<PAGE>
As filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on December 28, 1998
File Nos. 33-47031
811-06627
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. 21 X
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 20 X
ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND, 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: (212) 969-1000
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
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check
appropriate box)
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
<PAGE>
X on March 1, 1999 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 Prospectuses
(Caption)
PART A
Item 1. Front and Back Cover Pages..........Cover Pages
Item 2. Risk/Return Summary:
Investments, Risks, and
Performance.........................Risk/Return
Summary
Item 3. Risk/Return Summary:
Fee Table...........................Risk/Return
Summary
Item 4. Investment Objectives,
Principal Investment Strategies,
And Related Risks...................Other
Information
About the
Fund's
Objectives,
Strategies, and
Risks
Item 5. Management's Discussion of
Fund Performance....................Not Applicable
Item 6. Management, Organization,
And Capital Structure...............Management of
the Fund
Item 7. Shareholder Information.............Purchase and
Sale of Shares
Item 8. Distribution Arrangements...........Distribution
Arrangements
Item 9. Financial Highlights
Information.........................Financial
Highlights
<PAGE>
PART B Location in Statements
Of Additional Information
(Caption)
Item 10. Cover Page and
Table of Contents...................Cover Page
Item 11. Fund History........................Description of
the Fund;
General
Information
Item 12. Description of the Fund And
Its Investments and Risks...........Investment
Objective,
Policies and
Restrictions
Item 13. Management of the Fund..............Management of
the Fund
Item 14. Control Persons and Principal
Holders of Securities...............Management of
the Fund;
General
Information
Item 15. Investment Advisory and
Other Services......................Management of
the Fund
Item 16. Brokerage Allocation and
Other Practices.....................General
Information
Item 17. Capital Stock and
Other Securities....................General
Information
Item 18. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing
of Shares...........................Purchase,Redemp
tion and
Repurchase of
Shares; Net
Asset Value
Item 19. Taxation of the Fund................Investment
Objective,
Policies and
Restrictions;
Dividends,
<PAGE>
Distributions
and Taxes
Item 20. Underwriters........................General
Information
Item 21. Calculation of Performance Data.....General
Information
Item 22. Financial Statements.................Financial
Statements;
Report of
Independent
Auditors
<PAGE>
THE ALLIANCE
BOND FUNDS
PROSPECTUS
March 1, 1999
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
--Alliance Short-Term U.S. Government Fund
--U.S. Government Portfolio
--Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund
MORTGAGE FUND
--Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund
MULTI-MARKET FUND
--Multi-Market Strategy Trust
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
--Alliance North American Government Income Trust
--Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund
--Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust
CORPORATE BOND FUNDS
--Corporate Bond Portfolio
--Alliance High Yield Fund
The Alliance Bond Funds provide a broad selection of investment
alternatives to investors seeking high current income.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or
disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY
GLOSSARY
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies
Description of Investment Practices
Additional Risk Considerations
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES
How The Funds Value Their Shares
How To Buy Shares
How to Exchange Shares
How To Sell Shares
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
2
<PAGE>
The Funds' investment adviser is Alliance Capital Management
L.P., 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 $___ billion in assets under management as of
December 31, 1998. Alliance provides investment management
services to employee benefit plans for ___ of the FORTUNE 100
companies.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY
The following is a summary of certain key information about the
Alliance Bond Funds. You will find additional information about
each Fund, including a detailed description of the risks of an
investment in each Fund, after this summary.
The Risk/Return Summary describes the Funds' objectives,
principal investment strategies, risks, and fees. More detailed
descriptions of the Funds can be found further back in the
Prospectus. Please be sure to read the more complete
descriptions of the Funds following this summary, including the
risks associated with investing in the Funds, BEFORE you invest.
Each of the Funds also may at times use certain types of
investment derivatives such as options, futures, forwards, and
swaps. The use of these techniques involves special risks that
are discussed in this Prospectus.
The Risk/Return Summary includes a table for each Fund showing
its average annual returns and a bar chart showing its annual
returns. The table and the bar chart provide an indication of
the historical risk of an investment in each Fund by showing:
-- how the Fund's average annual returns for one, five, and
10 years (or, if less, the life of the Fund) compare to
those of a broad based securities market index; and
-- changes in the Fund's performance from year to year over
10 years or, if less, the life of the Fund.
A Fund's past performance, of course, does not necessarily
indicate how it will perform in the future.
Other important things for you to note:
-- You may gain or lose money by investing in a Fund.
-- An investment in a Fund is not a deposit in a bank and
is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
3
<PAGE>
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
The U.S. Government Funds offer investors high current income
consistent with the preservation of capital by investing
primarily in U.S. Government securities.
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is high
current income consistent with the preservation of
capital by investing primarily in a portfolio of U.S.
Government securities.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund invests at
least 65% of its total assets in U.S. Government
securities, including repurchase agreements and forward
commitments relating to U.S. Government securities. The
Fund also may invest a portion of its assets in
securities of non-governmental issuers. The Fund
normally maintains an average dollar-weighted maturity
of not more than three years
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
PERFORMANCE TABLE
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
4
<PAGE>
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is a high
level of current income that is consistent with prudent
investment risk.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund invests
primarily in U.S. Government securities, including
repurchase agreements and forward contracts relating to
U.S. Government securities. The Fund also may invest in
non-U.S. Government mortgage-related and asset-backed
securities. The average weighted maturity of the Fund's
investments varies between one year or less and 30
years.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
5
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is the
highest level of current income consistent with low
volatility of net asset value.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund invests
primarily in U.S. Government securities, including
mortgage-related securities and repurchase agreements
relating to U.S. Government securities. 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 Alliance's assessment of relative yields on
securities of different maturities and the expected
effect of changes in interest rates on the market value
of the Fund's portfolio. At all times, however, each of
the Fund's securities has either a remaining maturity of
not more than 10 years or a duration not exceeding that
of a ten-year Treasury note.
The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its total assets
in:
- high-quality asset-backed securities, including
mortgage-related securities that are not U.S.
Government securities;
- treasury securities issued by private issuers;
- certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, and
interest-bearing savings deposits of banks with
assets of more than $1 billion;
- higher quality commercial paper or, if unrated,
commercial paper issued by companies that have high
quality debt issues outstanding; and
- high-quality debt securities of corporate issuers.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
6
<PAGE>
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
7
<PAGE>
MORTGAGE FUND
ALLIANCE MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is a high
level of current income to the extent consistent with
prudent investment risk.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund invests
primarily in a diversified portfolio of mortgage-related
securities, including collateralized mortgage
obligations or CMO's. The Fund may invest up to 20% of
its total assets in lower-rated mortgage-related
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 also may invest up to 35% of its total assets
in:
- U.S. Government securities;
- qualifying bank deposits;
- prime commercial paper or, if unrated, commercial
paper issued by companies that have high-quality
debt issues outstanding;
- high-grade debt securities secured by mortgages on
commercial real estate or residential rental
properties; and
- high-grade asset-backed securities.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
8
<PAGE>
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
9
<PAGE>
MULTI-MARKET FUND
ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is the
highest level of current income that is available
consistent with what Alliance considers to be prudent
investment risk, from a portfolio of high-quality debt
securities.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund invests in
high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities
of not more than five years, with a high proportion of
investments in money market instruments. The Fund seeks
investment opportunities in foreign, as well as
domestic, securities markets. Normally, at least 70% of
the Fund's debt securities will be denominated in
foreign currencies.
The Fund concentrates at least 25% of its total assets
in debt instruments issued by domestic and foreign
banking companies. The Fund may use significant
borrowings for leverage. The Fund also may:
- use derivatives strategies;
- invest in prime commercial paper or unrated paper
of equivalent quality;
- enter into repurchase agreements; and
- invest in variable, floating, and inverse floating
rate securities.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
10
<PAGE>
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
11
<PAGE>
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
The Global Bond Funds offer investors a high level of current
income through investments primarily in foreign government
securities.
ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is 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, or Mexico.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund primarily
invests in debt securities issued or guaranteed by;
(i) the federal governments of the United States,
Canada, and Mexico; (ii) government-related entities in
the United States, Canada and Mexico; and (iii) the
provincial governments of Canada and Mexico. The Fund
also invests significantly in comparable Argentine debt
securities. The Fund also may invest in debt securities
of other Central and South American countries. These
investments are investment grade securities generally
denominated in each countries' currency, but at least
25% of the Fund's investments are in U.S.
Dollar-denominated securities. The average weighted
maturity of the Fund's portfolio is expected to vary
between one year or less and 30 years.
The Fund may use significant borrowings for leverage.
The Fund also may:
- use derivative strategies; and
- invest in variable, floating, and inverse floating
rate instruments.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
12
<PAGE>
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
13
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is a high
level of current income and, secondarily, capital
appreciation.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund primarily
invests in sovereign debt obligations. The Fund invests
substantially all of its assets in lower-rated
securities or unrated securities of equivalent quality.
The Fund limits its investments in sovereign debt
obligations of any one country to no more than 25% of
its total assets.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in
U.S. and non-U.S. corporate fixed income securities.
All of the Fund's investments will be in U.S.
Dollar-denominated sovereign debt obligations and fixed
income securities. The Fund also may invest up to 30%
of its assets in emerging markets or developing
countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco,
the Philippines, Russia, and Venezuela.
The average weighted maturity of the Fund's investments
is:
- for U.S. fixed-income securities, nine to 15 years;
- for non-U.S. fixed-income securities, 15 to 25
years; and
- for sovereign debt obligations, longer than 25
years.
The Fund may use significant borrowings and reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls for leverage.
The Fund also may:
- use derivatives strategies;
- invest in structured securities;
- invest in fixed and floating rate loans to
sovereign debt issuers;
- enter into repurchase agreements; and
- invest in variable, floating, and inverse floating
rate securities.
14
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
15
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is primarily
a high level of current income and, secondarily, capital
appreciation.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund primarily
invests in fixed-income securities of U.S. and non-U.S.
companies, U.S. Government and foreign government
securities, and supranational entities. The Fund's
foreign investments are generally denominated in foreign
currencies. The Fund, however, generally seeks to hedge
currency risk. The Fund normally invests at least 65%
of its total assets in fixed-income securities of
companies located in at least three countries, one of
which may be the United States. The Fund limits its
investments in any one foreign country to 25% of its
total assets.
The Fund invests at least 65% of its total assets in
investment grade securities, but also may invest up to
35% of its assets in lower-rated securities. The
average weighted maturity of the Fund's investments
varies between five and 30 years.
The Fund may use significant borrowings and reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls for leverage.
The Fund also may:
- use derivatives strategies;
- invest in structured securities;
- invest in Eurodollar instruments and foreign
currencies;
- invest in asset-backed and mortgage-related
securities;
- enter into repurchase agreements; and
- invest in floating, variable, and inverse floating
rate securities.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
16
<PAGE>
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
17
<PAGE>
CORPORATE BOND FUNDS
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is 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.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund primarily
invests in investment grade corporate bonds. The Fund
may invest up to 50% of its total assets in U.S. Dollar-
denominated foreign debt securities, primarily corporate
fixed-income securities and sovereign debt obligations.
The Fund also may invest in income-producing equity
securities. The average weighted maturity of the Fund's
investments varies between one year or less and 30
years.
The Fund pursues a more aggressive investment strategy
than other corporate bond funds. The Fund's investments
tend to have a relatively long average weighted maturity
and duration. The Fund emphasizes both foreign
corporate and sovereign debt obligations, as well as
corporate bonds that are expected to benefit from
improvements in their issuers' credit fundamentals.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
18
<PAGE>
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
19
<PAGE>
ALLIANCE HIGH YIELD PORTFOLIO
-- OBJECTIVE: The Fund's investment objective is to
achieve a high total return by maximizing current income
and, to the extent consistent with that objective,
capital appreciation.
-- PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES: The Fund primarily
invests in high yield, below investment grade fixed-
income securities, commonly known as "junk bonds." The
Fund seeks to maximize current income by taking
advantage of market developments, yield disparities, and
variations in the creditworthiness of issuers.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND BAR CHART
Performance Table
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A
Class B
Class C
[Relevant Index]
Bar Chart
The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A
shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were
reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
[INSERT CHART]
You should consider an investment in the Fund as a long-term
investment. The Fund's returns will, however, fluctuate over
shorter periods. For example, during the period shown in the bar
chart, the Fund's:
BEST QUARTER was up ___%, ________ quarter, 19__; and
WORST QUARTER was down ___%, _________ quarter, 19__.
20
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS
The value of an investment in a Fund changes with the values of
that Fund's investments. Many factors can affect those values.
In this summary, we describe the principal risks that may affect
a particular Fund's investments as a whole. These risks and the
Funds subject to the risks appear in a chart at the end of this
section. All of the Funds could be subject to additional
principal risks because the types of investments made by each
Fund can change over time. This prospectus has additional
descriptions of investments that appear in bold type in the
discussions under "Description of Investment Practices" or
"Additional Risk Considerations." Those sections also include
more information about the Funds, their investments, and related
risks.
-- INTEREST RATE RISK This is the risk that changes in
interest rates will affect the value of a Fund's
investments in fixed-income debt securities, such as
bonds, notes, and asset-backed securities, or other
income-producing securities. All of the Funds have
interest rate risk. Increases in interest rates may
cause the value of a Fund's investments to decline.
Even Funds, such as the SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, U.S.
GOVERNMENT, and LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, that invest
a substantial portion of their assets in the highest
quality debt securities, including U.S. GOVERNMENT
SECURITIES, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest
rate risk generally is greater for those Funds that
invest a significant portion of their assets in LOWER-
RATED SECURITIES or comparable UNRATED SECURITIES such
as GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME,
CORPORATE BOND, and HIGH YIELD.
Interest rate risk is generally greater for Funds that
invest in debt securities with longer maturities, such
as NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, and CORPORATE BOND.
This risk is compounded for the Funds that invest a
substantial portion of their assets in MORTGAGE-RELATED
or OTHER ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES, such as SHORT-TERM
U.S. GOVERNMENT and MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME. The
value of these securities is affected more by changes in
interest rates because when interest rates rise, the
maturities of these type of securities tend to lengthen
and the value of the securities decreases more
significantly. In addition, these types of securities
are subject to prepayment when interest rates fall,
which generally results in lower returns because the
21
<PAGE>
Funds must reinvest their assets in debt securities with
lower interest rates. Increased interest rate risk also
is likely for GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME, and CORPORATE BOND, which invest in debt
securities paying no current interest, such as ZERO
COUPON, PRINCIPAL-ONLY, and INTEREST-ONLY SECURITIES, or
paying non-cash interest in the form of other debt
securities (PAYMENT-IN-KIND SECURITIES).
-- CREDIT RISK This is the risk that the issuer or the
guarantor of a debt security, or the counterparty to a
DERIVATIVES contract, will be unable or unwilling to
make timely payments of interest or principal, or to
otherwise honor its obligations. The degree of risk for
a particular security may be reflected in its credit
rating. Credit risk is greater for the Funds such as
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, CORPORATE BOND, and HIGH YIELD
that invest in LOWER-RATED SECURITIES. These debt
securities and similar UNRATED SECURITIES (commonly
known as "junk bonds") have speculative elements or are
predominantly speculative credit risks.
Funds such as GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and HIGH YIELD
may be subject to greater credit risk because they
invest in debt securities issued in connection with
corporate restructurings by highly leveraged issuers and
in debt securities not current in the payment of
interest or principal or are in default. Funds such as
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME,
and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT that invest in FOREIGN
SECURITIES also are subject to increased credit risk
because of the difficulties of requiring foreign
entities, including issuers of SOVEREIGN DEBT, to honor
their contractual commitments, and because a number of
foreign governments and other issuers are already in
default.
-- MARKET RISK This is the risk that the value of a Fund's
investments will fluctuate as the bond markets fluctuate
and that prices overall will decline over shorter or
longer-term periods. All of the Funds are subject to
this risk.
-- FOREIGN RISK This is the risk of investments in issuers
located in foreign countries. All Alliance Funds that
invest in FOREIGN SECURITIES are subject to this risk,
including LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, CORPORATE
BOND, and HIGH YIELD. These Funds' investments in
22
<PAGE>
FOREIGN SECURITIES may experience more rapid and extreme
changes in value than if they invested solely in
securities of U.S. companies. The securities markets of
many foreign countries are relatively small, with a
limited number of companies representing a small number
of securities. In addition, foreign companies usually
are not subject to the same degree of regulation as U.S.
companies. Reporting, accounting, and auditing
standards of foreign countries differ, in some cases
significantly, from U.S. standards. Nationalization,
expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency
blockage, political changes, or diplomatic developments
could adversely affect a Fund's investments in a foreign
country. In the event of nationalization,
expropriation, or other confiscation, a Fund could lose
its entire investment.
Political, social, and economic changes in a particular
country could result in increased risks for GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, which
invest a substantial portion of their assets in
SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS, including BRADY BONDS. The
investments in emerging market countries of NORTH
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT
are likely to involve significant risks. These
countries, such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Morocco,
the Philippines, Russia, and Venezuela, have a history
of political and economic instability. Funds such as
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY and NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
INCOME that invest a significant portion of their assets
in a specific geographic area like Europe or the
Americas generally have more exposure to regional
economic risks than Funds making foreign investments
throughout the world's economies.
-- CURRENCY RISK This is the risk that fluctuations in the
exchange rates between the U.S. Dollar and foreign
currencies may negatively affect the value of a Fund's
investments. Funds such as LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME,
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and HIGH YIELD that invest in
securities denominated in, and receiving revenues in,
FOREIGN SECURITIES, are subject to currency risk.
-- DIVERSIFICATION RISK Most analysts believe that overall
risk can be reduced through diversification, while
concentration of investments in a small number of
securities increases risks. MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY,
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT, and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME are not
"diversified." This means they can invest more of their
23
<PAGE>
assets in a relatively small number of issuers with
greater concentration of risk. Factors affecting these
issuers can have a more significant effect on the Fund's
net asset value. Similarly, a Fund that concentrates
its investments in a particular industry, such as MULTI-
MARKET STRATEGY, which invests at least 25% of its
assets in the banking industry, could have increased
risks because factors affecting that industry could have
a more significant effect on the value of the Fund's
investments.
-- LEVERAGING RISK. When a Fund borrows money or otherwise
leverages its Fund, the value of an investment in that
Fund will be more volatile and all other risks will tend
to be compounded. Each Fund may create leverage by
using REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS, INVERSE FLOATING
RATE INSTRUMENTS or DERIVATIVES, or by borrowing money.
-- DERIVATIVES RISK. All Funds may use DERIVATIVES, which
are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is
derived from, the value of an underlying asset,
reference rate, or index. Alliance will sometimes use
derivatives as part of a strategy designed to reduce
other risks. Generally, however, the Funds use
derivatives as direct investments to earn income,
enhance yield, and broaden Fund diversification, which
entail greater risk than if used solely for hedging
purposes. In addition to other risks such as the credit
risk of the counterparty, derivatives involve the risk
of difficulties in pricing and valuation and the risk
that changes in the value of the derivative may not
correlate perfectly with relevant assets, rates, or
indices. Funds that invest in STRUCTURED SECURITIES,
such as GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME, and CORPORATE BOND, could have increased
derivatives risk.
-- LIQUIDITY RISK. Liquidity risk exists when particular
investments are difficult to purchase or sell, possibly
preventing a Fund from selling out of these ILLIQUID
SECURITIES at an advantageous price. All of the Funds
are subject to liquidity risk because DERIVATIVES and
securities involving substantial interest rate and
credit risk tend to involve greater liquidity risk. In
addition, liquidity risk tends to increase to the extent
a Fund invests in debt securities whose sale may be
restricted by law or by contract.
-- MANAGEMENT RISK. Each Fund is subject to management
risk because it is an actively managed investment Fund.
Alliance will apply its investment techniques and risk
24
<PAGE>
analyses in making investment decisions for the Funds,
but there can be no guarantee that they will produce the
desired results. In some cases, derivative and other
investment techniques may be unavailable or Alliance may
determine not to use them, possibly even under market
conditions where their use could benefit a Fund.
25
<PAGE>
PRINCIPAL RISKS BY FUND
The following chart summarizes the Principal Risks of each Fund.
Risks not marked for a particular Fund may, however, still apply
to some extent to that Fund at various times.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FUND INTEREST CREDIT MARKET FOREIGN CURRENCY DIVERSIFICA- LEVERAGING DERIVATIVES LIQUIDITY MANAGE-
RATE RISK RISK RISK RISK TION RISK RISK RISK RISK MENT RISK
RISK
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Short-Term
U.S.
Government X X X X X
U.S.
Government X X X X X
Limited
Maturity
Government X X X X X X X
Mortgage
Securities
Income X X X X X X X
Multi-Market
Strategy X X X X X X X X X
North American
Government
Income X X X X X X X X X X
Global Dollar
Government X X X X X X X X X X
Global
Strategic
Income X X X X X X X X X X
Corporate
Bond X X X X X X X X X X
High Yield X X X X X X X X X X
</TABLE>
26
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay
if you buy and hold shares of the Funds.
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES (FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR
INVESTMENT)
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS B CLASS C
SHARES SHARES(a) SHARES(b) SHARES
Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Purchases (as a
percentage of offering price) 4.25% None None None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge None 3.0% 4.0% 1.0%
(Load) (as a percentage of during the during the during
original purchase price or 1st year, 1st year, the
redemption proceeds, whichever decreasing decreasing 1st
is lower) 1.0% 1.0% year,
annually annually 0%
to 0% to 0% there-
after the after the after
3rd year* 4th year**
Exchange Fee None None None None
(a) For all Funds except Global Strategic Income and High Yield.
(b) For Global Strategic Income and High Yield.
* Class B Shares automatically convert to Class A Shares after 6
years.
** Class B Shares automatically convert to Class A Shares after 8
years.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (EXPENSES THAT ARE DEDUCTED FROM
FUND ASSETS) AND EXAMPLE
The examples are to help you compare the cost of investing in a
Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It assumes that
you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and
then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. It
also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and
that the Fund's operating expenses stay the same. Your actual
costs may be higher or lower.
<TABLE>
OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
SHORT-TERM U.S. CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
GOVERNMENT A B+ B++ C+ C++
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
27
<PAGE>
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
Waiver and/or Expense
Reimbursement +++
Net Expenses
</TABLE>
28
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
U.S. GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
A B+ B++ C+ C++
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
LIMITED MATURITY CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
GOVERNMENT A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
MORTGAGE SECURITIES CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
INCOME A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
MULTI-MARKET CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
STRATEGY A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
NORTH AMERICAN CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
GOVERNMENT INCOME A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
GLOBAL DOLLAR CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
29
<PAGE>
GOVERNMENT A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
GLOBAL STRATEGIC CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
INCOME A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
Waiver and/or Expense
Reimbursement +++
Net Expenses
CORPORATE BOND CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
A B+ B++ C+ C++
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
</TABLE>
30
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
SHORT-TERM U.S. CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS
GOVERNMENT A B+ B++ C+ C++
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management Fees % % % After 1st Yr. $ $ $ $ $
Rule 12b-1 Fees % % % After 3 Yrs. $ $ $ $ $
Other Expenses % % % After 5 Yrs. $ $(a) $(a) $ $
After 10 Yrs.
Total Fund Operating % % %
Expenses = = =
Waiver and/or Expense
Reimbursement +++
Net Expenses
<FN>
+ Assumes redemption at end of period.
++ Assumes no redemption at end of period.
+++ Reflects Alliance's waiver of a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimbursement of a portion of the Fund's
operating expenses. The level of waiver or reimbursement may be changed upon 60 days' notice to the Fund.
(a) Assumes Class B shares convert to Class A shares after 6 years, or, for Global Strategic Income and High
Yield, 8 years.
</TABLE>
31
<PAGE>
GLOSSARY
This Prospectus uses the following terms.
TYPES OF SECURITIES
BONDS are fixed, floating, and variable rate debt obligations.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES are bonds, debentures, corporate notes,
and preferred stocks that are convertible into common and
preferred stock.
DEBT SECURITIES are bonds, debentures, notes, and bills.
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.
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES are debt securities, convertible
securities, and preferred stocks, including 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 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.
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.
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.
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, that
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.
32
<PAGE>
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."
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 or GNMA;
- FNMA CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the
Federal National Mortgage Association or FNMA; and
- FHLMC certificates, which are securities issued by the
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation or FHLMC.
QUALIFYING BANK DEPOSITS are certificates of deposit, bankers'
acceptances, and interest-bearing savings deposits of banks that
have total assets of more than $1 billion and are members of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
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.
RULE 144A SECURITIES are securities that may be resold under Rule
144A under the Securities Act.
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.
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. U.S. Government
33
<PAGE>
securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States include certificates issued by FNMA and FHLMC.
RATING AGENCIES
DUFF & PHELPS is Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Company.
FITCH is Fitch IBCA, Inc.
MOODY'S is Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
NRSRO is a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.
S&P is Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.
OTHER
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.
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.
EXCHANGE is the New York Stock Exchange.
LIBOR is the London Interbank Offered Rate.
SECURITIES ACT is the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
WORLD BANK is the commonly used name for the International Bank
for Reconstruction and Development.
34
<PAGE>
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
This section of the Prospectus provides a more complete
description of the principal investment objectives, strategies,
and risks of the Alliance Bond Funds. Of course, there can be no
assurance that any Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Please note:
- Additional discussion of the Funds' investments,
including the risks of the investments that appear in
bold type can be found in the discussion under
DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT PRACTICES following this
section.
- The description of a Fund's risks may include risks
defined in the SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS above.
Additional information about risks of investing in a
Fund can be found in the discussions under ADDITIONAL
RISK CONSIDERATIONS.
- Additional descriptions of each Fund's strategies and
investments, as well as other strategies and investments
not described below, may be found in a Fund's Statement
of Additional Information or SAI.
- Except as noted, (i) the Fund's investment objectives
are fundamental and cannot be changed without a
shareholder vote and (ii) the Fund's investment policies
are not fundamental and thus can be changed without a
shareholder vote.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
The U.S. Government Funds 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 seeks high current
income consistent with the preservation of capital by investing
primarily in a portfolio of U.S. Government securities. The
Fund's investment objective is not fundamental. The Fund
normally 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, including repurchase
agreements and forward commitments relating to U.S. Government
securities.
35
<PAGE>
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 may have higher levels of
credit risk than do U.S. Government securities. Under its
policies, the Fund is not obligated to dispose of any security
whose credit quality falls below high quality.
The Fund also may:
- invest in certain SMRS;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, and INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- make SHORT SALES AGAINST THE BOX;
- enter into various hedging transactions, such as
INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- purchase and sell FUTURES CONTRACTS for hedging
purposes;
- purchase and sell call and put OPTIONS ON FUTURES
CONTRACTS or on SECURITIES, for hedging purposes or to
earn additional income;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS OR REVERSE REPURCHASE
AGREEMENTS; and
- purchase securities for future delivery; and
- make SECURED LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
U.S. Government Portfolio seeks a high level of current income
that is consistent with prudent investment risk. As a matter of
fundamental policy, the Fund pursues its objective by investing
at least 65% of the value of its total assets in U.S. Government
securities and repurchase agreements and forward contracts
relating to U.S. Government securities. The Fund may invest the
remaining 35% of its total assets in non-U.S. Government
mortgage-related and asset-backed securities.
The Fund will not invest in any security rated below BBB or Baa.
The Fund may invest in unrated securities of equivalent quality
to the rated securities in which it may invest, as determined by
Alliance. The Fund expects, but is not required, to dispose of
securities that are downgraded below BBB and Baa or, if unrated,
are determined by Alliance to have undergone similar credit
quality deterioration.
The Fund also may:
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS and REVERSE REPURCHASE
AGREEMENTS, FORWARD CONTRACTS, and DOLLAR ROLLS;
- enter into various hedging transactions, such as
INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- purchase and sell FUTURES CONTRACTS for hedging
purposes; and
36
<PAGE>
- purchase call and put OPTIONS on FUTURES CONTRACTS or on
SECURITIES for hedging purposes.
ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund 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 its total assets invested in U.S. Government
securities, including mortgage-related securities and repurchase
agreements relating to U.S. Government securities.
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.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in:
- high quality asset-backed securities, including
mortgage-related securities that are not U.S. Government
securities;
- treasury securities issued by private corporate issuers;
- qualifying bank deposits;
- higher quality commercial paper or, if unrated, issued
by companies that have high quality debt issues
outstanding; and
- high quality debt securities of corporate issuers.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its total assets in high-quality
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. The amount of Fund
investments in foreign debt securities will vary and may include
those of a number of foreign countries or, depending upon market
conditions, those of a single country.
The Fund also may:
- enter into FUTURES CONTRACTS and purchase and write
OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS;
- enter into FORWARD COMMITMENTS for the purchase or sale
of securities;
- enter into INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- invest in EURODOLLAR INSTRUMENTS;
37
<PAGE>
- purchase and write put and call OPTIONS on FOREIGN
CURRENCIES;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS;
- use REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS and DOLLAR ROLLS; and
- make SECURED LOANS OF ITS PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
MORTGAGE FUND
ALLIANCE MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund seeks a high level of
current income to the extent consistent with prudent investment
risk. The Fund invests at least 65% of its assets in mortgage-
related securities, including CMOs. The average weighted
maturity of the Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is
expected to vary between two and ten years.
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 these new types of securities.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in lower-rated
mortgage-related securities.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of the value of its total assets
in:
- U.S. Government securities;
- qualifying bank deposits;
- prime commercial paper or, if unrated, issued by
companies which have an outstanding high quality debt
issue;
- high grade debt securities secured by mortgages on
commercial real estate or residential rental properties;
and
- high grade asset-backed securities.
The Fund also may:
- enter into FORWARD COMMITMENTS for the purchase or sale
of securities;
- purchase put and call OPTIONS written by others and
write covered put and call OPTIONS for hedging purposes;
- enter into INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- enter into INTEREST RATE FUTURES CONTRACTS;
38
<PAGE>
- invest in VARIABLE FLOATING AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS;
- make LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
MULTI-MARKET FUND
ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
Alliance Multi-Market Strategy Trust is a non-diversified
investment company that offers investors a higher yield than a
money market fund and less fluctuation in net asset value than a
longer-term bond fund. The Fund seeks 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 five years. The Fund invests in a portfolio of debt
securities denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign
currencies. The Fund seeks investment opportunities in foreign,
as well as domestic, securities markets. The Fund normally
expects to maintain at least 70% of its assets in debt securities
denominated in foreign currencies, but limits its investments in
a single currency other than the U.S. Dollar to 25% of its net
assets.
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.
Alliance 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. Alliance
adjusts the Fund's exposure to each currency so 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.
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", can help
protect against declines in the U.S. Dollar value of income
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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. The Fund invests in debt
securities denominated in the currencies of countries whose
governments are considered stable by Alliance.
The Fund expects to invest in debt securities denominated in the
Euro and the ECU, which is a "basket" consisting of specified
amounts of currencies of certain of the member states of the
European Union. 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 (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.
The Fund maintains borrowings of approximately 25% of its net
assets.
The Fund seeks to minimize investment risk by limiting its
investments to debt securities of high quality and invests in:
- U.S. Government securities;
- high quality foreign government securities;
- obligations issued by supranational entities and
corporate debt securities having a high-quality rating;
- 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 $500 million, and determined
by Alliance to be of high quality; and
- prime commercial paper or unrated commercial paper of
equivalent quality and issued by U.S. or foreign
companies having outstanding high quality debt
securities.
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. These 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.
The Fund also may:
- invest in INDEXED COMMERCIAL PAPER;
- enter into FUTURES CONTRACTS and purchase and write
OPTIONS on FUTURES CONTRACTS;
- purchase and write put and call OPTIONS on FOREIGN
CURRENCIES;
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- purchase or sell FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE
CONTRACTS;
- enter into INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS; and
- make SECURED LOANS OF ITS PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
The Global Bond Funds are non-diversified investment companies
that 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 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 invests at least 65%, and normally substantially more,
of its assets in Government securities and income-producing
securities. 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 maintains borrowings of
approximately one-third of its net assets.
The Fund expects that it will not retain a debt security which is
downgraded below BBB or Baa, or, if unrated, determined by
Alliance to have undergone similar credit quality deterioration.
The Fund may conclude, under certain circumstances, 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, that it is in the best interests of
the shareholders to retain its holdings in securities of that
issuer.
Alliance believes that the increasingly integrated economic
relationship among the United States, Canada and Mexico,
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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.
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. To the extent that its assets are not invested
in Government securities, however, the Fund may invest the
balance of its total assets in investment grade debt securities
issued by, and denominated in the local currencies of,
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 limits its investments in debt
securities issued by the governmental entities of any one
country, except for Argentine Government securities, to 10% of
its total assets.
The Fund also may:
- enter into FUTURES CONTRACTS and purchase and write
OPTIONS on FUTURES CONTRACTS for hedging purposes;
- purchase and write put and call OPTIONS on FOREIGN
CURRENCIES;
- purchase or sell FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE
CONTRACTS;
- 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;
- enter into INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- enter into FORWARD COMMITMENTS for the purchase or sale
of securities;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS; and
- make SECURED LOANS OF ITS PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
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ALLIANCE GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund 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 referred to as "Brady Bonds," which are issued as
part of debt restructurings and collateralized in full as to
principal due at maturity by zero coupon U.S. Government
securities.
The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its total assets in U.S.
and non-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.
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 equivalent investment quality. These
securities may have extremely poor prospects of ever attaining
any real investment standing and a current identifiable
vulnerability to default, 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 be in default or
not current in the payment of interest or principal.
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 December 31, 1998, securities ratings (or equivalent
quality) of the Fund's securities were:
- A and above %
- Baa or BBB %
- Ba or BB %
- B %
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- CC %
- C %
- Non-rated %
The Fund's investments in sovereign debt obligations and non-U.S.
corporate fixed income securities emphasize countries that are
considered at the time of purchase to be emerging markets or
developing countries by the World Bank. The Fund may invest up
to 30% of its total assets in securities or obligations of
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Russia and
Venezuela. Alliance expects that these countries are now, or are
expected 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. The Fund will limit investments in the sovereign debt
obligations of each country (or of any other single foreign
country) to less than 25% of its total assets.
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. The
Fund will limit its investments in the sovereign debt obligations
and corporate fixed-income securities of issuers in any other
single foreign country to not more than 10% of its total assets.
The Fund also may:
- invest in STRUCTURED SECURITIES;
- 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;
- invest in OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES;
- invest in WARRANTS;
- enter into INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS;
- enter into FORWARD COMMITMENTS for the purchase or sale
of securities;
- enter into STANDBY COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS;
- make SHORT SALES OF SECURITIES or maintain a short
position;
- 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;
- purchase and sell exchange-traded OPTIONS on any
securities index of the types of securities in which it
may invest;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
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- enter into REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS and DOLLAR
ROLLS;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS; and
- make SECURED LOANS OF ITS PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
While it does not currently intend to do so, the Fund reserves
the right to borrow an amount not to exceed one-third of the
Fund's net assets.
ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust seeks primarily a high
level of current income and secondarily capital appreciation.
The Fund invests 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 also may 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.
The Fund normally invests at least 65% of its total assets in the
fixed-income securities of issuers located in at least three
countries, one of which may be the United States. The Fund
limits its investments in the securities of any one foreign
government to 25% of its total assets. The Fund's investments in
U.S. Government securities may include mortgage-related
securities and zero coupon securities. The Fund's investments in
fixed-income securities may include preferred stock, mortgage-
related and other asset-backed securities, and zero coupon
securities.
The Fund invests at least 65% of its total assets in investment
grade securities and may invest up to 35% of its total assets in
lower-rated 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 limit the
risk to the Fund to a degree comparable to that of rated
securities that 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.
The Fund also may:
- invest in RIGHTS AND WARRANTS;
- invest in LOAN PARTICIPATIONS and ASSIGNMENTS;
- invest in FOREIGN CURRENCIES;
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- purchase and write put and call OPTIONS on securities
and foreign currencies;
- purchase or sell FORWARD FOREIGN EXCHANGE CONTRACTS;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- invest in INDEXED COMMERCIAL PAPER;
- invest in STRUCTURED SECURITIES;
- purchase and sell securities on a FORWARD COMMITMENT
basis;
- enter into STANDBY COMMITMENTS;
- 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;
- invest in EURODOLLAR INSTRUMENTS;
- enter into INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND FLOORS; and
- make SHORT SALES of securities or maintain a short
position;
- enter into REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS and DOLLAR
ROLLS;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS;
- make loans of PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
The Fund may borrow in order to purchase securities or make other
investments, although it currently limits its borrowings to 25%
of its total assets.
CORPORATE BOND FUNDS
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
The Corporate Bond Portfolio 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
that give promise of relatively attractive yields but do not
involve substantial risk of loss of capital. The Fund invests at
least 65% of its net assets in debt securities. Although the
Fund invests at least 65% of its total assets in corporate bonds,
it also may invest in securities of non-corporate issuers. 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 follows an investment strategy that in certain respects
can be regarded as more aggressive than the strategies of many
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other funds investing primarily in corporate bonds. The Fund's
investments normally tend to have a relatively long average
maturity and duration. The Fund places 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. 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.
The Fund's investments in fixed-income securities have no minimum
rating requirement, except the Fund expects that it will not
retain a security that is downgraded below B, or if unrated,
determined to have undergone similar credit quality deterioration
after 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 Fund may invest the remainder of its assets
in lower-rated fixed-income securities. As of December 31, 1998,
the Fund's investments were rated (or equivalent quality):
- A or above %
- Baa or BBB %
- Ba or BB %
- B %
- CC %
- CCC %
- Unrated %
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.
The Fund invests no more than 15% of the its total assets 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 with respect to 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 these limitations, the Fund has complete flexibility as to
the types and relative proportions of securities in which it will
invest. 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. Substantially all of the Fund's investments, however,
will be income producing.
The Fund also may:
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- invest in STRUCTURED SECURITIES;
- 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;
- for hedging purposes, purchase put and call OPTIONS
written by others and write covered put and call
OPTIONS;
- for hedging purposes, enter into various hedging
transactions, such as INTEREST RATE SWAPS, CAPS, AND
FLOORS;
- invest in VARIABLE, FLOATING, AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE
INSTRUMENTS;
- invest in ZERO COUPON and PAY-IN-KIND SECURITIES; and
- invest in CMOS and MULTI-CLASS PASS-THROUGH MORTGAGE-
RELATED SECURITIES.
ALLIANCE HIGH YIELD FUND
Alliance High Yield Fund seeks primarily to achieve high total
return by maximizing current income and, to the extent consistent
with that objective, capital appreciation. The Fund pursues this
objective by investing primarily in a diversified mix of high
yield, below investment grade fixed-income securities, known as
"junk bonds." These securities involve greater volatility of
price and risk of principal and income than higher quality fixed-
income securities. The Fund is managed to maximize current
income by taking advantage of market developments, yield
disparities, and variations in the creditworthiness of issuers.
The Fund uses various strategies in attempting to achieve its
objective.
The Fund normally invests at least 65% of its total assets 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 by S&P) or, if unrated, of equivalent quality.
The Fund may invest not 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, of
equivalent quality, 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, of equivalent quality.
As of December 31, 1998, the Fund's investments were rated (or
equivalent quality):
- A and above %
- Ba or BB %
- B %
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- CCC %
- Unrated %
The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign
securities. 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.
The Fund also may invest in:
- U.S. Government securities;
- certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, bank
notes, time deposits and interest bearing savings
deposits issued or guaranteed by certain domestic and
foreign banks;
- commercial paper (rated at least A-1 by S&P or Prime-1
by Moody's or, if unrated, issued by domestic or foreign
companies having high quality outstanding debt
securities) and participation interests in loans
extended by banks to these companies;
- 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
- floating rate or master demand notes.
The Fund also may:
- invest in MORTGAGE-BACKED and ASSET-BACKED securities;
- invest in loan participations and assignments of loans
to corporate, governmental, or other borrowers
originally made by institutional lenders or lending
syndicates;
- enter into FORWARD COMMITMENTS for the purchase or sale
of securities and purchase and sell securities on a
WHEN-ISSUED or DELAYED DELIVERY basis;
- 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 currencies;
- purchase and sell FUTURES CONTRACTS and related OPTIONS
on debt securities and on indices of debt securities;
- enter into contracts for the purchase or sale of a
specific currency for hedging purposes only;
- enter into REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS; and
- make LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.
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DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT PRACTICES
This section describes the investment practices of the Funds and
risks associated with these practices. Unless otherwise noted, a
Fund's use of any of these practices was specified the previous
section.
DERIVATIVES. The Funds may use derivatives to achieve 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 judgment, this represents the most effective response
to current or anticipated market conditions. MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, 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.
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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.
- Swaps--A swap is a customized, privately negotiated
agreement that obligates two parties to exchange a
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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. The term
"derivative" also is 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.
While the judicious use of derivatives by highly-experienced
investment managers such as Alliance can be quite beneficial,
derivatives involve risks different from, and, in certain cases,
greater than, the risks presented by more traditional
investments. The following is a general discussion of important
risk factors and issues relating to the use of derivatives that
investors should understand before investing in a Fund.
- Market Risk--This is the general risk of all investments
that the value of a particular investment will change in
a way detrimental to the Fund's interest based on
changes in the bond market generally.
- 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
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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 a
derivative 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
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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. The following describes specific
derivatives that one or more of the Funds may use.
EURODOLLAR INSTRUMENTS. Eurodollar instruments are essentially
U.S. Dollar-denominated futures contracts or options 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. A Fund purchases or
sells forward foreign currency exchange contracts ("forward
contracts") to minimize the risk 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").
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. A Fund may
buy and sell 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.
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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 for SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT
and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, will be used only for hedging
purposes.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, 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
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, 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.
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 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.
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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. MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may enter into
interest rate swaps involving payments in 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 is then rated in the highest rating category of
at least one NRSRO. Each of 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.
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.
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
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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.
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 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.
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. 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. 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 the Fund
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would exceed 2% of the Fund's total assets. Nor will either 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.
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
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equal the principal payments that would have then been due on the
Brady Bonds in the normal course. 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. 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 equity security, although the higher yield
tends to make the convertible security less volatile than the
underlying equity security. As with debt securities, the market
value of convertible securities tends to decrease as interest
rates rise 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.
FORWARD COMMITMENTS. Forward commitments for the purchase or
sale of securities may include 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.
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
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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.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. The Funds will limit their investments in
illiquid securities to 15% of their net assets, except that the
limit is 10% for MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, AND NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, and 5% for SHORT-
TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT. As a matter of fundamental policy,
CORPORATE BOND cannot purchase 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.
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. Alliance will monitor each Fund's investments
in illiquid securities. Rule 144A securities will not be treated
as "illiquid" for the purposes of the limit on investments so
long as the securities meet liquidity guidelines established by
the Board of Directors.
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 indexed
commercial paper may do so without limitation. A Fund will
receive interest and principal payments on such commercial paper
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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.
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. If the Fund acquires 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).
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 from the securities. The Fund may
invest any cash collateral in portfolio securities and earn
additional income or receive an agreed-upon amount of income from
a borrower who has delivered equivalent collateral. Lending of
portfolio securities is limited to 50% of net assets for HIGH
YIELD, 25% for SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME, and 20% for LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE
SECURITIES INCOME, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT.
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
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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.
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES. The Funds' investments in mortgage-
related securities 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 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
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because there are no direct or indirect governmental guarantees
of the underlying mortgage payments. 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.
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. 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. 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
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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 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). 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.
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 or
IOs receiving all of the interest payments from the underlying
assets; while the other class of securities, principal-only
securities or 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
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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 cause 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.
Although the market for mortgage-related securities is becoming
increasingly liquid, those issued by certain private
organizations may not be readily marketable. In particular, the
secondary markets for CMOs, IOs, and POs may be more volatile and
less liquid than those for other mortgage-related securities,
thereby potentially limiting a Fund's ability to buy or sell
those securities at any particular time.
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
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described above the rates 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. 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. 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.
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-
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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.
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
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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.
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.
SHORT SALES. A short sale is effected by selling a security that
a Fund does not own, or if the Fund owns the security, 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
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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 or may not receive any payments (e.g., dividends or
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" of securities which are eligible for such
deferral. 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. 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.
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 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.
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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.
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
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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.
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.
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 are generally held by a bank in a custodial or
trust account).
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND also may 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.
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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.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER. The portfolio turnover rate for each Fund is
included in the FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS section. The Funds are
actively managed and, in some cases in response to market
conditions, a Fund's portfolio turnover may exceed 100%. A
higher rate of portfolio turnover increases brokerage and other
expenses, 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, which, when
distributed, are taxable to shareholders.
TEMPORARY 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.
ADDITIONAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS
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
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light of these risks, a Fund may engage in certain currency
hedging transactions, as described above, which involve certain
special risks.
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.
Utilization of leverage, which is usually considered speculative,
involves certain risks to a Fund's shareholders. These include a
higher volatility of the net asset value of a Fund's shares 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 of a
Fund's investments. If 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.
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. Similarly, the effect of leverage in a
declining market could be a greater decrease in net asset
value per share. 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 and reduce 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
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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.
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.
FOREIGN SECURITIES. 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 foreign
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
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deterioration occurs in a country's balance of payments, the
country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital
remittances.
A Fund also 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. These factors may affect the
liquidity of a Fund's investments in any country 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.
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. 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.
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.
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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.
INVESTMENT IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY. Due to its investment
policies with respect to investments in the banking industry,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY 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; competition within those industries as well as
with other types of financial institutions; and national and
local governmental regulation. In addition, the 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 Fund will seek to
minimize their exposure to such risks by investing only in debt
securities which are determined to be of high quality.
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
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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. There can be no
assurance, however, 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.
UNRATED SECURITIES. Unrated 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.
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
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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 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
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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.
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.
YEAR 2000 AND EURO. Many computer systems and applications in
use today process transactions using two-digit date fields for
the year of the transaction, rather than the full four digits.
If these systems are not modified or replaced, transactions
occurring after 1999 could be processed as year "1900", which
could result in processing inaccuracies and computer system
failures. This is commonly known as the Year 2000 problem. In
addition to the Year 2000 problem, the European Economic and
Monetary Union has established a single currency, the Euro
Currency ("Euro") that will replace the national currency of
certain European countries effective January 1, 1999. Computer
systems and applications must be adapted in order to be able to
process Euro sensitive information accurately beginning in 1999.
Should any of the computer systems employed by the Funds' major
service providers fail to process Year 2000 or Euro related
information properly, that could have a significant negative
impact on the Funds' operations and the services that are
provided to the Funds' shareholders. In addition, to the extent
that the operations of issuers of securities held by the Funds
are impaired by the Year 2000 problem or the Euro, or prices of
securities held by the Funds decline as a result of real or
perceived problems relating to the Year 2000 or the Euro, the
value of the Funds' shares may be materially affected.
With respect to the Year 2000, the Funds have been advised that
Alliance, each Fund's investment adviser, Alliance Fund
Distributors, Inc. ("AFD"), each Fund's principal underwriter,
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and Alliance Fund Services, Inc. ("AFS"), each Fund's registrar,
transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent, (collectively,
"Alliance"), began to address the Year 2000 issue several years
ago in connection with the replacement or upgrading of certain
computer systems and applications. During 1997, Alliance began a
formal Year 2000 initiative, which established a structured and
coordinated process to deal with the Year 2000 issue. Alliance
reports that it has completed its assessment of the Year 2000
issues on its domestic and international computer systems and
applications. Currently, management of Alliance expects that the
required modifications for the majority of its significant
systems and applications that will be in use on January 1, 2000,
will be completed and tested by the end of 1998. Full
integration testing of these systems and testing of interfaces
with third-party suppliers will continue through 1999. At this
time, management of Alliance believes that the costs associated
with resolving this issue will not have a material adverse effect
on its operations or on its ability to provide the level of
services it currently provides to the Funds.
With respect to the Euro, the Funds have been advised that
Alliance has established a project team to assess changes that
will be required in connection with the introduction of the Euro.
Alliance reports that its project team has assessed all systems,
including those developed or managed internally, as well as those
provided by vendors, in order to determine the modifications that
will be required to process accurately transactions denominated
in Euro after 1998. At this time, management of Alliance expects
that the required modifications for the introduction of the Euro
will be completed and tested before the end of 1998. Management
of Alliance believes that the costs associated with resolving
this issue will not have a material adverse effect on its
operations or on its ability to provide the level of services it
currently provides to the Funds.
The Funds and Alliance have been advised by the Funds' Custodians
that they are also in the process of reviewing their systems with
the same goals. As of the date of this prospectus, the Funds and
Alliance have no reason to believe that the Custodians will be
unable to achieve these goals.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Each Fund's Adviser is Alliance Capital Management, L.P., 1345
Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105. Alliance is a
leading international investment manager supervising client
accounts with assets as of December 31, 1998, totaling more than
$___ billion (of which approximately $___ 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 __ registered investment companies, with
more than ___ separate portfolios, managed by Alliance currently
have over three million shareholder accounts. As of December 31,
1998, Alliance was retained as an investment manager for employee
benefit plan assets of __ of the FORTUNE 100 companies.
Alliance provides investment advisory services and order
placement facilities for the Funds. For these advisory services,
the Funds paid Alliance as a percentage of net assets:
<BB=>
FEE AS A PERCENTAGE FISCAL YEAR
FUND OF NET ASSETS * ENDING
Short-Term U.S. Governments
U.S. Government Portfolio
Limited Maturity Government
Mortgage Securities Income
Multi-Market Strategy
North American Government Income
Global Dollar Government
Global Strategic Income
Corporate Bond Portfolio
High Yield
* Fees are stated net of waivers and/or reimbursements. See the "Fee
Table" at the beginning of the Prospectus for more information about fee
waivers.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGER
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.
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EMPLOYEE; TIME PERIOD; PRINCIPAL
TITLE WITH ACMC OCCUPATION DURING
FUND THE PAST FIVE YEARS
Short-Term U.S. Patricia J. Young; Associated with
Government since inception; Alliance
Senior Vice President
Jeffrey S. Phlegar; since Associated with
1997; Senior Vice President Alliance
U.S. Government Wayne D. Lyski; since 1983; Associated with
Senior Vice President Alliance
Patricia J. Young; since 1997; (see above)
Jeffrey S. Phelgar; since 1997; (see above)
Limited Maturity Patricia J. Young; since 1997; (see above)
Government
Jeffrey S. Phelgar; since 1997; (see above)
Mortgage Securities Patricia J. Young; since 1997; (see above)
Income
Jeffrey S. Phelgar; since 1997; (see above)
Multi-Market Douglas J. Peebles; since Associated with
Strategy inception; Senior Vice President Alliance
North American Wayne D. Lyski; since inception; (see above)
Government Income
Global Dollar Wayne D. Lyski; since inception; (see above)
Government
Global Strategic Wayne D. Lyski; since inception; (see above)
Income
Douglas J. Peebles; since (see above)
inception;
Corporate Bond Wayne D. Lyski; since 1987; (see above)
Paul J. DeNoon; since Associated with
January 1992; Alliance
Vice President
High Yield Wayne C. Tappe; since 1991; Associated with
Senior Vice President Alliance
Nelson Jantzen; since 1991; Associated with
Senior Vice President Alliance
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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 investment
strategies and techniques as those of High Yield. Alliance since
July 22, 1993, and prior thereto, Equitable Capital Management
Corporation, whose advisory business Alliance acquired on that
date, have served as investment adviser to the Historical
Portfolio since its inception in 1987. Wayne C. Tappe, who
together with Nelson Jantzen is primarily responsible for the
day-to-day management of High Yield, has been the person
principally responsible for the day-to-day management of the
Historical Portfolio since 1995.
The following tables set forth performance results for the
Historical Portfolio since its inception (January 2, 1987),
together with those of High Yield and the Lipper High Current
Yield Mutual Funds Average as a comparative benchmark. As of
September 30, 1998, the assets in the Historical Portfolio
totalled approximately $571 million.
The performance data do not reflect account charges applicable to
the Contracts or imposed at the insurance company separate
account level, which, if reflected, would lower the performance
of the Historical Portfolio. In addition, the performance data
do not reflect the Fund's higher expenses, which, if reflected,
would lower the performance of the Historical Portfolio. The
performance data have not been adjusted for corporate or
individual 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 Mutual 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.
Nonetheless, the investment policies pursued by Funds in the
survey may differ from those of High Yield and the Historical
Portfolio. 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.
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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. Rates of
return for High Yield Class A shares assume the imposition of the
maximum 4.25% sales charge. The inception date for the
Historical Portfolio and Lipper data is January 2, 1987 and for
High Yield is April 22, 1997.
ANNUALIZED RATES OF RETURN
PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998
Portfolio/Benchmark 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years Inception
Historical Portfolio % % % % %
Lipper High Current
Yield Mutual Funds
Average
High Yield
CUMULATIVE RATES OF RETURN
PERIODS ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1998
Portfolio/Benchmark 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years Inception
Historical Portfolio % % % % %
Lipper High Current
Yield Mutual Funds
Average
High Yield
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES
HOW THE FUNDS VALUE THEIR SHARES
The Funds' net asset value or NAV is calculated at 4 p.m. Eastern
time each day the Exchange is open for business. To calculate
NAV, a Fund's assets are valued and totaled, liabilities are
subtracted, and the balance, called net assets, is divided by the
number of shares outstanding. The Funds' value their securities
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.
Your order for purchase, sale, or exchange of shares is priced at
the next NAV calculated after your order is accepted by the Fund.
Your purchase of Fund shares may be subject to an initial sales
charge. Sales of Fund shares may be subject to a contingent
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deferred sales charge or CDSC. See the next section of this
Prospectus, DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS, for details.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
You may purchase a Fund's shares through broker-dealers, banks,
or other financial intermediaries. You also may purchase shares
directly from the Funds' principal underwriter, Alliance Fund
Distributors, Inc., or AFD.
Minimum investment amounts are:
- Initial $250
- Subsequent $ 50
- Automatic Investment Program $ 25
If you are an existing Fund shareholder, you may purchases shares
by electronic funds transfer in amounts not exceeding $500,000 if
you have completed the appropriate section of the Subscription
Application or the Shareholder Options form obtained from AFS.
Call 800-221-5672 to arrange a transfer from your bank account.
A Fund is required to withhold 31% of taxable dividends, capital
gains distributions, and redemptions paid to shareholders who
have not provided the Fund with their certified taxpayer
identification number. To avoid this, you must provide your
correct Tax Identification Number (Social Security Number for
most investors) on your account application. 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.
HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
You may exchange your Fund shares 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 next-determined NAV, without sales or service charges.
You may request an exchange by mail or telephone. You must call
by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time to receive that day's NAV. The Funds
may change, suspend, or terminate the exchange service on 60
days' written notice.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You may "redeem" your shares (i.e., sell your shares to the Fund)
on any day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your
financial intermediary. Your sales price will be the next-
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determined NAV, less any applicable CDSC, after the Fund receives
your request in proper form. Normally, proceeds will be sent to
you within seven days. If you recently purchased your shares by
check or electronic funds transfer, you cannot redeem your any
portion of it until the Fund 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 by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time,
and submit it to the Fund by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, for you to
receive that day's NAV, 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
BY MAIL
- Send a signed letter of instruction or stock power form
to AFS, along with certificates, to:
Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 1520
Secaucus, NJ 07096-1520
800-221-5672
- For your protection, a bank, a member firm of a national
stock exchange or other eligible guarantor institution
must guarantee signatures. 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.
BY TELEPHONE
- You may redeem your shares for which no stock
certificates have been issued by telephone request.
Call AFS at 800-221-5672 with instructions on how you
wish to receive your sale proceeds.
- A telephone redemption request must be made by 4:00 p.m.
Eastern time for you to receive that day's NAV, less any
applicable CDSC and, except for certain omnibus
accounts, may be made only once per day.
- If you have selected electronic funds transfer in your
Subscription Application, the redemption proceeds may be
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sent directly to your bank. Otherwise, the proceeds
will be mailed to you.
- Redemption requests by electronic funds transfer may not
exceed $100,000 per day and redemption requests by check
cannot exceed $50,000 per day.
- 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.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The Funds declare dividends on their shares each Fund business
day. For Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays dividends will be as
of the previous business day. Each Fund pays dividends on its
shares after the close of business on the twentieth day of each
month or on the first day after that day if the day is not a
business day.
Each Fund's income dividend and capital gains distribution, if
any, declared by a Fund on its outstanding shares will, at the
election of each shareholder, be paid in cash or in additional
shares of the same class of shares of that Fund. If paid in
additional shares, the shares will have an aggregate NAV as of
the close of business on the day following the declaration date
of the dividend or distribution equal to the cash amount of the
dividend or distribution. You may make an election to receive
dividends and distributions in cash or in shares at the time you
purchase shares. Your election can be changed at any time prior
to a record date for a dividend. There is no sales or other
charge in connection with the reinvestment of dividends or
capital gains distributions. Cash dividends may be paid in
check, or at your election, electronically via the ACH network.
There is no sales or other charge on the reinvestment of Fund
dividends and distributions.
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 the 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.
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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.
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. Furthermore, a shareholder's ability
to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction for foreign taxes paid
by a Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the
Code, as a result of which a shareholder may not be permitted to
claim a full credit or deduction for the amount of such taxes.
Under certain circumstances, if a Fund realizes losses (e.g.,
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. Returns of capital are
generally nontaxable, but will reduce a shareholder's basis in
shares of a Fund. If that basis is reduced to zero (which could
happen if the shareholder does not reinvest distributions and
returns of capital are significant), any further returns of
capital will be taxable as capital gain.
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The Funds expect that distributions will consist either of net
income (or short-term capital gains) or long-term capital gains.
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund's dividend
distributions of net income (or short-term taxable gains) will be
taxable to you as ordinary income. Any capital gains
distributions may be taxable to you as capital gains. A Fund's
distributions also may be subject to certain state and local
taxes.
If you buy shares just before a Fund deducts a distribution from
its NAV, you will pay the full price for the shares and then
receive a portion of the price back as a taxable distribution.
The sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable transaction for
Federal income tax purposes. Each year shortly after December
31, the Fund will send you tax information stating the amount and
type of all its distributions for the year. Consult your tax
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adviser about the federal, state, and local tax consequences in
your particular circumstances.
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DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENT
SHARE CLASSES. The Funds offer three classes of shares.
CLASS A SHARES--INITIAL SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class A shares at NAV plus an initial sales
charge, as follows:
INITIAL SALES CHARGE
COMMISSION
AS % OF NET AS % OF TO DEALER/
AMOUNT OFFERING AGENT AS % OF
AMOUNT PURCHASED INVESTED PRICE OFFERING PRICE
Up to $100,000 4.44% 4.25% 4.00%
$100,000 up to $250,000 3.36% 3.25% 3.00%
$250,000 up to $500,000 2.30% 2.25% 2.00%
$500,000 up to $1,000,000 1.78% 1.75% 1.50%
You pay no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A Shares in
the amount of $1,000,000, but may pay a 1% CDSC if you redeem
your shares within 1 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 under 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 a Fund's SAI for additional information about
these options.
CLASS B SHARES--DEFERRED SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class B shares at NAV without an initial sales
charge. A Fund will thus receive the full amount of your
purchase. Your investment, however, will be subject to a CDSC if
you redeem shares within three years (four years in the case of
Global Strategic Income and High Yield) after purchase. The CDSC
varies depending on the number of years you hold the shares. The
CDSC amounts are:
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GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and HIGH YIELD:
Year Since Purchase CDSC
First 4.0%
Second 3.0%
Third 2.0%
Fourth 1.0%
Fifth None
ALL OTHER FUNDS:
Year Since Purchase CDSC
First 3.0%
Second 2.0%
Third 1.0%
Fourth None
If you exchange your shares for the Class B shares of another
Alliance Mutual Fund, the CDSC also will apply to those Class B
shares. The CDSC period begins with the date of your original
purchase, not the date of exchange for the other Class B shares.
The Fund's Class B shares purchased for cash automatically
convert to Class A shares six years after the end of the month of
your purchase. If you purchase shares by exchange for the Class B
shares of another Alliance Mutual Fund, the conversion period
runs from the date of your original purchase.
CLASS C SHARES--ASSET-BASED SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class C shares at NAV without any initial sales
charge. A Fund will thus receive the full amount of your
purchase. Your investment, however, will be subject to a 1% CDSC
if you redeem your shares within 1 year. If you exchange your
shares for the Class C shares of another Alliance Mutual Fund,
the 1% CDSC also will apply to those Class C shares. The 1-year
period for the CDSC begins with the date of your original
purchase, not the date of the exchange for the other Class C
shares.
Class C shares do not convert to any other class of shares of the
Fund.
ASSET-BASED SALES CHARGE OR RULE 12B-1 FEES. Each Fund has
adopted a plan under SEC Rule 12b-1 that allows the Fund to pay
asset-based sales charges or distribution and service fees for
the distribution and sale of its shares. The amount of these
fees for each class of the Fund's shares is:
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Rule 12b-1 Fee
(as a percent of Aggregate average daily net assets)
Class A .30%
Class B 1.00%
Class C 1.00%
Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an on-
going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your
investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales
fees. Class B and Class C shares are subject to higher
distribution fees than Class A shares (Class B shares are subject
to these higher fees for a period of six years, after which they
convert to Class A shares). The higher fees mean a higher
expense ratio, so Class B and Class C shares pay correspondingly
lower dividends and may have a lower NAV than Class A shares.
CHOOSING A CLASS OF SHARES. The decision as to which class of
shares is more 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 purchasing Class A shares. If you are making a smaller
investment, you might consider purchasing 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 no CDSC as
long as the shares are held for one year or more. 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 hares is $1,000,000.
You should consult your financial agent to assist in choosing a
class of Fund shares.
APPLICATION OF THE CDSC. The CDSC is applied to the lesser of
the original cost of shares being redeemed or NAV at the time of
redemption (or, as to Fund shares acquired through an exchange,
the cost of the Alliance Fund shares originally purchased for
cash). Shares obtained from dividend or distribution
reinvestment are not subject to the CDSC. The Fund may waive the
CDSC on redemptions of shares following the death or disability
of a shareholder, to meet the requirements of certain qualified
retirement plans, or under a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly
systematic withdrawal plan. See the Fund's SAI or further
information about CDSC waivers.
OTHER. 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 your financial representative. The financial
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intermediaries also may impose requirements on 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. These 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 the
Funds. On some occasions, the 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. The 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. The dealer or agent may elect to receive cash incentives
of equivalent amount in lieu of such payments.
GENERAL INFORMATION
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 fails 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
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provided upon request. To request a shareholder manual, call 800-
227-4618.
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. Employee Benefit Plans also may not offer all
classes of shares of the Funds. In order to enable participants
investing through Employee Benefit Plans to purchase shares of
the Funds, the maximum and minimum investment amounts may be
different for shares purchased through Employee Benefit Plans
from those described in this Prospectus. In addition, the Class
A, Class B and Class C CDSC may be waived for investments made
through Employee Benefit Plans.
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. Securities Litigation was
filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New
York ("District Court") 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 all counts of the Complaint ("First Decision").
On October 11, 1996, plaintiffs filed a motion for
reconsideration of the First Decision. On November 25, 1996, the
District Court denied plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration of
the First Decision. On October 29, 1997, the United States Court
of Appeals for the Second Circuit ("Court of Appeals") issued an
order granting defendants' motion to strike and dismissing
plaintiffs' appeal of the First Decision.
On October 29, 1996, plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to file
an amended complaint ("Amended Complaint"). In the Amended
Complaint, plaintiffs asserted claims against the Fund, Alliance,
ACMC, AFD, ECI, and certain current and former officers of the
Fund and ACMC alleging violations of the federal securities laws,
fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. The principal allegations of
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the Amended Complaint related to the Fund's hedging practices,
the Fund's investments in certain mortgage-backed securities, and
the risk and objectives of the Fund as described in the Fund's
marketing materials. The Amended Complaint made similar requests
for class certification and damages as made in the Complaint. On
July 15, 1997, the District Court denied plaintiffs' motion for
leave to file the Amended Complaint and dismissed the case
("Second Decision").
On November 17, 1997, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal of the
Second Decision to the Court of Appeals. On October 15, 1998, the
Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part the Second
Decision. The Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court's
denial of plaintiffs' motion for leave to file the Amended
Complaint insofar as the Amended Complaint alleged that
defendants had made misrepresentations and omissions relating to
the Funds' investments in certain mortgage-backed securities and
in the Fund's marketing materials. The Court of Appeals reversed
the District Court's decision to deny plaintiffs' motions for
leave to file the Amended Complaint insofar as the Amended
Complaint alleged that defendants had made actionable
misrepresentations and omissions relating to the Fund's hedging
practices. 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.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights table is intended to help you
understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the
Fund's operations. Certain information reflects financial
information for a single Fund share. The total return in the
table represents the rate that an investor would have earned (or
lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions). The information has been audited
by ______________, the Fund's independent auditors, whose report,
along with Fund's financial statements, appears in the Statement
of Additional Information, which is available upon request.
[To Follow]
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For more information about the Funds, the following documents are
available upon request:
ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders contain
additional information on the Funds' investments. In the annual
report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and
investment strategies that significantly affected a Fund's
performance during its last fiscal year.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI)
Each Fund has an SAI, which contains more detailed information
about the Fund, including its operations and investment policies.
The Funds' SAIs are incorporated by reference into (and is
legally part of) this prospectus.
You may request a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual
report or the SAI, by contacting your broker or other financial
intermediary, or by contacting Alliance:
BY MAIL: c/o Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 1520
Secaucus, NJ 07096-1520
BY PHONE: For Information: (800) 221-5672
For Literature: (800) 227-4618
Or you may view or obtain these documents from the Commission:
IN PERSON: at the Commission's Public Reference Room in
Washington, D.C.
BY PHONE: 1-800-SEC-0330
BY MAIL: Public Reference Section
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549-6009
(duplicating fee required)
ON THE INTERNET: www.sec.gov
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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 payments 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.
A-1
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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 unrated 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-2
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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 normally exhibits adequate protection
parameters. However, 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 or C is regarded as
having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the
lowest degree of speculation and C 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.
BB--Debt rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other
speculative debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties
or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions
which could lead to an inadequate capacity to pay interest and
repay principal.
B--Debt rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than debt rated
BB, but there is capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
Adverse business, financial or economic conditions will likely
impair the capacity or willingness to pay principal or repay
interest.
CCC--Debt rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is
dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic
conditions to pay interest and repay principal. In the event of
adverse business, financial or economic conditions, there is not
likely to be capacity to pay interest or repay principal.
CC--Debt rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C--The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a
bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action has been
taken, but payments are being continued.
D--The D rating, unlike other ratings, is not prospective;
rather, it is used only where a default has actually occurred.
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.
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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 fluctuate 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, interest or
preferred dividends. 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.
DP--Preferred stock with dividend arrearages.
FITCH IBCA, INC.
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
A-4
<PAGE>
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
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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-6
<PAGE>
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. Since 1991, Canada generally has
experienced a weakening of its currency. The Canadian Dollar
reached an all-time low of 1.5770 Canadian Dollars per U.S.
Dollar on August 27, 1998. On October 13, 1998 the Canadian
Dollar-U.S. Dollar exchange rate was 1.5510:1. The range of
fluctuation that has 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.
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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.
Prior to 1994, when Mexico experienced an economic crisis that
led to the devaluation of the Peso in December 1994, the Mexican
economy experienced improvement in a number of areas, including
growth in gross domestic product and a substantial reduction in
the rate of inflation and in the public sector financial deficit.
Much of the past improvement in the Mexican economy was due to a
series of economic policy initiatives intended 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 launched 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.
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 the government and the business and labor sectors of
the economy entered into a new accord 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.
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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 continue to 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 and 1997, resulting in increases of 5.2% and 7.0%,
respectively. The growth rate for the first half of 1998 was
5.4%. In addition, inflation dropped from a 52% annual rate in
1995 to a 27.7% annual rate in 1996 and a 15.7% annual rate in
1997. For the first eight months of 1998, the inflation rate
fluctuated between 15.0% and 15.5% on an annualized basis.
Mexico's economy is 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. In addition, there is no
assurance that Mexico's economic policy initiatives will be
successful or that succeeding administrations will continue these
initiatives.
Under economic policy initiatives implemented on and after
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
freely 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. After dropping approximately 55% from 1994
through 1996, in 1997, the average annual Peso-Dollar exchange
rate decreased approximately 4% from that in 1996. At the end of
the first nine months of 1998, the Peso-Dollar exchange rate
decreased approximately 25% from the end of 1997.
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
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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 1930 and has ruled the country for 22 of the past
68 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 an aggressive 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 has
increased each year since 1991, with the exception of 1995.
During 1997, gross domestic product increased an estimated 8.4%
from 1996. Preliminary data indicate that during the first
quarter of 1998 gross domestic product increased 6.9% from the
first quarter of 1997. 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 term and allowed a return to voluntary credit markets.
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 Argentine bank deposits, which was 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
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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 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.
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ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT FUND, INC.
_________________________________________________________________
c/o Alliance Fund Services, 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
March 1, 1999
_________________________________________________________________
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current
Prospectus for Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc.
(the "Fund") that offers Class A, Class B and Class C shares of
the Fund and, if the Fund begins to offer Advisor Class shares,
the Prospectus that offers the Advisor Class shares of the Fund
(the "Advisor Class Prospectus" and, together with any Prospectus
that offers the Class A, Class B and Class C shares, the
"Prospectus(es)"). The Fund currently does not offer Advisor
Class shares. Copies of the Prospectus(es) of the Fund may be
obtained by contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the
address or the "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.......................
Brokerage and Portfolio Transactions.....................
General Information......................................
Report of Independent Auditors and Financial
Statements.............................................
Appendix A (Bond and Commercial Paper Ratings)........... A-1
Appendix B (Futures Contracts and Options on
Futures Contracts and Foreign Currencies).............. B-1
Appendix C (Certain Employee Benefit Plans).............. C-1
_____________________
(R): This registered service mark under license from the owner,
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
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________________________________________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
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Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc. (the
"Fund") is a diversified, open-end investment company. The
following investment policies and restrictions supplement, and
should be read in conjunction with, the information set forth in
the Prospectus of the Fund under the heading "Description of the
Fund." Except as otherwise indicated, investment policies of the
Fund are not designated "fundamental policies" within the meaning
of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "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. The Fund's investment objective may not
be changed without shareholder approval. There can be, of
course, no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment
objective.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund seeks the highest level of current income,
consistent with low volatility of net asset value. As a
fundamental policy, the Fund normally has at least 65% of the
value of its total assets invested in securities that are issued
or guaranteed by the United States Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities ("U.S. Government Securities"), including
mortgage-related securities, and repurchase agreements relating
to U.S. Government Securities.
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 its portfolio. At all times, however, each security
held by the Fund has either a final maturity of not more than 10
years or a duration not exceeding that of a 10-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 the
Fund's assets, it is not exposed to any material risk of loss as
a result of default on any securities held by the Fund. Like all
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investors in interest-bearing securities, however, the Fund is
exposed to the risk that the prices of individual securities held
by it can fluctuate, in some cases significantly, in response to
changes in prevailing interest rates.
The Fund's investment policy of investing at least 65%
of the value of its total assets in U.S. Government securities,
including mortgage related securities, and repurchase agreements
relating to U.S. Government Securities (except when in a
temporary defensive posture) is deemed fundamental and may not be
changed without shareholder approval. The Fund's other
investment polices are not fundamental and, therefore, may be
changed by the Board of Directors without shareholder approval.
For this purpose (and for the purpose of changing the Fund's
investment restrictions and approving the Fund's advisory
agreement, each as more fully described below), the approval of a
majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities means the
affirmative vote of (i) 67% or more of the shares represented at
a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are
present in person or by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the
outstanding shares, whichever is less.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of the value of its total
assets in (i) securities backed by assets such as automobile or
credit card receivables or home equity loans ("asset-backed
securities"), including mortgage-related securities that are not
U.S. Government securities, rated at least Aa by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or AA by Standard & Poor's
Ratings Services ("S&P"), Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. ("Duff
& Phelps") or Fitch Investors Service, Inc. ("Fitch") or, if not
rated, of equivalent investment quality as determined by the
Adviser ("high quality securities"), (ii) "zero coupon" 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) commercial paper rated
at least Prime-2 by Moody's or A-2 by S&P, Duff 2 by Duff &
Phelps or Fitch-2 by Fitch or, if not rated, issued by companies
which have outstanding high quality debt issues and (v) high
quality debt securities of corporate issuers. When business or
financial conditions warrant, the Fund may take a temporary
defensive position and invest without limit in the foregoing
securities.
SECURITIES RATINGS. The ratings of fixed-income
securities by S&P, Moody's, Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co.
("Duff & Phelps") and Fitch IBCA, Inc. ("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
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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. Alliance Capital Management L.P. (the "Adviser")
continuously monitors the ratings of securities held by the Fund
and the creditworthiness of their issuers. For a description of
the commercial paper ratings used by Moody's, S&P, Duff & Phelps
and Fitch, see Appendix A.
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 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 the Government National Mortgage
Association ("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 the Federal National Mortgage
Association ("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation (FHLMC"), and governmental collateralized mortgage
obligations. 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
amount with principal payments at maturity or specified call
dates.
U.S. Government securities also include zero coupon
securities and principal-only securities and certain stripped
mortgage-related securities ("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 interest only ("IO") class and a
principal only ("PO") class. Although these stripped securities
are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several
investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these
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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 the 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.
NEW INSTRUMENTS. The Fund expects that new types of
securities in which the Fund may invest will be developed and
marketed from time to time. Consistent with the Fund's
investment objective, policies and quality standards, the Adviser
will consider investing in such new types of securities.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES
The following additional investment policies supplement
those set forth in the Prospectus.
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS THEREON. The Fund may
enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery
of fixed-income securities or foreign securities, or contracts
based on financial indices including any index of (i) securities
issued or guaranteed by the United States Government, its
agencies or instrumentalities or (ii) 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 securities 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 securities 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 and the price at which the contract was originally
struck. 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. These investment techniques will be used only to
hedge against anticipated future changes in interest or exchange
rates which otherwise might either adversely affect the value of
the Fund's portfolio securities or adversely affect the prices of
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securities which the Fund intends to purchase at a later date.
These investment techniques will not be used for speculation.
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 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 to the correlation between movements
in the price of futures contracts or options on futures contracts
and movements in the price of the securities 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 adopted two
percentage restrictions on the use of futures contracts: (i) 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) 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. Neither of these
restrictions will be changed by the Fund's Board of Directors
without considering the policies and concerns of the various
applicable federal and state regulatory agencies.
See Appendix B for further discussion of the use, risks
and costs of futures contracts and options on futures contracts.
FORWARD COMMITMENTS. The Fund may enter into forward
commitments for the purchase or sale of securities. Such
transactions may include 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, i.e., a "when, as
and if issued" trade.
When forward commitment transactions are negotiated, the
price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at
the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the
securities take place at a later date, normally within two months
after the transaction, although delayed settlements beyond two
months may be negotiated. Securities purchased or sold under a
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forward commitment are subject to market fluctuation, and no
interest accrues to the purchaser prior to the settlement date.
At the time the Fund enters into a forward commitment, it will
record the transaction and thereafter reflect 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 of a "when, as and if
issued" security would be canceled in the event that the required
condition did not occur and the trade was canceled.
The use of forward commitments enables the Fund to
protect against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices.
For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling
bond prices, the 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, the 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. However, if the Adviser were to
forecast incorrectly the direction of interest rate movements,
the Fund might be required to complete such when-issued or
forward transactions at prices less favorable than current market
values. No forward commitments will be made by the Fund if, as a
result, the Fund's aggregate commitments under such transactions
would be more than 30% of the then current value of the Fund's
total assets.
The Fund's right to receive or deliver a security under
a forward commitment may be sold prior to the settlement date,
but the Fund will enter into forward commitments only with the
intention of actually receiving or delivering the securities, as
the case may be. To facilitate such transactions, the Fund's
custodian will maintain, in the separate account of the Fund,
liquid assets having value equal to, or greater than, any
commitments to purchase securities on a forward commitment basis
and, with respect to forward commitments to sell portfolio
securities of the Fund, the portfolio securities themselves. If
the Fund, however, chooses to dispose of the right to receive or
deliver a security subject to a forward commitment prior to the
settlement date of the transaction, it can incur a gain or loss.
In the event the other party to a forward commitment transaction
were to default, the Fund might lose the opportunity to invest
money at favorable rates or to dispose of securities at favorable
prices.
INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may, without
limit, enter into interest rate swaps and may purchase or sell
interest rate caps and floors. The Fund expects to enter into
these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a
particular investment or portion of its portfolio. The Fund may
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also enter into these transactions to protect against any
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates
purchasing at a later date. The Fund does not intend to use
these transactions in a speculative manner. Interest rate swaps
involve the exchange by the 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. The
purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the
extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest
rate, to receive payments of interest on a contractually-based
principal amount from the party selling the interest rate cap.
The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to
the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined
interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a
contractually-based principal amount from the party selling the
interest rate floor.
The Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and
floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis,
depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities,
and will usually enter into interest rate swaps 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. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the
Fund's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each
interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount
of liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least
equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated
account by the Fund's custodian. If the Fund enters into an
interest rate swap on other than a net basis, the Fund will
maintain a segregated account in the full amount accrued on a
daily basis of the Fund's obligations with respect to the swap.
The Fund will not enter into any 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 nationally recognized rating
organization. The Adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of
counterparties on an ongoing basis. If there were a default by
such a counterparty, the Fund would have contractual remedies.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a
large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as
principals and agents utilizing standardized swap documentation.
The Adviser has determined that, as a result, the swap market has
become relatively liquid. Caps and floors are more recent
innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been
developed and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps. To
the extent the Fund sells (i.e., writes) caps and floors, it will
maintain in a segregated account liquid assets having an
aggregate net asset value at least equal to the full amount,
accrued on a daily basis, of the Fund's obligations with respect
to the caps or floors. The use of interest rate swaps is a
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highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques
and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio
securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its
forecasts of the market values, interest rates and other
applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund would
diminish compared with what it would have been if these
investment techniques were not used. Moreover, even if the
Adviser is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that the
swap position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the
asset or liability being hedged.
There is no limit on the amount of interest rate swap
transactions that may be entered into by the Fund. These
transactions do not involve the delivery of securities or other
underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss
with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount
of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to
make. If the other party to an interest rate swap defaults, the
Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of interest
payments that the Fund contractually is entitled to receive. The
Fund may purchase and sell (i.e., write) caps and floors without
limitation, subject to the segregated account requirement
described all over.
EURODOLLAR INSTRUMENTS. The Fund may invest in
Eurodollar instruments for hedging purposes. Eurodollar
instruments are essentially U.S. Dollar-denominated futures
contracts or options thereon that are linked to the 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. The Fund intends to use Eurodollar futures
contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in the
LIBOR to which many short-term borrowings and floating rate
securities are linked. Eurodollar instruments are subject to the
same limitations and risks as other futures contracts and options
thereon as described above and below and in the Fund's Statement
of Additional Information.
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. Options on foreign currencies to be written or
purchased by the Fund are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges or
over-the-counter. As in the case of other kinds of options, the
writing of an option on a foreign currency constitutes only a
partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received. The
Fund must offset an exchange-traded option which it has written
through a closing purchase transaction. The purchase of an
option on a foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge
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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. The
Fund must offset an exchange-traded option which it has purchased
by entering into a closing sale transaction. In connection with
options written or purchased by the Fund over-the-counter, the
Fund can only look to the counter-party for purposes of offset.
There is no specific percentage limitation on the Fund's
investments in options on foreign currencies.
For additional information on the use, risks and costs
of options on foreign currencies, see Appendix B.
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, interest rate
transactions or forward commitment 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
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 values of the securities and currencies hedged will not be
perfect and could produce unanticipated losses.
The Fund's ability to dispose of its position in futures
contracts, options, interest rate transaction and forward
commitment contracts will depend on the availability of liquid
markets in such instruments. Markets for these vehicles with
respect to a number of fixed-income securities and currencies are
relatively new and still developing. If, for example, a
secondary market did 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 portfolio securities covering an option written by the Fund
until the option expired or it delivered the underlying currency
or futures contract upon exercise. No assurance can be given
that the Fund will be able to utilize these instruments
effectively for the purposes set forth above.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into
"repurchase agreements," pertaining to the types of securities in
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which it invests, with member banks of the Federal Reserve System
or "primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York) in U.S. Government Securities (as defined below).
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. 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 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
Adviser monitors the creditworthiness of the dealers with which
the Fund enters into repurchase agreement transactions.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND DOLLAR ROLLS. The
Fund may also use reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls.
Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales by the Fund of
portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to
repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price.
Generally, the effect of such a transaction is that the 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 only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the
reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining
the cash otherwise.
The Fund may enter into dollar rolls in which the Fund
sells securities for delivery in the current month and
simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar
securities on a specified future date. During the roll period,
the Fund foregoes principal and interest paid on the securities.
The Fund is compensated by the difference between the current
sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase
as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the
initial sale.
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The Fund will establish a segregated account in which it
will maintain liquid assets equal in value to its obligations in
respect of reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls.
Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve the risk
that the market value of the securities the 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, the 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 Fund.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund does not expect to engage in
reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls with respect to
greater than 50% of the Fund's total assets.
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 (as defined below), its agencies or instrumentalities
or bank letters of credit equal to at least 100% of the market
value of the securities loaned are 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 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
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
either the Fund or the Adviser. The Board of Directors will
monitor the Fund's lending of portfolio securities.
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 maintain more than 15% of the
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Fund's net assets (taken at market value) in illiquid securities.
For this purpose, illiquid securities include, among others,
(i) direct placements or other securities which are subject to
legal or contractual restrictions on resale or for which there is
no readily available market (e.g., trading in the security is
suspended or, in the case of unlisted securities, market makers
do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers), (ii) options
purchased by the Fund over-the-counter and the cover for options
written by the Fund over-the-counter, and (iii) repurchase
agreements not terminable within seven days. Securities eligible
for resale under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), that have legal or contractual
restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are
not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation. The Adviser
will monitor the liquidity of such securities under the
supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund.
Historically, illiquid securities have included
securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale
because they have not been registered under the Securities Act,
securities which are otherwise not readily marketable and
repurchase agreements having a maturity of longer than seven
days. 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 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.
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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 issuers sponsored
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
The Adviser, acting 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: (i) the frequency
of trades and quotes for the security; (ii) the number of dealers
making quotations to purchase or sell the security; (iii) the
number of other potential purchasers of the security; (iv) the
number of dealers undertaking to make a market in the security;
(v) 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
(vi) any applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") interpretation or position with respect to such
type of securities.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The investment activities described above are likely to
result in the Fund engaging in a considerable amount of trading
of securities held for less than one year. Accordingly, it can
be expected that the Fund will have a higher turnover rate, and,
thus, a higher incidence of short-term capital gains taxable as
ordinary income, than might be expected from investment companies
which invest substantially all of their funds on a long-term
basis. For the fiscal years ended in 1996 and 1997 the portfolio
turnover rates of the securities of the Fund were 159% and 249%,
respectively. Management anticipates that the annual turnover in
the Fund will not exceed 500%. An annual turnover rate of 500%
occurs, for example, when all the securities in the Fund's
portfolio are replaced five times in a period of one year. A
higher rate of portfolio turnover involves correspondingly
14
<PAGE>
greater expenses than a lower rate, which expenses must be borne
by the Fund and its shareholders. See "Dividends, Distributions
and Taxes" and "General Information--Portfolio Transactions."
1940 ACT RESTRICTIONS
Under the 1940 Act, the 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%, the
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 the 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 total assets less liabilities
(other than such borrowings), the asset coverage of the Fund's
portfolio would be 400%. The 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 the Fund to sell portfolio securities at times
considered disadvantageous by the Adviser and such sales could
cause the Fund to incur related transaction costs and to realize
taxable gains.
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.
CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT POLICIES
The following restrictions, which supplement those set
forth in the Fund's Prospectus, may not be changed without a vote
of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities which
means the vote of (1) 67% or more of the shares represented at a
meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the
Fund are represented or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding
shares of the Fund, whichever is less.
The Fund may not:
1. Make loans except through (i) the purchase of debt
obligations in accordance with its investment objective and
15
<PAGE>
policies; (ii) the lending of portfolio securities; and (iii) the
use of repurchase agreements;
2. Participate on a joint or joint and several basis
in any securities trading account;
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;
6. (i) Purchase or sell real estate, except that it
may invest in mortgage-related securities and whole loans and
purchase and sell securities of companies which deal in real
estate or interests therein; (ii) purchase or sell commodities or
commodities contracts, except that it may invest in futures
contracts and options on futures contracts and contracts for the
future acquisition or delivery of fixed-income securities;
(iii) invest in interests in oil, 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 are
sold, the Fund might be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes
of the Securities Act.
To maintain portfolio diversification and reduce
investment risk, as a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund 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
16
<PAGE>
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.
In addition to the restrictions set forth above, in
connection with the qualification of its shares for sale in
certain states, the Fund may not invest in warrants if such
warrants, valued at the lower cost or market, would exceed 5% of
the value of the Fund's net assets. Included within such amount,
but not to exceed 2% of the Fund's net assets may be warrants
which are not listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the
"Exchange") or the American Stock Exchange. Warrants acquired by
the Fund in units or attached to securities may be deemed to be
without value. The Fund also undertakes that it will not
purchase illiquid securities if immediately after such investment
more than 10% of the Fund's net assets (taken at market value)
would be invested in such securities and that it will 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.
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 of any such maximum.
17
<PAGE>
________________________________________________________________
MANAGEMENT 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).
The Adviser is a leading international investment
manager supervising client accounts with assets as of
___________, 1999, totaling more than $___ billion (of which more
than $___ billion represented the assets of investment
companies). The Adviser's clients are primarily major corporate
employee benefit funds, public employee retirement systems,
investment companies, foundations and endowment funds. The __
registered investment companies managed by the Adviser,
comprising ____ separate investment portfolios, currently have
more than ___ million shareholders. As of ______________, 1999,
the Adviser and its subsidiaries employed approximately ______
employees who operate out of domestic offices and the offices of
subsidiaries in Bahrain, Bangalore, Cairo, Chennai, Hong Kong,
Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Moscow,
Mumbai, New Delhi, Paris, Pune, Sao Paolo, Seoul, Singapore,
Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna and Warsaw. As of ________, 1999,
the Adviser was retained as an investment manager for employee
benefit plan assets of __ 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 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 ("AXA") a French insurance holding
company which at March 1, 1998, beneficially owned approximately
59% of the outstanding voting shares of ECI. As of June 30,
1998, 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.
18
<PAGE>
AXA is a holding company for an international group of
insurance and related financial services companies. AXA'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 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, as of March 31,
1998, more than 30% of the voting power of AXA was controlled
directly and indirectly by FINAXA, a French holding company. As
of March 31, 1998 approximately 74% 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 42% of the voting power of FINAXA. Acting
as a group, the Mutuelles AXA control AXA and FINAXA.
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 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.
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.
The Adviser is, under the Advisory Agreement,
responsible for certain expenses incurred by the Fund, including,
for example, office facilities and certain administrative
services, and any expenses incurred in promoting the sale of Fund
shares (other than the portion of the promotional expenses borne
19
<PAGE>
by the Fund in accordance with an effective plan pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the costs of printing Fund
prospectuses and other reports to shareholders and fees related
to registration with the Commission and with state regulatory
authorities).
The Fund has, under the Advisory Agreement, assumed the
obligation for payment of all of its other expenses. As to the
obtaining of services other than those specifically provided to
the Fund by the Adviser, the Fund may utilize personnel employed
by the Adviser or by other subsidiaries of Equitable. The Fund
may employ its own personnel or contract for services to be
performed by third parties. In such event, the services will be
provided to the Fund at cost and the payments specifically
approved by the Fund's Board of Directors. The Fund paid to the
Adviser a total of $141,000 in respect of such services during
the fiscal year of the Fund ended in 1998.
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.
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 the purpose held on April 29, 1992, and by the
Fund's initial shareholder of the Fund on April 29, 1992. The
Advisory Agreement continues in force for successive twelve-month
periods (computed from each December 1), provided that such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the
Fund's Directors or by a majority vote of the holders of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund, and, in either case,
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, the continuance of the
Advisory Agreement until November 30, 1999 was approved by a
vote, cast in person, of the Directors, including a majority of
the Directors who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or
interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for
that purpose and held on October 15, 1998. The Advisory
Agreement may be terminated without penalty on 60 days' written
notice at the option of either party or by a vote of the
20
<PAGE>
shareholders; it will automatically terminate in the event of
assignment. The Adviser is not liable for any action or inaction
in regard to its obligations under the Advisory Agreement as long
as it does not exhibit willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations.
For the services rendered by the Adviser under the
Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser at an annual rate
of .65 of 1% of the Fund's average net assets. For the fiscal
years ended November 30, 1998, November 30, 1997 and November 30,
1996, the Adviser received from the Fund advisory fees in the
amounts of $___________, $603,635 and $908,425, respectively.
The Adviser may act as an investment adviser to other
persons, firms or corporations, including investment companies,
and is investment adviser to Alliance 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
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
Institutional Funds, Inc., Alliance International Fund, Alliance
International Premier Growth Fund, Inc., Alliance Limited
Maturity Government Fund, Inc., 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 Select Investor Series, Inc., Alliance Technology Fund,
Inc., Alliance Utility Income Fund, Inc., Alliance Variable
Products Series Fund, Inc., Alliance Worldwide Privatization
Fund, Inc., The Alliance Portfolios 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.
21
<PAGE>
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 of the following persons is 1345 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10105.
DIRECTORS
JOHN D. CARIFA,* 53, Chairman of the Board, is the
President, Chief Operating Officer and a Director of Alliance
Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC"), with which he has been
associated since prior to 1993.
RUTH BLOCK, 67, was formerly an Executive Vice President
and the Chief Insurance Officer of The Equitable Life Assurance
Society of the United States. She is a Director of Ecolab
Incorporated (specialty chemicals) and Amoco Corporation (oil and
gas). Her address is P.O. Box 4623, Stamford, Connecticut 06903.
DAVID H. DIEVLER, 69, is an independent consultant. He
was formerly a Senior Vice President of ACMC until December 1994.
His address is P.O. Box 167, Spring Lake, New Jersey 07762.
JOHN H. DOBKIN, 56, has been the President of Historic
Hudson Valley (historic preservation) since prior to 1993.
Previously, he was Director of the National Academy of Design.
His address is 150 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591.
WILLIAM H. FOULK, JR., 66, 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 1993. His address is
Room 100, 2 Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.
DR. JAMES M. HESTER, 74, is President of the Harry Frank
Guggenheim Foundation, with which he has been associated since
prior to 1993. He was formerly President of New York University,
the New York Botanical Garden and Rector of the United Nations
University. His address is 25 Cleveland Lane, Princeton, New
Jersey 08540.
CLIFFORD L. MICHEL, 59, is a member of the law firm of
Cahill Gordon & Reindel, with which he has been associated since
____________________
* An "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the 1940
Act.
22
<PAGE>
prior to 1993. He is President and Chief Executive Officer of
Wenonah Development Company (investments) and a Director of
Placer Dome, Inc. (mining). His address is St. Bernard's Road,
Gladstone, New Jersey 07934.
DONALD J. ROBINSON, 64, is Senior Counsel to the law
firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and was formerly a senior
partner and a member of the Executive Committee of that firm. He
was also a Trustee of the Museum of the City of New York from
1977 to 1995. His address is 98 Hell's Peak Road, Weston,
Vermont 05161.
OFFICERS
JOHN D. CARIFA, Chairman and President, see biography
(under "Directors" section) above.
KATHLEEN A. CORBET, 38, Senior Vice President, is an
Executive Vice President of ACMC, with which she has been
associated since July 1993. Prior thereto, she headed Equitable
Capital Management Corporation's Fixed Income Management
Department since prior to 1993.
WAYNE D. LYSKI, 57, Senior Vice President, is an
Executive Vice President of ACMC, with which he has been
associated since prior to 1993.
JEFFREY S. PHLEGAR, 32, Senior Vice President, is a Vice
President of ACMC, with which he has been associated since prior
to 1993.
PATRICIA J. YOUNG, 44, Senior Vice President, is a
Senior Vice President of ACMC, with which she has been associated
since prior to 1993.
EDMUND P. BERGAN, JR., 48, Secretary, is a Senior Vice
President and the General Counsel of Alliance Fund Distributors,
Inc. ("AFD") and Alliance Fund Services, Inc. ("AFS"), with which
he has been associated since prior to 1993.
ANDREW L. GANGOLF, 44, Assistant Secretary, is a Vice
President and Assistant General Counsel of AFD, with which he has
been associated since December 1994. Prior thereto, he was a
Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Delaware Management
Company, Inc. since prior to 1993.
DOMENICK PUGLIESE, 37, Assistant Secretary, is a Vice
President and Assistant General Counsel of AFD, with which he has
been associated since May 1995. Previously, he was a Vice
President and Counsel of Concord Holding Corporation since 1994
23
<PAGE>
and Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Prudential
Securities since prior to 1993.
EMILIE D. WRAPP, 42, Assistant Secretary, is a Vice
President and Assistant General Counsel of AFD, with which she
has been associated since prior to 1993.
MARK D. GERSTEN, 48, Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer, is a Senior Vice President of AFS, with which he has
been associated since prior to 1993.
JUAN J. RODRIGUEZ, 41, Controller, is an Assistant Vice
President of AFS with which he has been associated since prior to
1993.
The aggregate compensation paid by the Fund to each of
the Directors during its fiscal year ended November 30, 1998, the
aggregate compensation paid to each of the Directors during
calendar year 1998 by all of the registered investment companies
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
registered investment company 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.
24
<PAGE>
Total Number
Total Number of Investment
of Registered Portfolios
Investment Within the
Companies Alliance
Total in the Alliance Fund, Complex
Compensation Fund Complex, Including the
from the Including the Fund, as to
Alliance Fund Fund, as to which the
Aggregate Complex, which the Director Director is a
Compensation Including is a Director Director or
Name of Director From the Fund the Fund or Trustee Trustee
________________ _____________ _____________ __________________ _____________
John D. Carifa $-0- $-0- __ ___
Ruth Block $______ $______ __ ___
David H. Dievler $______ $______ __ ___
John H. Dobkin $______ $______ __ ___
William H. Foulk, Jr. $______ $______ __ ___
Dr. James M. Hester $______ $______ __ ___
Clifford L. Michel $______ $______ __ ___
Donald J. Robinson $______ $______ __ ___
As of ________, 1999 the Directors and officers of the
Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.
________________________________________________________________
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"), to permit the
Principal Underwriter to distribute the Fund's shares and to
permit the Fund to pay distribution services fees to defray
expenses associated with the distribution of its Class A, Class B
and Class C shares in accordance with a plan of distribution
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").
Rule 12b-1 permits an investment company to pay expenses
associated with the distribution of its share in accordance with
the duly adopted Rule 12b-1 Plan. Pursuant to the Rule 12b-1
Plan, the Fund pays to AFD a Rule 12b-1 distribution services
fee, which may not exceed an annual rate of .30% of the Fund's
25
<PAGE>
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, for distribution expenses. The Rule 12b-1 Plan provides
that a portion of the distribution services fee in an amount not
to exceed .25% of the aggregate average daily net assets of the
Fund attributable to each class of shares constitutes a service
fee used for personal service and/or the maintenance of
shareholder accounts.
During the fiscal year ended November 30, 1998, the Fund
paid distribution services fees for expenditures under the
Agreement, with respect to Class A shares, in amounts aggregating
$_____, which constituted ___ of 1%, annualized, of the Fund's
average daily net assets attributable to the Class A shares
during the period, and the Adviser made payments from its own
resources as described above in the aggregate amount of $_______.
Of the $_______ paid by the Fund and the Adviser under the Plan
with respect to Class A shares, $_______ was spent on
advertising, $_______ on the printing and mailing of prospectuses
for persons other than current shareholders, $_______ for
compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries
(including, $_______ to the Fund's Principal Underwriter),
$_______ for compensation to sales personnel and $_______ was
spent on the printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment,
due diligence and other promotional expenses.
During the fiscal year ended November 30, 1998, the Fund
paid distribution services fees for expenditures under the
Agreement, with respect to Class B shares, in amounts aggregating
$_______, which constituted approximately __% of the Fund's
average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares
during the period. Of the $_______ paid by the Fund under the
Plan, with respect to the Class B shares, $_______ was spent on
advertising, $_______ on printing and mailing of prospectuses for
persons other than current shareholders, $_______ for
compensation to broker- dealers and other financial
intermediaries (including, $_______ to the Fund's Principal
Underwriter), $_______ for compensation to sales personnel,
$_______ was spent on the printing of sales literature, travel,
entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses and
$_______ was spent on interest on Class B financing. The
additional $_______ in payments to the Principal Underwriter will
be carried forward and offset against future distribution service
fees payable under the Plan.
During the Fund's fiscal year ended November 30, 1998,
the Fund paid distribution services fees for expenditures under
the Agreement, with respect to Class C shares, in amounts
aggregating $_______ which constituted approximately __%,
26
<PAGE>
annualized, of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable
to Class C shares during the period and the Adviser made payments
from its own resources as described above aggregating $_______.
Of the $_______ paid by the Fund and the Adviser under the Plan,
with respect to Class C shares, $_______ was spent on
advertising, $_______ on printing and mailing of prospectuses for
persons other than current shareholders, $_______ for
compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries
(including, $_______ to the Fund's Principal Underwriter),
$_______ for compensation to sales personnel, $_______ was spent
on the printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due
diligence and other promotional expenses and $_______ was spent
on interest on Class C financing.
Distribution services fees are accrued daily and paid
monthly and are charged as expenses of the Fund as accrued. The
distribution services fees attributable to the Class B shares and
Class C shares are designed to permit an investor to purchase
such shares through broker-dealers without the assessment of an
initial sales charge, and at the same time to permit the
Principal Underwriter to compensate broker-dealers in connection
with the sale of such shares. In this regard, the purpose and
function of the combined contingent deferred sales charges and
distribution services fees on the Class B shares and the
distribution services fee on the Class C shares are the same as
those of the initial sales charge and distribution services fee
with respect to the Class A shares in that in each case the sales
charge and distribution services fee provide for the financing of
the distribution of the relevant class of the Fund's shares.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan provides that AFD will use the
distribution services fee received from the 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 administrative, accounting
and other services with respect to the Fund's shareholders. In
this regard, some payments under the Rule 12b-1 Plan are used to
compensate financial intermediaries with trail or maintenance
commissions in an amount equal to .25%, annualized, with respect
to Class A shares and Class B shares, and 1.00%, annualized, with
respect to Class C shares, of the assets maintained in the Fund
by its customers. Distribution services fees received from the
Fund 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 Fund, with respect to Class B and Class C
shares, may be used for these purposes. The Rule 12b-1 Plan also
provides that the Adviser may use its own resources to finance
27
<PAGE>
the distribution of the Fund's shares. The Fund is not obligated
under the Rule 12b-1 Plan to pay any distribution services fee in
excess of the amounts set forth above. With respect to Class A
shares of the 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 for any
given year, however, will probably exceed the distribution
services fee payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to
the class involved and, in the case of Class B and Class C
shares, payments received from Contingent Deferred Sales Charges
("CDSCs"). The excess will be carried forward by AFD and
reimbursed from distribution services fees payable under the Rule
12b-1 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 Rule 12b-1 Plan is in effect.
Unreimbursed distribution expenses incurred as of the
end of the 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 the Fund, were, as of that time
$_______ (____% as a percentage of Net Assets of Class B Shares)
and $_________ (____% as a percentage of Net Assets of Class C
Shares), respectively.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan is 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.
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 for their review on a quarterly basis. Also, the Agreement
provides that the selection and nomination of Directors who are
not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act,
are committed to the discretion of such disinterested Directors
then in office.
The Agreement became effective on July 22, 1992 and was
amended as of April 30, 1993 to permit the distribution of an
additional class of shares, Class C shares. The amendment to the
Agreement was approved by the unanimous vote, cast in person, of
the disinterested Directors at a meeting called for that purpose
28
<PAGE>
and held on February 23, 1993, and by the initial holder of
Class C shares of the Fund on April 30, 1993. The Agreement
became effective on September 30, 1996 with respect to Advisor
Class shares.
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.
The Agreement will continue in effect for successive
twelve-month periods (computed from each December 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 1940 Act) of that class, and, in either case, by a majority
of the Directors of the Fund who are not parties to the Agreement
or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 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
Rule 12b-1 Plan or any agreement related thereto. Most recently
the continuance of the Agreement until November 30, 1999 was
approved by a vote, cast in person, of the Directors, including a
majority of the Directors who are not "interested persons", as
defined in the 1940 Act, at their meeting held on October 15,
1998.
In the event that the Agreement is terminated or not
continued with respect to the Class A shares, Class B shares or
Class C shares, (i) no distribution services fees (other than
current amounts accrued but not yet paid) would be owed by the
Fund to the Principal Underwriter with respect to that class, and
(ii) the Fund would not be obligated to pay the Principal
Underwriter for any amounts expended under the Agreement not
previously recovered by the Principal Underwriter from
distribution services fees in respect of shares of such class or
through deferred sales charges.
All material amendments to the Agreement must be
approved by a vote of the Directors or the holders of the Fund's
outstanding voting securities, voting separately by class, 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 holders
of the outstanding voting shares of the class or classes
affected. The Agreement may be terminated (a) by the Fund
29
<PAGE>
without penalty at any time by a majority vote of the holders of
the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, voting separately
by class or by a majority vote of the directors who are not
"interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act, or (b) by the
Principal Underwriter. To terminate the Agreement, any party
must give the other parties 60 days' written notice; to terminate
the Rule 12b-1 Plan only, the Fund need give no notice to the
Principal Underwriter. The Agreement will terminate
automatically in the event of its assignment.
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 Fund's 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
Agreement. 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.
TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
Alliance Fund Services, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Adviser, located at 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus,
New Jersey 07094, acts as the Fund's registrar, transfer agent
and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based upon the number of
account holders of each of the Class A shares, Class B shares,
Class C shares and Advisor Class shares of the Fund, plus
reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses. The transfer agency
fee with respect to the Class B shares and Class C shares is
higher than the transfer agency fee with respect to the Class A
shares and Advisor Class shares, reflecting the additional costs
associated with the Class B and Class C contingent deferred sales
charges. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 1998, the Fund
paid Alliance Fund Services, Inc. $_______ pursuant to the
Transfer Agency Agreement.
________________________________________________________________
PURCHASE OF SHARES
________________________________________________________________
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Prospectus(es) under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares -- How to Buy Shares."
30
<PAGE>
GENERAL
Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis at
a price equal to their net asset value plus an initial sales
charge at the time of purchase ("Class A shares"), with a
contingent deferred sales charge ("Class B shares"), without any
initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held for one
year or more, without any contingent deferred sales charge
("Class C shares"), or, to investors eligible to purchase Advisor
Class shares, without any initial, contingent deferred or asset-
based sales charge, in each case as described below. Shares of
the Fund that are offered subject to a sales charge are offered
through (i) investment dealers that are members of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. 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.
Advisor Class shares of the Fund may be purchased and
held solely (i) through accounts established under fee-based
programs, sponsored and maintained by registered broker-dealers
or other financial intermediaries and approved by the Principal
Underwriter, (ii) through self-directed defined contribution
employee benefit plans (e.g., 401(k) plans) that have at least
1,000 participants or $25 million in assets or (iii) by the
categories of investors described in clauses (i) through (iv)
below under "--Sales at Net Asset Value" (other than officers,
directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers
or agents, or relatives of such person, or any trust, individual
retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of
such relative, none of whom is eligible on the basis solely of
such status to purchase and hold Advisor Class shares), or
(iv) by directors and present or retired full-time employees of
CB Richard Ellis, Inc. Generally, a fee-based program must
charge an asset-based or other similar fee and must invest at
least $250,000 in Advisor Class shares of the Fund in order to be
approved by AFD for investment in Advisor Class shares.
Investors may purchase shares of the Fund either 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 Class A, Class B,
Class C or Advisor Class 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
31
<PAGE>
by the Fund, including requirements as to the minimum initial and
subsequent investment amounts. Sales personnel of selected
dealers and agents distributing the Funds shares may receive
differing compensation for selling Class A, Class B, Class C or
Advisor Class shares.
The Fund may refuse any order for the purchase of
shares. The Fund reserves the right to suspend the sale of its
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, plus, in the case of Class A shares, a sales
charge which will vary depending on the purchase alternative
chosen by the investor, as shown in the table below under
"Class A Shares". 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 in accordance with the Fund's Articles of Incorporation
and By-Laws as of the next close of regular trading on 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 respective per share net asset values of the
Class A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares are expected
to be substantially the same. Under certain circumstances,
however, the per share net asset values of the Class B and
Class C shares may be lower than the per share net asset values
of the Class A and Advisor Class shares as a result of the
differential daily expense accruals of the distribution and
transfer agency fees applicable with respect to those classes of
shares. Even under those circumstances, the per share net asset
values of the four classes eventually will tend to converge
immediately after the payment of dividends, which will differ by
approximately the amount of the expense accrual differential
among the classes.
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 (plus applicable Class A sales
charges), 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 (plus applicable Class A sales charges).
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
32
<PAGE>
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. (Certain
selected dealers, agents or financial representatives may enter
into operating agreements permitting them to transmit purchase
information to the Principal Underwriter after 5:00 p.m. Eastern
time and receive that day's asset value.) 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
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. Eastern 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.
33
<PAGE>
In addition to the discount or commission paid to
dealers or agents, the Principal Underwriter from time to time
pays additional cash or other incentives to dealers or agents, 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 Alliance Mutual
Funds, as defined below, 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 or agent 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.
Class A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares each
represent an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the
Fund, have the same rights and are identical in all respects,
except that (i) Class A shares bear the expense of the initial
sales charge (or contingent deferred sales charge, when
applicable) and Class B and Class C shares bear the expense of
the deferred sales charge, (ii) Class B shares and Class C shares
each bear the expense of a higher distribution services fee than
that borne by Class A shares, and Advisor Class shares do not
bear such a fee, (iii) Class B shares and Class C shares bear
higher transfer agency costs than those borne by Class A shares
and Advisor Class shares, (iv) each of Class A, Class B, and
Class C shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to
provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which its
distribution services fee is paid and other matters for which
separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law,
provided that, if the Fund submits to a vote of the Class A
shareholders, an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would
materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect
to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted
to the Class B shareholders and Advisor Class shareholders and
the Class A, Class B and Advisor Class shareholders will vote
separately by Class, and (v) Class B shares and Advisor Class
shares are subject to a conversion feature. Each class has
different exchange privileges and certain different shareholder
service options available.
The Directors of the Fund have determined that currently
no conflict of interest exists between or among the Class A,
Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares. On an ongoing basis,
the Directors of the Fund, pursuant to their fiduciary duties
34
<PAGE>
under the 1940 Act and state law, will seek to ensure that no
such conflict arises.
Alternative Retail Purchase Arrangements -- Class A, Class B and
Class C Shares**
The alternative purchase arrangements available with
respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares permit an investor
to choose the method of purchasing shares that is most beneficial
given the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor
expects to hold the shares, and other circumstances. Investors
should consider whether, during the anticipated life of their
investment in the Fund, the accumulated distribution services fee
and contingent deferred sales charge on Class B shares prior to
conversion, or the accumulated distribution services fee and
contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares, would be less
than the initial sales charge and accumulated distribution
services fee on Class A shares purchased at the same time, and to
what extent such differential would be offset by the higher
return of Class A shares. Class A shares will normally be more
beneficial than Class B shares to the investor who qualifies for
reduced initial sales charges on Class A shares, as described
below. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter will reject any
order (except orders from certain retirement plans and certain
employee benefit plans) for more than $250,000 for Class B
shares. (See Appendix C for information concerning the
eligibility of certain employee benefit plans to purchase Class B
shares at net asset value without being subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge and the ineligibility of certain such plans
to purchases Class A shares.) Class C shares will normally not
be suitable for the investor who qualifies to purchase Class A
shares at net asset value. For this reason, the Principal
Underwriter will reject any order for more than $1,000,000 for
Class C shares.
Class A shares are subject to a lower distribution
services fee and, accordingly, pay correspondingly higher
dividends per share than Class B shares or Class C shares.
However, because initial sales charges are deducted at the time
of purchase, investors purchasing Class A shares would not have
all their funds invested initially and, therefore, would
initially own fewer shares. Investors not qualifying for reduced
initial sales charges who expect to maintain their investment for
an extended period of time might consider purchasing Class A
shares because the accumulated continuing distribution charges on
Class B shares or Class C shares may exceed the initial sales
charge on Class A shares during the life of the investment.
____________________
** Advisor Class shares are sold only to investors described
above in this section under "--General."
35
<PAGE>
Again, however, such investors must weigh this consideration
against the fact that, because of such initial sales charges, not
all their funds will be invested initially.
Other investors might determine, however, that it would
be more advantageous to purchase Class B shares or Class C shares
in order to have all their funds invested initially, although
remaining subject to higher continuing distribution charges and
being subject to a contingent deferred sales charge for a three-
year and one-year period, respectively. For example, based on
current fees and expenses, an investor subject to the 4.25%
initial sales charge (on Class A shares) would have to hold his
or her investment approximately seven years for the Class C
distribution services fee to exceed the initial sales charge plus
the accumulated distribution services fee of Class A shares. In
this example, an investor intending to maintain his or her
investment for a longer period might consider purchasing Class A
shares. This example does not take into account the time value of
money, which further reduces the impact of the Class C
distribution services fees on the investment, fluctuations in net
asset value or the effect of different performance assumptions.
Those investors who prefer to have all of their funds
invested initially but may not wish to retain Fund shares for the
three-year period during which Class B shares are subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge may find it more advantageous to
purchase Class C shares.
During the Fund's fiscal years ended in 1998, 1997 and
1996, the aggregate amount of underwriting commissions payable
with respect to Class A shares of the Fund were $_______, $62,887
and $34,256, respectively. Of those amounts, the Principal
Underwriter received the amounts of $_______, $-0- and $2,444,
respectively, representing that portion of the sales charges paid
on shares of the Fund sold during the year which was not
reallowed to selected dealers (and was, accordingly, retained by
the Principal Underwriter). During the Fund's fiscal years ended
in 1998, 1997 and 1996, the Principal Underwriter received
contingent deferred sales charges of $_______, $11 and $-0-,
respectively, on Class A shares, $______, $39,451 and $87,323,
respectively, on Class B shares, and $_____, $20,202 and $2,744,
respectively, on Class C shares.
CLASS A SHARES
The public offering price of Class A shares is the net
asset value plus a sales charge, as set forth below.
36
<PAGE>
SALES CHARGE
Discount or
Commission
As % of As % of to Dealers or
Amount of Net Amount the Public Agents As % of
Purchase Invested Offering Price Offering Price
Less than
$100,000. . . 4.44% 4.25% 4.00%
$100,000 but
less than
$250,000. . . 3.36 3.25 3.00
$250,000 but
less than
$500,000. . . 2.30 2.25 2.00
$500,000 but
less than
$1,000,000*. . . 1.78 1.75 1.50
* There is no initial sales charge on transactions of $1,000,000
or more.
With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more, Class A
shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge equal to 1% of the lesser of the
cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the
time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed
on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price.
In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from
reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The
contingent deferred sales charge on Class A shares will be waived
on certain redemptions, as described below under "--Class B
Shares." In determining the contingent deferred sales charge
applicable to a redemption of Class A shares, it will be assumed
that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject
to a contingent deferred sales charge (for example, because an
initial sales charge was paid with respect to the shares, or they
have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies
or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or
distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the
time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the
contingent deferred sales charge on Class A shares are paid to
the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal
Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter
related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in
connection with the sales of Class A shares, such as the payment
of compensation to selected dealers or agents for selling Class A
Shares. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more made
through selected dealers or agents, the Adviser may, pursuant to
37
<PAGE>
the Distribution Services Agreement described above, pay such
dealers or agents from its own resources a fee of up to 1% of the
amount invested to compensate such dealers or agents for their
distribution assistance in connection with such purchases.
No initial sales charge is imposed on Class A shares
issued (i) pursuant to the automatic reinvestment of income
dividends or capital gains distributions, (ii) in exchange for
Class A shares of other "Alliance Mutual Funds" (as that term is
defined under "Combined Purchase Privilege" below), except that
an initial sales charge will be imposed on Class A shares issued
in exchange for Class A shares of AFD Exchange Reserves ("AFDER")
that were purchased for cash without the payment of an initial
sales charge and without being subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge or (iii) upon the automatic conversion of Class B
shares or Advisor Class shares as described below under "-
- -Class B Shares -- Conversion Feature" and "--Conversion of
Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares." The Fund receives the
entire net asset value of its Class A shares sold to investors.
The Principal Underwriter's commission is the sales charge shown
above less any applicable discount or commission "reallowed" to
selected dealers and agents. The Principal Underwriter will
reallow discounts to selected dealers and agents in the amounts
indicated in the table above. In this regard, the Principal
Underwriter may elect to reallow the entire sales charge to
selected dealers and agents for all sales with respect to which
orders are placed with the Principal Underwriter. A selected
dealer who receives reallowance in excess of 90% of such a sales
charge may be deemed to be an "underwriter" under the Securities
Act.
Set forth below is an example of the method of computing
the offering price of the Class A shares. The example assumes a
purchase of Class A shares of the Fund aggregating less than
$100,000 subject to the schedule of sales charges set forth above
at a price based upon the net asset value of Class A shares of
the Fund on November 30, 1998.
Net Asset Value per Class A
Share at November 30, 1998 $
Per Share Sales Charge - 4.25%
of offering price (4.44% of
net asset value per share) $
_____
Class A Per Share Offering Price
to the Public $
=====
Investors choosing the initial sales charge alternative
may under certain circumstances be entitled to pay (i) no initial
38
<PAGE>
sales charge (but may be subject in most such cases to a
contingent deferred sales charge) or (ii) a reduced initial sales
charge. The circumstances under which such investors may pay a
reduced initial sales charge are described below.
COMBINED PURCHASE PRIVILEGE. Certain persons may
qualify for the sales charge reductions indicated in the schedule
of such charges above by combining purchases of shares of the
Fund into a single "purchase," if the resulting "purchase" totals
at least $100,000. The term "purchase" refers to: (i) a single
purchase by an individual, or to concurrent purchases, which in
the aggregate are at least equal to the prescribed amounts, by an
individual, his or her spouse and their children under the age of
21 years purchasing shares of the Fund for his, her or their own
account(s); (ii) a single purchase by a trustee or other
fiduciary purchasing shares for a single trust, estate or single
fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved;
or (iii) a single purchase for the employee benefit plans of a
single employer. The term "purchase" also includes purchases by
any "company," as the term is defined in the 1940 Act, but does
not include purchases by any such company which has not been in
existence for at least six months or which has no purpose other
than the purchase of shares of the Fund or shares of other
registered investment companies at a discount. The term
"purchase" does not include purchases by any group of individuals
whose sole organizational nexus is that the participants therein
are credit card holders of a company, policy holders of an
insurance company, customers of either a bank or broker-dealer or
clients of an investment adviser. A "purchase" may also include
shares, purchased at the same time through a single selected
dealer or agent, of any other "Alliance Mutual Fund." Currently,
the Alliance Mutual Funds include:
AFD Exchange Reserves
Alliance All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc.
Alliance Balanced Shares, Inc.
Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.
-Corporate Bond Portfolio
-U.S. Government Portfolio
Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Environment Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Small Cap Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Strategic Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Greater China '97 Fund, Inc.
Alliance Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance High Yield Fund, Inc.
Alliance International Fund
Alliance International Premier Growth Fund, Inc.
Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc.
Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc.
39
<PAGE>
Alliance Municipal Income Fund, Inc.
-California Portfolio
-Insured California Portfolio
-Insured National Portfolio
-National Portfolio
-New York Portfolio
Alliance Municipal Income Fund II
-Arizona Portfolio
-Florida Portfolio
-Massachusetts Portfolio
-Michigan Portfolio
-Minnesota Portfolio
-New Jersey Portfolio
-Ohio Portfolio
-Pennsylvania Portfolio
-Virginia Portfolio
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 Technology Fund, Inc.
Alliance Utility Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc.
The Alliance Fund, Inc.
The Alliance Portfolios
-Alliance Growth Fund
-Alliance Conservative Investors Fund
-Alliance Growth Investors Fund
-Alliance Short-Term U.S. Government Fund
Prospectuses for the Alliance Mutual Funds may be
obtained without charge by contacting Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number
shown on the front cover of this Statement of Additional
Information.
CUMULATIVE QUANTITY DISCOUNT (RIGHT OF ACCUMULATION). An
investor's purchase of additional Class A shares of the Fund may
qualify for a Cumulative Quantity Discount. The applicable sales
charge will be based on the total of:
(i) the investor's current purchase;
(ii) the net asset value (at the close of business
on the previous day) of (a) all shares of the
Fund held by the investor and (b) all shares
of any other Alliance Mutual Fund held by the
investor; and
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(iii) the net asset value of all shares described
in paragraph (ii) owned by another
shareholder eligible to combine his or her
purchase with that of the investor into a
single "purchase" (see above).
For example, if an investor owned shares of an Alliance
Mutual Fund worth $200,000 at their then current net asset value
and, subsequently, purchased Class A shares of the Fund worth an
additional $100,000, the sales charge for the $100,000 purchase
would be at the 2.25% rate applicable to a single $300,000
purchase of shares of the Fund, rather than the 3.25% rate.
To qualify for the Combined Purchase Privilege or to
obtain the Cumulative Quantity Discount on a purchase through a
selected dealer or agent, the investor or selected dealer or
agent must provide the Principal Underwriter with sufficient
information to verify that each purchase qualifies for the
privilege or discount.
STATEMENT OF INTENTION. Class A investors may also
obtain the reduced sales charges shown in the table above by
means of a written Statement of Intention, which expresses the
investor's intention to invest not less than $100,000 within a
period of 13 months in Class A shares (or Class A, Class B,
Class C and/or Advisor Class shares) of the Fund or any other
Alliance Mutual Fund. Each purchase of shares under a Statement
of Intention will be made at the public offering price or prices
applicable at the time of such purchase to a single transaction
of the dollar amount indicated in the Statement of Intention. At
the investor's option, a Statement of Intention may include
purchases of shares of the Fund or any other Alliance Mutual Fund
made not more than 90 days prior to the date that the investor
signs the Statement of Intention; however, the 13-month period
during which the Statement of Intention is in effect will begin
on the date of the earliest purchase to be included.
Investors qualifying for the Combined Purchase Privilege
described above may purchase shares of the Alliance Mutual Funds
under a single Statement of Intention. For example, if at the
time an investor signs a Statement of Intention to invest at
least $100,000 in Class A shares of the Fund, the investor and
the investor's spouse each purchase shares of the Fund worth
$20,000 (for a total of $40,000), it will only be necessary to
invest a total of $60,000 during the following 13 months in
shares of the Fund or any other Alliance Mutual Fund, to qualify
for the 3.25% sales charge on the total amount being invested
(the sales charge applicable to an investment of $100,000).
The Statement of Intention is not a binding obligation
upon the investor to purchase the full amount indicated. The
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minimum initial investment under a Statement of Intention is 5%
of such amount. Shares purchased with the first 5% of such
amount will be held in escrow (while remaining registered in the
name of the investor) to secure payment of the higher sales
charge applicable to the shares actually purchased if the full
amount indicated is not purchased, and such escrowed shares will
be involuntarily redeemed to pay the additional sales charge, if
necessary. Dividends on escrowed shares, whether paid in cash or
reinvested in additional Fund shares, are not subject to escrow.
When the full amount indicated has been purchased, the escrow
will be released. To the extent that an investor purchases more
than the dollar amount indicated on the Statement of Intention
and qualifies for a further reduced sales charge, the sales
charge will be adjusted for the entire amount purchased at the
end of the 13-month period. The difference in the sales charge
will be used to purchase additional shares of the Fund subject to
the rate of the sales charge applicable to the actual amount of
the aggregate purchases.
Investors wishing to enter into a Statement of Intention
in conjunction with their initial investment in Class A shares of
the Fund should complete the appropriate portion of the
Subscription Application found in the Prospectus while current
Class A shareholders desiring to do so can obtain a form of
Statement of Intention by contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this
Statement of Additional Information.
CERTAIN RETIREMENT PLANS. Multiple participant payroll
deduction retirement plans may also purchase shares of the Fund
or any other Alliance Mutual Fund at a reduced sales charge on a
monthly basis during the 13-month period following such a plan's
initial purchase. The sales charge applicable to such initial
purchase of shares of the Fund will be that normally applicable,
under the schedule of the sales charges set forth in this
Statement of Additional Information, to an investment 13 times
larger than such initial purchase. The sales charge applicable
to each succeeding monthly purchase will be that normally
applicable, under such schedule, to an investment equal to the
sum of (i) the total purchase previously made during the 13-month
period and (ii) the current month's purchase multiplied by the
number of months (including the current month) remaining in the
13-month period. Sales charges previously paid during such
period will not be retroactively adjusted on the basis of later
purchases.
REINSTATEMENT PRIVILEGE. A shareholder who has caused
any or all of his or her Class A or Class B shares of the Fund to
be redeemed or repurchased may reinvest all or any portion of the
redemption or repurchase proceeds in Class A shares of the Fund
at net asset value without any sales charge, provided that
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(i) such reinvestment is made within 120 calendar days after the
redemption or repurchase date and (ii) for Class B shares, a
contingent deferred sales charge has been paid and the Principal
Underwriter has approved, at its discretion, the reinvestment of
such shares. Shares are sold to a reinvesting shareholder at the
net asset value next determined as described above. A
reinstatement pursuant to this privilege will not cancel the
redemption or repurchase transaction; therefore, any gain or loss
so realized will be recognized for Federal income tax purposes
except that no loss will be recognized to the extent that the
proceeds are reinvested in shares of the Fund within 30 calendar
days after the redemption or repurchase transaction. Investors
may exercise the reinstatement privilege by written request sent
to the Fund at the address shown on the cover of this Statement
of Additional Information.
SALES AT NET ASSET VALUE. The Fund may sell its Class A
shares at net asset value (i.e., without an initial sales charge)
and without a contingent deferred sales charge to certain
categories of investors including: (i) investment management
clients of the Adviser or its affiliates; (ii) officers and
present or former Directors of the Fund; present or former
directors and trustees of other investment companies managed by
the Adviser; present or retired full-time employees of the
Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
and their affiliates; officers and directors of ACMC, the
Principal Underwriter, Alliance Fund Services, Inc. and their
affiliates; officers, directors and present and full-time
employees of selected dealers or agents; or the spouse, sibling,
direct ancestor or direct descendant (collectively "relatives")
of any such person; or any trust, individual retirement account
or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or
relative; or the estate of any such person or relative, if such
shares are purchased for investment purposes (such shares may not
be resold except to the Fund); (iii) the Adviser, the Principal
Underwriter, Alliance Fund Services, Inc. and their affiliates;
and certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Adviser,
the Principal Underwriter, Alliance Fund Services, Inc. and their
affiliates; (iv) registered investment advisers or other
financial intermediaries who charge a management, consulting or
other fee for their services and who purchase shares through a
broker or agent approved by the Principal Underwriter and clients
of such registered investment advisers or financial
intermediaries whose accounts are linked to the master account of
such investment adviser or financial intermediary on the books of
such approved broker or agent; (v) persons participating in a
fee-based program, sponsored and maintained by a registered
broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and approved by the
Principal Underwriter, pursuant to which such persons pay an
asset-based fee to such broker-dealer or financial intermediary,
or its affiliates or agents, for services in the nature of
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investment advisory or administrative services; (vi) persons who
establish to the Principal Underwriter's satisfaction that they
are investing, within such time period as may be designated by
the Principal Underwriter, proceeds of redemption of shares of
such other registered investment companies as may be designated
from time to time by the Principal Underwriter; and
(vii) employer-sponsored qualified pension or profit-sharing
plans (including Section 401(k) plans), custodial accounts
maintained pursuant to Section 403(b)(7) retirement plans and
individual retirement accounts (including individual retirement
accounts to which simplified employee pension ("SEP")
contributions are made), if such plans or accounts are
established or administered under programs sponsored by
administrators or other persons that have been approved by the
Principal Underwriter.
CLASS B SHARES
Investors may purchase Class B shares at the public
offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the
Class B shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of
a sales charge at the time of purchase. The Class B shares are
sold without an initial sales charge so that the Fund will
receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment.
Proceeds from the contingent deferred sales charge on
the Class B shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are
used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the
Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related
services to the Fund in connection with the sale of the Class B
shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers
and agents for selling Class B shares. The combination of the
contingent deferred sales charge and the distribution services
fee enables the Fund to sell the Class B shares without a sales
charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher
distribution services fee incurred by Class B shares will cause
such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower
dividends than those related to Class A shares.
CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE. Class B shares that
are redeemed within three years of purchase will be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge at the rates set forth below
charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The
charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the
cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the
time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed
on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price.
In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from
reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions.
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To illustrate, assume that an investor purchased 100
Class B shares at $10 per share (at a cost of $1,000) and in the
second year after purchase, the net asset value per share is $12
and, during such time, the investor has acquired 10 additional
Class B shares upon dividend reinvestment. If at such time the
investor makes his or her first redemption of 50 Class B shares
(proceeds of $600), 10 Class B shares will not be subject to the
charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the
remaining 40 Class B shares, the charge is applied only to the
original cost of $10 per share and not to the increase in net
asset value of $2 per share. Therefore, $400 of the $600
redemption proceeds will be charged at a rate of 2.0% (the
applicable rate in the second year after purchase as set forth
below).
The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge, if
any, will vary depending on the number of years from the time of
payment for the purchase of Class B shares until the time of
redemption of such shares.
Contingent Deferred Sales as a %
Year Since Purchase of Dollar Amount Subject to Charge
First 3.0%
Second 2.0%
Third 1.0%
Fourth and thereafter None
In determining the contingent deferred sales charge
applicable to a redemption of Class B shares, it will be assumed
that the redemption is, first, of any shares that were acquired
upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions and, second,
of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the
sales charge. When shares acquired in an exchange are redeemed,
the applicable contingent deferred sales charge and conversion
schedules will be the schedules that applied at the time of the
purchase of shares of the corresponding class of the Alliance
Mutual Fund originally purchased by the shareholder.
The contingent deferred sales charge is waived on
redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as
defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption
represents a minimum required distribution from an individual
retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder who
has attained the age of 70-1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by
present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any
such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or
retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or
relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, or
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(iv) pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Shareholder
Services--Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below).
CONVERSION FEATURE. Six years after the end of the
calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was
accepted, Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A
shares and will no longer be subject to a higher distribution
services fee. Such conversion will occur on the basis of the
relative net asset values of the two classes, without the
imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The purpose
of the conversion feature is to reduce the distribution services
fee paid by holders of Class B shares that have been outstanding
long enough for the Principal Underwriter to have been
compensated for distribution expenses incurred in the sale of
such shares.
For purposes of conversion to Class A, Class B shares
purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions
paid in respect of Class B shares in a shareholder's account will
be considered to be held in a separate sub-account. Each time
any Class B shares in the shareholder's account (other than those
in the sub-account) convert to Class A, an equal pro-rata portion
of the Class B shares in the sub-account will also convert to
Class A.
The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares is
subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel
to the effect that the conversion of Class B shares to Class A
shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income
tax law. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares may
be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the
time such conversion is to occur. In that event, no further
conversions of Class B shares would occur, and shares might
continue to be subject to the higher distribution services fee
for an indefinite period which may extend beyond the period
ending six years after the end of the calendar month in which the
shareholder's purchase order was accepted.
CLASS C SHARES
Investors may purchase Class C shares at the public
offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the
Class C shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of
a sales charge either at the time of purchase or, as long as the
shares are held for one year or more, upon redemption. Class C
shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Fund
will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment
and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without
a contingent deferred sales charge so that the investor will
receive as proceeds upon redemption the entire net asset value of
his or her Class C shares. The Class C distribution services fee
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enables the Fund to sell Class C shares without either an initial
or contingent deferred sales charge, as long as the shares are
held for one year or more. Class C shares do not convert to any
other class of shares of the Fund and incur higher distribution
services fees and transfer agency costs than Class A shares and
Advisor Class shares, and will thus have a higher expense ratio
and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares and
Advisor Class shares.
Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of
purchase will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of
1%, charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto.
The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of
the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at
the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be
imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial
purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on
shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions. The contingent deferred sales charge on Class C
shares will be waived on certain redemptions, as described above
under "--Class B Shares." In determining the contingent deferred
sales charge applicable to a redemption of Class C shares, it
will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that
are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (for
example, because the shares have been held beyond the period
during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the
reinvestment of dividends or distributions) and, second, of
shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales
charge.
Proceeds from the contingent deferred sales charge are
paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal
Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter
related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Class C shares, such as the
payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for
selling Class C shares. The combination of the contingent
deferred sales charge and the distribution services fee enables
the Fund to sell the Class C shares without a sales charge being
deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution
services fee incurred by Class C shares will cause such shares to
have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those
related to Class A shares and Advisor Class shares.
Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares
Advisor Class shares may be held solely through the fee-
based program accounts, employee benefit plans, and registered
investment advisory or other financial intermediary relationships
described above under "Purchase of Shares-- General", and by
investment advisory clients of, and by certain other persons
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associated with, the Adviser and its affiliates or the Fund. If
(i) a holder of Advisor Class shares ceases to participate in the
fee-based program or plan or to be associated with the investment
adviser or financial intermediary, in each case, that satisfies
the requirements to purchase shares set forth under "Purchase of
Shares--General" or (ii) the holder is otherwise no longer
eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares as described in the
Advisor Class Prospectus and this Statement of Additional
Information (each, a "Conversion Event"), then all Advisor Class
shares held by the shareholder will convert automatically and
without notice to the shareholder, other than the notice
contained in the Advisor Class Prospectus and this Statement of
Additional Information, to Class A shares of the Fund during the
calendar month following the month in which the Fund is informed
of the occurrence of the Conversion Event. The failure of a
shareholder or a fee-based program to satisfy the minimum
investment requirements to purchase Advisor Class shares will not
constitute a Conversion Event. The conversion would occur on the
basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes and
without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge.
Class A shares currently bear a .30% distribution services fee
and have a higher expense ratio than Advisor Class shares. As a
result, Class A shares may pay correspondingly lower dividends
and have a lower net asset value than Advisor Class shares.
The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares
is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of
counsel to the effect that the conversion of Advisor Class shares
to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under
federal income tax law. The conversion of Advisor Class shares
to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no
longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In
that event, the Advisor Class shareholder would be required to
redeem his or her Advisor Class shares, which would constitute a
taxable event under federal income tax law.
________________________________________________________________
REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES
________________________________________________________________
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Fund's Prospectus(es) under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares--How to Sell Shares." If you are an Advisor Class
shareholder through an account established under a fee-based
program your fee-based program may impose requirements with
respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares
of the Fund that are different from those described herein. A
transaction fee may be charged by your financial representative
with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class
shares made through such financial representative.
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REDEMPTION
Subject only to the limitations described below, the
Fund's Articles of Incorporation require 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. Except
for any contingent deferred sales charge which may be applicable
to Class A,Class B or Class C shares, 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 fairly to determine 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. Redemption proceeds on Class A, Class B and Class C
shares will reflect the deduction of the contingent deferred
sales charge, if any. Payment received by a shareholder upon
redemption or repurchase of his shares, assuming the shares
constitute capital assets in his 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 stock
certificates have been issued, the registered owner or owners
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.
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To redeem shares of the Fund represented by stock
certificates, the investor should forward the appropriate stock
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
stock 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 stock 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 of shares for which no stock 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 by electronic funds transfer 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. Each Fund shareholder is
eligible to request redemption by check 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. 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
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
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Fund reserves the right to suspend or terminate its telephone
redemption service at any time without notice. Telephone
redemption 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. Neither the Fund nor
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 (less the contingent deferred sales charge, if any,
with respect to the Class A, Class B and Class C shares), 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. Eastern Time. (Certain
selected dealers, agents or financial representatives may enter
into operating agreements permitting them to transmit purchase
information to the Principal Underwriter after 5:00 p.m. Eastern
time and receive that day's asset value.) 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
(except for the contingent deferred sales charge, if any, with
respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares). Normally, if
shares of the Fund are offered through a financial intermediary
or selected dealer or agent, the repurchase is settled by the
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shareholder as an ordinary 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 reserves the right to close out 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. No contingent
deferred sales charge will be deducted from the proceeds of this
redemption. In the case of a 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(es) under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares--Shareholder Services." The shareholder services set
forth below are applicable to Class A, Class B, Class C and
Advisor Class shares unless otherwise indicated. If you are an
Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a
fee-based program your fee-based program may impose requirements
with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class
shares of the Fund that are different from those described
herein. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial
representative with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of
Advisor Class shares made through such financial representative.
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Investors may purchase shares of the Fund through an
automatic investment program utilizing EFT drawn on the
investor's own bank account. Under such a program, pre-
authorized monthly drafts for a fixed amount (at least $25) are
used to purchase shares through the selected dealer or selected
agent designated by the investor at the public offering price
next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the
proceeds from the investor's bank. In electronic form, drafts
can be made on or about a date each month selected by the
shareholder. Investors wishing to establish an automatic
investment program in connection with their initial investment
should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription
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Application found in the Prospectus. Current shareholders should
contact Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or telephone
numbers shown on the cover of this Statement of Additional
Information to establish an automatic investment program.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
You may exchange your investment in the Fund for shares
of the same class of other Alliance Mutual Funds (including AFD
Exchange Reserves, a money market fund managed by the Adviser).
In addition, (i) present officers and full-time employees of the
Adviser, (ii) present Directors or Trustees of any Alliance
Mutual Fund and (iii) certain employee benefit plans for
employees of the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. and their affiliates may, on a tax-free
basis, exchange Class A shares of the Fund for Advisor Class
shares of the Fund. Exchanges of shares are made at the net
asset value next determined and without sales or service charges.
Exchanges may be made by telephone or written request. Telephone
exchange requests must be received by Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day in order to
receive that day's net asset value.
Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges
for purposes 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 Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at (800) 221-5672 to exchange
uncertificated shares. Except with respect to exchanges of
Class A shares of the Fund for Advisor Class shares of the Fund,
exchanges of shares as described above in this section are
taxable transactions for federal income tax purposes. The
exchange service may be changed, suspended, or terminated on 60
days' written notice.
All exchanges are subject to the minimum investment
requirements and any other applicable terms set forth in the
prospectus for the Alliance Mutual Fund whose shares are being
acquired. An exchange is effected through the redemption of the
shares tendered for exchange and the purchase of shares being
acquired at their respective net asset values as next determined
following receipt by the Alliance Mutual Fund whose shares are
being exchanged of (i) proper instructions and all necessary
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supporting documents as described in such fund's prospectus, or
(ii) a telephone request for such exchange in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the following paragraph. Exchanges
involving the redemption of shares recently purchased by check
will be permitted only after the Alliance Mutual Fund whose
shares have been tendered for exchange is reasonably assured that
the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following
the purchase date. Exchange of shares of Alliance Mutual Funds
will generally result in the realization of a capital gain or
loss for federal income tax purposes.
Each Fund shareholder, and the shareholder's selected
dealer, agent or financial representative, as applicable, are
authorized to make telephone requests for exchanges unless
Alliance Fund Services, Inc., receives written instruction to the
contrary from the shareholder, or the shareholder declines the
privilege by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription
Application found in the Prospectus. Such telephone requests
cannot be accepted with respect to shares then represented by
stock certificates. Shares acquired pursuant to a telephone
request for exchange will be held under the same account
registration as the shares redeemed through such exchange.
Eligible shareholders desiring to make an exchange
should telephone Alliance Fund Services, Inc. with their account
number and other details of the exchange, at (800) 221-5672
before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined
above. Telephone requests for exchange received before 4:00 p.m.
Eastern time on a Fund business day will be processed as of the
close of business on that day. 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.
A shareholder may elect to initiate a monthly "Auto
Exchange" whereby a specified dollar amount's worth of his or her
Fund shares (minimum $25) is automatically exchanged for shares
of another Alliance Mutual Fund. Auto Exchange transactions
normally occur on the 12th day of each month, or the Fund
business day prior thereto.
None of the Alliance Mutual Funds, the Adviser, the
Principal Underwriter or Alliance Fund Services, Inc. will be
responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for
exchanges that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The
Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that
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telephone requests for exchanges 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, agents or
financial representatives, as applicable, may charge a commission
for handling telephone requests for exchanges.
The exchange privilege is available only in states where
shares of the Alliance Mutual Fund being acquired may be legally
sold. Each Alliance Mutual Fund reserves the right, at any time
on 60 days' notice to its shareholders, to reject any order to
acquire its shares through exchange or otherwise to modify,
restrict or terminate the exchange privilege.
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 Alliance Mutual Funds. 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.
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 QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS. Sole
proprietors, partnerships and corporations may sponsor qualified
money purchase pension and profit-sharing plans, including
Section 401(k) plans ("qualified plans"), under which annual tax-
deductible contributions are made within prescribed limits based
on compensation paid to participating individuals. The minimum
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initial investment requirement may be waived with respect to
certain of these qualified plans.
If the aggregate net asset value of shares of the
Alliance Mutual Funds held by a qualified plan reaches $1 million
on or before December 15 in any year, all Class B or Class C
shares of the Fund held by the plan can be exchanged at the
plan's request, without any sales charge, for Class A shares of
the Fund.
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.
403(B)(7) RETIREMENT PLAN. Certain tax-exempt
organizations and public educational institutions may sponsor
retirement plans under which an employee may agree that monies
deducted from his or her compensation (minimum $25 per pay
period) may be contributed by the employer to a custodial account
established for the employee under the plan.
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.
DIVIDEND DIRECTION PLAN
A shareholder who already maintains, in addition to his
or her Class A, Class B, Class C or Advisor Class Fund account, a
Class A, Class B, Class C or Advisor Class account with one or
more other Alliance Mutual Funds may direct that income dividends
and/or capital gains paid on the shareholder's Class A, Class B,
Class C or Advisor Class Fund shares be automatically reinvested,
in any amount, without the payment of any sales or service
charges, in shares of the same class of such other Alliance
Mutual Fund(s). Further information can be obtained 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. Investors wishing to
establish a dividend direction plan in connection with their
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initial investment should complete the appropriate section of the
Subscription Application found in the Prospectus. Current
shareholders should contact Alliance Fund Services, Inc. to
establish a dividend direction plan.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN
General. Any shareholder who owns or purchases shares
of the Fund having a current net asset value of at least $4,000
(for quarterly or less frequent payments), $5,000 (for bi-monthly
payments) or $10,000 (for monthly payments) 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 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 and, except as discussed below,
any applicable contingent deferred sales charge. 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 holder of Class A shares 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
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the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this
Statement of Additional Information.
CDSC Waiver for Class B and Class C Shares. Under a
systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 2% bi-monthly or 3%
quarterly of the value at the time of redemption of the Class B
or Class C shares in a shareholder's account may be redeemed free
of any contingent deferred sales charge.
With respect to Class B shares, the waiver applies only
with respect to shares acquired after July 1, 1995. Class B
shares that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge
(such as shares acquired with reinvested dividends or
distributions) will be redeemed first and will count toward the
foregoing limitations. Remaining Class B shares that are held the
longest will be redeemed next. Redemptions of Class B shares in
excess of the foregoing limitations will be subject to any
otherwise applicable contingent deferred sales charge.
With respect to Class C shares, shares held the longest
will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing
limitations. Redemptions in excess of those limitations will be
subject to any otherwise applicable contingent deferred sales
charge.
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.
CHECKWRITING
A new Class A or Class C investor may fill out the
Signature Card which is included in the Prospectus to authorize
the Fund to arrange for a checkwriting service through State
Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank") to draw against
Class A or Class C shares of the Fund redeemed from the
investor's account. Under this service, checks may be made
payable to any payee in any amount not less than $500 and not
more than 90% of the net asset value of the Class A or Class C
shares in the investor's account (excluding for this purpose the
current month's accumulated dividends and shares for which
certificates have been issued). A Class A or Class C shareholder
wishing to establish this checkwriting service subsequent to the
opening of his or her Fund account should contact the Fund by
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telephone or mail. Corporations, fiduciaries and institutional
investors are required to furnish a certified resolution or other
evidence of authorization. This checkwriting service will be
subject to the Bank's customary rules and regulations governing
checking accounts, and the Fund and the Bank each reserve the
right to change or suspend the checkwriting service. There is no
charge to the shareholder for the initiation and maintenance of
this service or for the clearance of any checks.
When a check is presented to the Bank for payment, the
Bank, as the shareholder's agent, causes the Fund to redeem, at
the net asset value next determined, a sufficient number of full
and fractional shares of the Fund in the shareholder's account to
cover the check. Because the level of net assets in a
shareholder's account constantly changes due, among various
factors, to market fluctuations, a shareholder should not attempt
to close his or her account by use of a check. In this regard,
the Bank has the right to return checks (marked "insufficient
funds") unpaid to the presenting bank if the amount of the check
exceeds 90% of the assets in the account. Canceled (paid) checks
are returned to the shareholder. The checkwriting service
enables the shareholder to receive the daily dividends declared
on the shares to be redeemed until the day that the check is
presented to the Bank for payment.
________________________________________________________________
NET ASSET VALUE
________________________________________________________________
The per share net asset value is computed in accordance
with the Fund's Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws at the next
close of regular trading on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m.
Eastern time) following receipt of a purchase or redemption order
by the Fund on each Fund business day on which such an order is
received and on such other days as the Board of Directors of the
Fund deems appropriate or necessary in order to comply with Rule
22c-1 under the 1940 Act. The Fund's per share net asset value
is calculated 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 weekday on which the
Exchange is open for trading.
In accordance with applicable rules under the 1940 Act,
portfolio securities are valued at current market value or at
fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors has delegated to the Adviser certain of
the Boards duties with respect to the following procedures.
Readily marketable securities listed on the Exchange or on a
foreign securities exchange (other than foreign securities
exchanges whose operations are similar to those of the United
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States over-the-counter market) are valued, except as indicated
below, at the last sale price reflected on the consolidated tape
at the close of the Exchange or, in the case of a foreign
securities exchange, at the last quoted sale price, in each case
on the business day as of which such value is being determined.
If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued
at the quoted bid prices on such day. If no bid prices are
quoted on such day, then the security is valued at the mean of
the bid and asked prices at the close of the Exchange on such day
as obtained from one or more dealers regularly making a market in
such security. Where a bid and asked price can be obtained from
only one such dealer, such security is valued at the mean of the
bid and asked price obtained from such dealer unless it is
determined that such price does not represent current market
value, in which case the security shall be valued in good faith
at fair value by, or pursuant to procedures established by, the
Board of Directors. Securities for which no bid and asked price
quotations are readily available are valued in good faith at fair
value by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the
Board of Directors. Readily marketable securities not listed on
the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange are valued in
like manner. Portfolio securities traded on the Exchange and on
one or more other foreign or other national securities exchanges,
and portfolio securities not traded on the Exchange but traded on
one or more foreign or other national securities exchanges are
valued in accordance with these procedures by reference to the
principal exchange on which the securities are traded.
Readily marketable securities traded only in the over-
the-counter market, securities listed on a foreign securities
exchange whose operations are similar to those of the United
States over-the-counter market, and debt securities listed on a
U.S. national securities exchange whose primary market is
believed to be over-the-counter, are valued at the mean of the
bid and asked prices at the close of the Exchange on such day as
obtained from two or more dealers regularly making a market in
such security. Where a bid and asked price can be obtained from
only one such dealer, such security is valued at the mean of the
bid and asked price obtained from such dealer unless it is
determined that such price does not represent current market
value, in which case the security shall be valued in good faith
at fair value by, or in accordance with procedures established
by, the Board of Directors.
Listed put and call options purchased by the Fund are
valued at the last sale price. If there has been no sale on that
day, such securities will be valued at the closing bid prices on
that day.
Open futures contracts and options thereon will be
valued using the closing settlement price or, in the absence of
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such a price, the most recent quoted bid price. If there are no
quotations available for the day of valuations, the last
available closing settlement price will be used.
U.S. Government Securities and other debt instruments
having 60 days or less remaining until maturity are valued 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 Board of Directors determines that
this method does not represent fair value).
Fixed-income securities may be valued on the basis of
prices provided by a pricing service when such prices are
believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities.
The prices provided by a pricing service take into account many
factors, including institutional size trading in similar groups
of securities and any developments related to specific
securities.
All other assets of the Fund are valued in good faith at
fair value by, or in accordance with procedures established by,
the Board of Directors.
Trading in securities on Far Eastern and European
securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally
completed well before the close of business of each Fund business
day. In addition, trading in foreign markets may not take place
on all Fund business days. Furthermore, trading may take place
in various foreign markets on days that are not Fund business
days. The Funds calculation of the net asset value per share,
therefore, does not always take place contemporaneously with the
most recent determination of the prices of portfolio securities
in these markets. Events affecting the values of these portfolio
securities that occur between the time their prices are
determined in accordance with the above procedures and the close
of the Exchange will not be reflected in the Fund's calculation
of net asset value unless these prices do not reflect current
market value, in which case the securities will be valued in good
faith at fair value by, or in accordance with procedures
established by, the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors may suspend the determination of
the Funds net asset value (and the offering and sales of shares),
subject to the rules of the Commission and other governmental
rules and regulations, at a time when: (1) the Exchange is
closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, (2) an
emergency exists as a result of which it is not reasonably
practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities owned by it or
to determine fairly the value of its net assets, or (3) for the
protection of shareholders, the Commission by order permits a
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suspension of the right of redemption or a postponement of the
date of payment on redemption.
For purposes of determining the Funds net asset value
per share, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in a
foreign currency will be converted into U.S. Dollars at the mean
of the current bid and asked prices of such currency against the
U.S. Dollar last quoted by a major bank that is a regular
participant in the relevant foreign exchange market or on the
basis of a pricing service that takes into account the quotes
provided by a number of such major banks. If such quotations are
not available as of the close of the Exchange, the rate of
exchange will be determined in good faith by, or under the
direction of, the Board of Directors.
The assets attributable to the Class A shares, Class B
shares, Class C shares and Advisor Class shares will be invested
together in a single portfolio. The net asset value of each
class will be determined separately by subtracting the
liabilities allocated to that class from the assets belonging to
that class in conformance with the provisions of a plan adopted
by the Fund in accordance with Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act.
________________________________________________________________
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
________________________________________________________________
GENERAL
The Fund intends for each taxable year to qualify to be
taxed as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). So long as the
Fund distributes 90% of its income, qualification relieves the
Fund of federal income tax liability on the part of its net
ordinary income and net realized 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 to be taxed as a "regulated investment
company."
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 securities or other income
(including but not limited to gains from options, futures or
forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of
investing in securities. In addition, to so qualify, the Fund
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must satisfy the diversification requirements set forth in the
Funds Prospectus under the heading "Additional Investment
Considerations-Non-Diversified Status."
The information set forth in the Prospectus and the
following discussion relate solely to the significant United
States federal income taxes on dividends and distributions by the
Fund and assumes that the Fund qualifies to be taxed as a
regulated investment company. An investor should consult his or
her own tax counsel with respect to the specific tax consequences
of being a shareholder of the Fund, including the effect and
applicability of federal, state and local tax laws to his or her
own particular situation and the possible effects of changes
therein.
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 taxable income for
the calendar year, (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income and
foreign currency gains for the twelve months ended October 31 (or
November 30 if elected by the Fund) 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 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
taxable to these shareholders for the year declared, and not for
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 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.
Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of
net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are
taxable as long-term capital gain, 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
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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 gain, any loss recognized by the
shareholder on the sale of those shares during the six-month
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.
A dividend or capital gains distribution with respect to
shares of the 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, generally 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.
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
Service 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 amounts so withheld may be credited
against a shareholder's federal income tax liability or refunded.
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,
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gains or losses from the disposition of debt securities
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
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 or her 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 AND FUTURES CONTRACTS. Certain listed options
and regulated futures 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 generally will be considered 60% long-term and 40%
short-term capital gain or loss although the Fund may elect to
treat gain or loss realized by the Fund on section 1256 contracts
with respect to foreign currencies as ordinary. 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
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general, if the Fund exercises an option, or if 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 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). 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, or forward
contract, interest rate swap, cap or floor 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 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. 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
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described above do not apply to any straddles held by the Fund
all of the offsetting positions of which consist of section 1256
contracts. The Treasury Department is authorized to issue
regulations providing for the proper treatment of a mixed
straddle where at least one position consists of an ordinary
asset and at least one position consists of a capital asset. No
such regulations have yet been issued.
ZERO COUPON TREASURY SECURITIES. Under current federal
tax law, the Fund will receive net investment income in the form
of interest by virtue of holding Treasury bills, notes and bonds,
and will recognize interest attributable to it under the original
issue discount rules of the Code from holding zero coupon
Treasury securities. Current federal tax law requires that a
holder (such as the 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 Fund receives no interest
payment in cash on the security during the year. Accordingly,
the Fund may be required to pay out as an income distribution
each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of
cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions
will be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation
of portfolio securities, if necessary. If a distribution of cash
necessitates the liquidation of portfolio securities, the Adviser
will select which securities to sell. The Fund may realize a
gain or loss from such sales. In the event the Fund realizes net
capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may
receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they
would have in the absence of such transactions.
MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH SECURITIES. Mortgage pass-
through securities such as GNMA Certificates, FNMA Certificates,
FHLMC Certificates, and privately issued mortgage-related
securities generally are taxable as trusts for federal income tax
purposes, with the certificate holders treated as the owners of
the trust involved. As a result, payments of interest, principal
and prepayments made on the underlying mortgage pool are taxed
directly to certificate holders such as the Fund. Payments of
interest, principal and prepayments made on the underlying
mortgage pool will therefore generally maintain their character
when received by the Fund.
STRIPPED MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES. Certain classes
of MRS which are issued at a discount, the payments of which are
subject to acceleration by reason of prepayments of the
underlying Mortgage Assets securing such classes, are subject to
special rules for determining the portion of the discount at
which the class was issued which must be accrued as income each
year. Under Code section 1272(a)(6), a principal-only class or a
class which receives a portion of the interest and a portion of
the principal from the underlying Mortgage Assets is subject to
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rules which require accrual of interest to be calculated and
included in the income of a holder (such as the Fund) based on
the increase in the present value of the payments remaining on
the class, taking into account payments includable in the class'
stated redemption price at maturity which are received during the
accrual period. For this purpose, the present value calculation
is made at the beginning of each accrual period (i) using the
yield to maturity determined for the class at the time of its
issuance (determined on the basis of compounding at the close of
each accrual period and properly adjusted for the length of the
accrual period), calculated on the assumption that certain
prepayments will occur, and (ii) taking into account any
prepayments that have occurred before the close of the accrual
period. Since interest included in the Fund's income as a result
of these rules will have been accrued and not actually paid, the
Fund may be required to pay out as an income distribution each
year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash
interest the Fund actually received, with possible results as
described above.
REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE INVESTMENT CONDUITS. The Fund may
invest in REMICs. Interests in REMICs are classified as either
"regular" interests or "residual" interests. Regular interests
in a REMIC are treated as debt instruments for federal income tax
purposes to which the rules generally applicable to debt
obligations apply. If regular interests in a REMIC are issued at
a discount, the rules of Code section 1272(a)(6) as discussed
above under "Stripped Mortgage-Related Securities" apply for
determining the portion of the discount at which the interest was
issued which must be accrued as income each year. The
application of these rules may increase the amount of the Fund's
net investment income available to be distributed to
shareholders, potentially causing the Fund to pay out as an
income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the
total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received, as
discussed above.
Under the Code, special rules apply with respect to the
treatment of a portion of the Fund income from REMIC residual
interests. (Such portion is referred to herein as "Excess
Inclusion Income".) Excess Inclusion Income generally cannot be
offset by net operating losses and, in addition, constitutes
unrelated business taxable income to entities which are subject
to the unrelated business income tax. The Code provides that a
portion of Excess Inclusion Income attributable to REMIC residual
interests held by regulated investment companies such as the Fund
shall, pursuant to regulations, be allocated to the shareholders
of such regulated investment company in proportion to the
dividends received by such shareholders. Accordingly,
shareholders of the Fund will generally not be able to use net
operating losses to offset such Excess Inclusion Income. In
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addition, if a shareholder of the Fund is a tax-exempt entity not
subject to the unrelated business income tax and is allocated any
amount of Excess Inclusion Income, the Fund must pay a tax on the
amount of Excess Inclusion Income allocated to such shareholder
at the highest corporate rate. Any tax paid by the Fund as a
result of this requirement may be deducted by the Fund from the
gross income of the residual interest involved. A shareholder
subject to the unrelated business income tax may be required to
file a return and pay a tax on such Excess Inclusion Income even
though a shareholder might not have been required to pay such tax
or file such return absent the receipt of such Excess Inclusion
Income. It is anticipated that only a small portion, if any, of
the assets of the Fund will be invested in REMIC residual
interests. Accordingly, the amount of Excess Inclusion Income,
if any, received by the Fund and allocated to its shareholders
should be quite small. Shareholders that are subject to the
unrelated business income tax should consult their own tax
advisor regarding the treatment of their income derived from the
Fund.
FOREIGN TAXES. Income received by the Fund also may be
subject to foreign income taxes, including taxes withheld at the
source. 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. The Fund will not be
eligible to pass through to its shareholders the amount of
foreign taxes paid by the Fund for purposes of the "foreign tax
credit" under the federal income tax law.
The foregoing discussion relates only to U.S. Federal
income tax law as it affects shareholders who are U.S. residents
or U.S. corporations. The effects of Federal income tax law on
shareholders who are non-resident aliens 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.
________________________________________________________________
BROKERAGE AND 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. The transactions are normally on a net
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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 underwriter; 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
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. Consistent with the
Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best price and execution,
the Fund may consider sales of shares of the Fund as a factor in
the selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions
with the Fund. 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 The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States.
The investment activities described above are likely to
result in the Fund engaging in a considerable amount of trading
of securities held for less than one year. Accordingly, it can
be expected that the Fund will have a higher turnover rate, and,
thus, a higher incidence of short-term capital gains taxable as
ordinary income, than might be expected from investment companies
which invest substantially all of their funds on a long-term
basis. Management anticipates that the annual turnover in the
Fund will not be in excess of 500%. An annual turnover rate of
500% occurs, for example, when all the securities in the Fund's
portfolio are replaced five times in a period of one year. A
high rate of portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater
expenses than a lower rate, which expenses must be borne by the
Fund and its shareholders. High portfolio turnover also may
result in the realization of substantial net short-term capital
gain. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" and "General
Information-Portfolio Transactions" in the Prospectus.
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________________________________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION
________________________________________________________________
CAPITALIZATION
The Fund is a Maryland corporation organized in 1992.
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 authorized capital stock of the Fund consists of
3,000,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, $.001 par value,
3,000,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, $.001 par value,
3,000,000,000 shares of Class C Common Stock, $.001 par value and
3,000,000,000 shares of Advisor Class Common Stock, par value
$.001. All shares of the Fund, when issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable. A shareholder in the 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. Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the Fund
have identical voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights,
except that each class bears its own distribution and transfer
agency expenses. Each class of shares of the Fund 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, in
liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of
the Fund.
The Board of Directors is authorized to reclassify and
issue any unissued shares to any number of additional series and
classes without shareholder approval. Accordingly, the Board may
create additional series of shares 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 without shareholder approval. 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
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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.
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. 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.
At _____________, 1999, there were _____________ Class A
shares, ____________Class B shares and _________ Class C shares
of common stock and no Advisor Class shares outstanding. To the
knowledge of the Fund, the following persons owned of record, and
no person owned beneficially, 5% or more of the outstanding
shares of the Fund as of _____________, 1999:
No. of % of
Name and Address Shares Class
Class A
Class B
Class C
CUSTODIAN
State Street Bank and Trust Company, 225 Franklin
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, 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, State Street
Bank and Trust Company may enter into sub-custodial agreements
for the holding of the Fund's foreign securities.
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc., an indirect wholly-
owned subsidiary of the Adviser, located at 1345 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10105, is the principal underwriter
of shares of the Fund. Under the Distribution Services
Agreement, the Fund has agreed to indemnify the Principal
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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.
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" and
"total return," which are computed separately for Class A, Class
B and Class C shares. 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 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. The 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 the Fund's total return
disclose its average annual compounded total return for the
periods prescribed by the Commission. The 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 purpose of computing total return,
income dividends and capital gains distributions paid on shares
of the Fund are assumed to have been reinvested when paid and the
maximum sales charges applicable to purchases and redemptions of
the Fund's shares are assumed to have been paid.
The Fund's yield for the month ended November 30, 1998
was ____% for Class A shares, ____% for Class B shares and ____%
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for Class C shares. The Fund's distribution rates for such
period for Class A, Class B and Class C shares were ____%, ____%
and ____%, respectively.
The average annual total return based on net asset value
for each class of shares for the one-, five- and ten-year periods
ended November 30, 1998 (or inception through that date, as
noted) was as follows:
12 Months 5 Years 10 Years
Ended Ended Ended
11/30/98 11/30/98 11/30/98
_________ ________ ________
Class A _____% ______% ______%*
Class B _____% ______% ______%*
Class C _____% ______% ______%*
* Inception Dates: Class A - June 1, 1992
Class B - June 1, 1992
Class C - May 3, 1993
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. The Fund may advertise
the fluctuation of its net asset value over certain time periods
and compare its performance to that available from other
investments, including money market funds and certificates of
deposit, the latter of which, unlike the Fund, are insured and
have fixed rates of return.
Advertisements quoting performance rankings or ratings
of the Fund as measured by financial publications or by
independent organizations such as Lipper Analytical Services,
Inc. and Morningstar, Inc. (or compare the Fund's performance to
various indices), and advertisements presenting the historical
record of payments of income dividends by the Fund may also from
time to time be sent to investors or placed in newspapers,
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.
It is expected that the Fund will be ranked by Lipper in the
category known as "U.S. Mortgage Bond Funds".
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Any shareholder inquiries may be directed to the
shareholder's broker or to Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the
address or telephone number 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.
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________________________________________________________________
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
________________________________________________________________
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APPENDIX A
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
STANDARD & POOR's COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
A is the highest commercial paper rating category
utilized by S&P, which uses the numbers 1+, 1, 2 and 3 to denote
relative strength within its A classification. Commercial paper
issuers 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
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.
A-1
<PAGE>
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.
A-2
<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
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 securities issued or guaranteed by the United States
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or corporate debt
securities. 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
United States Government, such as long-term U.S. Treasury Bonds,
Treasury Notes, Government National Mortgage Association modified
pass-through mortgage-related securities and three-month U.S.
Treasury Bills.
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% to 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 contract's 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 in
the case of future contracts with respect to debt securities
entered into by the Fund and in all cases in the case of futures
contracts with respect to foreign currencies entered into by the
Fund the contractual obligation is fulfilled before the date of
the contract without having to make or take delivery of the
B-1
<PAGE>
securities or foreign currencies. 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 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
or currency. 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 rates without actually buying or selling fixed-income
securities. 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
B-2
<PAGE>
initial and variation margin payments made by the Fund with
respect to such 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 denominated in foreign currencies, is to attempt to
protect the Fund from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates
without actually buying or selling fixed-income securities or
foreign currency. For example, the Fund can sell futures
contracts on a specified currency to protect against a decline in
value of such currency and its portfolio securities which are
denominated in such currency. Similarly, the Fund may sell
futures contracts on one currency to hedge against fluctuations
in the value of securities denominated in a different currency if
there is an established historical record of correlation between
the two currencies.
The Fund can purchase futures contracts on foreign
currency to fix the price in U.S. Dollars of a security
denominated in such currency that the Fund has acquired or
expects to acquire. This would be done, for example, when the
Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities
when it has the necessary cash, but expects currency exchange
rates then available in the applicable market to be less
favorable than rates that are currently available. To the extent
the Fund enters into futures contracts for this purpose, the
assets in the segregated account maintained with the Fund's
Custodian to cover the Fund's obligations with respect to such
futures contracts will consist of cash, cash equivalents or high-
grade 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
markets, are subject to distortions. First, all participants in
the futures market are subject to initial margin and variation
margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation
margin requirements, investors may close-out futures contracts
positions 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
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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 or foreign currency exchange
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 or exchange 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 or currency.
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 or foreign currency, it may or
may not be less risky than ownership of the futures contract or
underlying debt securities or foreign currency. As with the
purchase of futures contracts against declining prices of foreign
currency, when the Fund is not fully invested it may purchase a
call option on a futures 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 which is deliverable upon exercise of the futures
contract or against declining prices of foreign currency. 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
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increasing prices of the security which is deliverable upon
exercise of the futures contract and against increasing prices of
foreign currency. 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 or against any increase in the price of
currency. 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 or foreign currency. 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 and options on futures contracts on
foreign currencies 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 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. The Fund must offset an
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exchange-traded option which it has purchased by entering into a
"closing sale transaction". A closing sale transaction
terminates the obligation of the writer of the option and does
not result in the ownership of an option. The Fund realizes a
profit or loss from a closing sale transaction if the premium
received from the transaction is more than or less than the cost
of the option.
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. However, the losses to the Fund would be limited to
amount of premiums paid.
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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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. The Fund must offset an exchange-traded option which
it has written through a closing purchase transaction. The Fund
realizes a profit or a loss from a closing purchase transaction
if the cost of the transaction is less than or more than the
premium received by the Fund from writing the option. 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.
In connection with options written or purchased by the
Fund over-the-counter, the Fund can only look to the counterparty
for purposes of offset.
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The Fund intends to write covered call options on
foreign currencies. A call option is 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, or
high-grade liquid debt securities in a segregated account with
its Custodian.
The Fund also intends to write call options on foreign
currencies for cross-hedging purposes. An option that is cross-
hedged 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 other than 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, liquid assets 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 AND OPTIONS
ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES.
Unlike transactions entered into by the Fund in futures
contracts and options on futures contracts, options on foreign
currencies 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
regulation. 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 could lose amounts
substantially in excess of their initial investments, due to the
margin and collateral requirements associated with such
positions.
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
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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 exercise, 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. These risks could affect the ability
of the Fund to offset positions in a timely and profitable
fashion.
In addition, futures contracts, options on futures
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.
You may exchange your investment in the Fund for shares
of the same class of other Alliance Mutual Funds (including AFD
Exchange Reserves, a money market fund managed by the Adviser).
In addition, (i) present officers and full-time employees of the
Adviser, (ii) present Directors or Trustees of any Alliance
Mutual Fund and (iii) certain employee benefit plans for
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employees of the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. and their affiliates may, on a tax-free
basis, exchange Class A shares of the Fund for Advisor Class
shares of the Fund. Exchanges of shares are made at the net
asset value next determined and without sales or service charges.
Exchanges may be made by telephone or written request. Telephone
exchange requests must be received by Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day in order to
receive that day's net asset value.
Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges
for 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 Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at 800-221-5672 to exchange
uncertificated shares. Except with respect to exchanges of
Class A shares of the Fund for Advisor Class shares of the Fund,
exchanges of shares as described above in this section are
taxable transactions for federal tax purposes. The exchange
service may be changed, suspended, or terminated on 60 days
written notice.
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______________________________________________________________
APPENDIX C:
CERTAIN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
______________________________________________________________
Employee benefit plans described below which are
intended to be tax-qualified under section 401(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Tax Qualified Plans"), for
which Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated or an
affiliate thereof ("Merrill Lynch") is recordkeeper (or with
respect to which recordkeeping services are provided pursuant to
certain arrangements as described in paragraph (ii) below)
("Merrill Lynch Plans") are subject to specific requirements as
to the Fund shares which they may purchase. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Statement of
Additional Information, the following Merrill Lynch Plans are not
eligible to purchase Class A shares and are eligible to purchase
Class B shares of the Fund at net asset value without being
subject to a contingent deferred sales charge:
(i) Plans for which Merrill Lynch is the recordkeeper on a
daily valuation basis, if when the plan is established
as an active plan on Merrill Lynch's recordkeeping
system:
(a) the plan is one which is not already
investing in shares of mutual funds or
interests in other commingled investment
vehicles of which Merrill Lynch Asset
Management, L.P. is investment adviser or
manager ("MLAM Funds"), and either (A) the
aggregate assets of the plan are less than
$3 million or (B) the total of the sum of
(x) the employees eligible to participate in
the plan and (y) those persons, not
including any such employees, for whom a
plan account having a balance therein is
maintained, is less than 500, each of (A)
and (B) to be determined by Merrill Lynch in
the normal course prior to the date the plan
is established as an active plan on Merrill
Lynch's recordkeeping system (an "Active
Plan"); or
(b) the plan is one which is already investing
in shares of or interests in MLAM Funds and
the assets of the plan have an aggregate
value of less than $5 million, as determined
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by Merrill Lynch as of the date the plan
becomes an Active Plan.
For purposes of applying (a) and (b), there
are to be aggregated all assets of any Tax-
Qualified Plan maintained by the sponsor of
the Merrill Lynch Plan (or any of the
sponsor's affiliates) (determined to be such
by Merrill Lynch) which are being invested
in shares of or interests in MLAM Funds,
Alliance Mutual Funds or other mutual funds
made available pursuant to an agreement
between Merrill Lynch and the principal
underwriter thereof (or one of its
affiliates) and which are being held in a
Merrill Lynch account.
(ii) Plans for which the recordkeeper is not Merrill Lynch,
but which are recordkept on a daily valuation basis by
a recordkeeper with which Merrill Lynch has a
subcontracting or other alliance arrangement for the
performance of recordkeeping services, if the plan is
determined by Merrill Lynch to be so eligible and the
assets of the plan are less than $3 million.
Class B shares of the Fund held by any of the
above-described Merrill Lynch Plans are to be replaced at
Merrill Lynch's direction through conversion, exchange or
otherwise by Class A shares of the Fund on the earlier of
the date that the value of the plan's aggregate assets first
equals or exceeds $5 million or the date on which any Class
B share of the Fund held by the plan would convert to a
Class A share of the Fund as described under "Purchase of
Shares" and "Redemption and Repurchase of Shares."
Any Tax Qualified Plan, including any Merrill Lynch
Plan, which does not purchase Class B shares of the Fund
without being subject to a contingent deferred sales charge
under the above criteria is eligible to purchase Class B
shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge as well
as other classes of shares of the Fund as set forth above
under "Purchase of Shares" and "Redemption and Repurchase of
Shares."
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PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 23. EXHIBITS
(a) (1) Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant
Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1(a) to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 of Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1997.
(2) Articles of Amendment of the Articles of
Incorporation of Registrant dated and filed
April 28, 1992 - Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 1(b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 of
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A
(File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1997.
(3) Articles Supplementary to the Articles of
Incorporation of Registrant dated April 29, 1993
and filed April 30, 1993 - Incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 1(c) to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 20 of Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and
811-06627) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on October 30, 1998.
(4) Articles of Amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation of Registrant dated and filed
February 29, 1996 - Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 1(d) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A
(File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1997.
(5) Articles Supplementary to the Articles of
Incorporation of Registrant dated September 30,
1993 and filed October 2, 1996 - Incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 1 to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 15 of Registrant's Registration Statement on
Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
October 31, 1996.
(b) Amended By-Laws of the Registrant - Incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 2 to Post-Effective Amendment
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No. 18 of Registrant's Registration Statement on
Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1997.
(c) Not applicable.
(d) Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Alliance
Capital Management L.P. - Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (5) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 of
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on October 31, 1997.
(e) (1) Distribution Services Agreement between the
Registrant and Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. -
Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 6(a) to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 of Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1997.
(2) Amendment to Distribution Services Agreement dated
June 4, 1996 - Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 6 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 of
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A
(File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627), filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1996.
(3) Selected Dealer Agreement between Alliance Fund
Distributors, Inc. and selected dealers offering
shares of Registrant - Incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 6(b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 18
of Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on
October 31, 1997.
(4) Selected Agent Agreement between Alliance Fund
Distributors, Inc. and selected agents making
available shares of Registrant - Incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 6(c) to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 18 of Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and
811-06627) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on October 31, 1997.
(f) Not applicable.
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(g) (1) Custodian Contract between the Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company - Incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 8(a) to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 19 of Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and
8111-06627) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on February 27, 1998.
(2) Amendment to Custodian Contract dated June 4,
1996 - Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8(b)
to Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 of Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 8111-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27,
1998.
(h) Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. - Incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 9 to Post-Effective Amendment
No. 18 of Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31, 1997.
(i) (1) Opinion and Consent of Seward & Kissel -
Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(a) to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 of Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31,
1997.
(2) Opinion and Consent of Venable, Baetjer and
Howard, LLP - Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 10(b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 18
of Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
N-1A (File Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627) filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on
October 31, 1997.
(j) Not applicable.
(k) Not applicable.
(l) Not applicable.
(m) Rule 12b-1 Plan - See Exhibit (e)(1).
(n) Not applicable.
(o) Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Plan dated
September 30, 1996 - Incorporated by reference to
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Exhibit 18 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 of
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on October 31, 1996.
Other Exhibits: Powers of Attorney of Ms. Block and
Messrs. Carifa, Dievler, Dobkin, Foulk, Hester, Michel
and Robinson - Incorporated by reference to Other
Exhibits to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 of
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File
Nos. 33-47031 and 811-06627), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on October 30, 1998.
ITEM 24. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with
the Fund.
None.
ITEM 25. 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 (a), Article VII and
Article VIII of the Registrant's By-Laws filed as
Exhibit (b) and Section 10 of the Distribution Services
Agreement filed as Exhibit (e)(1), 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 VIII, Section 1
through Section 6 of the Registrant's By-Laws, as set
forth below. The Adviser's liability for any loss
suffered by the Registrant or its shareholders is set
forth in Section 4 of the Advisory Agreement
incorporated by reference as Exhibit (d) to this
Registration Statement, 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
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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.
(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
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(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 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
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(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.
(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 directors 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
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(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 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 otherwise involves services by, the
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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 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.
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(4) 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 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.
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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 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 OF THE REGISTRANT'S BY-LAWS READS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND
OFFICERS. The Corporation shall indemnify its
directors to the full 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
full 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
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full 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 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
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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 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 affect any right of any person under
this Article based on any event, omission or
proceeding prior to the amendment.
The Advisory Agreement to be between the 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 the 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 Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), 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 the
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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 and By-Laws, the Advisory
Agreement between Registrant and Alliance Capital Management L.P.
and the Distribution Services Agreement between Registrant and
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. which were incorporated by
reference herein as Exhibits (a), (b), (d) and (e)(1),
respectively, in response to Item 23 and each of which are
incorporated by reference herein.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers 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 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 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,
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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.
ITEM 26. 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 27. Principal Underwriters
(a) Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc., the Registrant's
Principal Underwriter in connection with the sale of shares of
the Registrant. Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. also acts as
Principal Underwriter or Distributor for the following investment
companies:
AFD Exchange Reserves
Alliance All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc.
Alliance Balanced Shares, Inc.
Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.
Alliance Capital Reserves
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 Institutional Funds, Inc.
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Alliance Institutional Reserves, Inc.
Alliance International Fund
Alliance International Premier Growth Fund, Inc.
Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc.
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 Select Investor Series, Inc.
Alliance Technology Fund, Inc.
Alliance Utility Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Variable Products Series Fund, Inc.
Alliance Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc.
The Alliance Fund, Inc.
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 POSITIONS AND
OFFICES WITH OFFICES WITH
NAME UNDERWRITER REGISTRANT
Michael J. Laughlin Director and Chairman
John D. Carifa Director
Robert L. Errico Director and President
Geoffrey L. Hyde Director and Senior
Vice President
Dave H. Williams Director
David Conine Executive Vice President
Richard K. Saccullo Executive Vice President
Edmund P. Bergan, Jr. Senior Vice President, Secretary
C-16
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General Counsel and
Secretary
Richard A. Davies Senior Vice President
and Managing Director
Robert H. Joseph, Jr. Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
Anne S. Drennan Senior Vice President
and Treasurer
Karen J. Bullot Senior Vice President
James S. Comforti Senior Vice President
James L. Cronin Senior Vice President
Daniel J. Dart Senior Vice President
Byron M. Davis Senior Vice President
Mark J. Dunbar Senior Vice President
Donald N. Fritts Senior Vice President
Bradley F. Hanson Senior Vice President
Richard E. Khaleel Senior Vice President
Stephen R. Laut Senior Vice President
Susan L. Matteson-King Senior Vice President
Daniel D. McGinley Senior Vice President
Antonios G. Poleondakis Senior Vice President
Robert E. Powers Senior Vice President
Kevin A. Rowell Senior Vice President
Raymond S. Sclafani Senior Vice President
Gregory K. Shannahan Senior Vice President
Joseph F. Sumanski Senior Vice President
Peter J. Szabo Senior Vice President
William C. White Senior Vice President
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<PAGE>
Nicholas K. Willett Senior Vice President
Richard A. Winge Senior Vice President
Gerard J. Friscia Vice President and
Controller
Ricardo Arreola Vice President
Jamie A. Atkinson Vice President
Benji A. Baer Vice President
Kenneth F. Barkoff Vice President
Casimir F. Bolanowski Vice President
Michael E. Brannan 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
John W. Cronin Vice President
Richard W. Dabney Vice President
Stephen J. Demetrovits Vice President
John F. Dolan Vice President
John C. Endahl Vice President
Sohaila S. Farsheed Vice President
Shawn C. Gage Vice President
Joseph C. Gallagher Vice President
Andrew L. Gangolf Vice President and Assistant
Assistant General Secretary
Counsel
Alex G. Garcia Vice President
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<PAGE>
Mark D. Gersten Vice President Treasurer and
Chief
Financial
Officer
John Grambone Vice President
Charles M. Greenberg Vice President
Alan Halfenger Vice President
William B. Hanigan Vice President
Michael S. Hart Vice President
Scott F. Heyer Vice President
Timothy A. Hill Vice President
George R. Hrabovsky Vice President
Valerie J. Hugo Vice President
Michael J. Hutten Vice President
Scott Hutton Vice President
Richard D. Keppler Vice President
Donna M. Lamback Vice President
P. Dean Lampe Vice President
Henry Michael Lesmeister Vice President
James M. Liptrot Vice President
James P. Luisi Vice President
Jerry W. Lynn Vice President
Christopher J. MacDonald Vice President
Michael F. Mahoney Vice President
Shawn P. McClain Vice President
Jeffrey P. Mellas Vice President
Thomas F. Monnerat Vice President
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Timothy S. Mulloy Vice President
Joanna D. Murray Vice President
Nicole Nolan-Koester Vice President
John C. O'Connell Vice President
John J. O'Connor Vice President
James J. Posch Vice President
Domenick Pugliese Vice President and Assistant
Assistant General Secretary
Counsel
Bruce W. Reitz Vice President
Karen C. Satterberg Vice President
John P. Schmidt Vice President
Robert C. Schultz Vice President
Richard J. Sidell Vice President
Clara Sierra Vice President
Teris A. Sinclair Vice President
Scott C. Sipple Vice President
Martine H. Stansbery, Jr. Vice President
Andrew D. Strauss Vice President
Michael J. Tobin Vice President
Joseph T. Tocyloski Vice President
David R. Turnbough Vice President
Martha D. Volcker Vice President
Patrick E. Walsh Vice President
Mark E. Westmoreland Vice President
David E. Willis Vice President
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Emilie D. Wrapp Vice President and Assistant
Assistant General Secretary
Counsel
Patrick Look Assistant Vice
President and
Assistant Treasurer
Michael W. Alexander Assistant Vice
President
Richard J. Appaluccio Assistant Vice
President
Charles M. Barrett Assistant Vice
President
Robert F. Brendli Assistant Vice
President
John M. Capeci Assistant Vice
President
Maria L. Carreras Assistant Vice
President
John P. Chase Assistant Vice
President
Jean A. Coomber Assistant Vice
President
Russell R. Corby Assistant Vice
President
Terri J. Daly Assistant Vice
President
Ralph A. DiMeglio Assistant Vice
President
Faith C. Deutsch Assistant Vice
President
John E. English Assistant Vice
President
Duff C. Ferguson Assistant Vice
President
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Theresa Iosca Assistant Vice
President
Erik A. Jorgensen Assistant Vice
President
Eric G. Kalender Assistant Vice
President
Edward W. Kelly Assistant Vice
President
Victor Kopelakis Assistant Vice
President
Michael Laino Assistant Vice
President
Nicholas J. Lapi Assistant Vice
President
Kristine J. Luisi Assistant Vice
President
Kathryn Austin Masters Assistant Vice
President
Richard F. Meier Assistant Vice
President
Richard J. Olszewski Assistant Vice
President
Catherine N. Peterson Assistant Vice
President
Rizwan A. Raja Assistant Vice
President
Carol H. Rappa Assistant Vice
President
Mark V. Spina Assistant Vice
President
Gayle S. Stamer Assistant Vice
President
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Eileen Stauber Assistant Vice
President
Vincent T. Strangio Assistant Vice
President
Margaret M. Tompkins Assistant Vice
President
Marie R. Vogel Assistant Vice
President
Wesley S. Williams Assistant Vice
President
Matthew Witschel Assistant Vice
President
Christopher J. Zingaro Assistant Vice
President
Mark R. Manley Assistant Secretary
(c) Not applicable.
ITEM 28. 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,
07094-1520 and at the offices of State Street Bank and
Trust Company, the Registrant's custodian, 225 Franklin
Street, Boston, MA 02110. 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 29. Management Services.
Not applicable.
ITEM 30. 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.
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(c) The Registrant undertakes to furnish each person to
whom a prospectus is delivered with a copy of the annual
report to shareholders upon request and without charge.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to the
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York
and State of New York, on the 22nd day of December, 1998.
ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT FUND, 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 December 22, 1998
____________________ President
John D. Carifa
2. Principal Financial
and Accounting
Officer:
/s/Mark D. Gersten Treasurer and December 22, 1998
___________________ Chief Financial
Mark D. Gersten
Officer
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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. December 22, 1998
______________________________
Edmund P. Bergan, Jr.
(Attorney-in-Fact)
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
None.
C-27
00250110.BA7
