryne A. Nishimi Senior Vice President
Antonios G. Poleondakis Senior Vice President
Robert E. Powers Senior Vice President
Richard K. Saccullo Senior Vice President
Gregory K. Shannahan Senior Vice President
Joseph F. Sumanski Senior Vice President
Peter J. Szabo Senior Vice President
Nicholas K. Willett Senior Vice President
Richard A. Winge Senior Vice President
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Jamie A. Atkinson Vice President
Benji A. Baer Vice President
Kenneth F. Barkoff Vice President
Casimir Bolanowski Vice President
Timothy W. Call Vice President
Kevin T. Cannon Vice President
John R. Carl Vice President
William W. Collins, Jr. Vice President
Leo H. Cook Vice President
Richard W. Dabney Vice President
John F. Dolan Vice President
Sohaila S. Farsheed Vice President
William C. Fisher Vice President
Gerard J. Friscia Vice President &
Controller
Andrew L. Gangolf Vice President & Secretary
Assistant General
Counsel
Mark D. Gersten Vice President Treasurer and
Chief Financial
Officer
Joseph W. Gibson Vice President
Charles M. Greenberg Vice President
Alan Halfenger Vice President
William B. Hanigan Vice President
Daniel M. Hazard Vice President
George R. Hrabovsky Vice President
Valerie J. Hugo Vice President
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Scott Hutton Vice President
Thomas K. Intoccia Vice President
Larry P. Johns Vice President
Richard D. Keppler Vice President
Gwenn M. Kessler Vice President
Donna M. Lamback Vice President
James M. Liptrot Vice President
James P. Luisi Vice President
Christopher J. MacDonald Vice President
Michael F. Mahoney Vice President
Lori E. Master Vice President
Shawn P. McClain Vice President
Maura A. McGrath Vice President
Thomas F. Monnerat Vice President
Joanna D. Murray Vice President
Jeanette M. Nardella Vice President
Nicole Nolan-Koester Vice President
John C. O'Connell Vice President
John J. O'Connor Vice President
Robert T. Pigozzi Vice President
James J. Posch Vice President
Domenick Pugliese Vice President & Assistant
Assistant General Secretary
Counsel
Bruce W. Reitz Vice President
Dennis A. Sanford Vice President
Karen C. Satterberg Vice President
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Robert C. Schultz Vice President
Raymond S. Sclafani Vice President
Richard J. Sidell Vice President
Andrew D. Strauss Vice President
Michael J. Tobin Vice President
Joseph T. Tocyloski Vice President
Martha D. Volcker Vice President
Patrick E. Walsh Vice President
William C. White Vice President
Emilie D. Wrapp Vice President & Assistant
Special Counsel Secretary
Charles M. Barrett Assistant Vice
President
Robert F. Brendli Assistant Vice
President
Maria L. Carreras Assistant Vice
President
John P. Chase Assistant Vice
President
Russell R. Corby Assistant Vice
President
John W. Cronin Assistant Vice
President
Ralph A. DiMeglio Assistant Vice
President
Faith C. Dunn Assistant Vice
President
John C. Endahl Assistant Vice
President
C-20
<PAGE>
John E. English Assistant Vice
President
Duff C. Ferguson Assistant Vice
President
John Grambone Assistant Vice
President
Brian S. Hanigan Assistant Vice
President
James J. Hill Assistant Vice
President
Edward W. Kelly Assistant Vice
President
Michael Laino Assistant Vice
President
Nicholas J. Lapi Assistant Vice
President
Patrick Look Assistant Vice
President &
Assistant Treasurer
Richard F. Meier Assistant Vice
President
Catherine N. Peterson Assistant Vice
President
Carol H. Rappa Assistant Vice
President
Clara Sierra Assistant Vice
President
Vincent T. Strangio Assistant Vice
President
Wesley S. Williams Assistant Vice
President
Christopher J. Zingaro Assistant Vice
President
Mark R. Manley Assistant Secretary
C-21
<PAGE>
(c) Not Applicable.
ITEM 30. Location of Accounts and Records.
The majority of the accounts, books and other documents
required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules thereunder
are maintained as follows: journals, ledgers, securities
records and other original records are maintained
principally at the offices of Alliance Fund Services,
Inc., 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094 and at
the offices of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., the
Registrant's Custodian, 40 Water Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109. All other records so required to
be maintained are maintained at the offices of Alliance
Capital Management L.P., 1345 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, New York, 10105.
ITEM 31. Management Services.
Not applicable.
ITEM 32. Undertakings.
The Registrant undertakes to provide assistance to
shareholders in communications concerning the removal of
any Director of the Fund in accordance with Section 16
of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(c) The Registrant undertakes to furnish each person to whom
a prospectus is delivered with a copy of the
Registrant's latest annual report to shareholders upon
request and without charge.
C-22
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the
requirements for effectiveness of this Amendment to its
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the
Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amendment to its
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City and the State
of New York, on the 27th day of October, 1997.
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
By: /s/ John D. Carifa
____________________
John D. Carifa
Chairman and President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, this Amendment to the Registration Statement
has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities
and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
1. Principal
Executive Officer:
/s/ John D. Carifa Chairman and October 27, 1997
__________________ President
John D. Carifa
2. Principal Financial and
Accounting Officer:
/s/ Mark D. Gersten Treasurer and October 27, 1997
_____________________ Chief Financial
Mark D. Gersten Officer
C-23
<PAGE>
3. All of the Directors:
Ruth Block
John D. Carifa
David H. Dievler
John H. Dobkin
William H. Foulk, Jr.
Dr. James Hester
Clifford L. Michel
Donald J. Robinson
By: /s/ Edmund P. Bergan, Jr. October 27, 1997
_________________________
Edmund P. Bergan, Jr.
(Attorney-in-Fact)
C-24
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
(1)(a) Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
(1)(b) Articles of Amendment
(2) By-Laws
(5) Advisory Agreement
(6)(a) Distribution Services Agreement
(6)(b) Selected Dealer Agreement
(6)(c) Selected Agent Agreement
(8) Custodian Contract
(9) Transfer Agency Agreement
(10)(a) Opinion and Consent of Seward & Kissel
(10)(b) Opinion and Consent of Venable, Baetjer and Howard
(11) Consent of Independent Auditors
(13) Investment Representation Letter
(16) Schedule of Computation of Performance Quotations
C-25
00250109.AO5
<PAGE>
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT
OF
ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET RESERVES II, INC.
changing its name to
ALLIANCE WORLD RESERVES, INC.
and making certain other charter amendments
Alliance Multi-Market Reserves II, Inc., a Maryland
corporation having its principal office in Baltimore City
(hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that:
I. The charter of the Corporation is hereby amended
(a) by striking out Article SECOND of the articles of
incorporation and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"SECOND: The name of the corporation
(hereinafter called the "Corporation") is Alliance
World Reserves, Inc."
(b) by striking out the first sentence of paragraph (1)
of Article FIFTH of the articles of incorporation and inserting
in lieu thereof the following:
"The total number of shares of stock of all classes
which the Corporation shall have authority to issue
is three billion (3,000,000,000), all of which
shall be Common Stock having a par value of
two-tenths of one cent ($.002) per share and an
aggregate par value of six million dollars
($6,000,000)."
and
(c) by striking out Article SIXTH of the articles of
incorporation and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"SIXTH: The Corporation has one director.
The number of directors of the Corporation may be
<PAGE>
changed pursuant to the By-Laws of the
Corporation."
II. The foregoing charter amendments were duly approved by a
majority of the entire Board of Directors. No stock entitled to
be voted on the matter was outstanding or subscribed for at the
time of approval.
III. (a) The total number of shares of stock which the
Corporation was authorized to issue immediately before the
foregoing charter amendments was six hundred million
(600,000,000) shares, all of one class, having a par value of one
cent ($.01) per share and an aggregate par value of six million
dollars ($6,000,000).
(b) The total number of shares of stock which the
Corporation is authorized to issue has been increased by the
foregoing charter amendments to three billion (3,000,000,000)
shares, all of one class, having a par value of two-tenths of one
cent ($.002) per share and an aggregate par value of six million
dollars ($6,000,000).
IV. The Corporation desires to restate its charter as so
amended.
V. The charter as so amended and restated is as follows:
"FIRST: (1) The name of the incorporator
is Lisa A. Klar.
"(2) The incorporator's post office
address is One Battery Park Plaza, New York, New
York 10004.
"(3) The incorporator is over
eighteen years of age.
2
<PAGE>
"(4) The incorporator is forming
the corporation named in these Articles of
Incorporation under the general laws of the State
of Maryland.
"SECOND: The name of the corporation
(hereinafter called the "Corporation") is Alliance
World Reserves, Inc.
"THIRD: (1) The purposes for which the
Corporation is formed is to conduct, operate and
carry on the business of an investment company.
"(2) The Corporation may engage in
any other business and shall have all powers
conferred upon or permitted to corporations by the
Maryland General Corporation Law.
"FOURTH: The post office address of the
principal office of the Corporation within the
State of Maryland is 32 South Street, Baltimore,
Maryland 21202 in care of The Corporation Trust,
Incorporated; and the resident agent of the
Corporation in the State of Maryland is The
Corporation Trust, Incorporated, 32 South Street,
Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
"FIFTH: (1) The total number of shares of
stock of all classes which the Corporation shall
have authority to issue is three billion
(3,000,000,000), all of which shall be Common Stock
having a par value of two-tenths of one cent
($.002) per share and an aggregate par value of six
million dollars ($6,000,000). Such shares and the
holders thereof shall be subject to the following
provisions:
"(a) Each holder of Common Stock
may require the Corporation to redeem all or any
part of the Common Stock owned by that holder, upon
request to the Corporation or its designated agent,
at the net asset value of the shares of Common
Stock next determined following receipt of the
request in a form approved by the Corporation and
accompanied by surrender of the certificate or
certificates for the shares, if any, less the
amount of any applicable redemption charge or
deferred sales charge imposed by the Board of
Directors (to the extent consistent with applicable
law). The Board of Directors may establish
procedures for redemption of Common Stock. The
3
<PAGE>
right of a holder of Common Stock redeemed by the
Corporation to receive dividends thereon and all
other rights with respect to the shares shall
terminate at the time as of which the redemption
price has been determined, except the right to
receive the redemption price and any dividend or
distribution to which that holder had become
entitled as the record stockholder on the record
date for that dividend.
"(b) (i) The term "Minimum Amount"
when used herein shall mean five thousand dollars
($5,000) unless otherwise fixed by the Board of
Directors from time to time, provided that the
Minimum Amount may not in any event exceed twenty-
five thousand dollars ($25,000). The Board of
Directors may establish differing Minimum Amounts
for categories of holders of Common Stock based on
such criteria as the Board of Directors may deem
appropriate.
"(ii) If the net asset value of
the shares of Common Stock held by a stockholder
shall be less than the Minimum Amount then in
effect with respect to the category of holders in
which the stockholder is included, the Corporation
may redeem all of those shares, upon notice given
to the holder in accordance with paragraph (iii) of
this subsection (b), to the extent that the
Corporation may lawfully effect such redemption
under the laws of the State of Maryland.
"(iii) The notice referred to in
paragraph (ii) of this subsection (b) shall be in
writing personally delivered or deposited in the
mail, at least thirty days (or such other number of
days as may be specified from time to time by the
Board of Directors) prior to such redemption. If
mailed, the notice shall be addressed to the
stockholder at his post office address as shown on
the books of the Corporation, and sent by first
class mail, postage prepaid. The price for shares
acquired by the Corporation pursuant to this
subsection (b) shall be an amount equal to the net
asset value of such shares.
"(c) Payment for shares of Common
Stock redeemed by the Corporation shall be made by
the Corporation within seven business days of such
surrender out of the funds legally available
therefor, provided that the Corporation may suspend
4
<PAGE>
the right of the stockholders to redeem shares of
Common Stock and may postpone the right of those
holders to receive payment for any shares when
permitted or required to do so by applicable
statutes or regulations. Payment of the aggregate
price of shares surrendered for redemption may be
made in cash or, at the option of the Corporation,
wholly or partly in such portfolio securities of
the Corporation as the Corporation shall select.
"(d) Shares of Common Stock shall be
entitled to dividends or distributions, in cash, in
property or in shares of Common Stock, as may be
declared from time to time by the Board of
Directors, acting in its sole discretion, out of
the assets lawfully available therefor. The Board
of Directors may provide that dividends shall be
payable only with respect to those shares of Common
Stock that have been held of record continuously by
the stockholder for a specified period, not to
exceed 72 hours, prior to the record date of the
dividend.
"(e) On each matter submitted to a
vote of the stockholders, each holder of Common
Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share
standing in his name on the books of the
Corporation.
"(f) The Board of Directors is
authorized to classify or to reclassify, from time
to time, any unissued shares of stock of the
Corporation, whether now or hereafter authorized,
by setting, changing or eliminating the
preferences, conversion or other rights, voting
powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends,
qualifications or terms and conditions of or rights
to require redemption of the stock.
"(g) The Corporation may issue
shares of Common Stock in fractional denominations
to the same extent as its whole shares, and shares
in fractional denominations shall be shares of
stock having proportionately to the respective
fractions represented thereby all the rights of
whole shares, including without limitation, the
right to vote, the right to receive dividends and
distributions, and the right to participate upon
liquidation of the Corporation, but excluding the
right to receive a stock certificate representing
fractional shares.
5
<PAGE>
"(h) For the purpose of allowing the
net asset value per share of the Common Stock to
remain constant, the Corporation shall be entitled
to declare and pay or credit as dividends daily the
net income (which may include or give effect to
realized and unrealized gains and losses, as
determined in accordance with the Corporation's
accounting and portfolio valuation policies) of the
Corporation. If the amount so determined for any
day is negative, the Corporation shall be entitled,
without the payment of monetary compensation but in
consideration of the interest of the Corporation
and its stockholders in maintaining a constant net
asset value per share of the Common Stock, to
redeem pro rata from all the holders of record of
shares of Common Stock at the time of such
redemption (in proportion to their respective
holdings thereof) sufficient outstanding shares of
Common Stock, or fractions thereof, as shall permit
the net asset value per share of the Common Stock
to remain constant.
"(2) No stockholder shall be entitled
to any preemptive right other than as the Board of
Directors may establish.
"SIXTH: The Corporation has one director.
The number of directors of the Corporation may be
changed pursuant to the By-Laws of the Corporation.
"SEVENTH: The following provisions are
inserted for the purpose of defining, limiting and
regulating the powers of the Corporation and of the
Board of Directors and stockholders.
"(a) In addition to its other powers
explicitly or implicitly granted under those
Articles of Incorporation, by law or otherwise, the
Board of Directors of the Corporation:
"(i) is expressly authorized to
make, alter, amend or repeal the By-Laws of the
Corporation;
"(ii) may from time to time
determine whether, to what extent, at what times
and places, and under what conditions and
regulations the accounts and books of the
Corporation, or any of them, shall be open to the
inspection of the stockholders, and no stockholder
shall have any right to inspect any account, book
6
<PAGE>
or document of the Corporation except as conferred
by statute or as authorized by the Board of
Directors of the Corporation;
"(iii) is empowered to
authorize, without stockholder approval, the
issuance and sale from time to time of shares of
stock of the Corporation whether now or hereafter
authorized; and
"(iv) is authorized to adopt
procedures for determination of and to maintain
constant the net asset value of shares of any class
of the Corporation's stock.
"(b) Notwithstanding any provision
of the Maryland General Corporation Law requiring a
greater proportion than a majority of the votes of
the Corporation's stock entitled to be cast in
order to take or authorize any action, any such
action may be taken or authorized upon the
concurrence of a majority of the aggregate number
of votes entitled to be cast thereon subject to any
applicable requirements of the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as from time to time in effect, or
rules or orders of the Securities and Exchange
Commission or any successor thereto.
"(c) The presence in person or by
proxy of the holders of one-third of the shares of
stock of the Corporation entitled to vote shall
constitute a quorum at any meeting of the
stockholders, except with respect to any matter
which, under applicable statutes or regulatory
requirements, requires approval by a separate vote
of one or more classes of stock, in which case the
presence in person or by proxy of the holders of
one-third of the shares of stock of each class
required to vote as a class on the matter shall
constitute a quorum.
"(d) Any determination made in good
faith by or pursuant to the direction of the Board
of Directors, as to the amount of the assets,
debts, obligations, or liabilities of the
Corporation, as to the amount of any reserves or
charges set up and the propriety thereof, as to the
time of or purpose for creating such reserves or
charges, as to the use, alteration or cancellation
of any reserves or charges (whether or not any
debt, obligation, or liability for which such
7
<PAGE>
reserves or charges shall have been created shall
be then or thereafter required to be paid or
discharged), as to the value of or the method of
valuing any investment owned or held by the
Corporation, as to market value or fair value of
any investment or fair value of any other asset of
the Corporation, as to the allocation of any asset
of the Corporation to a particular class or classes
of the Corporation's stock, as to the charging of
any liability of the Corporation to a particular
class or classes of the Corporation's stock, as to
the number of shares of the Corporation
outstanding, as to the estimated expense to the
Corporation in connection with purchases of its
shares, as to the ability to liquidate investments
in orderly fashion, or as to any other matters
relating to the issue, sale, redemption or other
acquisition or disposition of investments or shares
of the Corporation, shall be final and conclusive
and shall be binding upon the Corporation and all
holders of its shares, past, present and future,
and shares of the Corporation are issued and sold
on the condition and understanding that any and all
such determinations shall be binding as aforesaid.
"EIGHTH: (1) To the full extent that
limitations on the liability of directors and
officers are permitted by the Maryland General
Corporation Law, no director or officer of the
Corporation shall have any liability to the
Corporation or its stockholders for damages. This
limitation on liability applies to events occurring
at the time a person serves as a director or
officer of the Corporation whether or not that
person is a director or officer at the time of any
proceeding in which liability is asserted.
"(2) The Corporation shall
indemnify and advance expenses to its currently
acting and its former directors to the full extent
that indemnification of directors is permitted by
the Maryland General Corporation Law. The
Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to
its officers to the same extent as its directors
and may do so to such further extent as is
consistent with law. The Board of Directors may by
By-Law, resolution or agreement make further
provision for indemnification of directors,
officers, employees and agents to the full extent
permitted by the Maryland Corporation Law.
8
<PAGE>
"(3) No provision of this Article
shall be effective to protect or purport to protect
any director or officer of the Corporation against
any liability to the Corporation or its
stockholders to which he would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office.
"(4) References to the Maryland
General Corporation Law in this Article are to that
law as from time to time amended. No amendment to
the charter of the Corporation shall affect any
right of any person under this Article based on any
event, omission or proceeding prior to the
amendment.
"NINTH: The Corporation reserves the right to
amend, alter, change or repeal any provision
contained in these Articles of Incorporation or in
any amendment hereto in the manner now or hereafter
prescribed by the laws of the State of Maryland,
including any amendment which alters the contract
rights, as expressly set forth in these Articles of
Incorporation, of any outstanding stock, and all
rights conferred upon stockholders herein are
granted subject to this reservation."
VI. The provisions set forth in these Articles of Amendment
and Restatement constitute all of the provisions of the charter
currently in effect (after giving effect to the foregoing charter
amendments).
VII. The restatement of the charter as so amended has been
approved by a majority of the entire board of directors. The
Corporation has one director currently in office. This director
is David H. Dievler.
VIII. The current address of the principal office of the
Corporation and the name and address of the resident agent of the
Corporation are set forth in the charter as amended and restated.
9
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Alliance Multi-Market Reserves II,
Inc., has caused these presents to be signed in its name and on
its behalf by its President and attested by its Secretary on
October 30, 1990.
ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET
RESERVES II, INC.
By /s/ David H. Dievler
_______________________
David H. Dievler
President
Attested:
[Seal]
/s/ Edmund P. Bergan, Jr.
_________________________
Edmund P. Bergan, Jr.
Secretary
THE UNDERSIGNED, President of Alliance Multi-Market
Reserves II, Inc., who executed on behalf of said Corporation the
foregoing Articles of Amendment and Restatement of which this
certificate is made a part, hereby acknowledges, in the name and
on behalf of said corporation, the foregoing Articles of
Amendment and Restatement to be the corporate act of said
corporation and further certifies that, to the best of his
knowledge, information and belief, all matters and facts set
10
<PAGE>
forth therein with respect to the approval thereof are true in
all material respects, under the penalties of perjury.
/s/ David H. Dievler
___________________________
David H. Dievler
President
11
00250109.AP5
<PAGE>
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
OF
ALLIANCE WORLD RESERVES, INC.
changing its name to
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
ALLIANCE WORLD RESERVES INC. a Maryland corporation
having its principal office in the State of Maryland in Baltimore
City, Maryland (hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby
certifies that:
FIRST: The charter of the Corporation is hereby
amended by striking out Article SECOND of the articles of
incorporation and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"SECOND: The name of the corporation
(hereinafter called the "Corporation") is Alliance
World Income Trust, Inc."
SECOND: The foregoing charter amendment was advised by a
majority of the entire Board of Directors and approved by the
sole stockholder of the Corporation.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Alliance World Reserves, Inc. has
caused these Articles of Amendment to be signed in its name and
on its behalf by its President and attested by its Secretary on
November , 1990.
ALLIANCE WORLD RESERVES, INC.
By: /s/ David H. Dievler
___________________________
David H. Dievler
Chairman
Attest:
/s/ Edmund P. Bergan, Jr.
___________________________
Edmund P. Bergan, Jr.
Secretary
The UNDERSIGNED President of Alliance World Reserves,
Inc. who executed on behalf of said Corporation the foregoing
Articles of Amendment of which this certificate is made a part,
hereby acknowledges in the name and on behalf of said Corporation
and further certifies that, to the best of his knowledge,
information and belief all matters and facts set forth therein
with respect to the approval thereof are true in all material
respects, under the penalties of perjury.
/s/ David H. Dievler
___________________________
David H. Dievler
President
2
00250109.AP6
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT (2)
BY-LAWS
OF
ALLIANCE WORLD RESERVES, INC.
________________
ARTICLE I
Offices
Section 1. Principal Office in Maryland. The
Corporation shall have a principal office in the City of
Baltimore, State of Maryland.
Section 2. Other Offices. The Corporation may have
offices also at such other places within and without the State of
Maryland as the Board of Directors may from time to time
determine or as the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
Meetings of Stockholders
Section 1. Place of Meeting. Meetings of stockholders
shall be held at such place, either within the State of Maryland
or at such other place within the United States, as shall be
fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Annual Meetings. Annual meetings of
stockholders shall be held on a date fixed from time to time by
the Board of Directors not less than ninety nor more than one
hundred twenty days following the end of each fiscal year of the
Corporation, for the election of directors and the transaction of
<PAGE>
any other business within the powers of the Corporation;
provided, however, that the Corporation shall not be required to
hold an annual meeting in any year in which the election of
directors is not required to be acted on by stockholders under
the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Section 3. Notice of Annual Meeting. Written or
printed notice of the annual meeting, stating the place, date and
hour thereof, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote
thereat and each other shareholder entitled to notice thereof not
less than ten nor more than ninety days before the date of the
meeting.
Section 4. Special Meetings. Special meetings of
stockholders may be called by the chairman, the president or by
the Board of Directors and shall be called by the secretary upon
the written request of holders of shares entitled to cast not
less than twenty-five percent of all the votes entitled to be
cast at such meeting. Such request shall state the purpose or
purposes of such meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on
thereat. In the case of such request for a special meeting, upon
payment by such stockholders to the Corporation of the estimated
reasonable cost of preparing and mailing a notice of such
meeting, the secretary shall give the notice of such meeting.
The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting to
consider any matter which is substantially the same as a matter
acted upon at any special meeting of stockholders held within the
2
<PAGE>
preceding twelve months unless requested to do so by holders of
shares entitled to cast not less than a majority of all votes
entitled to be cast at such meeting. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, to the extent required by the Investment Company Act
of 1940, special meetings of stockholders for the purpose of
voting upon the question of removal of any director or directors
of the Corporation shall be called by the secretary upon the
written request of holders of shares entitled to cast not less
than ten percent of all the votes entitled to be cast at such
meeting.
Section 5. Notice of Special Meeting. Written or
printed notice of a special meeting of stockholders, stating the
place, date, hour and purpose thereof, shall be given by the
secretary to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat and each
other shareholder entitled to notice thereof not less than ten
nor more than ninety days before the date fixed for the meeting.
Section 6. Business of Special Meetings. Business
transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be
limited to the purposes stated in the notice thereof.
Section 7. Quorum. The holders of shares entitled to
cast one-third of the votes entitled to be cast thereat, present
in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at
all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business,
except with respect to any matter which, under applicable
statutes or regulatory requirements, requires approval by a
3
<PAGE>
separate vote of one or more classes of stock in which case the
presence in person or by proxy of the holders of one-third of the
shares of stock of each class required to vote as a class on the
matter shall constitute a quorum.
Section 8. Voting. When a quorum is present at any
meeting, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast,
or, with respect to any matter requiring a class vote, the
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast of each class
entitled to vote as a class on the matter, shall decide any
question brought before such meeting (except that directors may
be elected by the affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes
cast), unless the question is one upon which by express provision
of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as from time to time in
effect, or other statutes or rules or orders of the Securities
and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto or of the
Articles of Incorporation a different vote is required, in which
case such express provision shall govern and control the decision
of such question.
Section 9. Proxies. Each stockholder shall at every
meeting of stockholders be entitled to one vote in person or by
proxy for each share of the stock having voting power held by
such stockholder, but no proxy shall be voted after eleven months
from its date, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
Section 10. Record Date. In order that the Corporation
may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote
4
<PAGE>
at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, to
express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting,
or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or
allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in
respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the
purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may
fix, in advance, a record date which shall be not more than
ninety days and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, not
less than ten days prior to the date on which the particular
action requiring such determination of stockholders is to be
taken. In lieu of fixing a record date, the Board of Directors
may provide that the stock transfer books shall be closed for a
stated period, but not to exceed, in any case, twenty days. If
the stock transfer books are closed for the purpose of
determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a
meeting of stockholders, such books shall be closed for at least
ten days immediately preceding such meeting. If no record date
is fixed and the stock transfer books are not closed for the
determination of stockholders: (1) The record date for the
determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote
at, a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business
on the day on which notice of the meeting of stockholders is
mailed or the day thirty days before the meeting, whichever is
the closer date to the meeting; and (2) The record date for the
determination of stockholders entitled to receive payment of a
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dividend or an allotment of any rights shall be at the close of
business on the day on which the resolution of the Board of
Directors, declaring the dividend or allotment of rights, is
adopted, provided that the payment or allotment date shall not be
more than sixty days after the date of the adoption of such
resolution.
Section 11. Inspectors of Election. The directors, in
advance of any meeting, may, but need not, appoint one or more
inspectors to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof. If
an inspector or inspectors are not appointed, the person
presiding at the meeting may, but need not, appoint one or more
inspectors. In case any person who may be appointed as an
inspector fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by
appointment made by the directors in advance of the meeting or at
the meeting by the person presiding thereat. Each inspector, if
any, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take
and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector at
such meeting with strict impartiality and according to the best
of his ability. The inspectors, if any, shall determine the
number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the
shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the
validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots
or consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions
arising in connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate
all votes, ballots or consents, determine the result, and do such
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acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness
to all stockholders. On request of the person presiding at the
meeting or any stockholder, the inspector or inspectors, if any,
shall make a report in writing of any challenge, question or
matter determined by him or them and execute a certificate of any
fact found by him or them.
Section 12. Informal Action by Stockholders. Except to
the extent prohibited by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
from time to time in effect, or rules or orders of the Securities
and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto, any action
required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of stockholders
may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting
forth such action, is signed by all the stockholders entitled to
vote on the subject matter thereof and any other stockholders
entitled to notice of a meeting of stockholders (but not to vote
thereat) have waived in writing any rights which they may have to
dissent from such action, and such consent and waiver are filed
with the records of the Corporation.
ARTICLE III
Board of Directors
Section 1. Number of Directors. The number of
directors constituting the entire Board of Directors (which
initially was fixed at one in the Corporation's Articles of
Incorporation) may be increased or decreased from time to time by
the vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors within
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the limits permitted by law but at no time may be more than
twenty, but the tenure of office of a director in office at the
time of any decrease in the number of directors shall not be
affected as a result thereof. The directors shall be elected to
hold offices at the annual meeting of stockholders, except as
provided in Section 2 of this Article, and each director shall
hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders or
until his successor is elected and qualified. Any director may
resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Any
director may be removed, either with or without cause, at any
meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is
present by the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes
entitled to be cast thereon, and the vacancy in the Board of
Directors caused by such removal may be filled by the
stockholders at the time of such removal. Directors need not be
stockholders.
Section 2. Vacancies and Newly-Created Directorships.
Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors for any cause
other than by reason of an increase in the number of directors
may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of the Board
of Directors although such majority is less than a quorum. Any
vacancy occurring by reason of an increase in the number of
directors may be filled by a majority of the entire Board of
Directors. A director elected by the Board of Directors to fill
a vacancy shall be elected to hold office until the next annual
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meeting of stockholders or until his successor is elected and
qualifies.
Section 3. Powers. The business and affairs of the
Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the
Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the
Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by
statute or by the Articles of Incorporation or by these By-Laws
conferred upon or reserved to the stockholders.
Section 4. Meetings. The Board of Directors of the
Corporation or any committee thereof may hold meetings, both
regular and special, either within or without the State of
Maryland. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held
without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time
to time be determined by the Board of Directors. Special
meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the chairman,
the president or by two or more directors. Notice of special
meetings of the Board of Directors shall be given by the
secretary to each director at least three days before the meeting
if by mail or at least 24 hours before the meeting if given in
person or by telephone or by telegraph. The notice need not
specify the business to be transacted.
Section 6. Quorum and Voting. During such times when
the Board of Directors shall consist of more than one director, a
quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the Board
of Directors shall consist of two of the directors in office at
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the time but in no event shall a quorum consists of less than
one-third of the entire Board of Directors. The action of a
majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum
is present shall be the action of the Board of Directors. If a
quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of
Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting
from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the
meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 7. Committees. The Board of Directors may
appoint from among its members an executive committee and other
committees of the Board of Directors, each committee to be
composed of two or more of the directors of the Corporation. The
Board of Directors may delegate to such committees any of the
powers of the Board of Directors except those which may not by
law be delegated to a committee. Such committee or committees
shall have the name or names as may be determined from time to
time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. Unless the
Board of Directors designates one or more directors as alternate
members of any committee, who may replace an absent or
disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, the members
of any such committee present at any meeting and not disqualified
from voting may, whether or not they constitute a quorum, appoint
another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in
the place of any absent or disqualified member of such committee.
At meetings of any such committee, a majority of the members or
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alternate members of such committee shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the
members or alternate members present at any meeting at which a
quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.
Section 8. Minutes of Committee Meetings. The
committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings.
Section 9. Informal Action by Board of Directors and
Committees. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may
be taken without a meeting if a written consent thereto is signed
by all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as
the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the
minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee,
provided, however, that such written consent shall not constitute
approval of any matter which pursuant to the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder requires the approval of
directors by vote cast in person at a meeting.
Section 10. Meetings by Conference Telephone. The
members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may
participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or committee
by means of a conference telephone or similar communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same times and such
participation shall constitute presence in person at such
meeting, provided, however, that such participation shall not
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constitute presence in person with respect to matters which
pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules
thereunder require the approval of directors by vote cast in
person at a meeting.
Section 11. Fees and Expenses. The directors may be
paid their expenses of attendance at each meeting of the Board of
Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each
meeting of the Board of Directors, a stated salary as director or
such other compensation as the Board of Directors may approve.
No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the
Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation
therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be
allowed like reimbursement and compensation for attending
committee meetings.
ARTICLE IV
Notices
Section 1. General. Notices to directors and
stockholders mailed to them at their post office addresses
appearing on the books of the Corporation shall be deemed to be
given at the time when deposited in the United States mail.
Section 2. Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is
required to be given under the provisions of the statutes, of the
Articles of Incorporation or of these By-Laws, a waiver thereof
in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said
notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be
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deemed the equivalent of notice and such waiver shall be filed
with the records of the meeting. Attendance of a person at a
meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting
except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose
of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction
of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or
convened.
ARTICLE V
Officers
Section 1. General. The officers of the Corporation
shall be chosen by the Board of Directors at its first meeting
after each annual meeting of stockholders and shall be a chairman
of the Board of Directors, a president, a secretary and a
treasurer. The Board of Directors may choose also such vice
presidents and additional officers or assistant officers as it
may deem advisable. Any number of offices, except the offices of
president and vice president and chairman and vice president, may
be held by the same person. No officer shall execute,
acknowledge or verify any instrument in more than one capacity if
such instrument is required by law to be executed, acknowledged
or verified by two or more officers.
Section 2. Other Officers and Agents. The Board of
Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it
desires who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall
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exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be
determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Tenure of Officers. The officers of the
Corporation shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of
Directors. Each officer shall hold his office until his
successor is elected and qualifies or until his earlier
resignation or removal. Any officer may resign at any time upon
written notice to the Corporation. Any officer elected or
appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by
the Board of Directors when, in its judgment, the best interests
of the Corporation will be served thereby. Any vacancy occurring
in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal
or otherwise shall be filled by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Chairman of the Board of Directors. The
chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings
of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors. He shall be
the chief executive officer and shall have general and active
management of the business of the Corporation and shall see that
all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried
into effect. He shall be ex officio a member of all committees
designated by the Board of Directors except as otherwise
determined by the Board of Directors. He shall execute bonds,
mortgages and other contracts requiring a seal, under the seal of
the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be
otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and
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execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of
Directors to some other officer or agent of the Corporation.
Section 5. President. The president shall act under
the direction of the chairman and in the absence or disability of
the chairman shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of
the chairman. He shall perform such other duties and have such
other powers as the chairman or the Board of Directors may from
time to time prescribe. He shall execute on behalf of the
Corporation, and may affix the seal or cause the seal to be
affixed to, all instruments requiring such execution except to
the extent that signing and execution thereof shall be expressly
delegated by the Board of Directors to some other officer or
agent of the Corporation.
Section 6. Vice Presidents. The vice presidents shall
act under the direction of the chairman and in the absence or
disability of the president shall perform the duties and exercise
the powers of the president. They shall perform such other
duties and have such other powers as the chairman or the Board of
Directors may from time to time prescribe. The Board of
Directors may designate one or more executive vice presidents or
may otherwise specify the order of seniority of the vice
presidents and, in that event, the duties and powers of the
president shall descend to the vice presidents in the specified
order of seniority.
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Section 7. Secretary. The secretary shall act under
the direction of the chairman. Subject to the direction of the
chairman he shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors
and all meetings of stockholders and record the proceedings in a
book to be kept for that purpose and shall perform like duties
for the committees designated by the Board of Directors when
required. He shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all
meetings of stockholders and special meetings of the Board of
Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by the chairman or the Board of Directors. He shall
keep in safe custody the seal of the Corporation and shall affix
the seal or cause it to be affixed to any instrument requiring
it.
Section 8. Assistant Secretaries. The assistant
secretaries in the order of their seniority, unless otherwise
determined by the chairman or the Board of Directors, shall, in
the absence or disability of the secretary, perform the duties
and exercise the powers of the secretary. They shall perform
such other duties and have such other powers as the chairman or
the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 9. Treasurer. The treasurer shall act under
the direction of the chairman. Subject to the direction of the
chairman he shall have the custody of the corporate funds and
securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts
and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall
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deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to
the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be
designated by the Board of Directors. He shall disburse the
funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the chairman or the
Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such
disbursements, and shall render to the chairman and the Board of
Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of
Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as
treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.
Section 10. Assistant Treasurers. The assistant
treasurers in the order of their seniority, unless otherwise
determined by the chairman or the Board of Directors, shall, in
the absence or disability of the treasurer, perform the duties
and exercise the powers of the treasurer. They shall perform
such other duties and have such other powers as the chairman or
the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
ARTICLE VI
Certificates of Stock
Section 1. General. Every holder of stock of the
Corporation who has made full payment of the consideration for
such stock shall be entitled upon request to have a certificate,
signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the chairman,
the president or a vice president and countersigned by the
treasurer or an assistant treasurer or the secretary or an
assistant secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number
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and, if additional shares of stock should be authorized, the
class of whole shares of stock owned by him in the Corporation.
Section 2. Fractional Share Interests. The Corporation
may issue fractions of a share of stock. Fractional shares of
stock shall have proportionately to the respective fractions
represented thereby all the rights of whole shares, including the
right to vote, the right to receive dividends and distributions
and the right to participate upon liquidation of the Corporation,
excluding, however, the right to receive a stock certificate
representing such fractional shares.
Section 3. Signatures on Certificates. Any of or all
the signatures on a certificate may be a facsimile. In case any
officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been
placed upon a certificate shall cease to be such officer before
such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect
as if he were such officer at the date of issue. The seal of the
Corporation or a facsimile thereof may, but need not, be affixed
to certificates of stock.
Section 4. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The
Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates
to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates
theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost,
stolen or destroyed, upon the making of any affidavit of that
fact by the person claiming the certificate or certificates to be
lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new
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certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors may, in its
discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof,
require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate
or certificates, or his legal representative, to give the
Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity
against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with
respect to the certificate or certificates alleged to have been
lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 5. Transfer of Shares. Upon request by the
registered owner of shares, and if a certificate has been issued
to represent such shares upon surrender to the Corporation or a
transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares of
stock duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of
succession, assignment or authority to transfer, it shall be the
duty of the Corporation, if it is satisfied that all provisions
of the Articles of Incorporation, of the By-Laws and of the law
regarding the transfer of shares have been duly complied with, to
record the transaction upon its books, issue a new certificate to
the person entitled thereto upon request for such certificate,
and cancel the old certificate, if any.
Section 6. Registered Owners. The Corporation shall be
entitled to recognize the person registered on its books as the
owner of shares to be the exclusive owner for all purposes
including voting and dividends, and the Corporation shall not be
bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in
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such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or
not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as
otherwise provided by the laws of Maryland.
ARTICLE VII
Miscellaneous
Section 1. Reserves. There may be set aside out of any
funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums
as the Board of Directors from time to time, in their absolute
discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet
contingencies, or for such other purpose as the Board of
Directors shall think conducive to the interest of the
Corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any
such reserve.
Section 2. Dividends. Dividends upon the stock of the
Corporation may, subject to the provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation and of applicable law, be declared by the Board of
Directors at any time. Dividends may be paid in cash, in
property or in shares of the Corporation's stock, subject to the
provisions of the Articles of Incorporation and of applicable
law.
Section 3. Capital Gains Distributions. The amount and
number of capital gains distributions paid to the stockholders
during each fiscal year shall be determined by the Board of
Directors. Each such payment shall be accompanied by a statement
as to the source of such payment, to the extent required by law.
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Section 4. Checks. All checks or demands for money and
notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or
officers or such other person or persons as the Board of
Directors may from time to time designate.
Section 5. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the
Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of
Directors.
Section 6. Seal. The corporate seal shall have
inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its
organization and the words "Corporate Seal, Maryland." The seal
may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed
or affixed or in another manner reproduced.
Section 7. Insurance Against Certain Liabilities. The
Corporation shall not bear the cost of insurance that protects or
purports to protect directors and officers of the Corporation
against any liabilities to the Corporation or its security
holders to which any such director or officer would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of his office.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Section 1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The Corporation shall indemnify its directors to the fullest
extent that indemnification of directors is permitted by the
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Maryland General Corporation Law. The Corporation shall
indemnify its officers to the same extent as its directors and to
such further extent as is consistent with law. The Corporation
shall indemnify its directors and officers who while serving as
directors or officers also serve at the request of the
Corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee,
agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan to the
fullest extent consistent with law. The indemnification and
other rights provided by this Article shall continue as to a
person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure
to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such
a person. This Article shall not protect any such person against
any liability to the Corporation or any stockholder thereof to
which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of
the duties involved in the conduct of his office ("disabling
conduct").
Section 2. Advances. Any current or former director or
officer of the Corporation seeking indemnification within the
scope of this Article shall be entitled to advances from the
Corporation for payment of the reasonable expenses incurred by
him in connection with the matter as to which he is seeking
indemnification in the manner and to the fullest extent
permissible under the Maryland General Corporation Law. The
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person seeking indemnification shall provide to the Corporation a
written affirmation of his good faith belief that the standard of
conduct necessary for indemnification by the Corporation has been
met and a written undertaking to repay any such advance if it
should ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct has
not been met. In addition, at least one of the following
additional conditions shall be met: (a) the person seeking
indemnification shall provide a security in form and amount
acceptable to the Corporation for his undertaking; (b) the
Corporation is insured against losses arising by reason of the
advance; or (c) a majority of a quorum of directors of the
Corporation who are neither "interested persons" as defined in
Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, nor parties to the proceeding ("disinterested non-party
directors"), or independent legal counsel, in a written opinion,
shall have determined, based on a review of facts readily
available to the Corporation at the time the advance is proposed
to be made, that there is reason to believe that the person
seeking indemnification will ultimately be found to be entitled
to indemnification.
Section 3. Procedure. At the request of any person
claiming indemnification under this Article, the Board of
Directors shall determine, or cause to be determined, in a manner
consistent with the Maryland General Corporation Law, whether the
standards required by this Article have been met.
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Indemnification shall be made only following: (a) a final
decision on the merits by a court or other body before whom the
proceeding was brought that the person to be indemnified was not
liable by reason of disabling conduct or (b) in the absence of
such a decision, a reasonable determination, based upon a review
of the facts, that the person to be indemnified was not liable by
reason of disabling conduct by (i) the vote of a majority of a
quorum of disinterested non-party directors or (ii) an
independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
Section 4. Indemnification of Employees and Agents.
Employees and agents who are not officers or directors of the
Corporation may be indemnified, and reasonable expenses may be
advanced to such employees or agents, as may be provided by
action of the Board of Directors or by contract, subject to any
limitations imposed by the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Section 5. Other Rights. The Board of Directors may
make further provision consistent with law for indemnification
and advance of expenses to directors, officers, employees and
agents by resolution, agreement or otherwise. The
indemnification provided by this Article shall not be deemed
exclusive of any other right, with respect to indemnification or
otherwise, to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled
under any insurance or other agreement or resolution of
stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. The rights
provided to any person by this Article shall be enforceable
24
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against the Corporation by such person who shall be presumed to
have relied upon it in serving or continuing to serve as a
director, officer, employee, or agent as provided above.
Section 6. Amendments. References in this Article are
to the Maryland General Corporation Law and to the Investment
Company Act of 1940 as from time to time amended. No amendment
of these By-laws shall effect any right of any person under this
Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to the
amendment.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
The Board of Directors shall have the power to make,
alter and repeal by-laws of the Corporation.
25
00250109.AP7
<PAGE>
Exhibit 5
ADVISORY AGREEMENT
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC.
1345 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, New York 10105
July 22, 1992
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Dear Sirs:
We, the undersigned Alliance World Income Trust,
Inc., herewith confirm our agreement with you as follows:
1. We are an open-end, non-diversified management
investment company registered under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the "Act"). We are currently authorized to
issue separate classes of shares and our Directors are
authorized to reclassify and issue any unissued shares to
any number of additional classes or series (portfolios) each
having its own investment objective, policies and
restrictions, all as more fully described in the prospectus
and the statement of additional information constituting
parts of the Registration Statement filed on our behalf
under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Act. We propose to
engage in the business of investing and reinvesting the
assets of each of our portfolios in securities (the
"portfolio assets") of the type and in accordance with the
<PAGE>
limitations specified in our Articles of Incorporation,
By-Laws, Registration Statement filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and
the Act, and any representations made in our prospectus and
statement of additional information, all in such manner and
to such extent as may from time to time be authorized by our
Board of Directors. We enclose copies of the documents
listed above and will from time to time furnish you with any
amendments thereof.
2. (a) We hereby employ you to manage the
investment and reinvestment of the portfolio assets as above
specified and, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, to provide management and other services
specified below.
(b) You will make decisions with respect to
all purchases and sales of the portfolio assets. To carry
out such decisions, you are hereby authorized, as our agent
and attorney-in-fact, for our account and at our risk and in
our name, to place orders for the investment and
reinvestment of the portfolio assets. In all purchases,
sales and other transactions in the portfolio assets you are
authorized to exercise full discretion and act for us in the
same manner and with the same force and effect as we might
or could do with respect to such purchases, sales or other
transactions, as well as with respect to all other things
2
<PAGE>
necessary or incidental to the furtherance or conduct of
such purchases, sales or other transactions.
(c) You will report to our Board of Directors
at each meeting thereof all changes in the portfolio assets
since the prior report, and will also keep us in touch with
important developments affecting the portfolio assets and on
your own initiative will furnish us from time to time with
such information as you may believe appropriate for this
purpose, whether concerning the individual issuers whose
securities are included in the portfolio assets, the
industries in which they engage, or the conditions
prevailing in the economy generally. You will also furnish
us with such statistical and analytical information with
respect to the portfolio assets as you may believe
appropriate or as we reasonably may request. In making such
purchases and sales of the portfolio assets, you will bear
in mind the policies set from time to time by our Board of
Directors as well as the limitations imposed by our Articles
of Incorporation and in our Registration Statement under the
Act and the Securities Act of 1933, the limitations in the
Act and of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, in
respect of regulated investment companies and the investment
objective, policies and restrictions applicable to each of
our portfolios.
3
<PAGE>
(d) It is understood that you will from time
to time employ or associate with yourselves such persons as
you believe to be particularly fitted to assist you in the
execution of your duties hereunder, the cost of performance
of such duties to be borne and paid by you. No obligation
may be incurred on our behalf in any such respect. During
the continuance of this agreement at our request you will
provide us persons satisfactory to our Board of Directors to
serve as our officers. You or your affiliates will also
provide persons, who may be our officers, to render such
clerical, accounting and other services to us as we may from
time to time request of you. Such personnel may be
employees of you or your affiliates. We will pay to you or
your affiliates the cost of such personnel for rendering
such services to us, provided that all time devoted to the
investment or reinvestment of the portfolio assets shall be
for your account. Nothing contained herein shall be
construed to restrict our right to hire our own employees or
to contract for services to be performed by third parties.
Furthermore, you or your affiliates shall furnish us without
charge with such management supervision and assistance and
such office facilities as you may believe appropriate or as
we may reasonably request subject to the requirements of any
regulatory authority to which you may be subject. You or
your affiliates shall also be responsible for the payment of
4
<PAGE>
any expenses incurred in promoting the sale of our shares
(other than the portion of the promotional expenses to be
borne by us in accordance with an effective plan pursuant to
Rule 12b-1 under the Act and the costs of printing our
prospectuses and other reports to stockholders and fees
related to registration with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and with state regulatory authorities).
3. It is further agreed that you shall be
responsible for the portion of the net expenses of each of
our portfolios (except interest, taxes, brokerage fees paid
in accordance with an effective plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1
under the Act, expenditures which are capitalized in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and
extraordinary expenses, all to the extent permitted by
applicable state law and regulation) incurred by us during
each of our fiscal years or portion thereof that this
agreement is in effect between us which, as to a portfolio,
in any such year exceeds the limits applicable to such
portfolio under the laws or regulations of any state in
which our shares are qualified for sale (reduced pro rata
for any portion of less than a year). We hereby confirm
that, subject to the foregoing, we shall be responsible and
hereby assume the obligation for payment of all our other
expenses, including: (a) payment of the fee payable to you
under paragraph 5 hereof; (b) custody, transfer, and
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dividend disbursing expenses; (c) fees of directors who are
not your affiliated persons; (d) legal and auditing
expenses; (e) clerical, accounting and other office costs;
(f) the cost of personnel providing services to us, as
provided in subparagraph (d) of paragraph 2 above; (g) costs
of printing our prospectuses and stockholder reports;
(h) cost of maintenance of corporate existence; (i) interest
charges, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions; (j) costs of
stationery and supplies; (k) expenses and fees related to
registration and filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and with state regulatory authorities; and
(l) such promotional expenses as may be contemplated by an
effective plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act
provided, however, that our payment of such promotional
expenses shall be in the amounts, and in accordance with the
procedures, set forth in such plan.
4. We shall expect of you, and you will give us
the benefit of, your best judgment and efforts in rendering
these services to us, and we agree as an inducement to your
undertaking these services that you shall not be liable
hereunder for any mistake of judgment or in any event
whatsoever, except for lack of good faith, provided that
nothing herein shall be deemed to protect, or purport to
protect, you against any liability to us or to our security
holders to which you would otherwise be subject by reason of
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<PAGE>
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of your duties hereunder, or by reason of your
reckless disregard of your obligations and duties hereunder.
5. In consideration of the foregoing we will pay
you a monthly fee at an annualized rate of .65 of 1% of our
average daily net assets. Such fee shall be payable in
arrears on the last day of each calendar month for services
performed hereunder during such month. If our initial
Registration Statement is declared effective by the
Securities and Exchange Commission after the beginning of a
month or this agreement terminates prior to the end of a
month, such fee shall be prorated according to the
proportion which such portion of the month bears to the full
month.
6. This agreement shall become effective on the
date hereof and shall remain in effect until October 31,
1992 and may be continued for successive twelve-month
periods (computed from each November 1) with respect to each
portfolio provided that such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually by the Board of Directors or by
majority vote of the holders of the outstanding voting
securities of such portfolio (as defined in the Act), and,
in either case, by a majority of the Board of Directors who
are not interested persons, as defined in the Act, of any
party to this agreement (other than as Directors of our
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corporation), provided further, however, that if the
continuation of this agreement is not approved as to a
portfolio, you may continue to render to such portfolio the
services described herein in the manner and to the extent
permitted by the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder. Upon the effectiveness of this agreement, it
shall supersede all previous agreements between us covering
the subject matter hereof. This agreement may be terminated
with respect to any portfolio at any time, without the
payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities (as so defined) of such
portfolio, or by a vote of the Board of Directors on 60
days' written notice to you, or by you with respect to any
portfolio on 60 days' written notice to us.
7. This agreement may not be transferred,
assigned, sold or in any manner hypothecated or pledged by
you and this agreement shall terminate automatically in the
event of any such transfer, assignment, sale, hypothecation
or pledge by you. The terms "transfer", "assignment" and
"sale" as used in this paragraph shall have the meanings
ascribed hereto by governing law and any interpretation
thereof contained in rules or regulations promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
8. (a) Except to the extent necessary to perform
your obligations hereunder, nothing herein shall be deemed
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to limit or restrict your right, or the right of any of your
employees, or any of the officers or directors of Alliance
Capital Management Corporation, your general partner, who
may also be a Director, officer or employee of ours, or
persons otherwise affiliated with us (within the meaning of
the Act) to engage in any other business or to devote time
and attention to the management or other aspects of any
other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature,
or to render services of any kind to any other trust,
corporation, firm, individual or association.
(b) You will notify us of any change in the
general partners of your partnership within a reasonable
time after such change.
9. If you cease to act as our investment adviser, or,
in any event, if you so request in writing, we agree to take
all necessary action to change our name to a name not
including the term "Alliance". You may from time to time
make available without charge to us for our use such marks
or symbols owned by you, including marks or symbols
containing the term "Alliance" or any variation thereof, as
you may consider appropriate. Any such marks or symbols so
made available will remain your property and you shall have
the right, upon notice in writing, to require us to cease
the use of such mark or symbol at any time.
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<PAGE>
10. This Agreement shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York, provided,
however, that nothing herein shall be construed as being
inconsistent with the Act.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your
understanding, will you kindly so indicate by signing and
returning to us the enclosed copy hereof.
Very truly yours,
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
By /s/ David H. Dievler
____________________________
Name: David H. Dievler
Title: Chairman
Agreed to and accepted as of
the date first set forth above
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
By Alliance Capital Management Corporation,
its General Partner
By /s/ John D. Carifa
_______________________
Name: John D. Carifa
Title: Executive Vice President
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00250109.AO6
<PAGE>
Exhibit 6(a)
DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of July 22, 1992, as amended as of
April 30, 1993, between ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC., a
Maryland corporation (the "Fund"), and ALLIANCE FUND
DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Underwriter").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"),
as a diversified, open-end management investment company and it
is in the interest of the Fund to offer its shares for sale
continuously;
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is a securities firm engaged in
the business of selling shares of investment companies either
directly to purchasers or through other securities dealers;
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Underwriter wish to enter into
an amended agreement with each other with respect to the
continuous offering of the Fund's shares in order to promote the
growth of the Fund and facilitate the distribution of its shares;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Appointment of the Underwriter. The Fund
hereby appoints the Underwriter as the principal underwriter and
distributor of the Fund to sell to the public shares of its
Common Stock (the "shares") and hereby agrees during the term of
this Agreement to sell shares to the Underwriter upon the terms
and conditions herein set forth.
SECTION 2. Exclusive Nature of Duties. The Underwriter
shall be the exclusive representative of the Fund to act as
principal underwriter and distributor except that the rights
given under this Agreement to the Underwriter shall not apply to
shares issued in connection with (a) the merger or consolidation
of any other investment company with the Fund, (b) the Fund's
acquisition by purchase or otherwise of all or substantially all
of the assets or stock of any other investment company or (c) the
reinvestment in shares by the Fund's shareholders of dividends or
other distributions.
<PAGE>
SECTION 3. Purchase of Shares from the Fund.
(a) The Underwriter shall have the right to buy from
the Fund the shares needed to fill unconditional orders for
shares of the Fund placed with the Underwriter by investors or
securities dealers, depository institutions or other financial
intermediaries acting as agent for their customers. The price
which the Underwriter shall pay for the shares so purchased from
the Fund shall be the net asset value, determined as set forth in
Section 3(d) hereof, used in determining the public offering
price on which such orders are based.
(b) The shares are to be resold by the Underwriter to
investors at a public offering price, as set forth in
Section 3(c) hereof, or to securities dealers, depository
institutions or other financial intermediaries acting as agent
for their customers having agreements with the Underwriter upon
the terms and conditions set forth in Section 8 hereof.
(c) The public offering price of the shares, i.e., the
price per share at which the Underwriter or selected dealers or
selected agents (each as defined in Section 8(a) below) may sell
shares to the public, shall be the public offering price
determined in accordance with the then current Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information of the Fund (the "Prospectus"
and "Statement of Additional Information," respectively) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
relating to such shares, but not to exceed the net asset value at
which the Underwriter is to purchase such shares. All payments
to the Fund hereunder shall be made in the manner set forth in
Section 3(f) hereof.
(d) The net asset value of shares of the Fund shall be
determined by the Fund, or any agent of the Fund, as of the close
of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on each Fund
business day in accordance with the method set forth in the
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information and guidelines
established by the Directors of the Fund.
(e) The Fund reserves the right to suspend the offering
of its shares at any time in the absolute discretion of its
Directors.
(f) The Fund, or any agent of the Fund designated in
writing to the Underwriter by the Fund, shall be promptly advised
by the Underwriter of all purchase orders for shares received by
the Underwriter. Any order may be rejected by the Fund;
provided, however, that the Fund will not arbitrarily or without
reasonable cause refuse to accept or confirm orders for the
purchase of shares. The Fund (or its agent) will confirm orders
upon their receipt, will make appropriate book entries and upon
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<PAGE>
receipt by the Fund (or its agent) of payment thereof, will
deliver deposit receipts or certificates for such shares pursuant
to the instructions of the Underwriter. Payment shall be made to
the Fund in New York Clearing House funds. The Underwriter
agrees to cause such payment and such instructions to be
delivered promptly to the Fund (or its agent).
SECTION 4. Repurchase or Redemption of Shares by the
Fund.
(a) Any of the outstanding shares may be tendered for
redemption at any time, and the Fund agrees to redeem or
repurchase the shares so tendered in accordance with its
obligations as set forth in Section 1(c) of ARTICLE FIFTH of its
Articles of Incorporation and in accordance with the applicable
provisions set forth in the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information. The price to be paid to redeem or
repurchase the shares shall be equal to the net asset value
calculated in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(d)
hereof. All payments by the Fund hereunder shall be made in the
manner set forth below.
The Fund (or its agent) shall pay the total amount of
the redemption price pursuant to the instructions of the
Underwriter in New York Clearing House funds on or before the
seventh business day subsequent to its having received the notice
of redemption in proper form.
(b) Redemption of shares or payment may be suspended at
times when the New York Stock Exchange is closed, when trading
thereon is closed, when trading thereon is restricted, when an
emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund or
securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not
reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value
of its net assets, or during any other period when the Securities
and Exchange Commission, by order, so permits.
SECTION 5. Plan of Distribution.
(a) It is understood that Sections 5, 12, and 16 hereof
together constitute a plan of distribution (the "Plan") within
the meaning of Rule 12b-1 adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Investment Company Act ("Rule 12b-1").
(b) Except as may be required by the Rules of Fair
Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(the "NASD") and any interpretations thereof, the Fund will pay
to the Underwriter each month a distribution services fee with
respect to each portfolio of the Fund ("Portfolio") that will not
exceed, on an annualized basis, .90% of the Fund's aggregate
average daily net assets. With respect to each Portfolio, the
3
<PAGE>
distribution services fee will be used in its entirety by the
Underwriter to make payments (i) to compensate broker-dealers or
other persons for providing distribution assistance, (ii) to
otherwise promote the sale of shares of each Portfolio, including
payment for the preparation, printing and distribution of
prospectuses and sales literature or other promotional
activities, and (iii) to compensate broker-dealers, depository
institutions and other financial intermediaries for providing
administrative, accounting and other services with respect to
each Portfolio's shareholders. A portion of the distribution
services fee that will not exceed, on an annualized basis, .25%
of the Fund's aggregate average daily net assets will constitute
a service fee that will be used by the Underwriter for personal
service and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts within the
meaning of NASD rules and interpretations.
(c) Alliance Capital Management L.P., the Fund's
investment adviser (the "Adviser"), may make payments from time
to time from its own resources for the purposes described in
Section 5(b) hereof.
(d) Payments to broker-dealers, depository institutions
and other financial intermediaries for the purposes set forth in
Section 5(b) are subject to the terms and conditions of the
written agreements between the Underwriter and each broker-
dealer, depository institution or other financial intermediary.
Such agreements will be in a form satisfactory to the Directors
of the Fund.
(e) The Treasurer of the Fund will prepare and furnish
to the Fund's Directors, and the Directors will review, at least
quarterly, a written report complying with the requirements of
Rule 12b-1 setting forth all amounts expended hereunder and the
purposes for which such expenditures were made.
(f) The Fund is not obligated to pay any distribution
expense in excess of the distribution services fee described
above in Section 5(b) hereof. Any expenses of distribution of
the shares accrued by the Underwriter in one fiscal year of the
Fund may not be paid from distribution services fees received
from the Fund in another fiscal year. No portion of the
distribution services fees received from the Fund may be used to
pay any interest expense, carrying charges or other financing
costs or allocation of overhead of the Underwriter. In the event
this Agreement is terminated by either party or is not continued
as provided in Section 12 below: (i) no distribution services
fees (other than current amounts accrued but not yet paid) will
be owed by the Fund to the Underwriter, and (ii) the Fund will
not be obligated to pay the Underwriter for any amounts expended
hereunder not previously reimbursed by the Fund from distribution
services fees.
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<PAGE>
SECTION 6. Duties of the Fund.
(a) The Fund shall furnish to the Underwriter copies of
all information, financial statements and other papers that the
Underwriter may reasonably request for use in connection with the
distribution of shares of the Fund, and this shall include one
certified copy, upon request by the Underwriter, of all financial
statements prepared for the Fund by independent public
accountants. The Fund shall make available to the Underwriter
such number of copies of the Prospectus as the Underwriter shall
reasonably request.
(b) The Fund shall take, from time to time, but subject
to the necessary approval of its shareholders, all necessary
action to fix the number of authorized shares and such steps as
may be necessary to register the same under the Securities Act,
to the end that there will be available for sale such number of
shares as the Underwriter reasonably may be expected to sell.
(c) The Fund shall use its best efforts to qualify and
maintain the qualification of an appropriate number of its shares
under the securities laws of such states as the Underwriter and
the Fund may approve. Any such qualification may be withheld,
terminated or withdrawn by the Fund at any time in its
discretion. As provided in Section 9(b) hereof, the expense of
qualification and maintenance of qualification shall be borne by
the Fund. The Underwriter shall furnish such information and
other material relating to its affairs and activities as may be
required by the Fund in connection with such qualification.
(d) The Fund will furnish, in reasonable quantities
upon request by the Underwriter, copies of annual and interim
reports of the Fund.
SECTION 7. Duties of the Underwriter.
(a) The Underwriter shall devote reasonable time and
effort to effect sales of shares of the Fund, but shall not be
obligated to sell any specific number of shares. The services of
the Underwriter to the Fund hereunder are not to be deemed
exclusive and nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the
Underwriter from entering into like arrangements with other
investment companies so long as the performance of its
obligations hereunder is not impaired thereby.
(b) In selling shares of the Fund, the Underwriter
shall use its best efforts in all material respects duly to
conform with the requirements of all federal and state laws
relating to the sale of such securities. Neither the
Underwriter, any selected dealer, any selected agent nor any
other person is authorized by the Fund to give any information or
5
<PAGE>
to make any representations, other than those contained in the
Fund's Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement"), as
amended from time to time, under the Securities Act and the
Investment Company Act or the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information or any sales literature specifically
approved in writing by the Fund.
(c) The Underwriter shall adopt and follow procedures,
as approved by the officers of the Fund, for the confirmation of
sales to investors and selected dealers, the collection of
amounts payable by investors and selected dealers on such sales,
and the cancellation of unsettled transactions, as may be
necessary to comply with the requirements of the NASD, as such
requirements may from time to time exist.
SECTION 8. Selected Dealer and Agent Agreements.
(a) The Underwriter shall have the right to enter into
selected dealer agreements with securities dealers of its choice
("selected dealers") and selected agent agreements with
depository institutions and other financial intermediaries of its
choice ("selected agents") for the sale of shares and fix therein
the portion of the sales charge that may be allocated to the
selected dealers and selected agents; provided, that the Fund
shall approve the forms of agreements with selected dealers and
selected agents and the selected dealer and selected agent
compensation set forth therein and shall evidence such approval
by filing said forms and amendments thereto as exhibits to its
then currently effective Registration Statement. Shares sold to
selected dealers or through selected agents shall be for resale
by such selected dealers and selected agents only at the public
offering price set forth in the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information.
(b) Within the United States, the Underwriter shall
offer and sell shares only to such selected dealers as are
members in good standing of the NASD.
SECTION 9. Payment of Expenses.
(a) The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses of the
Fund, including fees and disbursements of its counsel and
auditors, in connection with the preparation and filing of its
Registration Statement and Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and
preparing and mailing annual and interim reports and proxy
materials to shareholders (including but not limited to the
expense of setting in type any such registration statements,
prospectuses, annual or interim reports or proxy materials).
6
<PAGE>
(b) The Fund shall bear the cost of expenses of
qualification of shares for sale, and, if necessary or advisable
in connection therewith, of qualifying the Fund as an issuer or
as a broker or dealer, in such states of the United States or
other jurisdiction as shall be selected by the Fund and the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof and the cost and
expenses payable to each such state for continuing qualification
therein until the Fund decides to discontinue such qualification
pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof.
SECTION 10. Indemnification.
(a) The Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the
Underwriter, and any person who controls the Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, free and
harmless from and against any and all claims, demands,
liabilities and expenses (including the cost of investigating or
defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) which the Underwriter or
any such controlling person may incur, under the Securities Act,
or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon
any alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Fund's Registration Statement, Prospectus or Statement of
Additional Information in effect from time to time under the
Securities Act or arising out of or based upon any alleged
omission to state a material fact required to be stated in any
one thereof or necessary to make the statements in any one
thereof not misleading; provided, however, that in no event shall
anything herein contained be so construed as to protect the
Underwriter against any liability to the Fund or its security
holders to which the Underwriter would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in
the performance of its duties, or by reason of the Underwriter's
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement. The Fund's agreement to indemnify the Underwriter and
any such controlling person as aforesaid is expressly conditioned
upon the Fund's being notified of the commencement of any action
brought against the Underwriter or any such controlling person,
such notification to be given by letter or by telegram addressed
to the Fund at its principal office in New York, New York, and
sent to the Fund by the person against whom such action is
brought within ten days after the summons or other first legal
process shall have been served. The failure to so notify the
Fund of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve the
Fund from any liability which it may have to the person against
whom such action is brought by reason of any such alleged untrue
statement or omission otherwise than on account of the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 10. The Fund will be
entitled to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any
such claim, and to retain counsel of good standing chosen by the
Fund and approved by the Underwriter. In the event the Fund does
7
<PAGE>
not elect to assume the defense of any such suit and retain
counsel of good standing approved by the Underwriter, the
defendant or defendants in such suit shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by any of them; but
in case the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any such
suit, or in case the Underwriter does not approve of counsel
chosen by the Fund, the Fund will reimburse the Underwriter or
the controlling person or persons named as defendant or
defendants in such suit, for the fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by the Underwriter or such persons. The indemnification
agreement contained in this Section 10 shall remain operative and
in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by
or on behalf of the Underwriter or any controlling person and
shall survive the sale of any of the Fund's shares made pursuant
to subscriptions obtained by the Underwriter. This agreement of
indemnity will inure exclusively to the benefit of the
Underwriter, to the benefit of its successors and assigns, and to
the benefit of any controlling persons and their successors and
assigns. The Fund agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of
the commencement of any litigation or proceeding against the Fund
in connection with the issue and sale of any of its shares.
(b) The Underwriter agrees to indemnify, defend and
hold the Fund, its several officers and directors, and any person
who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act, free and harmless from and against any and all
claims, demands, liabilities, and expenses (including the cost of
investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities
and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which the
Fund, its officers or directors, or any such controlling person
may incur under the Securities Act or under common law or
otherwise, but only to the extent that such liability, or expense
incurred by the Fund, its officers, directors or such controlling
person resulting from such claims or demands shall arise out of
or be based upon any alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in information furnished in writing by the Underwriter
to the Fund for use in its Registration Statement, Prospectus or
Statement of Additional Information in effect from time to time
under the Securities Act, or shall arise out of or be based upon
any alleged omission to state a material fact in connection with
such information required to be stated in the Registration
Statement, Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information or
necessary to make such information not misleading. The
Underwriter's agreement to indemnify the Fund, its officers and
directors, and any such controlling person as aforesaid is
expressly conditioned upon the Underwriter being notified of the
commencement of any action brought against the Fund, its officers
or directors or any such controlling person, such notification to
be given by letter or telegram addressed to the Underwriter at
its principal office in New York, and sent to the Underwriter by
the person against whom such action is brought, within ten days
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<PAGE>
after the summons or other first legal process shall have been
served. The Underwriter shall have a right to control the
defense of such action, with counsel of its own choosing,
satisfactory to the Fund, if such action is based solely upon
such alleged misstatement or omission on its part, and in any
other event the Underwriter and the Fund, and their officers and
directors or such controlling person, shall each have the right
to participate in the defense or preparation of the defense of
any such action. The failure so to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any such action shall not relieve the Underwriter
from any liability which it may have to the Fund, to its officers
and trustees, or to such controlling person by reason of any such
untrue statement or omission on the part of the Underwriter
otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in
this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Notification by the Fund.
The Fund agrees to advise the Underwriter immediately:
(a) of any request by the Securities and Exchange
Commission for amendments to the Fund's
Registration Statement, Prospectus or Statement of
Additional Information or for additional
information,
(b) in the event of the issuance by the Securities and
Exchange Commission of any stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Fund's Registration
Statement, Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information or the initiation of any proceeding for
that purpose,
(c) of the happening of any material event which makes
untrue any statement made in the Fund's
Registration Statement, Prospectus or Statement of
Additional Information or which requires the making
of a change in any one thereof in order to make the
statements therein not misleading, and
(d) of all actions of the Securities and Exchange
Commission with respect to any amendments to the
Fund's Registration Statement, Prospectus or
Statement of Additional Information which may from
time to time be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Act.
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<PAGE>
SECTION 12. Term of Agreement.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective on the date
hereof and shall continue in effect until October 31, 1993, and
thereafter for successive twelve-month periods (computed from
each November 1); provided, however, that such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by the Directors of the
Fund or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of
the Fund, and, in either case, by a majority of the Directors of
the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons, as defined in the Investment Company Act, of any such
party (other than as directors of the Fund) and who have no
direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the
Plan or any agreement related thereto; provided further, however,
that if the continuation of this Agreement is not approved as to
a Portfolio, the Underwriter may continue to render to such
Portfolio the services described herein in the manner and to the
extent permitted by the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder. Upon effectiveness of this Agreement, it shall
supersede all previous agreements between the parties hereto
covering the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be
terminated (i) by the Fund with respect to any Portfolio at any
time, without the payment of any penalty, by the vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities (as so defined) of
such Portfolio, or by a vote of a majority of the Directors of
the Fund who are not interested persons, as defined in the
Investment Company Act, of the Fund (other than as directors of
the Fund) and have no direct and indirect financial interest in
the operation of the Plan or any agreement related thereto, in
any such event on sixty days' written notice to the Underwriter;
provided, however, that no such notice shall be required if such
termination is stated by the Fund to relate only to Sections 5
and 16 hereof (in which event Sections 5 and 16 shall be deemed
to have been severed herefrom and all other provisions of this
Agreement shall continue in full force and effect), or (ii) by
the Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio on sixty days'
written notice to the Fund.
(b) This Agreement may be amended at any time with the
approval of the Directors of the Fund, provided that (i) any
material amendments of the terms hereof will become effective
only upon approval as provided in the first proviso of the first
sentence of Section 12(a) hereof, and (ii) any amendment to
increase materially the amount to be expended for distribution
services fees pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof will be effective
only upon the additional approval by a vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities as defined in the Investment
Company Act of the Portfolio affected.
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<PAGE>
SECTION 13. No Assignment. This Agreement may not be
transferred, assigned, sold or in any manner hypothecated or
pledged by either party hereto and this Agreement shall terminate
automatically in the event of any such transfer, assignment,
sale, hypothecation or pledge. The terms "transfer",
"assignment", and "sale" as used in this paragraph shall have the
meanings ascribed thereto by governing law and any interpretation
thereof contained in rules or regulations promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
SECTION 14. Notices. Any notice required or permitted
to be given hereunder by either party to the other shall be
deemed sufficiently given if sent by registered mail, postage
prepaid, addressed by the party giving such notice to the other
party at the last address furnished by such other party to the
party given notice, and unless and until changed pursuant to the
foregoing provisions hereof addressed to the Fund or the
Underwriter.
SECTION 15. Governing Law. The provisions of this
Agreement shall be, to the extent applicable, construed and
interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
SECTION 16. Disinterested Directors of the Fund. While
the Agreement is in effect, the selection and nomination of the
Directors who are not "interested persons" of the Fund (as
defined in the Investment Company Act) will be committed to the
discretion of such disinterested Directors.
11
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed
this Agreement.
Very truly yours,
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
By /s/David H. Dievler
_________________________
Name: David H. Dievler
Title: Chairman
Accepted as of the date first set
forth above
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.
By: /s/Robert L. Errico
_________________________
Name: Robert L. Errico
Title: President
Accepted as to Sections 5, 12 and 16
as of July 22, 1992, as amended
as of April 30, 1993:
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
By Alliance Capital Management Corporation,
its General Partner
By: /s/John D. Carifa
_____________________
Name: John D. Carifa
Title: Executive Vice President
12
00250109.AO7
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 6(B)
ALLIANCE FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10105
(800) 221-5672
(LOGO)
___________, 199
Selected Dealer Agreement
For Broker/Dealers
(other than Bank Subsidiaries)
Dear Sirs:
As the principal underwriter of shares of certain
registered investment companies presently or hereafter managed by
Alliance Capital Management L.P., shares of which companies are
distributed by us pursuant to our Distribution Services
Agreements with such companies (the "Funds"), we invite you to
participate as principal in the distribution of shares of any and
all of the Funds upon the following terms and conditions:
1. You are to offer and sell such shares only at the
public offering prices which shall be currently in effect, in
accordance with the terms of the then current prospectuses and
statements of additional information of the Funds. You agree to
act only as principal in such transactions and shall not have
authority to act as agent for the Funds, for us, or for any other
dealer in any respect. All orders are subject to acceptance by
us and become effective only upon confirmation by us.
2. On each purchase of shares by you from us, the
total sales charges and discount to selected dealer, if any,
shall be as stated in each Fund's then current prospectus.
Such sales charges and discount to selected dealers are
subject to reductions under a variety of circumstances as
described in each Fund's then current prospectus and statement of
additional information. To obtain these reductions, we must be
notified when the sale takes place which would qualify for the
reduced charge.
There is no sales charge or discount to selected dealers
on the reinvestment of dividends.
<PAGE>
3. As a selected dealer, you are hereby authorized
(i) to place orders directly with the Funds for their shares to
be resold by us to you subject to the applicable terms and
conditions governing the placement of orders by us set forth in
the Distribution Services Agreement between each Fund and us and
subject to the applicable compensation provisions set forth in
each Fund's then current prospectus and statement of additional
information and (ii) to tender shares directly to the Funds or
their agent for redemption subject to the applicable terms and
conditions set forth in the Distribution Services Agreement.
4. Repurchases of shares will be made at the net asset
value of such shares in accordance with the then current
prospectuses and statements of additional information of the
Funds.
5. You represent that you are a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and that you agree to
abide by the Rules of Fair Practice of such Association.
6. This Agreement is in all respects subject to Rule
26 of the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. which shall control any provisions to
the contrary in this Agreement.
7. You agree:
(a) To purchase shares only from us or only from your
customers.
(b) To purchase shares from us only for the purpose of
covering purchase orders already received or for your own bona
fide investment.
(c) That you will not purchase any shares from your
customers at prices lower than the redemption or repurchase
prices then quoted by the Fund. You shall, however, be permitted
to sell shares for the account of their record owners to the
Funds at the repurchase prices currently established for such
shares and may charge the owner a fair commission for handing the
transaction.
(d) That you will not withhold placing customers'
orders for shares so as to profit yourself as a result of such
withholding.
(e) That if any shares confirmed to you hereunder are
redeemed or repurchased by any of the Funds within seven business
days after such confirmation of your original order, you shall
forthwith refund to us the full discount allowed to you on such
sales. We shall notify you of such redemption or repurchase
2
<PAGE>
within ten days from the date of delivery of the request therefor
or certificates to us or such Fund. Termination or cancellation
of this Agreement shall not relieve you or us from the
requirements of this subparagraph.
8. We shall not accept from you any conditional orders
for shares. Delivery of certificates for shares purchased shall
be made by the Funds only against receipt of the purchase price,
subject to deduction for the discount reallowed to you and our
portion of the sales charge on such sales. If payment for the
shares purchased is not received within the time customary for
such payments, the sale may be cancelled forthwith without any
responsibility or liability on our part or on the part of the
Funds (in which case you will be responsible for any loss,
including loss of profit, suffered by the Funds resulting from
your failure to make payment as aforesaid), or, at our option, we
may sell the shares ordered back to the Funds (in which case we
may hold you responsible for any loss, including loss of profit
suffered by us resulting from your failure to make payment as
aforesaid).
9. You will not offer or sell any of the shares except
under circumstances that will result in compliance with the
applicable Federal and State securities laws and in connection
with sales and offers to sell shares you will furnish to each
person to whom any such sale or offer is made a copy of the
applicable then current prospectus. We shall be under no
liability to you except for lack of good faith and for
obligations expressly assumed by us herein. Nothing herein
contained, however, shall be deemed to be a condition,
stipulation or provision binding any persons acquiring any
security to waive compliance with any provision of the Securities
Act of 1933, or of the Rules and Regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, or to relieve the parties hereto from
any liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933.
10. From time to time during the term of this Agreement
we may make payments to you pursuant to one or more of the
distribution plans adopted by certain of the Funds pursuant to
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Act")
in consideration of your furnishing distribution services
hereunder with respect to each such Fund. We have no obligation
to make any such payments and you waive any such payment until we
receive monies therefor from the Fund. Any such payments made
pursuant to this Section 10 shall be subject to the following
terms and conditions:
(a) Any such payments shall be in such amounts as we
may from time to time advise you in writing but in any event not
in excess of the amounts permitted by the plan in effect with
respect to each particular Fund. Any such payments shall be in
3
<PAGE>
addition to the selling concession, if any, allowed to you
pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The provisions of this Section 10 relate to the
plan adopted by a particular Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1. In
accordance with Rule 12b-1, any person authorized to direct the
disposition of monies paid or payable by a Fund pursuant to this
Section 10 shall provide the Fund's Board of Directors, and the
Directors shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of
the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such
expenditures were made.
(c) The provisions of this Section 10 applicable to
each Fund shall remain in effect for not more than a year and
thereafter for successive annual periods only so long as such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually in
conformity with Rule 12b-1 and the Act. The provisions of this
Section 10 shall automatically terminate with respect to a
particular Plan in the event of the assignment (as defined by the
Act) of this Agreement, in the event such Plan terminates or is
not continued or in the event this Agreement terminates or ceases
to remain in effect. In addition, the provisions of this Section
10 may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by either
party with respect to any particular Plan on not more than 60
days' nor less than 30 days' written notice delivered or mailed
by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the other party.
11. No person is authorized to make any representations
concerning shares of the Funds except those contained in the
current prospectus, statement of additional information, and
printed information issued by each Fund or by us as information
supplemental to each prospectus. We shall supply prospectuses
and statements of additional information, reasonable quantities
of reports to shareholders, supplemental sales literature, sales
bulletins, and additional information as issued. You agree to
distribute prospectuses and reports to shareholders of the Funds
to your customers in compliance with the applicable requirements,
except to the extent that we expressly undertake to do so on your
behalf. You agree not to use other advertising or sales material
relating to the Funds, unless approved in writing by us in
advance of such use. Any printed information furnished by us
other than the then current prospectus and statement of
additional information for each Fund, periodic reports and proxy
solicitation materials are our sole responsibility and not the
responsibility of the Funds, and you agree that the Funds shall
have no liability or responsibility to you in these respects
unless expressly assumed in connection therewith.
12. With respect to Funds offering both shares subject
to a front-end sales charge ("Class A shares") and shares subject
to a contingent deferred sales charge ("Class B shares"), you
4
<PAGE>
shall conform to such written compliance standards as we have
provided you in the past or may from time to time provide to you
in the future.
13. We, our affiliates and the Funds shall not be
liable for any loss, expense, damages, costs or other claim
arising out of any redemption or exchange pursuant to telephone
instructions from any person or our refusal to execute such
instructions for any reason.
14. Either party to this Agreement may cancel this
Agreement by giving written notice to the other. Such notice
shall be deemed to have been given on the date on which it was
either delivered personally to the other party or any officer or
member thereof, or was mailed postpaid or delivered to a
telegraph office for transmission to the other party at his or
its address as shown below. This Agreement may be amended by us
at any time and your placing of an order after the effective date
of any such amendment shall constitute your acceptance thereof.
15. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York and shall be binding upon
both parties thereto when signed by us and accepted by you in the
space provided below.
Very truly yours,
ALLIANCE FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:___________________________
(Authorized Signature)
Bank or Firm Name _______________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________
City _____________________ State ____________ Zip Code __________
ACCEPTED BY (signature) _____________________ Title _____________
Name (print) ________________________________ Title _____________
Date _____________________ 199__ Phone # ________________________
5
<PAGE>
Please return two signed copies of this Agreement (one
of which will be signed above by us and thereafter returned to
you) in the accompanying return envelope to:
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 38th Floor
New York, NY 10105
6
<PAGE>
Text of Amendment to
Selected Dealer and Agent Agreements
Pursuant to Section 14 of the Selected Dealer Agreement
or Selected Agent Agreement ("Agreement") between your
organization and Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. ("AFD"), AFD
hereby amends the Agreement to add at the end of Section 14 the
following sentence:
In the event of the termination of the provisions of
Section 10 of this Agreement by reason of any assignment
(as defined in the Act) in connection with the issuance
by The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United
States ("Equitable") of debt obligations to AXA and/or
the exchange of such obligations for capital stock of a
holding company owning all of the stock of Equitable,
this Agreement shall be deemed to have been amended,
effective immediately following such assignment, to
insert in the place of such former Section 10 a new
Section 10 identical thereto in all respects.
July 13, 1992
7
00250109.AO8
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 6(C)
ALLIANCE FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
1345 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10105
(800) 221-5672
(LOGO)
___________, 199
Selected Agent Agreement
For Depository Institutions and Their Subsidiaries
Dear Sirs:
As the principal underwriter of shares of certain
registered investment companies presently or hereafter managed by
Alliance Capital Management L.P., shares of which companies are
distributed by us pursuant to our Distribution Services
Agreements with such companies (the "Funds"), we invite you,
acting as agent for your customers, to make available to your
customers shares of any or all of the Funds upon the following
terms and conditions:
1. The customers in question will be for all purposes
your customers. We shall execute transactions in shares of the
Funds for each of your customers only upon your authorization, it
being understood in all cases that (a) you are acting as the
agent for the customer; (b) each transaction is initiated solely
upon the order of the customer; (c) each transaction is for the
account of the customer and not for your account; (d) the
transactions are without recourse against you by the customer;
(e) except as we otherwise agree, each transaction is effected on
a fully disclosed basis; (f) as between you and the customer, the
customer will have full beneficial ownership of the shares;
(g) you shall provide no investment advice and exercise no
investment discretion regarding the purchase, sale, or redemption
of the shares; and (h) you shall make appropriate disclosure to
your customers that any Fund's shares are not endorsed by you, do
not constitute your obligation and are not entitled to federal
deposit insurance.
2. You are to sell shares of the Funds only at the
public offering prices which shall be currently in effect, in
accordance with the terms of the then current prospectuses and
statements of additional information of the Funds. You agree to
act only as agent for your customers in such transactions and
<PAGE>
shall not have authority to act as agent for the Funds or for us
in any respect. All orders are subject to acceptance by us and
become effective only upon confirmation by us.
3. On each purchase of shares of a Fund authorized by
you, the total sales charge and commission, if any, shall be as
stated in the Fund's then current prospectus. Such sales charges
and commissions are subject to reductions under a variety of
circumstances as described in each Fund's then current prospectus
and statement of additional information. To obtain such a
reduction, you must provide us with such information as we may
request to establish that a particular transaction qualifies for
the reduction. There is no sales charge or commission to
selected agents on the reinvestment of dividends.
4. As a selected agent, you are hereby authorized
(i) to place orders directly with the Funds for their shares to
be resold by us through you subject to the applicable terms and
conditions governing the placement of orders by us set forth in
the Distribution Services Agreement between each Fund and us and
subject to the applicable compensation provisions set forth in
each Fund's then current prospectus and statement of additional
information, and (ii) to tender shares directly to the Funds or
their agent for redemption or repurchase subject to the
applicable terms and conditions set forth in the Distribution
Services Agreement.
5. Redemptions and repurchases of shares will be made
at the net asset value of such shares in accordance with the then
current prospectuses and statements of additional information of
the Funds.
6. You represent that you are either:
(a) a bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"),
duly authorized to engage in the transactions to be performed
hereunder and not required to register as a broker-dealer
pursuant to the 1934 Act; or
(b) a bank (as so defined) or an affiliate of a bank,
in either case registered as a broker-dealer pursuant to the 1934
Act and a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and that you agree to abide by the rules and
regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
2
<PAGE>
7. You agree:
(a) to order shares of the Funds only from us and to
act as agent only for your customers;
(b) to order shares from us only for the purpose of
covering purchase orders already received;
(c) that you will not purchase any shares from your
customers at prices lower than the redemption or repurchase
prices then quoted by the Funds, provided, however, that you
shall be permitted to sell shares for the accounts of their
record owners to the Funds at the repurchase prices currently
established for such shares and may charge the owner a fair
commission for handling the transaction;
(d) that you will not withhold placing customers'
orders for shares so as to profit yourself as a result of such
withholding; and
(e) that if any shares confirmed through you hereunder
are redeemed or repurchased by any of the Funds within seven
business days after such confirmation of your original order, you
shall forthwith refund to us the full commission reallowed to you
on such sales. We shall notify you of such redemption or
repurchase within ten days from the date of delivery of the
request therefor or certificates to us or such Fund. Termination
or cancellation of this Agreement shall not relieve you or us
from the requirements of this subparagraph.
8. We shall not accept from you any conditional orders
for shares. Delivery of certificates for shares purchased shall
be made by the Funds only against receipt of the purchase price,
subject to deduction for the commission reallowed to you and our
portion of the sales charge on such sale. If payment for the
shares purchased is not received within the time customary for
such payments, the sale may be cancelled forthwith without any
responsibility or liability on our part or on the part of the
Funds (in which case you will be responsible for any loss,
including loss of profit, suffered by the Funds resulting from
your failure to make payment as aforesaid).
9. You will not accept orders for shares of any of the
Funds except under circumstances that will result in compliance
with the applicable Federal and State securities laws and banking
laws, and in connection with sales of shares to your customers
you will furnish, unless we agree otherwise, to each customer who
has ordered shares a copy of the applicable then current
prospectus. We shall be under no liability to you except for
lack of good faith and for obligations expressly assumed by us
herein. Nothing herein contained, however, shall be deemed to be
3
<PAGE>
a condition, stipulation or provision binding any persons
acquiring any security to waive compliance with any provision of
the Securities Act of 1933 or of the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or to relieve the parties
hereto from any liability arising under the Securities Act of
1933.
10. From time to time during the term of this Agreement
we may make payments to you pursuant to one or more of the
distribution plans adopted by certain of the Funds pursuant to
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Act"),
to compensate you for providing administrative and accounting
services with respect to the shareholder accounts of your
customers in such Funds. We have no obligation to make any such
payments and you waive any such payment until we receive monies
therefor from the Fund. Any such payments made pursuant to this
Section 10 shall be subject to the following terms and
conditions:
(a) Any such payments shall be in such amounts as we
may from time to time advise you in writing but in any event not
in excess of the amounts permitted by the plan in effect with
respect to each particular Fund.
(b) The provisions of this Section 10 relate to the
plan adopted by a particular Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1. In
accordance with Rule 12b-1, any person authorized to direct the
disposition of monies paid or payable by a Fund pursuant to this
Section 10 shall provide the Fund's Board of Directors, and the
Directors shall review, at lest quarterly, a written report of
the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such
expenditures were made.
(c) The provisions of this Section 10 applicable to
each Fund remain in effect for not more than a year and
thereafter for successive annual periods only so long as such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually in
conformity with Rule 12b-1 and the Act. The provisions of this
Section 10 shall automatically terminate with respect to a
particular Plan in the event of the assignment (as defined by the
Act) of this Agreement, in the event such Plan terminates or is
not continued or in the event this Agreement terminates or ceases
to remain in effect. In addition, the provisions of this Section
10 may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by either
party with respect to any particular Plan on not more than 60
days' nor less than 30 days' written notice delivered or mailed
by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the other party.
11. No person is authorized to make any representation
concerning shares of the Funds except those contained in the
current prospectus, statement of additional information, and
4
<PAGE>
printed information issued by each Fund or by us as information
supplemental to each prospectus. We shall supply prospectuses
and statements of additional information, reasonable quantities
of reports to shareholders, supplemental sales literature, sales
bulletins, and additional information as issued. You agree to
distribute prospectuses and reports to shareholders of the Funds
to your customers in compliance with applicable requirements,
except to the extent that we expressly undertake to do so on your
behalf. You agree not to use other advertising or sales material
relating to the Funds except in compliance with all laws and
regulations applicable to you and unless approved in writing by
us in advance of such use. Any printed information furnished by
us other than the then current prospectus and statement of
additional information for each Fund, periodic reports and proxy
solicitation materials are our sole responsibility and not the
responsibility of the Funds, and you agree that the Funds shall
have no liability or responsibility to you in these respects
unless expressly assumed in connection therewith.
12. With respect to Funds offering both shares subject
to a front-end sales charge ("Class A shares") and shares subject
to a contingent deferred sales charge ("Class B shares"), you
shall conform to such written compliance standards as we have
provided you in the past or may from time to time provide to you
in the future.
13. We, our affiliates and the Funds shall not be
liable for any loss, expense, damages, costs or other claim
arising out of any redemption or exchange pursuant to telephone
instructions from any person or our refusal to execute such
instructions for any reason.
14. Either party to this Agreement may cancel this
Agreement by giving written notice to the other. Such notice
shall be deemed to have been given as of the date on which it was
either delivered personally to the other party or any officer or
member thereof, or was mailed postpaid or delivered to a
telegraph office for transmission to the other party at his or
its address as shown below. This Agreement may be amended by us
at any time and your placing of an order after the effective date
of any such amendment shall constitute your acceptance thereof.
If you are a bank or an affiliate of a bank, this Agreement will
automatically terminate if you cease to be, or the bank of which
you are an affiliate ceases to be, a bank as defined in the 1934
Act.
5
<PAGE>
15. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York and shall be binding upon
both parties thereto when signed by us and accepted by you in the
space provided below.
Very truly yours,
ALLIANCE FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:___________________________
(Authorized Signature)
Bank or Firm Name _______________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________
City _____________________ State ____________ Zip Code __________
ACCEPTED BY (signature) _____________________ Title _____________
Name (print) ________________________________ Title _____________
Date _____________________ 199__ Phone # ________________________
Please return two signed copies of this Agreement (one
of which will be signed above by us and thereafter returned to
you) in the accompanying return envelope to:
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 38th Floor
New York, NY 10105
6
<PAGE>
Text of Amendment to
Selected Dealer and Agent Agreements
Pursuant to Section 14 of the Selected Dealer Agreement
or Selected Agent Agreement ("Agreement") between your
organization and Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. ("AFD"), AFD
hereby amends the Agreement to add at the end of Section 14 the
following sentence:
In the event of the termination of the provisions of
Section 10 of this Agreement by reason of any assignment
(as defined in the Act) in connection with the issuance
by The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United
States ("Equitable") of debt obligations to AXA and/or
the exchange of such obligations for capital stock of a
holding company owning all of the stock of Equitable,
this Agreement shall be deemed to have been amended,
effective immediately following such assignment, to
insert in the place of such former Section 10 a new
Section 10 identical thereto in all respects.
July 13, 1992
7
00250109.AO9
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 8
CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 16th of November, 1990 between
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC. (the "Fund") and Brown Brothers
Harriman & Co. (the "Custodian").
WITNESSETH: That in consideration of the mutual
covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
1. The Fund hereby employs and appoints the Custodian
as a custodian for the term and subject to the provisions of this
Agreement. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or
obligation to require the Fund to deliver to it any securities or
funds owned by the Fund and shall have no responsibility or
liability for or on account of securities or funds not so
delivered. The Fund will deposit with the Custodian copies of
the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws (or comparable
documents) of the Fund and all amendments thereto, and copies of
such votes and other proceedings of the Fund as may be necessary
for or convenient to the Custodian in the performance of its
duties.
2. Except for securities and funds held by
subcustodians appointed pursuant to the provisions of Section 3
hereof, the Custodian shall have and perform the following powers
and duties:
<PAGE>
A. Safekeeping - To keep safely the securities of the
Fund that have been delivered to the Custodian and from time to
time to receive delivery of securities for safekeeping.
B. Manner of Holding Securities - To hold securities
of the Fund (1) by physical possession of the share certificates
or other instruments representing such securities in registered
or bearer form, or (2) in book-entry form by a Securities System
(as said term is defined in Section 2U).
C. Registered Name; Nominee - To hold registered
securities of the Fund (1) in the name or any nominee name of the
Custodian or the Fund, or in the name or any nominee name of any
agent appointed pursuant to Section 6E, or (2) in street
certificate form, so-called, and in any case with or without any
indication of fiduciary capacity.
D. Purchases - Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, as
defined in Section X on Page 15, insofar as funds are available
for the purpose, to pay for and receive securities purchased for
the account of the Fund, payment being made only upon receipt of
the securities (1) by the Custodian, or (2) by a clearing
corporation of a national securities exchange of which the
Custodian is a member, or (3) by a Securities System. However,
(i) in the case of repurchase agreements entered into by the
Fund, the Custodian (as well as an Agent) may release funds to a
Securities System or to a Subcustodian prior to the receipt of
advice from the Securities System or Subcustodian that the
2
<PAGE>
securities underlying such repurchase agreement have been
transferred by book entry into the Account (as defined in
Section 2U) of the Custodian (or such Agent) maintained with such
Securities System or Subcustodian, so long as such payment
instructions to the Securities System or Subcustodian include a
requirement that delivery is only against payment for securities,
(ii) in the case of foreign exchange contracts, options, time
deposits, call account deposits, currency deposits and other
deposits, contracts or options pursuant to Sections 2J, 2L, 2M
and 2N, the Custodian may make payment therefor without receiving
an instrument evidencing said deposit, contract or option so long
as such payment instructions detail specific securities to be
acquired, and (iii) in the case of securities in which payment
for the security and receipt of the instrument evidencing the
security are under generally accepted trade practice or the terms
of the instrument representing the security expected to take
place in different locations or through separate parties, such as
commercial paper which is indexed to foreign currency exchange
rates, derivatives and similar securities, the Custodian may make
payment for such securities prior to delivery thereof in
accordance with such generally accepted trade practice or the
terms of the instrument representing such security.
E. Exchanges - Upon receipt of proper instructions to
exchange securities held by it for the account of the Fund for
other securities in connection with any reorganization,
3
<PAGE>
recapitalization, split-up of shares, change of par value,
conversion or other event, and to deposit any such securities in
accordance with the terms of any reorganization or protective
plan. Without such instructions, the Custodian may surrender
securities in temporary form for definitive securities, may
surrender securities for transfer into a name or nominee name as
permitted in Section 2C, and may surrender securities for a
different number of certificates or instruments representing the
same number of shares or same principal amount of indebtedness,
provided the securities to be issued are to be delivered to the
Custodian and further provided custodian shall at the time of
surrendering securities or instruments receive a receipt or other
evidence of ownership thereof.
F. Sales of Securities - Upon receipt of proper
instructions, to make delivery of securities which have been sold
for the account of the Fund, but only against payment therefor
(1) in cash, by a certified check, bank cashier's check, bank
credit, or bank wire transfer, or (2) by credit to the account of
the Custodian with a clearing corporation of a national
securities exchange of which the Custodian is a member, or (3) by
credit to the account of the Custodian or an Agent of the
Custodian with a Securities System; provided, however, that
(i) in the case of delivery of physical certificates or
instruments representing securities, the Custodian may make
delivery to the broker buying the securities, against receipt
4
<PAGE>
therefor, for examination in accordance with "street delivery"
custom, provided that the payment therefor is to be made to the
Custodian (which payment may be made by a broker's check) or that
such securities are to be returned to the Custodian, and (ii) in
the case of securities referred to in clause (iii) of the last
sentence of Section 2D, the Custodian may make settlement,
including with respect to the form of payment, in accordance with
generally accepted trade practice relating to such securities or
the terms of the instrument representing said security.
G. Depositary Receipts - Upon receipt of proper
instructions, to instruct a subcustodian appointed pursuant to
Section 3 hereof (a "Subcustodian") or an agent of the Custodian
appointed pursuant to Section 6E hereof (an "Agent") to surrender
securities to the depositary used by an issuer of American
Depositary Receipts or International Depositary Receipts
(hereinafter collectively referred to as "ADRs") for such
securities against a written receipt therefor adequately
describing such securities and written evidence satisfactory to
the Subcustodian or Agent that the depositary has acknowledged
receipt of instructions to issue with respect to such securities
ADRs in the name of the Custodian, or a nominee of the Custodian,
for delivery to the Custodian in Boston, Massachusetts, or at
such other place as the Custodian may from time to time
designate.
5
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Upon receipt of proper instructions, to surrender ADRs
to the issuer thereof against a written receipt therefor
adequately describing the ADRs surrendered and written evidence
satisfactory to the Custodian that the issuer of the ADRs has
acknowledged receipt of instructions to cause its depositary to
deliver the securities underlying such ADRs to a Subcustodian or
an Agent.
H. Exercise of Rights; Tender Offers - Upon timely
receipt of proper instructions, to deliver to the issuer or
trustee thereof, or to the agent of either, warrants, puts,
calls, rights or similar securities for the purpose of being
exercised or sold, provided that the new securities and cash, if
any, acquired by such action are to be delivered to the
Custodian, and, upon receipt of proper instructions, to deposit
securities upon invitations for tenders of securities, provided
that the consideration is to be paid or delivered or the tendered
securities are to be returned to the Custodian.
I. Stock Dividends Rights, Etc. - To receive and
collect all stock dividends, rights and other items of like
nature; and to deal with the same pursuant to proper instructions
relative thereto.
J. Options - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to
receive and retain confirmations or other documents evidencing
the purchase of writing of an option on a security or securities
index by the Fund; to deposit and maintain in a segregated
6
<PAGE>
account, either physically or by book-entry in a Securities
System, securities subject to a covered call option written by
the Fund; and to release and/or transfer such securities or other
assets only in accordance with a notice or other communication
evidencing the expiration, termination or exercise of such
covered option furnished by The Options Clearing Corporation, the
securities or options exchange on which such covered option is
traded or such other organization as may be responsible for
handling such options transactions.
K. Borrowings - Upon receipt of proper instructions to
deliver securities of the Fund to lenders or their agents as
collateral for borrowings effected by the Fund, provided that
such borrowed money is payable to or upon the Custodian's order
as Custodian for the Fund.
L. Demand Deposit Bank Accounts - To open and operate
an account or accounts in the name of the Fund on the Custodian's
books subject only to draft or order by the Custodian. All funds
received by the Custodian from or for the account of the Fund
shall be deposited in said account(s). The responsibilities of
the Custodian to the Fund for deposits accepted on the
Custodian's books shall be that of a U.S. bank for a similar
deposit.
If and when authorized by proper instructions, the
Custodian may open and operate an additional account(s) in such
other banks or trust companies as may be designated by the Fund
7
<PAGE>
in such instructions (any such bank or trust company so
designated by the Fund being referred to hereafter as a "Banking
Institution"), provided that such account(s) shall be in the name
of the Custodian for account of the Fund and subject only to the
Custodian's draft or order. Such accounts may be opened with
Banking Institutions in the United States and in other countries
and may be denominated in either U.S. Dollars or other currencies
as the Fund may determine. All such deposits shall be deemed to
be portfolio securities of the Fund and accordingly the
responsibility of the Custodian therefore shall be the same as
and no greater than the Custodian's responsibility in respect of
other portfolio securities of the Fund.
M. Interest Bearing Call or Time Deposits - To place
interest bearing fixed term and call deposits with such banks and
in such amounts as the Fund may authorize pursuant to proper
instructions. Such deposits may be placed with the Custodian or
with Subcustodians or other Banking Institutions as the Fund may
determine. Deposits may be denominated in U.S. Dollars or other
currencies and need not be evidenced by the issuance or delivery
of a certificate to the Custodian, provided that the Custodian
shall include in its records with respect to the assets of the
Fund, appropriate notation as to the amount and currency of each
such deposit, the accepting Banking Institution, and other
appropriate details. Such deposits, other than those placed with
the Custodian, shall be deemed portfolio securities of the Fund
8
<PAGE>
and the responsibilities of the Custodian therefor shall be the
same as those for demand deposit bank accounts placed with other
banks, as described in Section L of this agreement. The
responsibility of the Custodian for such deposits accepted on the
Custodian's books shall be that of a U.S. bank for a similar
deposit.
N. Foreign Exchange Transactions and Futures
Contracts. Pursuant to proper instructions, to enter into
foreign exchange contracts or options to purchase and sell
foreign currencies for spot and future delivery on behalf and for
the account of the Fund. Such transactions may be undertaken by
the Custodian with such Banking Institutions, including the
Custodian and Subcustodian(s) as principals, as approved and
authorized by the Fund. Foreign exchange contracts and options
other than those executed with the Custodian, shall be deemed to
be portfolio securities of the Fund and the responsibilities of
the Custodian therefor shall be the same as those for demand
deposit bank accounts placed with other banks as described in
Section 2-L of this agreement. Upon receipt of proper
instructions, to receive and retain confirmations evidencing the
purchase or sale of a futures contract or an option on a futures
contract by the Fund; to deposit and maintain in a segregated
account, for the benefit of any futures commission merchant or to
pay to such futures commission merchant, assets designated by the
fund as initial, maintenance or variation "margin" deposits
9
<PAGE>
intended to secure the Fund's performance of its obligations
under any futures contracts purchased or sold or any options on
futures contracts written by the Fund, in accordance with the
provisions of any agreement or agreements among any of the Fund,
the Custodian and such futures commission merchant, designated to
comply with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
and/or any contract market, or any similar organization or
organizations, regarding such margin deposits; and to release
and/or transfer assets in such margin accounts only in accordance
with any such agreements or rules.
O. Stock Loans. Upon receipt of proper instructions,
to deliver securities of the Fund, in connection with loans of
securities by the Fund, to the borrower thereof upon the receipt
of the cash collateral, if any, for such borrowing. In the event
U.S. Government securities are to be used as collateral, the
Custodian will not release the securities to be loaned until it
has received confirmation that such collateral has been delivered
to the Custodian. The Custodian and Fund understand that the
timing of receipt of such confirmation will normally require that
the delivery of securities to be loaned will be made one day
after receipt of the U.S. Government collateral.
P. Collections. To collect, receive and deposit in
said account or accounts all income, payments of principal and
other payments with respect to the securities held hereunder, and
in connection therewith to deliver the certificates or other
10
<PAGE>
instruments representing the securities to the issuer thereof or
its agent when securities are called, redeemed, retired or
otherwise become payable; provided, that the payment is to be
made in such form and manner and at such time, which may be after
delivery by the Custodian of the instrument representing the
security, as is in accordance with the terms of the instrument
representing the security, or such proper instructions as the
Custodian may receive, or governmental regulations, the rules of
Securities Systems or other U.S. securities depositories and
clearing agencies or, with respect to securities referred to in
clause (iii) of the last sentence of Section 2D, in accordance
with generally accepted trade practice; (ii) to execute ownership
and other certificates and affidavits for all federal and state
tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other
payments with respect to securities of the Fund or in connection
with transfer of securities, and (iii) pursuant to proper
instructions to take such other actions with respect to
collection or receipt of funds or transfer of securities which
involve an investment decision.
Q. Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions. Upon
receipt of proper instructions from the Fund, or upon receipt of
instructions from the Fund's shareholder servicing agent or agent
with comparable duties (the "Shareholder Servicing Agent") (given
by such person or persons and in such manner on behalf of the
Shareholder Servicing Agent as the Fund shall have authorized),
11
<PAGE>
the Custodian shall release funds or securities to the
Shareholder Servicing Agent or otherwise apply funds or
securities, insofar as available, for the payment of dividends or
other distributions to Fund shareholders. Upon receipt of proper
instructions from the Fund, or upon receipt of instructions from
the Shareholder Servicing Agent (given by such person or persons
and in such manner on behalf of the Shareholder Servicing Agent
as the Fund shall have authorized), the Custodian shall release
funds or securities, insofar as available, to the Shareholder
Servicing Agent or as such Agent shall otherwise instruct for
payment to Fund shareholders who have delivered to such Agent a
request for repurchase or redemption of their shares of capital
stock of the Fund.
R. Proxies, Notices, Etc. - Promptly to deliver or
mail to the Fund all forms of proxies and all notices of meetings
and any other notices or announcements affecting or relating to
securities owned by the Fund that are received by the Custodian,
and upon receipt of proper instructions, to execute and deliver
or cause its nominee to execute and deliver such proxies or other
authorizations as may be required. Neither the Custodian nor its
nominee shall vote upon any of such securities or execute any
proxy to vote thereon or give any consent or take any other
action with respect thereto (except as otherwise herein provided)
unless ordered to do so by proper instructions.
12
<PAGE>
S. Nondiscretionary Details - Without the necessity of
express authorization from the Fund, (1) to attend to all
nondiscretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange,
substitution, purchase, transfer or other dealings with
securities, funds or other property of the Portfolio held by the
Custodian except as otherwise directed from time to time by the
Directors of the Fund, and (2) to make payments to itself or
others for minor expenses of handling securities or other similar
items relating to the Custodian's duties under this Agreement,
provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the
Fund.
T. Bills - Upon receipt of proper instructions to pay
or cause to be paid, insofar as funds are available for the
purpose, bills, statements, or other obligations of the Fund.
U. Deposit of Fund Assets in Securities Systems - The
Custodian may deposit and/or maintain securities owned by the
Fund in (i) The Depository Trust Company, (ii) any book-entry
system as provided in Subpart O of Treasury Circular No. 300, 31
CFR 306, Subpart B of 31 CFR Part 350, or the book-entry
regulations of federal agencies substantially in the form of
Subpart O, or (iii) any other domestic clearing agency registered
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 17A of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which acts as a securities
depository and whose use the Fund has previously approved in
writing (each of the foregoing being referred to in this
13
<PAGE>
Agreement as a "Securities System"). Utilization of a Securities
System shall be in accordance with applicable Federal Reserve
Board and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and
regulations, if any, and subject to the following provisions:
1) The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain Fund
securities, either directly or through one or more Agents
appointed by the Custodian (provided that any such agent shall be
qualified to act as a custodian of the Fund pursuant to the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
thereunder), in a Securities System provided that such securities
are represented in an account ("Account") of the Custodian or
such Agent in the Securities System which shall not include any
assets of the Custodian or Agent other than assets held as a
fiduciary, custodian, or otherwise for customers;
2) The records of the Custodian with respect to
securities of the Fund which are maintained in a Securities
System shall identify by book-entry those securities belonging to
the Fund;
3) The Custodian shall pay for securities
purchased for the account of the Fund upon (i) receipt of advice
from the Securities System that such securities have been
transferred to the Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on
the records of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer
for the account of the Fund. The Custodian shall Transfer
securities sold for the account of the Fund upon (i) receipt of
14
<PAGE>
advice from the Securities System that payment for such
securities has been transferred to the Account, and (ii) the
making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect
such transfer and payment for the account of the Fund. Copies of
all advices from the Securities System of transfers of securities
for the account of the Fund shall identify the Fund, be
maintained for the Fund by the Custodian or an Agent as referred
to above, and be provided to the Fund at its request. The
Custodian shall furnish the Fund confirmation of each transfer to
or from the account of the Fund in the form of a written advice
or notice and shall furnish to the Fund copies of daily
transaction sheets reflecting each day's transactions in the
Securities System for the account of the Fund on the next
business day;
4) The Custodian shall provide the Fund with any
report obtained by the Custodian or any Agent as referred to
above on the Securities System's accounting system, internal
accounting control and procedures for safeguarding securities
deposited in the Securities System; and the Custodian and such
Agents shall send to the Fund such reports on their own systems
of internal accounting control as the Fund may reasonably request
from time to time.
5) At the written request of the Fund, the
Custodian will terminate the use of any such Securities System on
behalf of the Fund as promptly as practicable.
15
<PAGE>
V. Other Transfers - Upon receipt of Proper
Instructions, to deliver securities, funds and other property of
the Fund to a Subcustodian or another custodian of the Fund; and,
upon receipt of proper instructions, to make such other
disposition of securities, funds or other property of the Fund in
a manner other than or for purposes other than as enumerated
elsewhere in this Agreement, provided that the instructions
relating to such disposition shall include a statement of the
purpose for which the delivery is to be made, the amount of
securities to be delivered and the name of the person or persons
to whom delivery is to be made.
W. Investment Limitations - In performing its duties
generally, and more particularly in connection with the purchase,
sale and exchange of securities made by or for the Fund, the
Custodian may assume unless and until notified in writing to the
contrary that proper instructions received by it are not in
conflict with or in any way contrary to any provisions of the
Fund's Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws (or comparable
documents) or votes or proceedings of the shareholders or
Directors of the Fund. The Custodian shall in no event be liable
to the Fund and shall be indemnified by the Fund for any
violation which occurs in the course of carrying out instructions
given by the Fund of any investment limitations to which the Fund
is subject or other limitations with respect to the Fund's powers
16
<PAGE>
to make expenditures, encumber securities, borrow or take similar
actions affecting its portfolio.
X. Proper Instructions - Proper instructions shall
mean a tested telex from the Fund or a written request,
direction, instruction or certification signed or initialed on
behalf of the Fund by one or more person or persons as the Board
of Directors of the Fund shall have from time to time authorized,
provided, however, that no such instructions directing the
delivery of securities or the payment of funds to an authorized
signatory of the Fund shall be signed by such person. Those
persons authorized to give proper instructions may be identified
by the Board of Directors by name, title or position and will
include at least one officer empowered by the Board to name other
individuals who are authorized to give proper instructions on
behalf of the Fund. Telephonic or other oral instructions given
by any one of the above persons will be considered proper
instructions if the Custodian reasonably believes them to have
been given by a person authorized to give such instructions with
respect to the transaction involved. Oral instructions will be
confirmed by tested telex or in writing in the manner set forth
above but the lack of such confirmation shall in no way affect
any action taken by the Custodian in reliance upon such oral
instructions. The Fund authorizes the Custodian to tape record
any and all telephonic or other oral instructions given to the
Custodian by or on behalf of the Fund (including any of its
17
<PAGE>
officers, Directors, employees or agents) and will deliver to the
Custodian a similar authorization from any investment manager or
adviser or person or entity with similar responsibilities which
is authorized to give proper instructions on behalf of the Fund
to the Custodian. Proper instructions may relate to specific
transactions or to types or classes of transactions, and may be
in the form of standing instructions.
Proper instructions may include communications effected
directly between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or
systems, in addition to tested telex, provided that the Fund and
the Custodian agree to the use of such device or system.
3. Securities, funds and other property of the Fund
may be held by subcustodians appointed pursuant to the provisions
of this Section 3 (a "Subcustodian"). The Custodian may, at any
time and from time to time, appoint any bank or trust company
(meeting the requirements of a custodian or a foreign custodian
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and
regulations thereunder) to act as a Subcustodian for the Fund,
provided that the Fund shall have approved in writing (1) any
such bank or trust company and the subcustodian agreement to be
entered into between such bank or trust company and the
Custodian, and (2) if the subcustodian is a bank organized under
the laws of a country other than the United States, the holding
of securities, cash and other property of the Fund in the country
in which it is proposed to utilize the services of such
18
<PAGE>
subcustodian. Upon such approval by the Fund, the Custodian is
authorized on behalf of the Fund to notify each Subcustodian of
its appointment as such. The Custodian may, at any time in its
discretion, remove any bank or trust company that has been
appointed as a Subcustodian but will promptly notify the Fund of
any such action.
Those Subcustodians, their offices or branches which the
Fund has approved to date are set forth on Appendix A hereto.
Such Appendix shall be amended from time to time as
Subcustodians, branches or offices are changed, added or deleted.
The Fund shall be responsible for informing the Custodian
sufficiently in advance of a proposed investment which is to be
held at a location not listed on Appendix A, in order that there
shall be sufficient time for the Fund to give the approval
required by the preceding paragraph and for the Custodian to put
the appropriate arrangements in place with such Subcustodian
pursuant to such subcustodian agreement.
Although the Fund does not intend to invest in a country
before the foregoing procedures have been completed, in the event
that an investment is made prior to approval, if practical, such
security shall be removed to an approved location or if not
practical such security shall be held by such agent as the
Custodian may appoint. In such event, the Custodian shall be
liable to the Fund for the actions of such agent if and only to
the extent the Custodian shall have recovered from such agent for
19
<PAGE>
any damages caused the Fund by such agent and provided that the
Custodian shall pursue its rights against such agent.
With respect to the securities and funds held by a
Subcustodian, either directly or indirectly, including demand and
interest bearing deposits, currencies or other deposits and
foreign exchange contracts as referred to in Sections 2K, 2L or
2M, the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund if and only to the
extent that such Subcustodian is liable to the Custodian;
provided, however, that the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund
for losses resulting from the bankruptcy or insolvency of a
Subcustodian if and only to the extent that such Subcustodian is
liable to the Custodian and the Custodian recovers from such
Subcustodian under the applicable subcustodian agreement. The
Custodian shall nevertheless be liable to the Fund for its own
negligence in transmitting any instructions received by it from
the Fund and for its own negligence in connection with the
delivery of any securities or funds held by it to any such
Subcustodian.
In the event that any Subcustodian appointed pursuant to
the provisions of this Section 3 fails to perform any of its
obligations under the terms and conditions of the applicable
subcustodian agreement, the Custodian shall use its best efforts
to cause such Subcustodians to perform such obligations. In the
event that the Custodian is unable to cause such Subcustodian to
perform fully its obligations thereunder, the Custodian shall
20
<PAGE>
forthwith upon the Fund's request terminate such Subcustodian
and, if necessary or desirable, appoint another subcustodian in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 3. At the
election of the Fund, it shall have the right to enforce, to the
extent permitted by the subcustodian agreement and applicable
law, the Custodian's rights against any such Subcustodian for
loss or damage caused the Fund by such Subcustodian.
At the written request of the Fund, the Custodian will
terminate any subcustodian appointed pursuant to the provisions
of this Section 3 in accordance with the termination provisions
under the applicable subcustodian agreement. The Custodian will
not amend any subcustodian agreement or agree to change or permit
any changes thereunder except upon the prior written approval of
the Fund.
In the event the Custodian receives a claim from a
Subcustodian under the indemnification provisions of any
subcustodian agreement, the Custodian shall promptly give written
notice to the Fund of such claim. No more than thirty days after
written notice to the Fund of the Custodian's intention to make
such payment, the Fund will reimburse the Custodian the amount of
such payment except in respect of any negligence or misconduct of
the Custodian.
4. The Custodian may assist generally in the
preparation of reports to Fund shareholders and others, audits of
accounts, and other ministerial matters of like nature.
21
<PAGE>
5. The Fund hereby also appoints the Custodian as its
financial agent. With respect to the appointment as financial
agent, the Custodian shall have and perform the following powers
and duties:
A. Records - To create, maintain and retain such
records relating to its activities and obligations under this
Agreement as are required under the Investment Company Act of
1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder (including Section
31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder) and under
applicable Federal and State tax laws. All such records will be
the property of the Fund and in the event of termination of this
Agreement shall be delivered to the successor custodian, and the
Custodian agrees to cooperate with the Fund in execution of
documents and other action necessary or desirable in order to
substitute the successor custodian for the custodian under their
agreement.
B. Accounts - To keep books of account and render
statements, including interim monthly and complete quarterly
financial statements, or copies thereof, from time to time as
reasonably requested by proper instructions.
C. Access to Records - Subject to security
requirements of the Custodian applicable to its own
employees having access to similar records within the Custodian
and such regulations as may be reasonably imposed by the
Custodian, the books and records maintained by the Custodian
22
<PAGE>
pursuant to Sections 5A and 5B shall be open to inspection and
audit at reasonable times by officers of attorneys for and
auditors employed by, the Fund.
D. Calculation of Net Asset Value - To compute and
determine the net asset value per share of capital stock of the
Fund as of the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange
on each day on which such Exchange is open, unless otherwise
directed by proper instructions. Such computation and
determination shall be made in accordance with (1) the provisions
of the Fund's Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Fund,
as they may from time to time be amended and delivered to the
Custodian, (2) the votes of the Board of Directors of the Fund at
the time in force and applicable, as they may from time to time
be delivered to the Custodian, and (3) proper instructions from
such officers of the Fund or other persons as are from time to
time authorized by the Board of Directors of the Fund to give
instructions with respect to computation and determination of the
net asset value. On each day that the Custodian shall compute
the net asset value per share of the Fund, the Custodian shall
provide the Fund with written reports which permit the Fund to
verify that portfolio transactions have been recorded in
accordance with the Fund's instructions.
In computing the net asset value, the Custodian may rely
upon any information furnished by proper instructions, including
without limitation any information (1) as to accrual of
23
<PAGE>
liabilities of the Fund and as to liabilities of the Fund not
appearing on the books of account kept by the custodian, (2) as
to the existence, status and proper treatment of reserves, if
any, authorized by the fund, (3) as to the sources of quotations
to be used in computing the net asset value, including those
listed in Appendix B, (4) as to the fair value to be assigned to
any securities or other property for which price quotations are
not readily available, and (5) as to the sources of information
with respect to "corporate actions" affecting portfolio
securities of the fund, including those listed in Appendix B.
(Information as to "corporate actions" shall include information
as to dividends, distributions, stock splits, stock dividends,
rights offerings, conversions, exchanges, recapitalizations,
mergers, redemptions, calls, maturity dates and similar
transactions, including the ex and record dates and the amounts
or other terms thereof.)
In like manner, the Custodian shall compute and
determine the net asset value as of such other times as the Board
of Directors of the Fund from time to time may reasonably
request.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement,
including Section 6C, the following provisions shall apply with
respect to the Custodian's foregoing responsibilities in this
Section 5D: The Custodian shall be held to the exercise of
reasonable care in computing and determining net asset value as
24
<PAGE>
provided in this Section 5D, but shall not be held accountable or
liable for any losses, damages or expenses the Fund or any
shareholder or former shareholder of the Fund may suffer or incur
arising from or based upon errors or delays in the determination
of such net asset value unless such error or delay was due to the
Custodian's negligence, gross negligence or reckless or willful
misconduct in determination of such net asset value. (The
parties hereto acknowledge, however, that the Custodian's causing
an error or delay in the determination of net asset value may,
but does not in and of itself, constitute negligence, gross
negligence or reckless or willful misconduct.) In no event shall
the Custodian be liable or responsible to the Fund, any present
or former shareholder of the fund or any other party for any
error or delay which continued or was undetected after the date
of an audit performed by the certified public accountants
employed by the Fund if, in the exercise of reasonable care in
accordance with generally accepted accounting standards, such
accountants should have become aware of such error or delay in
the course of performing such audit. The Custodian's liability
for any such negligence, gross negligence or reckless or willful
misconduct which results in an error in determination of such net
asset value shall be limited to the direct, out of pocket loss
the Fund, shareholder or former shareholder shall actually incur,
measured by the difference between the actual and the erroneously
computed net asset value, and any expenses the fund shall incur
25
<PAGE>
in connection with correcting the records of the Fund affected by
such error (including charges made by the Fund's registrar and
transfer agent for making such corrections) or communicating with
shareholders or former shareholders of the Fund affected by such
error.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Custodian shall not
be held accountable or liable to the Fund, any shareholder or
former shareholder thereof or any other person for any delays or
losses, damages or expenses any of them may suffer or incur
resulting from (1) the Custodian's failure to receive timely and
suitable notification concerning quotations or corporate actions
relating to or affecting portfolio securities of the fund or
(2) any errors in the computation of the net asset value based
upon or arising out of quotations or information as to corporate
actions if received by the Custodian either (i) from a source
which the Custodian was authorized pursuant to the second
paragraph of this Section 5D to rely upon, or (ii) from a source
which in the Custodian's reasonable judgment was as reliable a
source for such quotations or information as the sources
authorized pursuant to that paragraph. Nevertheless, the
Custodian will use its best judgment in determining whether to
verify through other sources any information it has received as
to quotations or corporate actions if the Custodian has reason to
believe that any such information might be incorrect. In the
event of any error or delay in the determination of such net
26
<PAGE>
asset value for which the Custodian may be liable, the Fund and
the Custodian will consult and make good faith efforts to reach
agreement on what actions should be taken in order to mitigate
any loss suffered by the Fund or its present or former
shareholders, in order that the custodian's exposure to liability
shall be reduced to the extent possible after taking into account
all relevant factors and alternatives. Such actions might
include the Fund or the custodian taking reasonable steps to
collect from any shareholder or former shareholder who has
received any overpayment upon redemption of shares such overpaid
amount or to collect from any shareholder who has underpaid upon
a purchase of shares the amount of such underpayment or to reduce
the number of shares issued to such shareholder. It is
understood that in attempting to reach agreement on the actions
to be taken or the amount of the loss which should appropriately
be borne by the Custodian, the Fund and the Custodian will
consider such relevant factors as the amount of the loss
involved, the Fund's desire to avoid loss of shareholder good
will, the fact that other persons or entitles could have been
reasonably expected to have detected the error sooner than the
time it was actually discovered, the appropriateness of limiting
or eliminating the benefit which shareholders or former
shareholders might have obtained by reason of the error, and the
possibility that other parties providing services to the Fund
might be induced to absorb a portion of the loss incurred.
27
<PAGE>
D. Disbursements - Upon receipt of proper
instructions, to pay or cause to be paid, insofar as funds are
available for the purpose, bills, statements and other
obligations of the Fund (including but not limited to interest
charges, taxes, management fees, compensation to Fund officers
and employees, and other operating expenses of the Fund).
6. A. The Custodian shall not be liable for any
action taken or omitted in reliance upon proper instructions
believed by it to be genuine or upon any other written notice,
request, direction, instruction, certificate or other instrument
believed by it to be genuine and signed by the proper party or
parties.
The Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Fund shall
certify to the Custodian the names, signatures and scope of
authority of all persons authorized to give proper instructions
or any other such notice, request, direction, instruction,
certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund, the names and
signatures of the officers of the Fund, the name and address of
the Shareholder Servicing Agent, and any resolutions, votes,
instructions or directions of the Fund's Board of Directors or
shareholders. Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon
by the Custodian as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth
therein and may be considered in full force and effect until
receipt of a similar certificate to the contrary. So long as and
to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the
28
<PAGE>
Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or
genuineness of any property or evidence of title thereto received
by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement.
The Custodian shall be entitled, at the expense of the
Fund, to receive and act upon advice of counsel (who may be
counsel for the Fund) on all matters, and the Custodian shall be
without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted
pursuant to such advice.
B. With respect to the portfolio securities, cash and
other property of the Fund held by a Securities System, the
Custodian shall be liable to the Fund only for any loss or damage
to the Fund resulting from use of the Securities System if caused
by any negligence, misfeasance or misconduct of the Custodian or
any of its agents or of any of its or their employees or from any
failure of the Custodian or any such agent to enforce effectively
such rights as it may have against the Securities System.
C. Except as may otherwise be set forth in this
Agreement with respect to particular matters, the Custodian shall
be held only to the exercise of reasonable care and diligence in
carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, provided that the
Custodian shall not thereby be required to take any action which
is in contravention of any applicable law. However, nothing
herein shall exempt the Custodian from liability due to its own
negligence or willful misconduct. The Fund agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Custodian and its nominees from all claims
29
<PAGE>
and liabilities (including counsel fees) incurred or assessed
against it or its nominees in connection with the performance of
this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its
nominee's breach of the relevant standard of conduct set forth in
this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing indemnification
obligation of the Fund, the Fund agrees to indemnify the
Custodian and its nominees against any liability the Custodian or
such nominee may incur by reason of taxes assessed to the
Custodian or such nominee or other costs, liability or expense
incurred by the Custodian or such nominee resulting directly or
indirectly from the fact that portfolio securities or other
property of the Fund is registered in the name of the Custodian
or such nominee.
In order that the indemnification provisions contained
in this Paragraph 6-C shall apply, however, it is understood that
if in any case the Fund may be asked to indemnify or hold the
Custodian harmless, the Fund shall be fully and promptly advised
of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and
it is further understood that the Custodian will use all
reasonable care to identify and notify the Fund promptly
concerning any situation which presents or appears likely to
present the probability of such a claim for indemnification
against the Fund. The Fund shall have the option to defend the
Custodian against any claim which may be the subject of this
indemnification, and in the event that the Fund so elects it will
30
<PAGE>
so notify the Custodian, and thereupon the Fund shall take over
complete defense of the claim, and the Custodian shall in such
situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which
it shall seek indemnification under this Paragraph 6-C. The
Custodian shall in no case confess any claim or make any
compromise in any case in which the Fund will be asked to
indemnify the Custodian except with the Fund's prior written
consent.
It is also understood that the Custodian shall not be
liable for any loss involving any securities, currencies,
deposits or other property of the Fund, whether maintained by it,
a Subcustodian, an agent of the Custodian or a Subcustodian, a
Securities System, or a Banking Institution, or a loss arising
from a foreign currency transaction or contract, resulting from a
Sovereign Risk. A "Sovereign Risk" shall mean nationalization,
expropriation, devaluation, revaluation, confiscation, seizure,
cancellation, destruction or similar action by any governmental
authority, de facto or de jure; or enactment, promulgation,
imposition or enforcement by any such governmental authority of
currency restrictions, exchange controls, taxes, levies or other
charges affecting the Fund's property; or acts of war, terrorism,
insurrection or revolution; or any other similar act or event
beyond the Custodian's control.
D. The Custodian shall be entitled to receive
reimbursement from the Fund on demand, in the manner provided in
31
<PAGE>
Section 7, for its cash disbursements, expenses and charges
(including the fees and expenses of any Subcustodian or any
Agent) in connection with this Agreement, but excluding salaries
and usual overhead expenses.
E. The Custodian may at any time or times in its
discretion appoint (and may at any time remove) any other bank or
trust company as its agent (an "Agent") to carry out such of the
provisions of this Agreement as the Custodian may from time to
time direct, provided, however, that the appointment of such
Agent (other than an Agent appointed pursuant to the third
paragraph of Section 3) shall not relieve the Custodian of any of
its responsibilities under this agreement.
F. Upon request, the Fund shall deliver to the
Custodian such proxies, powers of attorney or other instruments
as may be reasonable and necessary or desirable in connection
with the performance by the Custodian or any Subcustodian of
their respective obligations under this Agreement or any
applicable subcustodian agreement.
7. The Fund shall pay the Custodian a custody fee
based on such fee schedule as may from time to time be agreed
upon in writing by the Custodian and the Fund. Such fee,
together with all amounts for which the Custodian is to be
reimbursed in accordance with Section 6D, shall be billed to the
Fund in such a manner as to permit payment by a direct cash
payment to the Custodian.
32
<PAGE>
8. This Agreement shall continue in full force and
effect until terminated by either party by an instrument in
writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party,
such termination to take effect not sooner than seventy five (75)
days after the date of such delivery or mailing. In the event of
termination the Custodian shall be entitled to receive prior to
delivery of the securities, funds and other property held by it
and all accrued fees and unreimbursed expenses, the payment of
which is contemplated by Sections 6D and 7, upon receipt by the
Fund of a statement setting forth such fees and expenses.
In the event of the appointment of a successor
custodian, it is agreed that the funds and securities owned by
the Fund and held by the Custodian or any Subcustodian shall be
delivered to the successor custodian, and the Custodian agrees to
cooperate with the Fund in execution of documents and performance
of other actions necessary or desirable in order to substitute
the successor custodian for the Custodian under this Agreement.
9. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding
and agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject
matter hereof. No provision of this Agreement may be amended or
terminated except by a statement in writing signed by the party
against which enforcement of the amendment or termination is
sought.
In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the
Custodian and the Fund may agree in writing from time to time on
33
<PAGE>
such provisions interpretative of or in addition to the
provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be
consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. No
interpretative or additional provisions made as provided in the
preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this
Agreement.
10. This instrument is executed and delivered in The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall be governed by and
construed according to the laws of said Commonwealth.
11. Notices and other writings delivered or mailed
postage prepaid to the Fund addressed to the Fund at 500 Plaza
Drive 3rd Floor, Secaucus, NJ 07094 or to such other address as
the Fund may have designated to the Custodian in writing, or to
the Custodian at 40 Water Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109,
Attention: Manager, Securities Department, or to such other
address as the Custodian may have designated to the Fund in
writing, shall be deemed to have been properly delivered or given
hereunder to the respective addressee.
12. This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure
to the benefit of the Fund and the Custodian and their respective
successors and assigns, provided that neither party hereto may
assign this Agreement or any of its rights or obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party.
13. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts each of which shall be deemed an original. This
34
<PAGE>
Agreement shall become effective when one or more counterparts
have been signed and delivered by each of the parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this
Agreement to be executed in its name and behalf on the day and
year first above written.
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
INC.
By /s/ John D. Carifa per pro /s/ W.D. Casey
____________________ ________________________
John D. Carifa W.D. Casey
35
00250109.AP0
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES, INC.
TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, dated as of November 15, 1990, between
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc., a Maryland Corporation and an
open-end investment company registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act"), having its principal
place of business at 1345 Avenue of Americas, New York, New York
10105 (the "Fund"), and ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES, INC., a Delaware
corporation registered with the SEC as a transfer agent under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, having its principal place of
business at 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094 ("Fund
Services"), provides as follows:
WHEREAS, Fund Services has agreed to act as transfer
agent to the Fund for the purpose of recording the transfer,
issuance and redemption of shares of each series of the common
stock of the Fund ("Shares" or "Shares of a Series"),
transferring the Shares, disbursing dividends and other
distributions to shareholders of the Fund, and performing such
other services as may be agreed to pursuant hereto;
NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual
covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties do hereby
agree as follows:
SECTION 1. The Fund hereby appoints Fund Services as
its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder
<PAGE>
servicing agent for the Shares, and Fund Services agrees to act
in such capacities upon the terms set forth in this Agreement.
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise
defined shall have the meanings assigned to them in SECTION 30.
SECTION 2.
(a) The Fund shall provide Fund Services with copies of
the following documents:
(1) Specimens of all forms of certificates for Shares;
(2) Specimens of all account application forms and
other documents relating to Shareholders' accounts;
(3) Copies of each Prospectus;
(4) Specimens of all documents relating to withdrawal
plans instituted by the Fund, as described in SECTION 16; and
(5) Specimens of all amendments to any of the foregoing
documents.
(b) The Fund shall furnish to Fund Services a supply of
blank Share Certificates for the Shares and, from time to time,
will renew such supply upon Fund Services' request. Blank Share
Certificates shall be signed manually or by facsimile signatures
of officers of the Fund authorized to sign by law or pursuant to
the by-laws of the Fund and, if required by Fund Services, shall
bear the Fund's seal or a facsimile thereof.
SECTION 3. Fund Services shall make original issues of
Shares in accordance with SECTIONS 13 and 14 and the Prospectus
upon receipt of (i) Written Instructions requesting the issuance,
2
<PAGE>
(ii) a certified copy of a resolution of the Fund's Board of
Directors authorizing the issuance, (iii) necessary funds for the
payment of any original issue tax applicable to such Shares, and
(iv) an opinion of the Fund's counsel as to the legality and
validity of the issuance, which opinion may provide that it is
contingent upon the filing by the Fund of an appropriate notice
with the SEC, as required by Rule 24f-2 of the Investment Company
Act, as amended from time to time.
SECTION 4. Transfers of Shares shall be registered and,
subject to the provisions of SECTION 10 in the case of Shares
evidenced by Share Certificates, new Share Certificates shall be
issued by Fund Services upon surrender of outstanding Share
Certificates in the form deemed by Fund Services to be properly
endorsed for transfer, which form shall include (i) all necessary
endorsers' signatures guaranteed by a member firm of a national
securities exchange or a domestic commercial bank or through
other procedures mutually agreed to between the Fund and Fund
Services, (ii) such assurances as Fund Services may deem
necessary to evidence the genuineness and effectiveness of each
endorsement and (iii) satisfactory evidence of compliance with
all applicable laws relating to the payment or collection of
taxes.
SECTION 5. Fund Services shall forward Share
Certificates in "non-negotiable" form by first-class or
registered mail, or by whatever means Fund Services deems equally
3
<PAGE>
reliable and expeditious. While in transit to the addressee, all
deliveries of Share Certificates shall be insured by Fund
Services as it deems appropriate. Fund Services shall not mail
Share Certificates in "negotiable" form, unless requested in
writing by the Fund and fully indemnified by the Fund to Fund
Services' satisfaction.
SECTION 6. In registering transfers of Shares, Fund
Services may rely upon the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect
from time to time in the State in which the Fund is incorporated
or organized or, if appropriate, in the State of New Jersey;
provided, that Fund Services may rely in addition or
alternatively on any other statutes in effect in the State of New
Jersey or in the state under the laws of which the Fund is
incorporated or organized that, in the opinion of Fund Services'
counsel, protect Fund Services and the Fund from liability
arising from (i) not requiring complete documentation in
connection with an issuance or transfer, (ii) registering a
transfer without an adverse claim inquiry, (iii) delaying
registration for purposes of an adverse claim inquiry or (iv)
refusing registration in connection with an adverse claim.
SECTION 7. Fund Services may issue new Share
Certificates in place of those lost, destroyed or stolen, upon
receiving indemnity satisfactory to Fund Services; and may issue
new Share Certificates in exchange for, and upon surrender of,
mutilated Share Certificates as Fund Services deems appropriate.
4
<PAGE>
SECTION 8. Unless otherwise directed by the Fund, Fund
Services may issue or register Share Certificates reflecting the
signature, or facsimile thereof, of an officer who has died,
resigned or been removed by the Fund. The Fund shall file
promptly with Fund Services' approval, adoption or ratification
of such action as may be required by law or by Fund Services.
SECTION 9. Fund Services shall maintain customary stock
registry records for Shares of each Series noting the issuance,
transfer or redemption of Shares and the issuance and transfer of
Share Certificates. Fund Services may also maintain for Shares
of each Series an account entitled "Unissued Certificate
Account," in which Fund Services will record the Shares, and
fractions thereof, issued and outstanding from time to time for
which issuance of Share Certificates has not been requested.
Fund Services is authorized to keep records for Shares of each
Series containing the names and addresses of record of
Shareholders, and the number of Shares, and fractions thereof,
from time to time owned by them for which no Share Certificates
are outstanding. Each Shareholder will be assigned a single
account number for Shares of each Series, even though Shares for
which Certificates have been issued will be accounted for
separately.
SECTION 10. Fund Services shall issue Share
Certificates for Shares only upon receipt of a written request
from a Shareholder and as authorized by the Fund. If Shares are
5
<PAGE>
purchased or transferred without a request for the issuance of a
Share Certificate, Fund Services shall merely note on its stock
registry records the issuance or transfer of the Shares and
fractions thereof and credit or debit, as appropriate, the
Unissued Certificate Account and the respective Shareholders'
accounts with the Shares. Whenever Shares, and fractions
thereof, owned by Shareholders are surrendered for redemption,
Fund Services may process the transactions by making appropriate
entries in the stock transfer records, and debiting the Unissued
Certificate Account and the record of issued Shares outstanding;
it shall be unnecessary for Fund Services to reissue Share
Certificates in the name of the Fund.
SECTION 11. Fund Services shall also perform the usual
duties and function required of a stock transfer agent for a
corporation, including but not limited to (i) issuing Share
Certificates as treasury Shares, as directed by Written
Instructions, and (ii) transferring Share Certificates from one
Shareholder to another in the usual manner. Fund Services may
rely conclusively and act without further investigation upon any
list, instruction, certification, authorization, Share
Certificate or other instrument or paper reasonably believed by
it in good faith to be genuine and unaltered, and to have been
signed, countersigned or executed or authorized by a duly-
authorized person or persons, or by the Fund, or upon the advice
of counsel for the Fund or for Fund Services. Fund Services may
6
<PAGE>
record any transfer of Share Certificates which it reasonably
believes in good faith to have been duly authorized, or may
refuse to record any transfer of Share Certificates if, in good
faith, it reasonably deems such refusal necessary in order to
avoid any liability on the part of either the Fund or Fund
Services.
SECTION 12. Fund Services shall notify the Fund of any
request or demand for the inspection of the Fund's share records.
Fund Services shall abide by the Fund's instructions for granting
or denying the inspection; provided, however, Fund Services may
grant the inspection without such instructions if it is advised
by its counsel that failure to do so will result in liability to
Fund Services.
SECTION 13. Fund Services shall observe the following
procedures in handling funds received:
(a) Upon receipt at the office designated by the Fund
of any check or other order drawn or endorsed to the Fund or
otherwise identified as being for the account of the Fund, and,
in the case of a new account, accompanied by a new account
application or sufficient information to establish an account as
provided in the Prospectus, Fund Services shall stamp the
transmittal document accompanying such check or other order with
the name of the Fund and the time and date of receipt and shall
forthwith deposit the proceeds thereof in the custodial account
of the Fund.
7
<PAGE>
(b) In the event that any check or other order for the
purchase of Shares is returned unpaid for any reason, Fund
Services shall, in the absence of other instructions from the
Fund, advise the Fund of the returned check and prepare such
documents and information as may be necessary to cancel promptly
any Shares purchased on the basis of such returned check and any
accumulated income dividends and capital gains distributions paid
on such Shares.
(c) As soon as possible after 4:00 p.m., Eastern time
or at such other times as the Fund may specify in Written or Oral
Instructions for any Series (the "Valuation Time") on each
Business Day Fund Services shall obtain from the Fund's Adviser a
quotation (on which it may conclusively rely) of the net asset
value, determined as of the Valuation Time on that day. On each
Business Day Fund Services shall use the net asset value(s)
determined by the Fund's Adviser to compute the number of Shares
and fractional Shares to be purchased and the aggregate purchase
proceeds to be deposited with the Custodian. As necessary but no
more frequently than daily (unless a more frequent basis is
agreed to by Fund Services), Fund Services shall place a purchase
order with the Custodian for the proper number of Shares and
fractional Shares to be purchased and promptly thereafter shall
send written confirmation of such purchase to the Custodian and
the Fund.
8
<PAGE>
SECTION 14. Having made the calculations required by
SECTION 13, Fund Services shall thereupon pay the Custodian the
aggregate net asset value of the Shares purchased. The aggregate
number of Shares and fractional Shares purchased shall then be
issued daily and credited by Fund Services to the Unissued
Certificate Account. Fund Services shall also credit each
Shareholder's separate account with the number of Shares
purchased by such Shareholder. Fund Services shall mail written
confirmation of the purchase to each Shareholder or the
Shareholder's representative and to the Fund if requested. Each
confirmation shall indicate the prior Share balance, the new
Share balance, the Shares for which Stock Certificates are
outstanding (if any), the amount invested and the price paid for
the newly-purchased Shares.
SECTION 15. Prior to the Valuation Time on each
Business Day, as specified in accordance with SECTION 13, Fund
Services shall process all requests to redeem Shares and, with
respect to each Series, shall advise the Custodian of (i) the
total number of Shares available for redemption and (ii) the
number of Shares and fractional Shares requested to be redeemed.
Upon confirmation of the net asset value by the Fund's Adviser,
Fund Services shall notify the Fund and the Custodian of the
redemption, apply the redemption proceeds in accordance with
SECTION 16 and the Prospectus, record the redemption in the stock
registry books, and debit the redeemed Shares from the Unissued
9
<PAGE>
Certificates Account and the individual account of the
Shareholder.
In lieu of carrying out the redemption procedures
described in the preceding paragraph, Fund Services may, at the
request of the Fund, sell Shares to the Fund as repurchases from
Shareholders, provided that the sale price is not less than the
applicable redemption price. The redemption procedures shall
then be appropriately modified.
SECTION 16. Fund Services will carry out the following
procedures with respect to Share redemptions:
(a) As to each request received by the Fund from or on
behalf of a Shareholder for the redemption of Shares, and unless
the right of redemption has been suspended as contemplated by the
Prospectus, Fund Services shall, within seven days after receipt
of such redemption request, either (i) mail a check in the amount
of the proceeds of such redemption to the person designated by
the Shareholder or other person to receive such proceeds or, (ii)
in the event redemption proceeds are to be wired through the
Federal Reserve Wire System or by bank wire pursuant to
procedures described in the Prospectus, cause such proceeds to be
wired in Federal funds to the bank or trust company account
designated by the Shareholder to receive such proceeds. Funds
Services shall also prepare and send a confirmation of such
redemption to the Shareholder. Redemptions in kind shall be made
only in accordance with such Written Instructions as Fund
10
<PAGE>
Services may receive from the Fund. The requirements as to
instruments of transfer and other documentation, the
determination of the appropriate redemption price and the time of
payment shall be as provided in the Prospectus, subject to such
additional requirements consistent therewith as may be
established by mutual agreement between the Fund and Fund
Services. In the case of a request for redemption that does not
comply in all respects with the requirements for redemption, Fund
Services shall promptly so notify the Shareholder and shall
effect such redemption at the price in effect at the time of
receipt of documents complying with such requirements. Fund
Services shall notify the Fund's Custodian and the Fund on each
Business Day of the amount of cash required to meet payments made
pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph and thereupon the
Fund shall instruct the Custodian to make available to Fund
Services in timely fashion sufficient funds therefor.
(b) Procedures and standards for effecting and
accepting redemption orders from Shareholders by telephone or by
such check writing service as the Fund may institute may be
established by mutual agreement between Fund Services and the
Fund consistent with the Prospectus.
(c) For purposes of redemption of Shares that have been
purchased by check within fifteen (15) days prior to receipt of
the redemption request, the Fund shall provide Fund Services with
11
<PAGE>
Written Instructions concerning the time within which such
requests may be honored.
(d) Fund Services shall process withdrawal orders duly
executed by Shareholders in accordance with the terms of any
withdrawal plan instituted by the Fund and described in the
Prospectus. Payments upon such withdrawal orders and redemptions
of Shares held in withdrawal plan accounts in connection with
such payments shall be made at such times as the Fund may
determine in accordance with the Prospectus.
(e) The authority of Fund Services to perform its
responsibilities under SECTIONS 15 and 16 with respect to the
Shares of any Series shall be suspended if Fund Services receives
notice of the suspension of the determination of the net asset
value of the Series.
SECTION 17. Upon the declaration of each dividend and
each capital gains distribution by the Fund's Board of Directors,
the Fund shall notify Fund Services of the date of such
declaration, the amount payable per Share, the record date for
determining the Shareholders entitled to payment, the payment and
the reinvestment date price.
SECTION 18. Upon being advised by the Fund of the
declaration of any income dividend or capital gains distribution
on account of its Shares, Fund Services shall compute and prepare
for the Fund records crediting such distributions to
Shareholders. Fund Services shall, on or before the payment date
12
<PAGE>
of any dividend or distribution, notify the Fund and the
Custodian of the estimated amount required to pay any portion of
a dividend or distribution which is payable in cash, and
thereupon the Fund shall, on or before the payment date of such
dividend or distribution, instruct the Custodian to make
available to Fund Services sufficient funds for the payment of
such cash amount. Fund Services will, on the designated payment
date, reinvest all dividends in additional shares and promptly
mail to each Shareholder at his address of record a statement
showing the number of full and fractional Shares (rounded to
three decimal places) then owned by the Shareholder and the net
asset value of such Shares; provided, however, that if a
Shareholder elects to receive dividends in cash, Fund Services
shall prepare a check in the appropriate amount and mail it to
the Shareholder at his address of record within five (5) business
days after the designated payment date, or transmit the
appropriate amount in Federal funds in accordance with the
Shareholder's agreement with the Fund.
SECTION 19. Fund Services shall prepare and maintain
for the Fund records showing for each Shareholder's account the
following:
A. The name, address and tax identification number of
the Shareholder;
B. The number of Shares of each Series held by the
Shareholder;
13
<PAGE>
C. Historical information including dividends paid and
date and price for all transactions;
D. Any stop or restraining order placed against such
account;
E. Information with respect to the withholding of any
portion of income dividends or capital gains distributions as are
required to be withheld under applicable law;
F. Any dividend or distribution reinvestment election,
withdrawal plan application, and correspondence relating to the
current maintenance of the account;
G. The certificate numbers and denominations of any
Share Certificates issued to the Shareholder; and
H. Any additional information required by Fund
Services to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.
Fund Services agrees to make available upon request by
the Fund or the Fund's Adviser and to preserve for the periods
prescribed in Rule 31a-2 of the Investment Company Act any
records related to services provided under this Agreement and
required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 of that Act, including:
(i) Copies of the daily transaction register for each
Business Day of the Fund;
(ii) Copies of all dividend, distribution and
reinvestment blotters;
(iii) Schedules of the quantities of Shares of each
Series distributed in each state for purposes of any state's laws
14
<PAGE>
or regulations as specified in Oral or Written Instructions given
to Fund Services from time to time by the Fund or its agents; and
(iv) Such other information, including Shareholder
lists, and statistical information as may be agreed upon from
time to time by the Fund and Fund Services.
SECTION 20. Fund Services shall maintain those records
necessary to enable the Fund to file, in a timely manner, form N-
SAR (Semi-Annual Report) or any successor report required by the
Investment Company Act or rules and regulations thereunder.
SECTION 21. Fund Services shall cooperate with the
Fund's independent public accountants and shall take reasonable
action to make all necessary information available to such
accountants for the performance of their duties.
SECTION 22. In addition to the services described
above, Fund Services will perform other services for the Fund as
may be mutually agreed upon in writing from time to time, which
may include preparing and filing Federal tax forms with the
Internal Revenue Service, and, subject to supervisory oversight
by the Fund's Adviser, mailing Federal tax information to
Shareholders, mailing semi-annual Shareholder reports, preparing
the annual list of Shareholders, mailing notices of Shareholders'
meetings, proxies and proxy statements and tabulating proxies.
Fund Services shall answer the inquiries of certain Shareholders
related to their share accounts and other correspondence
requiring an answer from the Fund. Fund Services shall maintain
15
<PAGE>
dated copies of written communications from Shareholders, and
replies thereto.
SECTION 23. Nothing contained in this Agreement is
intended to or shall require Fund Services, in any capacity
hereunder, to perform any functions or duties on any day other
than a Business Day. Functions or duties normally scheduled to
be performed on any day which is not a Business Day shall be
performed on, and as of, the next Business Day, unless otherwise
required by law.
SECTION 24. For the services rendered by Fund Services
as described above, the Fund shall pay to Fund Services an
annualized fee at a rate to be mutually agreed upon from time to
time. Such fee shall be prorated for the months in which this
Agreement becomes effective or is terminated. In addition, the
Fund shall pay, or Fund Services shall be reimbursed for, all
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of this
Agreement, including but not limited to the cost of stationery,
forms, supplies, blank checks, stock certificates, proxies and
proxy solicitation and tabulation costs, all forms and statements
used by Fund Services in communicating with Shareholders of the
Fund or especially prepared for use in connection with its
services hereunder, specific software enhancements as requested
by the Fund, costs associated with maintaining withholding
accounts (including non-resident alien, Federal government and
state), postage, telephone, telegraph (or similar electronic
16
<PAGE>
media) used in communicating with Shareholders or their
representatives, outside mailing services, microfiche/microfilm,
freight charges and off-site record storage. It is agreed in
this regard that Fund Services, prior to ordering any form in
such supply as it estimates will be adequate for more than two
years' use, shall obtain the written consent of the Fund. All
forms for which Fund Services has received reimbursement from the
Fund shall be the property of the Fund.
SECTION 25. Fund Services shall not be liable for any
taxes, assessments or governmental charges that may be levied or
assessed on any basis whatsoever in connection with the Fund or
any Shareholder, excluding taxes assessed against Fund Services
for compensation received by it hereunder.
SECTION 26.
(a) Fund Services shall at all times act in good faith
and with reasonable care in performing the services to be
provided by it under this Agreement, but shall not be liable for
any loss or damage unless such loss or damage is caused by the
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of Fund Services or
its employees or agents.
(b) The Fund shall indemnify and hold Fund Services
harmless from all loss, cost, damage and expense, including
reasonable expenses for counsel, incurred by it resulting from
any claim, demand, action or suit in connection with the
performance of its duties hereunder, or as a result of acting
17
<PAGE>
upon any instruction reasonably believed by it to have been
properly given by a duly authorized officer of the Fund, or upon
any information, data, records or documents provided to Fund
Services or its agents by computer tape, telex, CRT data entry or
other similar means authorized by the Fund; provided that this
indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions of Fund
Services in cases of its own bad faith, willful misconduct or
negligence, and provided further that if in any case the Fund may
be asked to indemnify or hold Fund Services harmless pursuant to
this Section, the Fund shall have been fully and promptly advised
by Fund Services of all material facts concerning the situation
in question. The Fund shall have the option to defend Fund
Services against any claim which may be the subject of this
indemnification, and in the event that the Fund so elects it will
so notify Fund Services, and thereupon the Fund shall retain
competent counsel to undertake defense of the claim, and Fund
Services shall in such situations incur no further legal or other
expenses for which it may seek indemnification under this
paragraph. Fund Services shall in no case confess any claim or
make any compromise in any case in which the Fund may be asked to
indemnify Fund Services except with the Fund's prior written
consent.
Without limiting the foregoing:
(i) Fund Services may rely upon the advice of the Fund
or counsel to the Fund or Fund Services, and upon statements of
18
<PAGE>
accountants, brokers and other persons believed by Fund Services
in good faith to be expert in the matters upon which they are
consulted. Fund Services shall not be liable for any action
taken in good faith reliance upon such advice or statements;
(ii) Fund Services shall not be liable for any action
reasonably taken in good faith reliance upon any Written
Instructions or certified copy of any resolution of the Fund's
Board of Directors, including a Written Instruction authorizing
Fund Services to make payment upon redemption of Shares without a
signature guarantee; provided, however, that upon receipt of a
Written Instruction countermanding a prior Instruction that has
not been fully executed by Fund Services, Fund Services shall
verify the content of the second Instruction and honor it, to the
extent possible. Fund Services may rely upon the genuineness of
any such document, or copy thereof, reasonably believed by Fund
Services in good faith to have been validly executed;
(iii) Fund Services may rely, and shall be protected by
the Fund in acting, upon any signature, instruction, request,
letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel,
statement, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or other
paper or document reasonably believed by it in good faith to be
genuine and to have been signed or presented by the purchaser,
the Fund or other proper party or parties; and
(d) Fund Services may, with the consent of the Fund,
subcontract the performance of any portion of any service to be
19
<PAGE>
provided hereunder, including with respect to any Shareholder or
group of Shareholders, to any agent of Fund Services and may
reimburse the agent for the services it performs at such rates as
Fund Services may determine; provided that no such reimbursement
will increase the amount payable by the Fund pursuant to this
Agreement; and provided further, that Fund Services shall remain
ultimately responsible as transfer agent to the Fund.
SECTION 27. The Fund shall deliver or cause
to be delivered over to Fund Services (i) an accurate list of
Shareholders, showing each Shareholder's address of record,
number of Shares of each Series owned and whether such Shares are
represented by outstanding Share Certificates or by non-
certificated Share accounts and (ii) all Shareholder records,
files, and other materials necessary or appropriate for proper
performance of the functions assumed by the under this Agreement
(collectively referred to as the "Materials"). The Fund shall
indemnify Fund Services and hold it harmless from any and all
expenses, damages, claims, suits, liabilities, actions, demands
and losses arising out of or in connection with any error,
omission, inaccuracy or other deficiency of such Materials, or
out of the failure of the Fund to provide any portion of the
Materials or to provide any information in the Fund's possession
needed by Fund Services to knowledgeably perform its functions;
provided the Fund shall have no obligation to indemnify Fund
Services or hold it harmless with respect to any expenses,
20
<PAGE>
damages, claims, suits, liabilities, actions, demands or losses
caused directly or indirectly by acts or omissions of Fund
Services or the Fund's Adviser.
SECTION 28. This Agreement may be amended from time to
time by a written supplemental agreement executed by the Fund and
Fund Services and without notice to or approval of the
Shareholders; provided this Agreement may not be amended in any
manner which would substantially increase the Fund's obligations
hereunder unless the amendment is first approved by the Fund's
Board of Directors, including a majority of the Directors who are
not a party to this Agreement or interested persons of any such
party, at a meeting called for such purpose, and thereafter is
approved by the Fund's Shareholders if such approval is required
under the Investment Company Act or the rules and regulations
thereunder. The parties hereto may adopt procedures as may be
appropriate or practical under the circumstances, and Fund
Services may conclusively rely on the determination of the Fund
that any procedure that has been approved by the Fund does not
conflict with or violate any requirement of its Articles of
Incorporation or Declaration of Trust, By-Laws or Prospectus, or
any rule, regulation or requirement of any regulatory body.
SECTION 29. The Fund shall file with Fund Services a
certified copy of each operative resolution of its Board of
Directors authorizing the execution of Written Instructions or
the transmittal of Oral Instructions and setting forth authentic
21
<PAGE>
signatures of all signatories authorized to sign on behalf of the
Fund and specifying the person or persons authorized to give Oral
Instructions on behalf of the Fund. Such resolution shall
constitute conclusive evidence of the authority of the person or
persons designated therein to act and shall be considered in full
force and effect, with Fund Services fully protected in acting in
reliance therein, until Fund Services receives a certified copy
of a replacement resolution adding or deleting a person or
persons authorized to give Written or Oral Instructions. If the
officer certifying the resolution is authorized to give Oral
Instructions, the certification shall also be signed by a second
officer of the Fund.
SECTION 30. The terms, as defined in this Section,
whenever used in this Agreement or in any amendment or supplement
hereto, shall have the meanings specified below, insofar as the
context will allow.
(a) Business Day: Any day on which the Fund is open
for business as described in the Prospectus.
(b) Custodian: The term Custodian shall mean the
Fund's current custodian or any successor custodian acting as
such for the Fund.
(c) Fund's Adviser: The term Fund's Adviser shall mean
Alliance Capital Management L.P. or any successor thereto who
acts as the investment adviser or manager of the Fund.
22
<PAGE>
(d) Oral Instructions: The term Oral Instructions
shall mean an authorization, instruction, approval, item or set
of data, or information of any kind transmitted to Fund Services
in person or by telephone, vocal telegram or other electronic
means, by a person or persons reasonably believed in good faith
by Fund Services to be a person or persons authorized by a
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Fund to give Oral
Instructions on behalf of the Fund. Each Oral Instruction shall
specify whether it is applicable to the entire Fund or a specific
Series of the Fund.
(e) Prospectus: The term Prospectus shall mean a
prospectus and related statement of additional information
forming part of a currently effective registration statement
under the Investment Company Act and, as used with the respect to
Shares or Shares of a Series, shall mean the prospectuses and
related statements of additional information covering the Shares
or Shares of the Series.
(f) Securities: The term Securities shall mean bonds,
debentures, notes, stocks, shares, evidences of indebtedness, and
other securities and investments from time to time owned by the
Fund.
(g) Series: The term Series shall mean any series of
Shares of the common stock of the Fund that the Fund may
establish from time to time.
23
<PAGE>
(h) Share Certificates: The term Share Certificates
shall mean the stock certificates or certificates representing
shares of beneficial interest for the Shares.
(i) Shareholders: The term Shareholders shall mean the
registered owners from time to time of the Shares, as reflected
on the stock registry records of the Fund.
(j) Written Instructions: The term Written
Instructions shall mean an authorization, instruction, approval,
item or set of data, or information of any kind transmitted to
Fund Services in original writing containing original signatures,
or a copy of such document transmitted by telecopy, including
transmission of such signature, or other mechanical or
documentary means, at the request of a person or persons
reasonably believed in good faith by Fund Services to be a person
or persons authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors
of the Fund to give Written Instruction shall specify whether it
is applicable to the entire Fund or a specific Series of the
Fund.
SECTION 31. Fund Services shall not be liable for the
loss of all or part of any record maintained or preserved by it
pursuant to this Agreement or for any delays or errors occurring
by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including but not
limited to acts of civil or military authorities, national
emergencies, fire, flood or catastrophe, acts of God,
insurrection, war, riot, or failure of transportation,
24
<PAGE>
communication or power supply, except to the extent that Fund
Services shall have failed to use its best efforts to minimize
the likelihood of occurrence of such circumstances or to mitigate
any loss or damage to the Fund caused by such circumstances.
SECTION 32. The Fund may give Fund Services sixty (60)
days and Fund Services may give the Fund (90) days written notice
of the termination of this Agreement, such termination to take
effect at the time specified in the notice. Upon notice of
termination, the Fund shall use its best efforts to obtain a
successor transfer agent. If a successor transfer agent is not
appointed within ninety (90) days after the date of the notice of
termination, the Board of Directors of the Fund shall, by
resolution, designate the Fund as its own transfer agent. Upon
receipt of written notice from the Fund of the appointment of the
successor transfer agent and upon receipt of Oral or Written
Instructions Fund Services shall, upon request of the Fund and
the successor transfer agent and upon payment of Fund Services
reasonable charges and disbursements, promptly transfer to the
successor transfer agent the original or copies of all books and
records maintained by Fund Services hereunder and cooperate with,
and provide reasonable assistance to, the successor transfer
agent in the establishment of the books and records necessary to
carry out its responsibilities hereunder.
SECTION 33. Any notice or other communication required
by or permitted to be given in connection with this Agreement
25
<PAGE>
shall be in writing, and shall be delivered in person or sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the respective parties.
Notice to the Fund shall be given as follows until
further notice:
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Attention: Secretary
Notice to Fund Services shall be given as follows
until further notice:
Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
500 Plaza Drive
Secaucus, New Jersey 07094
SECTION 34. The Fund represents and warrants to
Fund Services that the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the undersigned officer of the Fund has been
duly and validly authorized by resolution of the Fund's
Board of Directors. Fund Services represents and warrants
to the Fund that the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the undersigned officer of Fund Services has
also been duly and validly authorized.
SECTION 35. This Agreement may be executed in more
than one counterpart, each of which shall be deemed to be an
original, and shall become effective on the last date of
signature below unless otherwise agreed by the parties.
Unless sooner terminated pursuant to SECTION 32, this
Agreement will continue until October 31, 1991 and will
continue in effect thereafter for successive 12 month
26
<PAGE>
periods only if such continuance is specifically approved at
least annually by the Board of Directors or Trustees or by a
vote of the stockholders of the Fund and in either case by a
majority of the Directors or Trustees who are not parties to
this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Agreement.
SECTION 36. This Agreement shall extend to and
shall bind the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns; provided, however, that this
Agreement shall not be assignable by the Fund without the
written consent of Fund Services or by Fund Services without
the written consent of the Fund, authorized or approved by a
resolution of the Fund's Board of Directors or Trustees.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may assign this
Agreement without the consent of the other party so long as
the assignee is an affiliate, parent or subsidiary of the
assigning party and is qualified to act under the Investment
Company Act, as amended from time to time.
SECTION 38. This Agreement shall be governed by the
laws of the State of New Jersey.
WITNESS the following signatures:
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST,
INC.
BY: /s/ David H. Dievler
___________________________
David H. Dievler
TITLE: Chairman
27
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES, INC.
BY: /s/ George Hrabovsky
____________________________
George Hrabovsky
TITLE: President
28
00250109.AP1
<PAGE>
[Seward & Kissel letterhead]
November 16, 1990
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Dear Sirs:
We have acted as counsel for Alliance World Income
Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), in
connection with the organization of the Company, the registration
of the Company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
registration of an indefinite number of shares of its common
stock, par value $.002 per share (the "Common Stock") under the
Securities Act of 1933.
As counsel for the Company we have participated in the
preparation of the Registration Statement on Form N-1A relating
to such shares and have examined and relied upon such corporate
records of the Company and such other documents and certificates
as to factual matters as we have deemed to be necessary to render
the opinion expressed herein.
Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Company is a duly organized and validly
existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
of Maryland.
2. The 50,000 shares of presently issued and
outstanding Common Stock of the Company have been validly and
legally issued and are fully paid and nonassessable shares of
Common Stock of the Company.
3. The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be
offered for sale pursuant to the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information contained in said Registration Statement
are, to the extent of the number of shares authorized to be
issued by the Company in its Articles of Incorporation, duly
authorized and unissued shares and when such shares have been
duly sold, issued and paid for as contemplated in the Prospectus
and Statement of Additional Information, such shares will have
been validly and legally issued and will be fully paid and
nonassessable shares of Common Stock of the Company under the
laws of the State of Maryland (assuming that the sale price of
each share is not less then the par value thereof).
<PAGE>
As to matters of Maryland law contained in the foregoing
opinion we have relied on the opinion of Messrs. Venable, Baetjer
and Howard of Baltimore, Maryland, dated November 16, 1990, a
copy of which is attached hereto.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference of our firm under the
caption "Counsel and Auditors" in the related Statement of
Additional Information included therein.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Seward & Kissel
2
00250109.AP8
<PAGE>
VENABLE, BAETJER AND HOWARD
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
A PARTNERSHIP INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS
1800 MERCANTILE BANK & TRUST BUILDING
2 HOPKINS PLAZA
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21201-2978
(410) 244-7400
FAX (410) 244-7742
TELEX 898032
November 16, 1990
Seward & Kissel
One Battery Park Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Re: Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Maryland counsel for Alliance
World Income Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund"), in
connection with the organization of the Fund and the issuance of
shares of its common stock (the "Common Stock").
As Maryland counsel for the Fund, we are familiar with
its Charter and Bylaws. We have examined the prospectus included
in its Registration Statement on From N-1A, substantially in the
form in which it is to become effective (the "Prospectus"), and
have examined and relied upon such corporate records of the Fund
and other documents and certificates as to factual matters as we
have deemed necessary to render the opinion expressed herein. We
have assumed without independent verification the genuineness of
all signatures and the conformity with originals of all documents
submitted to us as copies.
Based on such examination, we are of the opinion and so
advise you that:
(1) The Fund is duly organized and validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the State of Maryland.
(2) The 50,000 shares of presently issued and
outstanding Common Stock of the Fund have been
validly and legally issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable shares under the laws of the State of
Maryland.
<PAGE>
Seward & Kissel
November 16, 1990
Page Two
(3) The shares of Common Stock of the Fund to be
offered for sale pursuant to the Prospectus are
duly authorized and, when sold, issued and paid for
as contemplated by the Prospectus, will have been
validly and legally issued and will be fully paid
and nonassessable.
This letter expresses our opinion with respect to the
Maryland General Corporation Law governing matters such as
organization and the authorization and issuance of stock, but it
does not extend to the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of Maryland,
to federal securities laws or to other laws.
You may rely upon the foregoing opinion in rendering
your opinion to the Fund that is to be filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. We consent to the filing of this opinion
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference
to us under the caption "Counsel" in the Prospectus. We do not
thereby admit that we are "experts" within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933 and the regulations thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Venable, Baetjer and Howard
________________________________
Venable, Baetjer and Howard
2
00250109.AP2
<PAGE>
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the reference to our firm under the captions
"Financial Highlights," "Shareholder Services - Statements and
Reports" and "General Information - Independent Auditors" and to
the use of our report dated December 12, 1995 included in this
Registration Statement (Form N-1A No. 33-37512) of Alliance World
Income Trust, Inc.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
October 28, 1997
00250109.AJ9
<PAGE>
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
November , 1990
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Gentlemen:
In connection with our purchase of 50,000 shares of
Common Stock of Alliance World Income Trust, Inc., for an
aggregate cash consideration of One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000.00), this will confirm that we are buying such shares
for investment for our account only, and not with a view to
reselling or otherwise distributing them.
Very truly yours,
ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.P.
By: Alliance Capital Management
Corporation,
its General Partner
By: /s/ David H. Dievler
David H. Dievler
Senior Vice President
00250109.AP9
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 16
COMPUTATION OF AVERAGE ANNUAL COMPOUNDED TOTAL RETURN
n
ERV = P(1+T)
Definitions:
P=Initial investment by shareholder of $1,000
T=Average annual total return
ERV=Ending redeemable value of shareholder investment
n=Number of periods
Formula to solve for "T"
ERV
For year one T= --- -1
P
*For subsequent years T= nth root of ((ERV/P) -1)
To solve for ERV:
1. Take an initial shareholder investment of $1,000 on 5/4/89 at
maximum offering price of $10.00. The result is 100 shares.
2. Assume that all dividends and distributions by the Fund are
reinvested on reinvest date for the creation of additional
shares. (2.766 shares created).
3. Add initial share balance to additional shares created due to
reinvestment and multiply by ending net asset value (7/31/89)
to obtain ending redeemable value (ERV).
(100+2.766 = 102.766 x $9.64 = $991)
(ERV)
991
T = ------ -1
1,000
T = .991 -1
T = (.009)
<PAGE>
T = (0.9%)
____
T=Average annual total return
* For subsequent years repeat steps 1 through 3 for the required
periods and apply to formula shown above.
2
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE WORLD RESERVES, INC.
COMPUTATION OF STANDARDIZED YIELD
a-b 6
Formula: Yield = 2 [(-----+1) -1]
cd
Where a= dividends and interest earned during the
period.
b= expenses accrued for the period (net of
reimbursements).
c= the average daily number of shares outstanding
during the period that were entitled to receive
dividends.
d= the maximum offering price per share on the
last day of the period.
(a)=Interest earned for 30 days or one month.
MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES
Current principal amount per debt obligation multiplied by coupon
rate divided by 360 multiplied by 30 minus losses due to payment
of principal ("paydowns"). No amortization of discounts or
premiums on mortgage backed securities.
NON-MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES
1. Determine the yield to maturity (YTM) or yield to call
(YTC) per debt obligation as follows:
(i) Using the market value per security at the end of the
period plus accrued interest;
(ii) Compute the YTM or YTC on each obligation by utilizing
the yield to maturity or yield to call function of The
Monroe Trader.
2. Divide the YTM or YTC by 360 and multiply the quotient by
the market value of each obligation including accrued
interest, and multiply by 30 to derive a monthly income
accrual.
(b)= Expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursement).
(c)= The average daily numbers of shares outstanding during the
period that were entitled to receive dividends.
(d)= The maximum offering price per share on the last day of the
period.
1,147,286 - 99,511 6
Example: Yield = 2 [(-------------------+1) - 1]
11,440,908.750 x 9.94
3
<PAGE>
1,047,775 6
2 [(-----------+1) -1]
113,722,633
6
2 [(1.00921342544) -1]
2 [(1.0565961126) -1]
2 [ .0565961126]
11.31%
4
00250109.AQ0