File Nos. 33-50203
811-7085
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [__]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 [X]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 9 [X]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000
Mark N. Jacobs, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
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)(i)
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X on April 1, 1999 pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
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75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) of Rule 485
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If appropriate, check the following box:
this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for
a previously filed post-effective amendment.
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GBF098SP0499 1/19/99PM
Dreyfus
Global Bond
Fund, Inc.
Investing in foreign and domestic debt securities to seek total return
PROSPECTUS April 1, 1999
As with all mutual funds, 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>
Contents
THE FUND
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2 Goal/Approach
3 Main Risks
4 Past Performance
5 Expenses
6 Management
7 Financial Highlights
YOUR INVESTMENT
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8 Account Policies
11 Distributions and Taxes
12 Services for Fund Investors
14 Instructions for Regular Accounts
16 Instructions for IRAs
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Back Cover
What every investor should know about the fund
Information for managing your fund account
Where to learn more about this and other Dreyfus funds
<PAGE>
The Fund
Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
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Ticker Symbol: DGBDX
GOAL/APPROACH
The fund seeks total return. To pursue this goal, the fund ordinarily invests
most of its assets in debt obligations of issuers located throughout the world.
These debt obligations include:
(pound) corporate bonds, debentures and notes
(pound) government bonds and notes
(pound) sovereign debt obligations
(pound) convertible securities
(pound) mortgage-related securities
(pound) municipal obligations
(pound) money market instruments
The fund ordinarily invests in at least three countries. It selects foreign
securities based on their relative yields, the economic and financial markets of
the countries in which the issuers are located and the interest rate climate of
such countries. The fund typically invests in developed countries, but may
invest up to 35% of total assets in emerging markets.
The fund also may hold foreign currencies and will attempt to profit from
fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
The fund invests at least 65% of net assets in debt securities rated investment
grade or the unrated equivalent as determined by Dreyfus. The fund may invest
the remainder of its assets in debt securities rated below investment grade
("high yield" or "junk" bonds) or the unrated equivalent as determined by
Dreyfus.
INFORMATION ON THE FUND'S RECENT STRATEGIES AND HOLDINGS CAN BE FOUND IN THE
CURRENT ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORT (SEE BACK COVER).
Concepts to understand
SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS: debt securities issued or guaranteed by foreign
governments or by entities organized and operated for the purpose of
restructuring debt instruments issued by foreign governments. These securities
include Brady Bonds and loan participations.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES: corporate securities, usually preferred stock or bonds,
that are exchangeable for a set amount of another form of security, usually
common stock, at a preset price.
EMERGING MARKETS: consist of all countries represented by the Morgan Stanley
Capital International Emerging Markets (Free) Index.
<PAGE>
MAIN RISKS
Prices of bonds tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. While a
rise in interest rates may allow the fund to invest for higher yields, the most
immediate effect is usually a drop in bond prices, and therefore in the fund's
share price as well. As a result, the value of your investment in the fund
could go up and down, which means that you could lose money.
Any foreign securities the fund owns may be riskier than comparable U.S.
securities for reasons ranging from political and economic instability to
changes in currency exchange rates. In addition, emerging market countries
generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and
political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries.
Emerging markets may be more volatile and less liquid than the markets of more
mature economies, and the securities of emerging market issuers often are
subject to rapid and large changes in price; however, these markets may provide
higher rates of return to investors.
" High yield" or "junk" bonds involve greater credit risk, including the risk of
default, than investment grade bonds. They tend to be more volatile in price and
less liquid and are considered speculative. As with stocks, the prices of junk
bonds can fall in response to bad news about the company, the company's industry
or the economy in general.
If an issuer fails to make timely interest or principal payments or there is a
decline in the credit quality of a bond, or perception of a decline, the bond's
value could fall, potentially lowering the fund's share price.
Other potential risks
The fund may invest some assets in derivative securities, such as options and
futures, and in foreign currencies. It may also sell short, which involves
selling a security it does not own, in anticipation of a decline in the market
price of the security. These practices are used primarily to hedge the fund's
portfolio but may be used to increase returns; however, such practices sometimes
may reduce returns or increase volatility. In addition, derivatives can be
illiquid and highly sensitive to changes in their underlying security, interest
rate or index, and as a result can be highly volatile. A small investment in
certain derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the fund's
performance.
The Fund
<PAGE>
PAST PERFORMANCE
The two tables below show the fund' s annual returns and its long-term
performance. The first table shows you how the fund's performance has varied
from year to year. The second compares the fund's performance over time to that
of the Salomon Smith Barney World Government Bond Index, an unmanaged bond
performance benchmark. Both tables assume reinvestment of dividends and
distributions. As with all mutual funds, the past is not a prediction of the
future.
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Year-by-year total return AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR (%)
BEST QUARTER: Q1 '95 6.98%
WORST QUARTER: Q1 '97 -1.74%
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Average annual total return AS OF 12/31/98
<TABLE>
Inception
1 Year 3 Years (3/18/94)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
FUND 11.35% 8.72% 9.33%
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
WORLD GOVERNMENT
BOND INDEX 15.30% 6.19%
8.28%*
* FOR COMPARATIVE PURPOSES, THE VALUE OF THE INDEX ON 3/31/94
IS USED AS THE BEGINNING VALUE ON 3/18/94.
</TABLE>
What this fund is --
and isn't
This fund is a mutual fund:
a pooled investment that is professionally managed and gives you the
opportunity to participate in financial markets. It strives to reach its
stated goal, although as with all mutual funds, it cannot offer guaranteed
results.
An investment in this fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or
guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete
investment program. You could lose money in this fund, but you also have the
potential to make money.
<PAGE>
EXPENSES
As an investor, you pay certain fees and expenses in connection with the fund,
which are described in the table below. Annual fund operating expenses are paid
out of fund assets, so their effect is included in the share price. The fund has
no sales charge (load) or 12b-1 distribution fees.
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Fee table
Maximum account fee $12
CHARGED ONLY TO REGULAR ACCOUNTS WITH BALANCES
BELOW $2,000 (SEE "ACCOUNT POLICIES")
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ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
% OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
Management fees 0.70%
Shareholder services fee 0.25%
Other expenses 1.01%
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TOTAL 1.96%
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Expense example
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
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$199 $615 $1,057 $2,285
This example shows what you could pay in expenses over
time. It uses the same hypothetical conditions other
funds use in their prospectuses: $10,000 initial
investment, 5% total return each year and no changes in
expenses. The figures shown would be the same whether
you sold your shares at the end of a period or kept
them. Because actual return and expenses will be
different, the example is for comparison only.
Concepts to understand
MANAGEMENT FEE: the fee paid to the investment adviser for managing the fund's
portfolio and assisting in all aspects of the fund's operations.
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 1998, Dreyfus waived a portion of its
fees so that the effective management fee paid by the fund was 0.09%, reducing
total expenses from 1.96% to 1.35%. This waiver is voluntary and currently in
effect and may be terminated at any time.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES FEE: a fee of 0.25% paid to the fund's distributor for
shareholder account service and maintenance.
OTHER EXPENSES: fees paid by the fund for miscellaneous items such as transfer
agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
The Fund
<PAGE>
MANAGEMENT
The investment adviser for the fund is The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages one of the nation's
leading mutual fund complexes, with more than $117 billion in more than 160
mutual fund portfolios. Dreyfus is the mutual fund business of Mellon Bank
Corporation, a broad-based financial services company with a bank at its core.
With more than $350 billion of assets under management and $1.7 trillion of
assets under administration and custody, Mellon provides a full range of
banking, investment and trust products and services to individuals, businesses
and institutions. Its mutual fund companies place Mellon as the leading bank
manager of mutual funds. Mellon is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Dreyfus asset management philosophy is based on the belief that discipline
and consistency are important to investment success. For each fund, the firm
seeks to establish clear guidelines for portfolio management and to be
systematic in making decisions. This approach is designed to provide each fund
with a distinct, stable identity, and offers the potential for measuring
performance and volatility in consistent ways.
Christine V. Downton is the fund's primary portfolio manager. She has held that
position and has been employed by Dreyfus since September 1996. Ms. Downton is
also a partner and Chief Investment Officer of Pareto Partners, an affiliate of
Dreyfus. Ms. Downton has been employed by Pareto since April 1991.
Concepts to understand
YEAR 2000 ISSUES: the fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems
used by Dreyfus and the fund's other service providers do not properly process
and calculate date-related information from and after January 1, 2000.
Dreyfus is working to avoid year 2000-related problems in its systems and to
obtain assurances from other service providers that they are taking similar
steps. In addition, issuers of securities in which the fund invests may be
adversely affected by year 2000-related problems. This could have an impact on
the value of the fund's investments and its share price.
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table describes the fund's performance for the fiscal periods indicated.
" Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased
(or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions.
<TABLE>
YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 30,
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994(1)
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER-SHARE DATA ($)
Net asset value, beginning of period 12.97 13.18 13.07 12.04 12.50
Investment operations:
Investment income -- net .60 .65(2) .77(2) .85 .65
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments .59 .02(2) .55(2) 1.06 (.54)
Total from investment operations 1.19 .67(2) 1.32(2) 1.91 .11
Distributions:
Dividends from investment
income -- net (.81) (.88) (1.21) (.88) (.57)
Dividends from net realized gain
on investments (.12) -- -- -- --
Total distributions (.93) (.88) (1.21) (.88) (.57)
Net asset value, end of period 13.23 12.97 13.18 13.07 12.04
Total return (%) 9.70 5.42 10.96 16.47 1.29(3)
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RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of expenses to average
net assets (%) 1.35 1.35 1.34 .81 --
Ratio of net investment income to
average net assets (%) 4.36 5.10 5.87 6.76 7.83(3)
Decrease reflected in above expense
ratios due to actions by Dreyfus (%) .61 .75 .66 1.12 2.49(3)
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 222.16 274.83 81.34 20.46 4.16(4)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) 16,767 12,046 10,779 16,480 15,275
(1) FROM MARCH 18, 1994 (COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS) TO NOVEMBER 30, 1994.
(2) BASED ON AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING.
(3) ANNUALIZED.
(4) NOT ANNUALIZED.
</TABLE>
The Fund
<PAGE>
Your Investment
ACCOUNT POLICIES
Buying shares
YOU PAY NO SALES CHARGES to invest in this fund. Your price for fund shares is
the fund's net asset value per share (NAV), which is generally calculated as of
the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time) every day the exchange is open. Your order will be priced at the next NAV
calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or other
entity authorized to accept orders on behalf of the fund. The fund's investments
are generally valued based on market value or, where market quotations are not
readily available, based on fair value as determined in good faith by the fund's
board.
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Minimum investments
Initial Additional
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REGULAR ACCOUNTS $2,500 $100
$500 FOR
TELETRANSFER
INVESTMENTS
TRADITIONAL IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
SPOUSAL IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
ROTH IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
EDUCATION IRAS $500 NO MINIMUM
AFTER THE FIRST
YEAR
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC $100 $100
INVESTMENT PLANS
All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party
checks cannot be accepted. You may be charged a fee for
any check that does not clear. Maximum TeleTransfer
purchase is $150,000 per day.
Third-party investments
If you invest through a third party (rather than directly with Dreyfus), the
policies and fees may be different than those described here. Banks, brokers,
401(k) plans, financial advisers and financial supermarkets may charge
transaction fees and may set different minimum investments or limitations on
buying or selling shares. Consult a representative of your plan or financial
institution if in doubt.
<PAGE>
Selling shares
YOU MAY SELL SHARES AT ANY TIME. Your shares will be sold at the next NAV
calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or other
entity authorized to accept orders on behalf of the fund. Any certificates
representing fund shares being sold must be returned with your redemption
request. Your order will be processed promptly and you will generally receive
the proceeds within a week.
BEFORE SELLING RECENTLY PURCHASED SHARES, please note that if the fund has not
yet collected payment for the shares you are selling, it may delay sending the
proceeds for up to eight business days or until it has collected payment.
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Limitations on selling shares by phone
Proceeds
sent by Minimum Maximum
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CHECK NO MINIMUM $150,000 PER DAY
WIRE $1,000 $250,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
TELETRANSFER $500 $250,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
Written sell orders
Some circumstances require written sell orders along with signature guarantees.
These include:
(pound) amounts of $1,000 or more on accounts whose address has been
changed within the last 30 days
(pound) requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address
Written sell orders of $100,000 or more must also be signature guaranteed.
A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most
banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts,
each signature must be guaranteed. Please call us to ensure that your signature
guarantee will be processed correctly.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
ACCOUNT POLICIES (CONTINUED)
General policies
UNLESS YOU DECLINE TELEPHONE PRIVILEGES on your application, you may be
responsible for any fraudulent telephone order as long as Dreyfus takes
reasonable measures to verify the order.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO:
(pound) refuse any purchase or exchange request that could
adversely affect the fund or its operations, including
those from any individual or group who, in the fund' s
view, is likely to engage in excessive trading (usually
defined as more than four exchanges out of the fund
within a calendar year)
(pound) refuse any purchase or exchange request in excess of
1% of the fund's total assets
(pound) change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or
temporarily suspend this privilege during unusual market
conditions
(pound) change its minimum investment amounts
(pound) delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven
days (generally applies only in cases of very large
redemptions, excessive trading or during unusual market
conditions)
The fund also reserves the right to make a "redemption in kind" -- payment in
portfolio securities rather than cash -- if the amount you are redeeming is
large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it represents more than
1% of the fund's assets).
Small account policies
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts, the fund
charges regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee of $12. The
fee will be imposed during the fourth quarter of each calendar year.
The fee will be waived for: any investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund
investments total at least $25,000; IRA accounts; accounts participating in
automatic investment programs; accounts opened through a financial institution.
If your account falls below $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance.
If it is still below $500 after 45 days, the fund may close your account and
send you the proceeds.
<PAGE>
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
THE FUND USUALLY PAYS ITS SHAREHOLDERS dividends from its net investment income
once a month, and distributes any net capital gains that it has realized once a
year. Your distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the
fund otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.
FUND DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS ARE TAXABLE to most investors (unless your
investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account). The tax status of any
distribution is the same regardless of how long you have been in the fund and
whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in cash. In general,
distributions are taxable as follows:
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Taxability of distributions
Type of Tax rate for Tax rate for
distribution 15% bracket 28% bracket or above
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INCOME ORDINARY ORDINARY
DIVIDENDS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
SHORT-TERM ORDINARY ORDINARY
CAPITAL GAINS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS 10% 20%
The tax status of your dividends and distributions will be detailed in your
annual tax statement from the fund.
Because everyone's tax situation is unique, always consult your tax professional
about federal, state and local tax consequences.
Taxes on transactions
Except in tax-advantaged accounts, any sale or exchange of fund shares may
generate a tax liability.
The table at right also can provide a guide for your potential tax liability
when selling or exchanging fund shares. "Short-term capital gains" applies to
fund shares sold up to 12 months after buying them. "Long-term capital gains"
applies to shares sold after 12 months.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
SERVICES FOR FUND INVESTORS
Automatic services
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES AUTOMATICALLY is easy with the services described
below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain
restrictions. You can set up most of these services with your application or by
calling 1-800-645-6561.
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For investing
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making automatic investments
ASSET BUILDER((reg.tm)) from a designated bank account.
DREYFUS PAYROLL For making automatic investments
SAVINGS PLAN through a payroll deduction.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT For making automatic investments
DIRECT DEPOSIT from your federal employment,
PRIVILEGE Social Security or other regular
federal government check.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND For automatically reinvesting the
SWEEP dividends and distributions from
one Dreyfus fund into another
(not available for IRAs).
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For exchanging shares
DREYFUS AUTO- For making regular exchanges
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE from one Dreyfus fund into
another.
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For selling shares
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making regular withdrawals
WITHDRAWAL PLAN from most Dreyfus funds.
Dreyfus Financial Centers
Through a nationwide network of Dreyfus Financial Centers, Dreyfus offers a full
array of investment services and products. This includes information on mutual
funds, brokerage services, tax-advantaged products and retirement planning.
Our experienced financial consultants can help you make informed choices and
provide you with personalized attention in handling account transactions. The
Financial Centers also offer informative seminars and events. To find the
Financial Center nearest you, call 1-800-499-3327.
<PAGE>
Exchange privilege
YOU CAN EXCHANGE $500 OR MORE from one Dreyfus fund into another (no minimum for
retirement accounts) . You can request your exchange in writing or by phone. Be
sure to read the current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging.
Any new account established through an exchange will have the same privileges as
your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee
for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any
fund that has one.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege
TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT and your Dreyfus fund account with a
phone call, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up TeleTransfer
on your account by providing bank account information and following the
instructions on your application.
The Dreyfus Touch((reg.tm))
FOR 24-HOUR AUTOMATED ACCOUNT ACCESS, use Dreyfus Touch. With a touch-tone
phone, you can easily manage your Dreyfus accounts, obtain information on other
Dreyfus mutual funds and get current stock market quotes.
Retirement plans
Dreyfus offers a variety of retirement plans, including traditional, Roth and
Education IRAs. Here's where you call for information:
(pound) for traditional, rollover, Roth and Education IRAs, call
1-800-645-656
(pound) for SEP-IRAs, Keogh
accounts, 401(k) and
403(b) accounts, call
1-800-358-0910
Your Investment
<PAGE>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGULAR ACCOUNTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete the application.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9387, Providence, RI 02940-9387
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Mail the slip and the check to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 105,
Newark, NJ 07101-0105
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your
investment to The Bank of New York, with these instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900118385
* the fund name
* your Social Security or tax ID number
* name(s) of investor(s)
Call us to obtain an account number. Return your application.
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900118385
* the fund name
* your account number
* name(s) of investor(s)
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELETRANSFER Request TeleTransfer on your application. Call us to request your
transaction.
Automatically
WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT Indicate on your application which automatic
service(s) you want. Return your application with your investment.
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Check the Dreyfus Step Program option on your
application. Return your application, then complete the additional materials
when they are sent to you.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add any automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the forms along with
any other required materials.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name(s) and signature(s)
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required (see "Account
Policies -- Selling Shares").
Mail your request to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9671, Providence, RI 02940-9671
WIRE Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us to
request your transaction. Proceeds will be wired to your bank.
TELETRANSFER Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call
us to request your transaction. Proceeds will be sent to your bank by electronic
check.
CHECK Call us to request your transaction. A check will be sent to the address
of record.
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request a form to add the plan.
Complete the form, specifying the amount and frequency of withdrawals you would
like.
Be sure to maintain an account balance of $5,000 or more.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR IRAS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete an IRA application, making sure to specify the fund name and to
indicate the year the contribution is for.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Trust Company, Custodian P.O. Box 6427, Providence, RI 02940-6427
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Indicate the year the contribution is for.
Mail in the slip and the check (see "To Open an Account" at left).
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900118385
* the fund name
* your account number
* name of investor
* the contribution year
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELEPHONE CONTRIBUTION Call to request us to move money from a regular Dreyfus
account to an IRA (both accounts must be held in the same shareholder name).
Automatically
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Call us to request a Dreyfus Step Program
form. Complete and return the form along with your application.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add an automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the form along with any
other required materials.
All contributions will count as current year.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name and signature
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
* whether the distribution is qualified or premature
* whether the 10% TEFRA should be withheld
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required.
Mail in your request (see "To Open an Account" at left).
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request instructions to establish
the plan.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS TRUST CO., CUSTODIAN
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
For More Information
Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
-----------------------------
SEC file number: 811-7085
More information on this fund is available free upon
request, including the following:
Annual/Semiannual Report
Describes the fund' s performance, lists portfolio
holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager
discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and
fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's
performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A
current SAI is on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference (is
legally considered part of this prospectus).
To obtain information:
BY TELEPHONE Call 1-800-645-6561
BY MAIL Write to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
BY E-MAIL Send your request to [email protected]
ON THE INTERNET Text-only versions of fund documents can be viewed online or
downloaded from:
SEC
http://www.sec.gov
DREYFUS
http://www.dreyfus.com
You can also obtain copies by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC (phone 1-800-SEC-0330) or by sending your request and a
duplicating fee to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC
20549-6009.
(c) 1999, Dreyfus Service Corporation 098P0499
<PAGE>
________________________________________________________________________
DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
APRIL 1, 1999
________________________________________________________________________
This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), dated April 1, 1999, as it may
be revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's Prospectus,
please write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York
11556-0144, or call one of the following numbers:
Call Toll Free -- 1-800-645-6561
In New York City -- Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. -- Call 516-794-5452
The Fund's most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders are separate documents supplied with this Statement of
Additional Information, and the financial statements, accompanying notes and
report of independent auditors appearing in the Annual Report are
incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Description of the Fund.......................... B-2
Management of the Fund........................... B-25
Management Arrangements.......................... B-30
How to Buy Shares................................ B-33
Shareholder Services Plan........................ B-35
How to Redeem Shares............................. B-36
Shareholder Services............................. B-37
Determination of Net Asset Value................. B-41
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes............... B-42
Portfolio Transactions........................... B-46
Performance Information.......................... B-46
Information About the Fund....................... B-47
Counsel and Independent Auditors................. B-48
Appendix......................................... B-48
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
The Fund is a Maryland corporation formed on September 8, 1993.
The Fund is an open-end, management investment company, known as a mutual
fund.
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's
investment adviser.
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the
distributor of the Fund's shares.
Certain Portfolio Securities
The following information supplements and should be read in
conjunction with the Fund's Prospectus.
General. The Fund invests in a portfolio of debt obligations of
issuers located throughout the world. These debt obligations include bonds,
debentures, notes, money market instruments (including domestic and foreign
bank obligations, such as time deposit, certificates of deposit and bankers'
acceptances, commercial paper and repurchase agreements), mortgage-related
securities, municipal obligations and convertible debt obligations. The
issuers of these obligations may include corporations, partnerships, trusts
or similar entities, governments or their political subdivisions, agencies
or instrumentalities, and supranational entities. At least 65% of the value
of the Fund's net assets (except when maintaining a temporary defensive
position) will be invested in bonds, debentures and other debt instruments.
While there are no prescribed limits on geographic asset distribution, the
Fund ordinarily will seek to invest its assets in at least three countries.
The Fund may hold foreign currency of any country and may purchase debt
securities or hold currencies in combination with forward currency exchange
contracts.
It is a fundamental policy of the Fund that at least 65% of the
Fund's net assets will consist of debt securities rated at least Baa by
Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or at least BBB by Standard &
Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P"), Fitch IBCA, Inc. ("Fitch") or Duff & Phelps
Credit Rating Co. ("Duff" and, together with the other rating agencies, the
"Rating Agencies"). The Fund intends to invest less than 35% of its net
assets in debt securities rated lower than investment grade by Moody's, S&P,
Fitch and Duff. See "Investment Considerations and Risks--Lower Rated
Securities" below for a discussion of certain risks, and "Appendix." The
Fund also may invest in securities which, while not rated, are determined by
the Manager to be of comparable quality to the rated securities in which the
Fund may invest; for purposes of the 65% requirement described above, such
unrated securities shall be deemed to have the rating so determined.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities may be converted at
either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock.
Convertible securities have characteristics similar to both fixed-income and
equity securities. Convertible securities generally are subordinated to
other similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although
convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right
of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is
senior to common stock, of the same issuer. Because of the subordination
feature, however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than
similar non-convertible securities.
Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-income securities, the
market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates
increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In
addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible
securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the
underlying common stock. A unique feature of convertible securities is that
as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible
securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not
experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common
stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the
prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the
value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are
without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less
risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
Convertible securities are investments that provide for a stable
stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. There can
be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible
securities may default on their obligations. A convertible security, in
addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital
appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to
benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.
There can be no assurance of capital appreciation, however, because
securities prices fluctuate. Convertible securities, however, generally
offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of
similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation.
Warrants. A warrant is an instrument issued by a corporation
which gives the holder the right to subscribe to a specified amount of the
corporation's capital stock at a set price for a specified period of time.
The Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in warrants, except that this
limitation does not apply to warrants purchased by the Fund that are sold in
units with, or attached to, other securities.
Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon U.S.
Treasury securities, which are Treasury Notes and Bonds that have been
stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves and
receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt
obligations and coupons. Zero coupon securities also are issued by
corporations and financial institutions which constitute a proportionate
ownership of the issuer's pool of underlying U.S. Treasury securities. A
zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life and is
sold at a discount to its face value at maturity. The amount of the
discount fluctuates with the market price of the security. The market
prices of zero coupon securities generally are more volatile than the market
prices of securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to
respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than non-zero
coupon securities having similar maturities and credit qualities.
Securities of Emerging Markets Issuers. The Fund may invest up to
35% of its total assets in companies whose principal activities are in, or
governments of, emerging markets. Emerging markets will include any
countries (i) having an "emerging stock market" as defined by the
International Finance Corporation; (ii) with low- to middle-income economies
according to the World Bank; or (iii) listed in World Bank publications as
developing. Currently, the countries not included in these categories are
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Issuers whose principal activities are in countries with emerging markets
include issuers: (1) organized under the laws of, (2) whose securities have
their primary trading market in, (3) deriving at least 50% of their revenues
or profits from goods sold, investments made, or services performed in, or
(4) having at least 50% of their assets located in a country with, an
emerging market. In emerging markets, the Fund may purchase debt securities
issued or guaranteed by foreign governments, including participations in
loans between foreign governments and financial institutions, and interests
in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring the
investment characteristics of instruments issued or guaranteed by foreign
governments ("Sovereign Debt Obligations"). These include Brady Bonds,
Structured Securities and Loan Participations and Assignments (as defined
below).
Brady Bonds--Brady Bonds are debt obligations 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.
Brady Bonds have been issued only relatively 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). They are actively traded in the over-the-counter
secondary market.
Collateralized Brady Bonds may be fixed rate par bonds or floating
rate discount bonds, which are generally collateralized in full as to
principal due at maturity by U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations which
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 or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal
to at least one year's 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
three or four valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of
principal at final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments;
(iii) the uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized
repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts
constitute the "residual risk"). In the event of a default with respect to
Collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations of
the issuer are accelerated, the U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations held
as collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to
investors, nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed.
The collateral will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled
maturity of the defaulted Brady Bonds, which will continue to be
outstanding, at which time the face amount of the collateral will equal the
principal payments which would have then been due on the Brady Bonds in the
normal course. In addition, in light of the residual risk of Brady Bonds
and, among other factors, the history of defaults with respect to commercial
bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds,
investments in Brady Bonds are to be viewed as speculative.
Debt restructurings have been implemented under the Brady Plan in
Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines,
Uruguay and Venezuela, with the largest proportion of Brady Bonds having
been issued to date by Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela. Most Argentine and
Mexican Brady Bonds and a significant portion of the Venezuelan Brady Bonds
issued to date are Collateralized Brady Bonds with interest coupon payments
collateralized on a rolling-forward basis by funds or securities held in
escrow by an agent for the bondholders.
Structured Securities--Structured Securities are interests in entities
organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the
investment characteristics of Sovereign Debt Obligations. 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 securities ("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 of the type in which the Fund anticipates it
will invest typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk
generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments.
The Fund is permitted to invest in a class of Structured
Securities that is 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.
Certain issuers of Structured Securities may be deemed to be
"investment companies" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund's investment in these
Structured Securities may be limited by the restrictions contained in the
1940 Act. See "Investment Company Securities" below.
Loan Participations and Assignments--The Fund may invest in fixed and
floating rate loans ("Loans") arranged through private negotiations between
an issuer of Sovereign Debt Obligations and one or more financial
institutions ("Lenders"). The Fund's investments in Loans are expected in
most instances to be in the form of participations in Loans
("Participations") and assignments of all or a portion of Loans
("Assignments") from third parties. The government that is the borrower on
the Loan will be considered by the Fund to be the issuer of a Participation
or Assignment. The Fund's investment in Participations typically will
result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with the Lender
and not with the borrower. The Fund will have the right to receive payments
of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the
Lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the Lender of the
payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations,
the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower
with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the Loan, nor any rights of
set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any
collateral supporting the Loan in which it has purchased the Participation.
As a result, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower
and the Lender that is selling the Participation. In the event of the
insolvency of the Lender selling a Participation, the Fund may be treated as
a general creditor of the Lender and may not benefit from any set-off
between the Lender and the borrower. Certain Participations may be
structured in a manner designed to avoid purchasers of Participations being
subject to the credit risk of the Lender with respect to the Participation,
but even under such a structure, in the event of the Lender's insolvency,
the Lender's servicing of the Participation may be delayed and the
assignability of the Participation impaired. The Fund will acquire
Participations only if the Lender interpositioned between the Fund and the
borrower is a Lender having total assets of more than $25 billion and whose
senior unsecured debt is rated investment grade or higher (i.e., Baa/BBB or
higher).
When the Fund purchases Assignments from Lenders it will acquire
direct rights against the borrower on the Loan. Because Assignments are
arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and
potential assignors, however, the rights and obligations acquired by the
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 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. The 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 is no established secondary market for such
securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to
a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of an established
secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities
and the Fund's ability to dispose of particular Assignments or
Participations when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or in
response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of an established secondary
market for Assignments and Participations also may make it more difficult
for the Fund to assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing
the Fund's portfolio and calculating its net asset value. The Fund will not
invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets in Loan Participations
and Assignments that are illiquid, and in other illiquid securities.
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are a
form of derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential
mortgages. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to
investors by various governmental, government-related and private
organizations. These securities may include complex instruments such as
collateralized mortgage obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities,
mortgage pass-through securities, adjustable rate mortgages, or other kinds
of mortgage-backed securities, including those with fixed, floating and
variable interest rates, those with interest rates based on multiples of
changes in a specified index of interest rates and those with interest rates
that change inversely to changes in interest rates, as well as those that do
not bear interest.
Residential Mortgage-Related Securities-The Fund may invest in
mortgage-related securities representing participation interests in pools of
one- to four-family residential mortgage loans issued or guaranteed by
governmental agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Government National
Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), the Federal National Mortgage Association
("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), or issued
by private entities. Similar to commercial mortgage-related securities,
residential mortgage-related securities have been issued using a variety of
structures, including multi-class structures featuring senior and
subordinated classes.
Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-
Through Certificates (also know as "Ginnie Maes") which are guaranteed as to
the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA certificates
also are supported by the authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S.
Treasury to make payments under its guarantee. Mortgage-related securities
issued by FNMA include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates
(also known as "Fannie Maes") which are solely the obligations of FNMA and
are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United
States. Fannie Maes are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and
interest by FNMA. Mortgage-related securities issued by FHLMC include FHLMC
Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as "Freddie Macs" or "PCs").
Freddie Macs are not guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home
Loan Bank and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or
of any Federal Home Loan Bank. Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely
payment of interest, which is guaranteed by FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either
ultimate collection or timely payment of all principal payments on the
underlying mortgage loans. When FHLMC does not guarantee timely payment of
principal, FHLMC may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of
ultimate payment of principal at any time after default on an underlying
mortgage, but in no event later than one year after it becomes payable.
Commercial Mortgage-Related Securities-Commercial mortgage-related
securities generally are multi-class debt or pass-through certificates
secured by mortgage loans on commercial properties. These mortgage-related
securities generally are constructed to provide protection to the senior
classes investors against potential losses on the underlying mortgage loans.
This protection generally is provided by having the holders of subordinated
classes of securities ("Subordinated Securities") take the first loss if
there are defaults on the underlying commercial mortgage loans. Other
protection, which may benefit all of the classes or particular classes, may
include issuer guarantees, reserve funds, additional Subordinated
Securities, cross-collateralization and over-collateralization.
Subordinated Securities-The Fund may invest in Subordinated Securities
issued or sponsored by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions,
mortgage bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other
non-governmental issuers. Subordinated Securities have no governmental
guarantee, and are subordinated in some manner as to the payment of
principal and/or interest to the holders of more senior mortgage-related
securities arising out of the same pool of mortgages. The holders of
Subordinated Securities typically are compensated with a higher stated yield
than are the holders of more senior mortgage-related securities. On the
other hand, Subordinated Securities typically subject the holder to greater
risk than senior mortgage-related securities and tend to be rated in a lower
rating category, and frequently a substantially lower rating category, than
the senior mortgage-related securities issued in respect of the same pool of
mortgage. Subordinated Securities generally are likely to be more sensitive
to changes in prepayment and interest rates and the market for such
securities may be less liquid than is the case for traditional fixed-income
securities and senior mortgage-related securities.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") and Multi-Class Pass-Through-
Securities-A CMO is a multiclass bond backed by a pool of mortgage
pass-through certificates or mortgage loans. CMOs may be collateralized by
(a) Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac pass-through certificates, (b)
unsecuritized mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration
or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, (c) unsecuritized
conventional mortgages, (d) other mortgage-related securities, or (e) any
combination thereof.
Each class of CMOs, 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 it to be
retired substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final
distribution dates. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages
may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in many
ways. One or more tranches of a CMO may have coupon rates which reset
periodically at a specified increment over an index, such as the London
Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") (or sometimes more than one index). These
floating rate CMOs typically are issued with lifetime caps on the coupon
rate thereon. The Fund also may invest in inverse floating rate CMOs.
Inverse floating rate CMOs constitute a tranche of a CMO with a coupon rate
that moves in the reverse direction to an applicable index such a LIBOR.
Accordingly, the coupon rate thereon will increase as interest rates
decrease. Inverse floating rate CMOs are typically more volatile than fixed
or floating rate tranches of CMOs.
Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a
multiple of the applicable indexes. The effect of the coupon varying
inversely to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor.
Inverse floaters based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be
highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders
thereof to extreme reductions of yield and loss of principal. The markets
for inverse floating rate CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at
times may be very thin. The Fund's ability to dispose of its positions in
such securities will depend on the degree of liquidity in the markets for
such securities. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest
that may exist in such securities, and therefore the future degree of
liquidity.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities-The Fund also may invest in stripped
mortgage-backed securities which are created by segregating the cash flows
from underlying mortgage loans or mortgage securities to create two or more
new securities, each with a specified percentage of the underlying
security's principal or interest payments. Mortgage securities may be
partially stripped so that each investor class receives some interest and
some principal. When securities are completely stripped, however, all of
the interest is distributed to holders of one type of security, known as an
interest-only security, or IO, and all of the principal is distributed to
holders of another type of security known as a principal-only security, or
PO. Strips can be created in a pass-through structure or as tranches of a
CMO. The yields to maturity on IO and POs are very sensitive to the rate of
principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying
mortgage assets. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than
anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may not fully recoup its
initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the underlying mortgage assets
experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on POs
could be materially and adversely affected.
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Loans ("ARMs")-ARMs eligible for inclusion in a
mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest
rate for a specified period of time, generally for either the first three,
six, twelve, thirteen, thirty-six, or sixty scheduled monthly payments.
Thereafter, the interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on
changes in an index. ARMs typically have minimum and maximum rates beyond
which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the
loans. Certain ARMs provide for additional limitations on the maximum
amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single
adjustment period. Negatively amortizing ARMs may provide limitations on
changes in the required monthly payment. Limitations on monthly payments
can result in monthly payments that are greater or less than the amount
necessary to amortize a negatively amortizing ARM by its maturity at the
interest rate in effect during any particular month.
Other Mortgage-Related Securities-Other mortgage-related securities include
securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly
represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage
loans on real property, including CMO residuals. Other mortgage-related
securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or
instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or
investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations,
homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks,
partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
Government-Agency Securities--Mortgage-related securities issued by the
Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") include GNMA Mortgage Pass-
Through Certificates (also known as "Ginnie Maes") which are guaranteed as
to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee
is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA is a
wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing
and Urban Development. GNMA certificates also are supported by the
authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments
under its guarantee.
Government-Related Securities--Mortgage-related securities issued by the
Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") included FNMA Guaranteed
Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as "Fannie Maes") which are
solely the obligations of FNMA and are not backed by or entitled to the full
faith and credit of the United States. FNMA is a government-sponsored
organization owned entirely by private stockholders. Fannie Maes are
guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA.
Mortgage-related securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation ("FHLMC") include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates
(also known as "Freddie Macs" or "PCs"). FHLMC is a corporate
instrumentality of the United States created pursuant to an Act of Congress,
which is owned entirely by Federal Home Loan Banks. Freddie Macs are not
guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home Loan Bank and do not
constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home
Loan Bank. Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest,
which is guaranteed by FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection
or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage
loans. When FHLMC does not guarantee timely payment of principal, FHLMC may
remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of
principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no
event later than one year after it becomes payable.
Private Entity Securities--These mortgage-related securities are issued by
commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private
mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers. Timely
payment of principal and interest on mortgage- related securities backed by
pools created by non-governmental issuers often is supported partially by
various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title,
pool and hazard insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by
government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can
be no assurance that the private insurers or mortgage poolers can meet their
obligations under the policies, so that if the issuers default on their
obligations the holders of the security could sustain a loss. No insurance
or guarantee covers the Fund or the price of the Fund's shares. Mortgage-
related securities issued by non-governmental issuers generally offer a
higher rate of interest than government-agency and government-related
securities because there are no direct or indirect government guarantees of
payment.
Foreign Government Obligations; Securities of Supranational
Entities. The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by one or
more foreign governments or any of their political subdivisions, agencies or
instrumentalities that are determined by the Manager to be of comparable
quality to the other obligations in which the Fund may invest. Such
securities also include debt obligations of supranational entities.
Supranational entities include international organizations designated or
supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or
development and international banking institutions and related government
agencies. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (the World Bank), the European Coal and Steel Community, the
Asian Development Bank and the InterAmerican Development Bank.
Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in securities issued by
other investment companies. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund's investment in
such securities, subject to certain exceptions, currently is limited to (i)
3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the
Fund's total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10%
of the Fund's total assets in the aggregate. Investments in the securities
of other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and
certain other expenses.
Illiquid Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the
value of its net assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market
does not exist, provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's
investment objective. These securities may include securities that are not
readily marketable, such as certain securities that are subject to legal or
contractual restrictions on resale, certain Sovereign Debt Obligations,
repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice, and certain privately negotiated, non-exchange traded options and
securities used to cover such options and certain mortgage-backed
securities. As to these securities, the Fund is subject to a risk that
should the Fund desire to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at a
price the Fund deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's
net assets could be adversely affected.
Money Market Instruments. When the Manager determines that
adverse market conditions exist, the Fund may adopt a temporary defensive
position and invest some or all of its assets in money market instruments.
Investment Techniques
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus.
Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may enter into foreign
currency transactions for a variety of purposes, including: to fix in U.S.
dollars, between trade and settlement date, the value of a security the Fund
has agreed to buy or sell; to hedge the U.S. dollar value of securities the
Fund already owns, particularly if it expects a decrease in the value of the
currency in which the foreign security is denominated; or to gain exposure
to the foreign currency in an attempt to realize gains.
Foreign currency transactions may involve, for example, the Fund's
purchase of foreign currencies for U.S. dollars or the maintenance of short
positions in foreign currencies, which would involve the Fund agreeing to
exchange an amount of a currency it did not currently own for another
currency at a future date in anticipation of a decline in the value of the
currency sold relative to the currency the Fund contracted to receive in the
exchange. The Fund's success in these transactions will depend principally
on the Manager's ability to predict accurately the future exchange rates
between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short
periods of time. They generally are determined by the forces of supply and
demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of
investments in different countries, actual or perceived changes in interest
rates and other complex factors, as seen from an international perspective.
Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention
by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, or the failure to
intervene, or by currency controls or political developments in the United
States or abroad.
Leverage. Leveraging (that is, buying securities using borrowed
money) exaggerates the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease
in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed for leveraging
is limited to 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets. These
borrowings will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be
recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased; in certain cases,
interest costs may exceed the return received on the securities purchased.
For borrowings for investment purposes, the 1940 Act requires the Fund to
maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including
borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount
borrowed. If the required coverage should decline as a result of market
fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its
portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the amount of its borrowings
and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous
from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time. The Fund
also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with
such borrowing or pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of
credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing
over the stated interest rate.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks,
brokers or dealers. This form of borrowing involves the transfer by the Fund
of an underlying debt instrument in return for cash proceeds based on a
percentage of the value of the security. The Fund retains the right to
receive interest and principal payments on the security. At an agreed upon
future date, the Fund repurchases the security at principal plus accrued
interest. Except for these transactions, the Fund's borrowings generally
will be unsecured.
Short-Selling. In these transactions, the Fund sells a security
it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the
security. To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to
make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the security
borrowed by purchasing it subsequently at the market price at the time of
replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at
which the security was sold by the Fund, which would result in a loss or
gain, respectively.
Securities will not be sold short if, after effect is given to any
such short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would
exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Fund may not make a
short sale which results in the Fund having sold short in the aggregate more
than 5% of the outstanding securities of any class of an issuer.
The Fund also may make short sales "against the box," in which the
Fund enters into a short sale of a security it owns. At no time will more
than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets be in deposits on short sales
against the box.
Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed
security, the Fund will: (a) maintain a segregated account, containing
permissible liquid assets, at such a level that the amount deposited in the
account plus the amount deposited with the broker as collateral always
equals the current value of the security sold short; or (b) otherwise cover
its short position.
Lending Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend securities from
its portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing
to borrow securities to complete certain transactions. In connection with
such loans, the Fund continues to be entitled to payments in amounts equal
to the dividends, interest or other distributions payable on the loaned
securities which affords the Fund an opportunity to earn interest on the
amount of the loan and at the same time to earn income on the loaned
securities' collateral. Loans of portfolio securities may not exceed 33-
1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets, and the Fund will receive
collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities or irrevocable
letters of credit which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal
to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities. Such
loans are terminable by the Fund at any time upon specified notice. The
Fund might experience risk of loss if the institution with which it has
engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the
Fund. In connection with its securities lending transactions, the Fund may
return to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Fund,
and which is acting as a "placing broker," a part of the interest earned
from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
Derivatives. The Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives,
such as options and futures, for a variety of reasons, including to hedge
certain market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling
particular securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may
provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Fund to
invest than "traditional" securities would.
Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees
of risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and
the portfolio as a whole. Derivatives permit a Fund to increase or decrease
the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its
portfolio is exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or
decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its
portfolio by making investments in specific securities.
Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than
their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in derivatives
could have a large potential impact on the Fund's performance.
If the Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges
market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return
or result in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its
derivatives were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the
Fund were unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary
market. The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become,
illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and
unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain
derivatives subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission which limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such
derivatives. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options with
respect thereto for hedging purposes without limit. However, the Fund may
not invest in such contracts and options for other purposes if the sum of
the amount of initial margin deposits and premiums paid for unexpired
options with respect to such contracts, other than for bona fide hedging
purposes, exceeds 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund's assets, after
taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on such
contracts and options; provided, however, that in the case of an option that
is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money amount may be
excluded in calculating the 5% limitation.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through
privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter
derivatives. Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the
clearing agency which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives.
This guarantee usually is supported by a daily payment system (i.e.,
variation margin requirements) operated by the clearing agency in order to
reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated
with derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency
guarantees over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-
the-counter derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default.
Accordingly, the Manager will consider the creditworthiness of
counterparties to over-the-counter derivatives in the same manner as it
would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by the Fund.
Over-the-counter derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded
derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only
investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in
bidding for it.
Futures Transactions--In General. The Fund may enter into futures contracts
in U.S. domestic markets, such as the Chicago Board of Trade and the
International Monetary Market of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or on
exchanges located outside the United States, such as the London
International Financial Futures Exchange, the Deutsche Termine Borse and the
Sydney Futures Exchange Limited. Foreign markets may offer advantages such
as trading opportunities or arbitrage possibilities not available in the
United States. Foreign markets, however, may have greater risk potential
than domestic markets. For example, some foreign exchanges are principal
markets so that no common clearing facility exists and an investor may look
only to the broker for performance of the contract. In addition, any
profits that the Fund might realize in trading could be eliminated by
adverse changes in the exchange rate, or the Fund could incur losses as a
result of those changes. Transactions on foreign exchanges may include both
commodities which are traded on domestic exchanges and those which are not.
Unlike trading on domestic commodity exchanges, trading on foreign commodity
exchanges is not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Engaging in these transactions involves risk of loss to the Fund
which could adversely affect the value of the Fund's net assets. Although
the Fund intends to purchase or sell futures contracts only if there is an
active market for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid
market will exist for any particular contract at any particular time. Many
futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation
permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the
daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made
that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for
specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could
move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no
trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and
potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the
Manager's ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the
relevant market and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for
hedging purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the
transaction being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract.
For example, if the Fund uses futures to hedge against the possibility of a
decline in the market value of securities held in its portfolio and the
prices of such securities instead increase, the Fund will lose part or all
of the benefit of the increased value of securities which it has hedged
because it will have offsetting losses in its futures positions.
Furthermore, if in such circumstances the Fund has insufficient cash, it may
have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin requirements. The
Fund may have to sell such securities at a time when it may be
disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to set aside
permissible liquid assets in a segregated account to cover its obligations
relating to its transactions in derivatives. To maintain this required
cover, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at disadvantageous
prices or times since it may not be possible to liquidate a derivative
position at a reasonable price. In addition, the segregation of such assets
will have the effect of limiting the Fund's ability otherwise to invest
those assets.
Specific Futures Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate
futures contracts. An interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase
or sell an amount of a specific debt security at a future date at a specific
price.
The Fund may purchase and sell currency futures. A foreign
currency future obligates the Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a
specific currency at a future date at a specific price.
Options--In General. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets,
represented by the premium paid, in the purchase of call and put options.
The Fund may write (i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts to the
extent of 20% of the value of its net assets at the time such option
contracts are written. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the
right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, the underlying security or
securities at the exercise price at any time during the option period, or at
a specific date. Conversely, a put option gives the purchaser of the option
the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying security
or securities at the exercise price at any time during the option period, or
at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with
respect to which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers
the transaction by segregating cash or other securities. A put option
written by the Fund is covered when, among other things, cash or liquid
securities having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the
option are placed in a segregated account with the Fund's custodian to
fulfill the obligation undertaken. The principal reason for writing covered
call and put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a
greater return than would be realized on the underlying securities alone.
The Fund receives a premium from writing covered call or put options which
it retains whether or not the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a
liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any
particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such
secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may
cease to exist for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher
than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events,
at times have rendered certain of the clearing facilities inadequate and
resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading
rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or
suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar
events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of
customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible
to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a covered call
option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction
in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security
until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
Specific Options Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell call and put
options on foreign currency. These options convey the right to buy or sell
the underlying currency at a price which is expected to be lower or higher
than the spot price of the currency at the time the option is exercised or
expires.
The Fund may purchase cash-settled options on interest rate swaps
and interest rate swaps denominated in foreign currency in pursuit of its
investment objective. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund
with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive
interest (for example, an exchange of floating-rate payments for fixed-rate
payments) denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currency. A cash-settled
option on a swap gives the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, in
return for the premium paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value
of the underlying swap as of the exercise date. These options typically are
purchased in privately negotiated transactions from financial institutions,
including securities brokerage firms.
Successful use by the Fund of options will be subject to the
Manager's ability to predict correctly movements in foreign currencies or
interest rates. To the extent the Manager's predictions are incorrect, the
Fund may incur losses.
Future Developments. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities
in the area of options and futures contracts and options on futures
contracts and any other derivatives which are not presently contemplated for
use by the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be
developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the
Fund's investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Before
entering into such transactions or making any such investment, the Fund will
provide appropriate disclosure in its Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information.
Forward Commitments. The Fund may purchase securities on a
forward commitment or when-issued basis, which means that delivery and
payment take place a number of days after the date of the commitment to
purchase. The payment obligation and the interest rate receivable on a
forward commitment or when-issued security are fixed when the Fund enters
into the commitment, but the Fund does not make payment until it receives
delivery from the counterparty. The Fund will commit to purchase such
securities only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but
the Fund may sell these securities before the settlement date if it is
deemed advisable. The Fund will set aside in a segregated account
permissible liquid assets at least equal at all times to the amount of the
Fund's purchase commitments.
Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis
are subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e.,
appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest
rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of
the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates.
Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose
the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to
their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a when-issued basis can
involve the additional risk that the yield available in the market when the
delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the
transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-
issued basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully invested may result in
greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net assets and its
net asset value per share.
Investment Considerations and Risks
Foreign Securities. Foreign securities markets generally are not
as developed or efficient as those in the United States. Securities of some
foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of
comparable U.S. issuers. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign
securities markets are less than in the United States and, at times,
volatility of price can be greater than in the United States.
Because evidences of ownership of foreign securities usually are
held outside the United States, the Fund will be subject to additional risks
which include possible adverse political and economic developments, seizure
or nationalization of foreign deposits and adoption of governmental
restrictions which might adversely affect or restrict the payment of
principal, interest and dividends on the foreign securities to investors
located outside the country of the issuer, whether from currency blockage or
otherwise. Moreover, foreign securities held by the Fund may trade on days
when the Fund does not calculate its net asset value and thus affect the
Fund's net asset value on days when investors have no access to the Fund.
Developing countries have economic structures that are generally
less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than
those of developed countries. The markets of developing countries may be
more volatile than the markets of more mature economies; however, such
markets may provide higher rates of return to investors. Many developing
countries providing investment opportunities for the Fund have experienced
substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many
years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may
continue to have adverse effects on the economies and securities markets of
certain of these countries.
Since foreign securities often are purchased with and payable in
currencies of foreign countries, the value of these assets as measured in
U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency
rates and exchange control regulations.
Investing in Sovereign Debt Obligations of Emerging Market
Countries. No established secondary markets may exist for many of the
Sovereign Debt Obligations in which the Fund will invest. Reduced secondary
market liquidity may have an adverse effect on the market price and the
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 also may make it
more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for
purposes 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.
The Sovereign Debt Obligations in which the Fund will invest in
most 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 Fund is 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 the Manager believes it to be consistent with the Fund's
investment objective. The Fund may have limited legal recourse in the event
of a default with respect to certain Sovereign Debt Obligations it holds.
Bankruptcy, moratorium and other similar laws applicable to issuers of
Sovereign Debt Obligations may be substantially different from those
applicable to issuers of private debt obligations. The political context,
expressed as the willingness of an issuer of Sovereign Debt Obligations to
meet the terms of the debt obligation, for example, is of considerable
importance. In addition, no assurance can be given that the holders of
commercial bank debt will not contest payments to the holders of securities
issued by foreign governments in the event of default under commercial bank
loan agreements.
The ability of governments to make timely payments on their
obligations is likely to be influenced strongly by the issuer's balance of
payments, including export performance, and its access to international
credits and investments. A country whose exports are concentrated in a few
commodities could be vulnerable to a decline in the international prices of
one or more of those commodities. Increased protectionism on the part of a
country's trading partners also could adversely affect the country's exports
and diminish its trade account surplus, if any. To the extent that a
country receives payment for its exports in currencies other than dollars,
its ability to make debt payments denominated in dollars could be adversely
affected.
To the extent that a country develops a trade deficit, it will
need to depend on continuing loans from foreign governments, multilateral
organizations or private commercial banks, aid payments from foreign
governments and on inflows of foreign investment. The access of a country
to these forms of external funding may not be certain, and a withdrawal of
external funding could adversely affect the capacity of a government to make
payments on its obligations. In addition, the cost of servicing debt
obligations can be affected by a change in international interest rates
since the majority of these obligations carry interest rates that are
adjusted periodically based upon international rates.
Another factor bearing on the ability of a country to repay
Sovereign Debt Obligations is the level of the country's international
reserves. Fluctuations in the level of these reserves can affect the amount
of foreign exchange readily available for external debt payments and, thus,
could have a bearing on the capacity of the country to make payments on its
Sovereign Debt Obligations.
Expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, political,
economic or social instability or other similar developments, such as
military coups, have occurred in the past in countries in which the Fund
will invest and could adversely affect the Fund's assets should these
conditions or events recur.
Foreign investment in certain Sovereign Debt Obligations is
restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls
at times may limit or preclude foreign investment in certain Sovereign Debt
Obligations and increase the costs and expenses of the Fund. Certain
countries in which the Fund will invest require governmental approval prior
to investment by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment by foreign
persons in a particular issuer, limit the investment by foreign persons only
to a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less
advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries
of the countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors.
Certain countries other than those on which the Fund initially
will focus its investments may require governmental approval for the
repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of
securities by foreign investors. In addition, if a deterioration occurs in
a country's balance of payments, the country could impose temporary
restrictions on foreign capital remittances. The Fund could be adversely
affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental
approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the
Fund of any restrictions on investments. Investing in local markets may
require the Fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government
approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve additional costs
to the Fund.
Discount Obligations. A substantial portion of the Fund's
investments (including most Brady Bonds) may be in (i) securities which were
initially issued at a discount from their face value (collectively,
"Discount Obligations") and (ii) securities purchased by the Fund at a price
less than their stated face amount or, in the case of Discount Obligations,
at a price less than their issue price plus the portion of "original issue
discount" previously accrued thereon, i.e., purchased at a "market
discount." The amount of original issue discount and/or market discount on
obligations purchased by the Fund may be significant, and accretion of
market discount together with original issue discount, will cause the Fund
to realize income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to
these securities. To maintain its qualification as a regulated investment
company and avoid liability for Federal income taxes, the Fund may be
required to distribute such income accrued with respect to these securities
and may have to dispose of portfolio securities under disadvantageous
circumstances in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution
requirements.
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities in which
the Fund may invest are complex derivative instruments, subject to both
credit and prepayment risk, and may be more volatile and less liquid than
more traditional debt securities. Some mortgage-related securities have
structures that make their reactions to interest rate changes and other
factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile. Although
certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or
otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may
fluctuate, is not secured. If a mortgage-related security is purchased at a
premium, all or part of the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the
market value of the security, whether resulting from changes in interest
rates or prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral. As with other
interest-bearing securities, the prices of certain mortgage-related
securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. However,
although the value of a mortgage-related security may decline when interest
rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of
declining interest rates the mortgages underlying the security are more
likely to be prepaid. For this and other reasons, a mortgage-related
security's stated maturity may be shortened by unscheduled prepayments on
the underlying mortgages, and, therefore, it is not possible to predict
accurately the security's return to the Fund. Moreover, with respect to
stripped mortgage-backed securities, if the underlying mortgage securities
experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may
fail to fully recoup its initial investment even if the securities are rated
in the highest rating category by a nationally recognized statistical rating
organization. During periods of rapidly rising interest rates, prepayments
of mortgage-related securities may occur at slower than expected rates.
Slower prepayments effectively may lengthen a mortgage-related security's
expected maturity which generally would cause the value of such security to
fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates. Were the
prepayments on the Fund's mortgage-related securities to decrease broadly,
the Fund's effective duration, and thus sensitivity to interest rate
fluctuations, would increase.
Lower Rated Securities. The Fund intends to invest less than 35%
of its net assets in higher yielding (and, therefore, higher risk) debt
securities such as those rated Ba by Moody's or BB by S&P, Fitch and Duff,
or as low as the lowest ratings assigned by the Rating Agencies. They may
be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to
greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated fixed-
income securities. The retail secondary market for these securities may be
less liquid than that of higher rated securities; adverse conditions could
make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain securities or could
result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund's net asset
value. See "Appendix" for a general description of the Rating Agencies'
ratings. The ratings of the Rating Agencies represent their opinions as to
the quality of the obligations which they undertake to rate. Ratings are
relative and subjective and, although ratings may be useful in evaluating
the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the
market value risk of such obligations. Although these ratings may be an
initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, the Manager also
will evaluate these securities and the ability of the issuers of such
securities to pay interest and principal. The Fund's ability to achieve its
investment objective may be more dependent on the Manager's credit analysis
than might be the case for a fund that invested in higher rated securities.
You should be aware that the market values of many of these
securities tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher
rated securities and will fluctuate over time. These securities generally
are considered by the Rating Agencies to be, on balance, predominantly
speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in
accordance with the terms of the obligation and generally will involve more
credit risk than securities in the higher rating categories.
Companies that issue certain of these securities often are highly
leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of
financing. Therefore, the risk associated with acquiring the securities of
such issuers generally is greater than is the case with the higher rated
securities. For example, during an economic downturn or a sustained period
of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of these securities may
not have sufficient revenues to meet their interest payment obligations.
The issuer's ability to service its debt obligations also may be affected
adversely by specific corporate developments, forecasts, or the
unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss because of default
by the issuer is significantly greater for the holders of these securities
because such securities generally are unsecured and often are subordinated
to other creditors of the issuer.
Because there is no established retail secondary market for many
of these securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold
only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the
extent a secondary trading market for these securities does exist, it
generally is not as liquid as the secondary market for higher rated
securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse
impact on market price and yield and the Fund's ability to dispose of
particular issues when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or in
response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the issuer. The lack of a liquid secondary market for
certain securities also may make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain
accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and
calculating its net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor
perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the
values and liquidity of these securities. In such cases, judgment may play
a greater role in valuation because less reliable, objective data may be
available.
These securities may be particularly susceptible to economic
downturns. It is likely that an economic recession could disrupt severely
the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value
of such securities. In addition, it is likely that any such economic
downturn could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such
securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the
incidence of default for such securities.
The Fund may acquire these securities during an initial offering.
Such securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. The
Fund has no arrangement with the Distributor or any other persons concerning
the acquisition of such securities, and the Manager will review carefully
the credit and other characteristics pertinent to such new issues.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also
apply to lower rated zero coupon securities and pay-in-kind bonds, in which
the Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets. Pay-in-kind bonds pay
interest through the issuance of additional securities. Zero coupon
securities and pay-in-kind bonds carry an additional risk in that, unlike
bonds which pay interest throughout the period to maturity, the Fund will
realize no cash until the cash payment date unless a portion of such
securities are sold and, if the issuer defaults, the Fund may obtain no
return at all on its investment.
Simultaneous Investments. Investment decisions for the Fund are
made independently from those of the other investment companies advised by
the Manager. If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest
in, or dispose of, the same securities as the Fund, available investment or
opportunities for sales will be allocated equitably to each investment
company. In some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the size of the
position obtained for or disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or
received by the Fund.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy, which
cannot be changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined
in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the
Fund has adopted investment restrictions numbered 1 through 8 as fundamental
policies. Investment restrictions numbered 9 through 14 are not fundamental
policies and may be changed by vote of a majority of the Fund's Board
members at any time. The Fund may not:
1. Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the
securities of issuers in any single industry, provided that there shall be
no limitation on the purchase of obligations issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
2. Invest in commodities, except that the Fund may purchase and
sell options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating
to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
3. Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or other
mineral leases or exploration or development programs, but the Fund may
purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or issued by
companies that invest or deal in real estate or real estate investment
trusts.
4. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940
Act (which currently limits borrowings to no more than 33-1/3% of the value
of the Fund's total assets). For purposes of this Investment Restriction,
the entry into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including
those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall
not constitute borrowing.
5. Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt
obligations and the entry into repurchase agreements. However, the Fund may
lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the
value of its total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made
according to guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Fund's Board.
6. Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except
to the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities.
7. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section
18(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent the activities permitted in
Investment Restriction Nos. 2, 4, 11 and 12 may be deemed to give rise to a
senior security.
8. Purchase securities on margin, but the Fund may make margin
deposits in connection with transactions in options, forward contracts,
futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on
futures contracts or indices.
9. Purchase securities of any company having less than three
years' continuous operations (including operations of any predecessor) if
such purchase would cause the value of the Fund's investments in all such
companies to exceed 5% of the value of its total assets.
10. Invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of
exercising management or control, but the Fund will vote the securities it
owns in its portfolio as a shareholder in accordance with its views.
11. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to the
extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent related to
the purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and
the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with writing covered put and
call options and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements
with respect to options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including
those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
12. Purchase, sell or write puts, calls or combinations thereof,
except as described in the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information.
13. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in
more than seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid,
if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets
would be so invested.
14. Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to
the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of
investment, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in values
or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board is responsible for the management and supervision
of the Fund. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Fund
and those companies that furnish services to the Fund. These companies are
as follows:
The Dreyfus Corporation Investment Adviser
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. Distributor
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Transfer Agent
The Bank of New York Custodian
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information
as to their principal business occupations during at least the last five
years, are shown below.
Board Members of the Fund
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, Chairman of the Board. Since January 1995, Chairman of
the Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is
a director of The Noel Group, Inc., a venture capital company (for
which, from February 1995 until November 1997, he was Chairman of the
Board), The Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan Services
Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk
management services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle
Industries, Inc. (formerly, Belding Heminway, Inc.), a button packager
and distributor, Career Blazers, Inc. (formerly, Staffing Resources,
Inc.), a temporary placement agency, and Century Business Services,
Inc., a provider of various outsourcing functions for small and medium
sized companies. For more than five years prior to January 1995, he
was President, a director and, until August 1994, Chief Operating
Officer of the Manager and Executive Vice President and a director of
Dreyfus Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager
and, until August 24, 1994, the Fund's distributor. From August 1994
until December 31, 1994, he was a director of Mellon Bank Corporation.
He is 55 years old and his address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New
York 10166
DAVID P. FELDMAN, Board Member. Trustee of Corporate Property Investors, a
real estate investment company, and a director of several mutual funds
in the 59 Wall Street Mutual Funds Group, and of Jeffrey Company, a
private investment company. He was employed by AT&T from July 1961 to
his retirement in April 1997, most recently serving as Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Investment Management Corporation. He
is 58 years old and his address is c/o AT&T, One Oak Way, Berkeley
Heights, New Jersey 07922.
JOHN M. FRASER, JR., Board Member. President of Fraser Associates, a
service company for planning and arranging corporate meetings and other
events. From September 1975 to June 1978, he was Executive Vice
President of Flagship Cruises, Ltd. Prior thereto, he was Senior Vice
President and Resident Director of the Swedish-American Line for the
United States and Canada. He is 76 years old and his address is 133
East 64th Street, New York, New York 10021.
ROBERT R. GLAUBER, Board Member. Research Fellow, Center for Business and
Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, since January 1992. He was Under Secretary of the Treasury
for Finance at the U.S. Treasury Department from May 1989 to January
1992. For more than five years prior thereto, he was a Professor of
Finance at the Graduate School of Business Administration of Harvard
University and, from 1985 to 1989, Chairman of its Advanced Management
Program. He is chairman of The Measurisk Group, a risk measurement
advisory and software development firm, co-chairman of the Investment
Committee, Massachusetts State Retirement Fund, and is also a director
of The Dun & Bradstreet Corp, Exel Limited, a Bermuda based insurance
company, Cooke and Beiler, Inc., investment counselors, National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., NASD Regulation, Inc. and the
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. He is a member of the Council on
Foreign Relations, Boston Committee on Foreign Relations and treasurer
of The Boston Economic Club. He is 59 years old and his address is 79
John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
JAMES F. HENRY, Board Member. President of the CPR Institute for Dispute
Resolution, a non-profit organization principally engaged in the
development of alternatives to business litigation. He was of counsel
to the law firm of Lovejoy, Wasson & Ashton from October 1975 to
December 1976 and from October 1979 to June 1983, and was a partner of
that firm from January 1977 to September 1979. He was President and a
director of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, a philanthropic
organization, from September 1971 to December 1976. He is 67 years old
and his address is c/o CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, 366
Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
ROSALIND GERSTEN JACOBS, Board Member. Director of Merchandise and
Marketing for Corporate Property Investors, a real estate investment
company. From 1974 to 1976, she was owner and manager of a merchandise
and marketing consulting firm. Prior to 1974, she was Vice President
of Macy's, New York. She is 70 years old and her address is c/o
Corporate Property Investors, 305 East 47th Street, New York, New York
10017.
IRVING KRISTOL, Board Member. John M. Olin Distinguished Fellow of the
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, co-editor of
The Public Interest magazine and an author or co-editor of several
books. From May 1981 to December 1994, he was consultant to the
Manager on economic matters; from 1969 to 1988, he was Professor of
Social Thought at the Graduate School of Business Administration, New
York University; from September 1969 to August 1979, he was Henry R.
Luce Professor of Urban Values at New York University; from 1975 to
1990, he was a director of Lincoln National Corporation, an insurance
company; and from 1977 to 1990, he was a director of Warner-Lambert
Company, a pharmaceutical and consumer products company. He is 78
years old and his address is c/o The Public Interest, 1112 16th Street,
N.W., Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036.
DR. PAUL A. MARKS, Board Member. President and Chief Executive Officer of
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He was Vice President for
Health Sciences and Director of the Cancer Center at Columbia
University from 1973 to September 1980, and Professor of Medicine and
of Human Genetics and Development at Columbia University from 1968 to
1982. He was a director of Pfizer, Inc., a pharmaceutical company,
from 1978 to 1996 and Life Technologies, Inc., a life science company
producing products for cell and molecular biology and microbiology from
1986 to 1996. He is a director of Tulerik, Inc., a biotechnology
company, and a general partner of LINC Venture Lease Partners II, L.P.,
a limited partnership engaged in leasing. He is 71 years old and his
address is c/o Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York
Avenue, New York, New York 10021.
DR. MARTIN PERETZ, Board Member. Editor-in-Chief of The New Republic
magazine and a lecturer in social studies at Harvard University, where
he has been a member of the faculty since 1965. He is a trustee of the
Center for Blood Research at the Harvard Medical School, and the
Academy for Liberal Education, an accrediting agency for colleges and
universities certified by the U.S. Department of Education; and a
director of Leukosite Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. Dr. Peretz is
also a Co-Chairman of TheStreeet.com, a financial daily on the Web.
From 1988 to 1989, he was a director of Bank Leumi Trust Company of New
York, and from 1988 to 1991, he was a director of Carmel Container
Corporation. He is 58 years old and his address is c/o The New
Republic, 1220 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
BERT W. WASSERMAN, Board Member. Financial Consultant. From January 1990
to March 1995, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer, and from January 1990 to March 1993, a director of Time Warner
Inc.; from 1981 to 1990, he was a member of the Office of the President
and a director of Warner Communications Inc. He is also a director of
The New Germany Fund, Mountasia Entertainment International, Inc., the
Lillian Vernon Corporation, Winstar Communications, Inc. and
International Discount Telecommunications, Corp. He is 63 years old
and his address is 126 East 56th Street, Suite 12 North, New York, New
York 10022.
For so long as the Fund's plan described in the section captioned
"Shareholder Services Plan" remains in effect, the Board members of the Fund
who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act,
will be selected and nominated by the Board members who are not "interested
persons" of the Fund.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a
per meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the
Board receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board
members are entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of
one-half the amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate
compensation paid to each Board member by the Fund for the fiscal year ended
November 30, 1998, and by all other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for
which such person is a Board member (the number of which is set forth in
parenthesis next to each Board member's total compensation) for the year
ended December 31, 1998, were as follows:
Total
Compensation From
Aggregate Fund and Fund
Name of Board Compensation From Complex Paid to
Member Fund* Board Member
___________________ _________________ _________________
Joseph S. DiMartino $_____ $_______ (__)
David P. Feldman $_____ $_______ (__)
John M. Fraser, Jr. $_____ $_______ (__)
Robert R. Glauber $_____ $_______ (__)
James F. Henry $_____ $_______ (__)
Rosalind Gersten Jacobs $_____ $_______ (__)
Irving Kristol $_____ $_______ (__)
Dr. Paul A. Marks $_____ $_______ (__)
Dr. Martin Peretz $_____ $_______ (__)
Bert W. Wasserman $_____ $_______ (__)
____________________________
* Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board
meetings, which amounted to $___ for all Board members as a group.
Officers of the Fund
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, President and Treasurer. President, Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and a director of the Distributor and
Funds Distributor, Inc., the ultimate parent of which is Boston
Institutional Group, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies
advised or administered by the Manager. She is 41 years old.
MARGARET W. CHAMBERS, Vice President and Secretary. Senior Vice President
and General Counsel of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
August 1996 to March 1998, she was Vice President and Assistant General
Counsel for Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. From January 1986 to July
1996, she was an associate with the law firm of Ropes & Gray. She is
38 years old.
MICHAEL S. PETRUCELLI, Vice President, Assistant Secretary and Assistant
Treasurer. Senior Vice President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From December 1989 through November 1996, he was employed by
GE Investment Services where he held various financial, business
development and compliance positions. He also served as Treasurer of
the GE Funds and as a Director of GE Investment Services. He is 36
years old.
STEPHANIE D. PIERCE, Vice President, Assistant Secretary and Assistant
Treasurer. Vice President and Client Development Manager of Funds
Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies advised
or administered by the Manager. From April 1997 to March 1998, she was
employed as a Relationship Manager with Citibank, N.A. From August
1995 to April 1997, she was an Assistant Vice President with Hudson
Valley Bank, and from September 1990 to August 1995, she was Second
Vice President with Chase Manhattan Bank. She is 30 years old.
MARY A. NELSON, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President of
the Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
September 1989 to July 1994, she was an Assistant Vice President and
Client Manager for The Boston Company, Inc. She is 34 years old.
GEORGE A. RIO, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Executive Vice
President and Client Service Director of Funds Distributor, Inc., and
an officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From June 1995 to March 1998, he was Senior Vice President
and Senior Key Account Manager for Putnam Mutual Funds. From May 1994
to June 1995, he was Director of Business Development for First Data
Corporation. From September 1983 to May 1994, he was Senior Vice
President and Manager of Client Services and Director of Internal Audit
at The Boston Company, Inc. He is 43 years old.
JOSEPH F. TOWER, III, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Senior Vice
President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and a director of the
Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From July
1988 to August 1994, he was employed by The Boston Company, Inc. where
he held various management positions in the Corporate Finance and
Treasury areas. He is 36 years old.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
April 1993 to January 1995, he was a Senior Fund Accountant for
Investors Bank & Trust Company. He is 29 years old.
CHRISTOPHER J. KELLEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice
President and Senior Associate General Counsel of Funds Distributor,
Inc., and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. From April 1994 to July 1996, he was
Assistant Counsel at Forum Financial Group. He is 33 years old.
KATHLEEN K. MORRISEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Manager of
Treasury Services Administration of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From July 1994 to November 1995, she was a Fund Accountant
for Investors Bank & Trust Company. She is 26 years old.
ELBA VASQUEZ, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
March 1990 to May 1996, she was employed by U.S. Trust Company of New
York where she held various sales and marketing positions. She is 37
years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund, is 200 Park Avenue, New
York, New York 10166.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than
1% of the Fund's outstanding voting securities on _______ __, 1999.
The following persons are known by the Fund to own of record 5% or
more of the Fund's outstanding voting securities as of _______ __, 1999:
[MBC Investments Corporation, Attn: Michael Botsford, 4500 New Linden Hill
Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808 -53.80%.] A shareholder who beneficially
owns, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the Fund's voting securities
may be deemed a "control person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Investment Adviser. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Mellon Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Bank
Corporation ("Mellon"). Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding
company incorporated under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the
Federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a
comprehensive range of financial products and services in domestic and
selected international markets. Mellon is among the twenty-five largest
bank holding companies in the United States based on total assets.
The Manager provides management services pursuant to the
Management Agreement (the "Agreement") dated August 24, 1994 with the Fund,
which is subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of
a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities, provided that in either event its continuance also is approved
by a majority of the Fund's Board members who are not "interested persons"
(as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The
Agreement was approved by shareholders on August 2, 1994 and was last
approved by the Fund's Board, including a majority of the Board members who
are not "interested persons" of any party to the Agreement, at a meeting
held on _______, 1998. The Agreement is terminable without penalty, on 60
days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority of
the Fund's shares, or, on not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager.
The Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment
(as defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the
Manager: Christopher M. Condron, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer; Stephen E. Canter, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief
Investment Officer and a director; Lawrence S. Kash, Vice Chairman and a
director; J. David Officer, Vice Chairman and a director; Ronald P. O'Hanley
III, Vice Chairman; Thomas F. Eggers, Vice Chairman-Institutional; William
T. Sandalls, Jr., Executive Vice President; Mark N. Jacobs, Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice President-
Corporate Communications; Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President-Human Resources;
Andrew S. Wasser, Vice President-Information Systems; Theodore A. Schachar,
Vice President; Wendy Strutt, Vice President; Richard Terres, Vice
President; William H. Maresca, Controller; James Bitetto, Assistant
Secretary, Steven F. Newman, Assistant Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman,
Burton C. Borgelt, Steven G. Elliott, Martin C. McGuinn, Richard W. Sabo and
Richard F. Syron, directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's portfolio of investments in
accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of
the Fund's Board. The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and
provides the Fund with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Board to
execute purchases and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers
are Christine V. Downton, Kevin M. McClintock and Gerald Thunelius. The
Manager also maintains a research department with a professional staff of
portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services for
the Fund and for other funds advised by the Manager.
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund, and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder
services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits but not
including the management fee paid by the Fund. The Distributor may use part
or all of such payments to pay Service Agents (as defined below) in respect
of these services. The Manager also may make such advertising and
promotional expenditures using its own resources, as it from time to time
deems appropriate.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by
the Fund, except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The
expenses borne by the Fund include: taxes, interest, loan commitment fees,
interest and distributions paid on securities sold short, brokerage fees and
commissions, if any, fees of Board members who are not officers, directors,
employees or holders of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of
the Manager or any of its affiliates, Securities and Exchange Commission
fees, state Blue Sky qualification fees, advisory fees, charges of
custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents' fees, certain insurance
premiums, industry association fees, outside auditing and legal expenses,
costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, costs of independent pricing
services, costs attributable to investor services (including, without
limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of shareholders'
reports and meetings, costs of preparing and printing prospectuses and
statements of additional information for regulatory purposes and for
distribution to existing shareholders, and any extraordinary expenses. Fund
shares are subject to an annual service fee. See "Shareholder Services
Plan."
As compensation for the Manager's services, the Fund has agreed to
pay the Manager a monthly fee at the annual rate of .70% of the value of the
Fund's average daily net assets. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before declaration of dividends to shareholders. For the fiscal
years ended November 30, 1996, 1997 and 1998, the management fees payable by
the Fund were $101,805, $78,283 and $__________, respectively, which amounts
were reduced by the Manager, pursuant to an undertaking in effect, by
$96,116, $78,283 and $___________, respectively, resulting in a net fee of
$5,689 for fiscal 1996, $0 for fiscal 1997 and $_________ for fiscal 1998.
Pursuant to a sub-investment advisory agreement which was
terminated September 11, 1996, the Manager engaged M&G Investment Management
Limited ("M&G") to provide sub-investment advisory services and day-to-day
management of the Fund's investments. As compensation for M&G's services,
the Manager had agreed to pay M&G a monthly fee at the annual rate of .28%
of the value of the Fund's average daily net assets. For the period from
December 1, 1995 through September 10, 1996, $3,684 was paid to M&G by the
Manager.
The Manager has agreed that if in any fiscal year the aggregate
expenses of the Fund, exclusive of interest, taxes, brokerage and (with the
prior written consent of the necessary state securities commissions)
extraordinary expenses, but including the management fee, exceed the expense
limitation of any state having jurisdiction over the Fund, the Fund may
deduct from the payment to be made to the Manager under the Agreement, or
the Manager will bear, such excess expense to the extent required by state
law. Such deduction or payment, if any, will be estimated daily, and
reconciled and effected or paid, as the case may be, on a monthly basis.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
Distributor. The Distributor, located at 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109, serves as the Fund's distributor on a best efforts
basis pursuant to an agreement which is renewable annually.
The Distributor may pay dealers a fee of up to .50% of the amount
invested through such dealers in Fund shares by employees participating in
qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans or other programs where
(i) the employers or affiliated employers maintaining such plans or programs
have a minimum of 250 employees eligible for participation in such plans or
programs, or (ii) such plan's or program's aggregate investment in the
Dreyfus Family or Funds or certain other products made available by the
Distributor to such plan or programs exceeds $1,000,000 ("Eligible Benefit
Plans"). Shares of funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds then held by
Eligible Benefit Plans will be aggregated to determine the fee payable. The
Distributor reserves the right to cease paying these fees at any time. The
Distributor will pay such fees from its own funds, other than amounts
received from the Fund, including past profits or any other source available
to it.
Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent and Custodian. Dreyfus
Transfer, Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Manager, P.O. Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's
transfer and dividend disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement
with the Fund, the Transfer Agent arranges for the maintenance of
shareholder account records for the Fund, the handling of certain
communications between shareholders and the Fund and the payment of
dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For these services, the
Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of
shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the month, and is
reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses.
The Bank of New York (the "Custodian"), 90 Washington Street, New
York, New York 10286, is the Fund's custodian. The Custodian has no part
in determining the investment policies of the Fund or which securities are
to be purchased or sold by the Fund. Under a custody agreement with the
Fund, the Custodian holds the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary
accounts and records. For its custody services, the Custodian receives a
monthly fee based on the market value of the Fund's assets held in custody
and receives certain securities transactions charges.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
General. Fund shares are sold without a sales charge. You may be
charged a fee if you effect transactions in Fund shares through a securities
dealer, bank or other financial institution (collectively, "Service
Agents"). Stock certificates are issued only upon your written request. No
certificates are issued for fractional shares. The Fund reserves the right
to reject any purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a
client of a Service Agent which maintains an omnibus account in the Fund and
has made an aggregate minimum initial purchase for its customers of $2,500.
Subsequent investments must be at least $100. However, the minimum initial
investment is $750 for Dreyfus-sponsored Keogh Plans, IRAs (including
regular IRAs, spousal IRAs for a non-working spouse, Roth IRAs, IRAs set up
under a Simplified Employee Pension Plan ("SEP-IRAs") and rollover IRAs) and
403(b)(7) Plans with only one participant and $500 for Dreyfus-sponsored
Education IRAs, with no minimum for subsequent purchases. The initial
investment must be accompanied by the Account Application. For full-time or
part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries,
directors of the Manager, Board members of a fund advised by the Manager,
including members of the Fund's Board, or the spouse or minor child of any
of the foregoing, the minimum initial investment is $1,000. For full-time
or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or
subsidiaries who elect to have a portion of their pay directly deposited
into their Fund accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50. The Fund
reserves the right to offer Fund shares without regard to minimum purchase
requirements to employees participating in certain qualified or non-
qualified employee benefit plans or other programs where contributions or
account information can be transmitted in a manner and form acceptable to
the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to vary further the initial and
subsequent investment minimum requirements at any time.
Fund shares also are offered without regard to the minimum initial
investment requirements through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builderr, Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant
to the Dreyfus Step Program described under "Shareholder Services." These
services enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide
you with a convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. You
should be aware, however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a
profit and will not protect you against loss in a declining market.
Shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per
share next determined after an order in proper form is received by the
Transfer Agent or other entity authorized to receive orders on behalf of the
Fund. Net asset value per share is determined as of the close of trading on
the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York
time), on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. For
purposes of determining net asset value per share, options and futures
contracts will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading on the floor
of the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset value per share is computed by
dividing the value of the Fund's net assets (i.e., the value of its assets
less liabilities) by the total number of shares outstanding. The Fund's
investments are valued based on market value, or where market quotations are
not readily available, based on fair value as determined in good faith by or
in accordance with procedures fixed by the Fund's Board. For further
information regarding the methods employed in valuing Fund investments, see
"Determination of Net Asset Value."
For certain institutions that have entered into agreements with
the Distributor, payment for the purchase of Fund shares may be transmitted,
and must be received by the Transfer Agent, within three business days after
the order is placed. If such payment is not received within three business
days after the order is placed, the order may be canceled and the
institution could be held liable for resulting fees and/or losses.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may purchase shares by
telephone if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary
information on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services
Form with the Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the
bank account designated in one of these documents and your fund account.
Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution which is
an Automated Clearing House ("ACH") member may be so designated.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer purchase orders may be made at any time.
Purchase orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any business day
that the Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for
business will be credited to the shareholder's Fund account on the next bank
business day following such purchase order. Purchase orders made after 4:00
p.m., New York time, on any business day the Transfer Agent and the New York
Stock Exchange are open for business, or orders made on Saturday, Sunday or
any Fund holiday (e.g., when the New York Stock Exchange is not open for
business), will be credited to the shareholder's Fund account on the second
bank business day following such purchase order. To qualify to use the
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege, the initial payment for purchase of shares
must be drawn on, and redemption proceeds paid to, the same bank and account
as are designated on the Account Application or Shareholder Services Form on
file. If the proceeds of a particular redemption are to be wired to an
account at any other bank, the request must be in writing and signature-
guaranteed. See How to Redeem Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Reopening an Account. You may reopen an account with a minimum
investment of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the
calendar year the account is closed or during the following calendar year,
provided the information on the old Account Application is still applicable.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan, pursuant to
which the Fund pays the Distributor for the provision of certain services to
Fund shareholders a fee at the annual rate of .25% of the value of the
Fund's average daily net assets. The services provided may include personal
services related to shareholder accounts, such as answering shareholder
inquiries regarding the Fund and providing reports and other information,
and services related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Under the
Shareholder Services Plan, the Distributor may make payments to Service
Agents in respect to these services.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Shareholder
Services Plan, and the purposes for which such expenditures were incurred,
must be made to the Fund's Board for its review. In addition, the
Shareholder Services Plan provides that material amendments to the
Shareholder Services Plan must be approved by the Fund's Board, and by the
Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Fund and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the
operation of the Shareholder Services Plan or in any agreements entered into
in connection with the Shareholder Services Plan, by vote cast in person at
a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. The
Shareholder Services Plan is subject to annual approval by such vote of the
Board members cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting
on the Shareholder Services Plan. The Shareholder Services Plan was last so
approved on _________, 1999. The Shareholder Services Plan is terminable at
any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are not "interested
persons" and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation
of the Shareholder Services Plan or in any agreements entered into in
connection with the Shareholder Services Plan.
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 1998, the Fund paid
$__________ pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
Wire Redemption Privilege. By using this Privilege, you authorize
the Transfer Agent to act on wire, telephone or letter redemption
instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be you and
reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the
Fund will initiate payment for shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on
the next business day after receipt if the Transfer Agent receives a
redemption request in proper form. Redemption proceeds ($1,000 minimum)
will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire only to the commercial bank
account specified you on the Account Application or Shareholder Services
Form, or to a correspondent bank if the your bank is not a member of the
Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such bank and borne
by the investor. Immediate notification by the correspondent bank to your
bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the funds to your bank
account.
If you have access to telegraphic equipment, you may wire
redemption requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following
transmittal code which may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
Transfer Agent's
Transmittal Code Answer Back Sign
________________ _________________
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
If you do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment, you may
have the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at
1-800-654-7171, toll free. You should advise the operator that the above
transmittal code must be used and should also inform the operator of the
Transfer Agent's answer back sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive
redemption proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent.
This request must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature
guaranteed as described below under "Stock Certificates; Signatures."
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank
account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be designated. Holders of jointly registered
fund or bank accounts may redeem through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege
for transfer to their bank account not more than $250,000 within any 30-day
period. You should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus
TeleTransfer Privilege, any request for a wire redemption will be effected
as a TeleTransfer transaction through the ACH system unless more prompt
transmittal specifically is requested. Redemption proceeds will be on
deposit in your account at an ACH member bank ordinarily two business days
after receipt of the redemption request. See "How to Buy Shares--Dreyfus
TeleTransfer Privilege."
Stock Certificates; Signatures. Any certificates representing
Fund shares to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request.
Written redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder, including
each holder of a joint account, and each signature must be guaranteed.
Signatures on endorsed certificates submitted for redemption also must be
guaranteed. The Transfer Agent has adopted standards and procedures
pursuant to which signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be
accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national
securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies
and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock
Exchange Medallion Signature Program, the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP"), and the Stock Exchanges Medallion Program.
Guarantees must be signed by an authorized signatory of the guarantor and
"Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the signature. The Transfer Agent
may request additional documentation from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees or guardians, and may accept other suitable
verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as consular
verification. For more information with respect to signature-guarantees,
please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the cover.
Redemption Commitment. The Fund has committed itself to pay in
cash all redemption requests by any shareholder of record, limited in amount
during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the
Fund's net assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is
irrevocable without the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and is a fundamental policy of the Fund which may not be changed
without shareholder approval. In the case of requests for redemption in
excess of such amount, the Board reserves the right to make payments in
whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund in case of an
emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the liquidity of the
Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such event, the
securities would be valued in the same manner as the Fund's portfolio is
valued. If the recipient sold such securities, brokerage charges would be
incurred.
Suspension of Redemptions. The right of redemption may be
suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the
New York Stock Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday
closings), (b) when trading in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is
restricted, or when an emergency exists as determined by the Securities and
Exchange Commission so that disposal of the Fund's investments or
determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable, or (c)
for such other periods as the Securities and Exchange Commission by order
may permit to protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Fund Exchanges. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the
Fund, shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager,
to the extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence.
Shares of other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on the basis
of relative net asset value per share, as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds that are offered without a sales load
will be made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and the applicable
sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged
without a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a sales
load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of
funds acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a
sales load, and additional shares acquired through reinvestment of
dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein
as "Offered Shares"), provided that, if the sales load applicable
to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could
have been imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the
time the Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to
any reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange, under item D above, you must notify the
Transfer Agent of your prior ownership of fund shares and your account
number.
To request an exchange, you must give exchange instructions to the
Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. The ability to issue exchange
instructions by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders automatically,
unless you check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application,
indicating that you specifically refuse this Privilege. By using the
Telephone Exchange Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on
telephonic instructions (including over The Dreyfus Touch automated
telephone system) from any person representing himself or herself to be you
or a representative of your Service Agent, and reasonably believed by the
Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone exchanges may be subject to
limitations as to the amount involved or number of telephone exchanges
permitted. Shares issued in certificate form are not eligible for telephone
exchange. No fees currently are charged shareholders directly in connection
with exchanges, although the Fund reserves the right, upon not less than 60
days' written notice, to charge shareholders a nominal administrative fee in
accordance with rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the
fund being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial
investment required for the fund into which the exchange is being made.
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege
permits you to purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of
certain other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. This Privilege is
available only for existing accounts. Shares will be exchanged on the basis
of relative net asset value as described above under "Fund Exchanges."
Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of this Privilege is effective
three business days following notification by you. You will be notified if
your account falls below the amount designated to be exchanged under this
Privilege. In this case, your account will fall to zero unless additional
investments are made in excess of the designated amount prior to the next
Auto-Exchange transaction. Shares held under IRA and other retirement plans
are eligible for this Privilege. Exchanges of IRA shares may be made
between IRA accounts and from regular accounts to IRA accounts, but not from
IRA accounts to regular accounts. With respect to all other retirement
accounts, exchanges may be made only among those accounts.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may
be obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to
reject any exchange request in whole or in part. Shares may be exchanged
only between accounts having identical names and other identifying
designations. The Fund Exchanges service or the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange
Privilege may be modified or terminated at any time upon notice to
shareholders.
Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R). Dreyfus-Automatic Asset
Builder permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of
$150,000 per transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares
are purchased by transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.
Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege. Dreyfus Government
Direct Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of
$100 and maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary,
Social Security, or certain veterans', military or other payments from the
U.S. Government automatically deposited into your Fund account. You may
deposit as much of such payments as you elect.
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan
permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction)
automatically on a regular basis. Depending upon your employer's direct
deposit program, you may have part or all of your paycheck transferred to
your existing Dreyfus account electronically through the ACH system at each
pay period. To establish a Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan account, you must
file an authorization form with your employer's payroll department. It is
the sole responsibility of your employer, not the Distributor, the Manager,
the Fund, the Transfer Agent or any other person, to arrange for
transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.
Dreyfus Step Program. Dreyfus Step Program enables you to
purchase Fund shares without regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment
requirements through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builderr, Dreyfus Government
Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a
Dreyfus Step Program account, you must supply the necessary information on
the Account Application and file the required authorization form(s) with the
Transfer Agent. For more information concerning this Program, or to request
the necessary authorization form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620.
You may terminate your participation in this Program at any time by
discontinuing your participation in Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder, Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the
case may be, as provided under the terms of such Privilege(s). The Fund may
modify or terminate this Program at any time. If you wish to purchase Fund
shares through the Dreyfus Step Program in conjunction with a Dreyfus-
sponsored retirement plan, you may do so only for IRAs, SEP-IRAs and
rollover IRAs.
Dreyfus Dividend Options. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to
invest automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain
distributions, if any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the
Dreyfus Family of Funds of which you are a shareholder. Shares of other
funds purchased pursuant to this privilege will be purchased on the basis of
relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested
without imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds that
are offered without a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not
charge a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds
sold with a sales load, and the applicable sales load will be
deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that charges a
sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with
a sales load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"),
provided that, if the sales load applicable to the Offered
Shares exceeds the maximum sales load charged by the fund from
which dividends or distributions are being swept, without giving
effect to any reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in
shares of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales
charge ("CDSC") and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be
imposed upon redemption of such shares.
Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically
dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Fund
to a designated bank account. Only an account maintained at a domestic
financial institution which is an ACH member may be so designated. Banks
may charge a fee for this service.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits
you to request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on
either a monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account.
Withdrawal payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the
yield on the shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and
distributions, your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted.
The Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by you, the Fund
or the Transfer Agent. Shares for which stock certificates have been issued
may not be redeemed through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.
Corporate Pension/Profit-Sharing and Retirement Plans. The Fund
makes available to corporations a variety of prototype pension and profit-
sharing plans, including a 401(k) Salary Reduction Plan. In addition, the
Fund makes available Keogh Plans, IRAs (including regular IRAs, spousal IRAs
for a non-working spouse, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, Education IRAs and rollover
IRAs) and 403(b)(7) Plans. Plan support services also are available.
If you who wish to purchase Fund shares in conjunction with a
Keogh Plan, a 403(b)(7) Plan or an IRA, including a SEP-IRA, you may request
from the Distributor forms for adoption of such plans.
The entity acting as custodian for Keogh Plans, 403(b)(7) Plans or
IRAs may charge a fee, payment of which could require the liquidation of
shares. All fees charged are described in the appropriate form.
Shares may be purchased in connection with these plans only by
direct remittance to the entity acting as custodian. Purchases for these
plans may not be made in advance of receipt of funds.
You should read the prototype retirement plan and the appropriate
form of custodial agreement for further details on eligibility, service fees
and tax implications, and should consult a tax adviser.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Valuation of Portfolio Securities. The Fund's securities,
including covered call options written by the Fund, are valued at the last
sale price on the securities exchange or national securities market on which
such securities primarily are traded. Securities not listed on an exchange
or national securities market, or securities in which there were no
transactions, are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked
prices, except in the case of open short positions where the asked price is
used for valuation purposes. Bid price is used when no asked price is
available. Any assets or liabilities initially expressed in terms of
foreign currency will be translated into dollars at the midpoint of the New
York interbank market spot exchange rate as quoted on the day of such
translation by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or if no such rate is
quoted on such date, at the exchange rate previously quoted by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York or at such other quoted market exchange rate as may
be determined to be appropriate by the Advisers. Forward currency contracts
will be valued at the current cost of offsetting the contract. Because of
the need to obtain prices as of the close of trading on various exchanges
throughout the world, the calculation of net asset value does not take place
contemporaneously with the determination of prices of a majority of the
Fund's securities. Short-term investments may be carried at amortized cost,
which approximates value. Expenses and fees of the Fund, including the
management fee paid by the Fund and shareholder services fees, are accrued
daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the net asset
value of Fund shares.
Restricted securities, as well as securities or other assets for
which market quotations are not readily available, or are not valued by a
pricing service approved by the Board members, are valued at fair value as
determined in good faith by the Fund's Board. The Board members will review
the method of valuation on a current basis. In making their good faith
valuation of restricted securities, the Board members generally will take
the following factors into consideration: restricted securities which are,
or are convertible into, securities of the same class of securities for
which a public market exists usually will be valued at market value less the
same percentage discount at which purchased. This discount will be revised
periodically by the Fund's Board if the Board members believe that it no
longer reflects the value of the restricted securities. Restricted
securities not of the same class as securities for which a public market
exists usually will be valued initially at cost. Any subsequent adjustment
from cost will be based upon considerations deemed relevant by the Fund's
Board.
New York Stock Exchange Closings. The holidays (as observed) on
which the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day,
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Management of the Fund believes that the Fund has qualified for
the fiscal year ended November 30, 1998 as a "regulated investment company"
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Fund
intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best
interests of its shareholders. As a regulated investment company, the Fund
will pay no Federal income tax on net investment income and net realized
securities gains to the extent that such income and gains are distributed to
shareholders in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code. To
qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund must pay out to its
shareholders at least 90% of its net income (consisting of net investment
income and net short-term capital gain) and meet certain asset
diversification and other requirements. If the Fund did not qualify as a
regulated investment company, it would be treated as an ordinary corporation
subject to Federal income tax. The term "regulated investment company" does
not imply the supervision of management or investment practices or policies
by any government agency.
If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and
your dividend and distribution check is returned to the Fund as
undeliverable or remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the
right to reinvest such dividend or distribution and all future dividends and
distributions payable to you in additional Fund shares at net asset value.
No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution or
redemption checks.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after your purchase may
have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of your shares
below the cost of the investment. Such a dividend or distribution would be
a return on investment in an economic sense, although taxable as stated
under "Distributions and Taxes" in the Fund's Prospectus. In addition, the
Code provides that if a shareholder holds shares of the Fund for six months
or less and has received a capital gain distribution with respect to such
shares, any loss incurred on the sale of such shares will be treated as
long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain distribution
received.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions
will be treated as capital gains and losses. However, a portion of the gain
or loss realized from the disposition of non-U.S. dollar denominated
securities (including debt instruments, certain financial futures and
options, and certain preferred stock) may be treated as ordinary income or
loss under Section 988 of the Code. In addition, all or a portion of any
gains realized from the sale or other disposition of certain market discount
bonds will be treated as ordinary income under Section 1276 of the Code.
Finally, all or a portion of the gain realized from engaging in "conversion
transactions" may be treated as ordinary income under Section 1258 of the
Code. "Conversion transactions" are defined to include certain forward,
futures, option and "straddle" transactions, transactions marketed or sold
to produce capital gains, or transactions described in Treasury regulations
to be issued in the future.
The Fund may qualify for and may make an election permitted under
Section 853 of the Code so that shareholders may be eligible to claim a
credit or deduction on their Federal income tax returns for, and will be
required to treat as part of the amounts distributed to them, their pro rata
portion of qualified taxes paid or incurred by the Fund to foreign countries
(which taxes relate primarily to investment income). The Fund may make an
election under Section 853 of the Code, provided that more than 50% of the
value of the Fund's total assets at the close of the taxable year consists
of securities in foreign corporations, and the Fund satisfies the applicable
distribution provisions of the Code. The foreign tax credit available to
shareholders is subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code.
Under Section 1256 of the Code, any gain or loss the Fund realizes
from certain forward contracts and options transactions will be treated as
60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss.
Gain or loss will arise upon exercise or lapse of such contracts and options
as well as from closing transactions. In addition, any such contracts or
options remaining unexercised at the end of the Fund's taxable year will be
treated as sold for their then fair market value, resulting in additional
gain or loss to the Fund characterized in the manner described above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain foreign
currency forward contracts or options may be considered, for tax purposes,
constitute "straddles." "Straddles" are defined to include "offsetting
positions" in actively traded personal property. The tax treatment of
"straddles" is governed by Sections 1092 and 1258 of the Code, which, in
certain circumstances, override or modify the provisions of Sections 988 and
1256 of the Code.
If the Fund were treated as entering into "straddles" by reason of
its engaging in certain forward contracts or options transactions, such
"straddles" would be characterized as "mixed straddles" if the forward
contracts or options transactions comprising a part of such "straddles" were
governed by Section 1256 of the Code. The Fund may make one or more
elections with respect to "mixed straddles." Depending on which election is
made, if any, the results to the Fund may differ. If no election is made,
to the extent the "straddle" rules apply to positions established by the
Fund, losses realized by the Fund will be deferred to the extent of
unrealized gain in the offsetting position. Moreover, as a result of the
"straddle" rules, short-term capital loss on "straddle" positions may be
recharacterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be
recharacterized as short-term capital gain or ordinary income.
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 included constructive sale
provisions that generally apply if the Fund either (1) holds an appreciated
financial position with respect to stock, certain debt obligations, or
partnership interests ("appreciated financial position") and then enters
into a short sale, futures, forward, or offsetting notional principal
contract (collectively, a "Contract") respecting the same or substantially
identical property or (2) holds an appreciated financial position that is a
Contract and then acquires property that is the same as, or substantially
identical to, the underlying property. In each instance, with certain
exceptions, the Fund generally will be taxed as if the appreciated financial
position were sold at its fair market value on the date the Fund enters into
the financial position or acquires the property, respectively. Transactions
that are identified hedging or straddle transactions under other provisions
of the Code can be subject to the constructive sale provisions.
The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in
Sovereign Debt Obligations with original issue discount and/or market
discount. Original issue discount generally is the excess (if any) of the
stated redemption price of an obligation over its original issue price.
Market discount generally is the excess (if any) of the stated redemption
price of an obligation (or in the case of an obligation issued with original
issue discount, its original issue price plus accreted original issue
discount) over the price at which it is purchased subsequent to original
issuance. Original issue discount is generally required to be included in
income on a periodic basis by a holder as ordinary income. Income
attributable to market discount generally is ordinary income (as opposed to
capital gain). A taxpayer may elect to include market discount in income on
a periodic basis as opposed to including market discount in income upon
payment or sale of the obligation. It is expected that the Fund will elect
to include market discount in income currently, for both book and tax
purposes. Accordingly, accretion of market discount together with original
issue discount will cause the Fund to realize income prior to the receipt of
cash payments with respect to these securities. To distribute this income
and maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid
becoming subject to Federal income or excise tax, the Fund may be required
to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to
hold, use its cash assets or borrow funds on a temporary basis necessary to
declare and pay a distribution to shareholders. The Fund may realize
capital gains or losses from those sales, which would increase or decrease
the Fund's investment company taxable income or net capital gain. If the
Fund realizes net capital gains from such sales, its shareholders may
receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in
the absence of such sales.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The Manager assumes general supervision over placing orders on
behalf of the Fund for the purchase or sale of investment securities.
Allocation of brokerage transactions, including their frequency, is made in
the Manager's best judgment and in a manner deemed fair and reasonable to
shareholders. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at
the most favorable net price. Subject to this consideration, the brokers
selected will include those that supplement the Manager's research
facilities with statistical data, investment information, economic facts and
opinions. Information so received is in addition to and not in lieu of
services required to be performed by the Manager and the Manager's fees are
not reduced as a consequence of the receipt of such supplemental
information.
Such information may be useful to the Manager in serving both the
Fund and other funds which it advises and, conversely, supplemental
information obtained by the placement of business of other clients may be
useful to the Manager in carrying out its obligations to the Fund. Brokers
also will be selected based upon their sales of shares of the Fund or other
funds advised by the Manager or its affiliates, as well as their ability to
handle special executions such as are involved in large block trades or
broad distributions, provided the primary consideration is met. Large block
trades may, in certain cases, result from two or more funds advised or
administered by the Manager being engaged simultaneously in the purchase or
sale of the same security. Certain of the Fund's transactions in securities
of foreign issuers may not benefit from the negotiated commission rates
available to the Fund for transactions in securities of domestic issuers.
When transactions are executed in the over-the-counter market, the Fund will
deal with the primary market makers unless a more favorable price or
execution otherwise is obtainable. Foreign exchange transactions are made
with banks or institutions in the interbank market at prices reflecting a
mark-up or mark-down and/or commission.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund's current yield for the 30-day period ended November 30,
1998 was ____%. The Fund's net yield for this same period was ____%.
Current yield is computed pursuant to a formula which operates as follows:
The amount of the Fund's expenses accrued for the 30-day period (net of
reimbursements) is subtracted from the amount of the dividends and interest
earned (computed in accordance with regulatory requirements) by the Fund
during the period. That result is then divided by the product of: (a) the
average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
entitled to receive dividends, and (b) the net asset value per share on the
last day of the period less any undistributed earned income per share
reasonably expected to be declared as a dividend shortly thereafter. The
quotient is then added to 1, and that sum is raised to the 6th power, after
which 1 is subtracted. The current yield is then arrived at by multiplying
the result by 2.
The Fund's average annual total return for the 1 and 4.71 year
periods ended November 30, 1998 was ____% and ____%, respectively. Average
annual total return is calculated by determining the ending redeemable value
of an investment purchased at net asset value per share with a hypothetical
$1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period (assuming the
reinvestment of dividends and distributions), dividing by the amount of the
initial investment, taking the "n"th root of the quotient (where "n" is the
number of years in the period) and subtracting 1 from the result.
The Fund's total return for the period from March 18, 1994
(commencement of operations) through November 30, 1998 was _____%. Total
return is calculated by subtracting the amount of the Fund's net asset value
per share at the beginning of a stated period from the net asset value per
share at the end of the period (after giving effect to the reinvestment of
dividends and distributions during the period) and dividing the result by
the net asset value per share at the beginning of the period.
Comparative performance information may be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index,
Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index, Standard & Poor's MidCap
400 Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Morningstar, Inc. and other
industry publications.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Each Fund share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in
accordance with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable.
Fund shares are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in
liquidation. Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights
and are freely transferable.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not
be necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a
result, Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board
members or the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least
10% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Fund to
hold a special meeting of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board
member from office. Fund shareholders may remove a Board member by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In
addition, the Board will call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of
electing Board members if, at any time, less than a majority of the Board
members then holding office have been elected by shareholders.
The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is
not designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term
market movements. A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be
disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be
detrimental to the Fund's performance and its shareholders. Accordingly, if
the Fund's management determines that an investor is following a market-
timing strategy or is otherwise engaging in excessive trading, the Fund,
with or without prior notice, may temporarily or permanently terminate the
availability of Fund Exchanges, or reject in whole or part any purchase or
exchange request, with respect to such investor's account. Such investors
also may be barred from purchasing other funds in the Dreyfus Family of
Funds. Generally, an investor who makes more than four exchanges out of the
Fund during any calendar year or who makes exchanges that appear to coincide
with a market-timing strategy may be deemed to be engaged in excessive
trading. Accounts under common ownership or control will be considered as
one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive trading. In
addition, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange requests by
any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund's management, the Fund
would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected
or if the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that
may significantly affect the Fund (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the
Fund's total assets). If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take
no other action with respect to the shares until it receives further
instructions from the investor. The Fund may delay forwarding redemption
proceeds for up to seven days if the investor redeeming shares is engaged in
excessive trading or if the amount of the redemption request otherwise would
be disruptive to efficient portfolio management or would adversely affect
the Fund. The Fund's policy on excessive trading applies to investors who
invest in the Fund directly or through financial intermediaries, but does
not apply to the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, to any automatic
investment or withdrawal privilege described herein, or to participants in
employer-sponsored retirement plans.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund
may suspend Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange
requests based on their separate components -- redemption orders with a
simultaneous request to purchase the other fund's shares. In such a case,
the redemption request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net
asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset
value next determined after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds
of the redemption, which may result in the purchase being delayed.
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller
accounts, the Fund will charge regular accounts with balances below $2,000
an annual fee of $12. The valuation of accounts and the deductions are
expected to take place during the last four months of each year. The fee
will be waived for any investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund
investments total at least $25,000, and will not apply to IRA accounts or to
accounts participating in automatic investment programs or opened through a
securities dealer, bank or other financial institution, or to other
fiduciary accounts.
The Fund will send annual and semi-annual financial statements to
all its shareholders.
COUNSEL
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the
shares being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
APPENDIX
Description of certain ratings assigned by S&P, Moody's, Fitch and
Duff:
S&P
Bond Ratings
AAA
Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity
to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and
repay principal and differ from the highest rated issues only in small
degree.
A
Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects
of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in
higher rated categories.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate
protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances
are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay
principal for bonds in this category than for bonds in higher rated
categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C
Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having
predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation
and C the highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have
some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large
uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
BB
Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than
other speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties
or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which
could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal
payments.
B
Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently
has the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments.
Adverse business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair
capacity or willingness to pay interest and repay principal.
CCC
Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to
default, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic
conditions to meet timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse
business, financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the
capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
CC
The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior
debt which is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
C
The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior
debt which is assigned an actual or implied CCC-debt rating.
D
Bonds rated D are in default, and payment of interest and/or
repayment of principal is in arrears.
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 ratings categories.
Commercial Paper Rating
The designation A-1 by S&P indicates that the degree of safety
regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those
issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted
with a plus sign (+) designation.
Moody's
Bond Ratings
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 generally are
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 in 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
sometime 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 therefore not well
safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of
position characterizes bonds in this class.
B
Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the
desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of
maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may
be small.
Caa
Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may
be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to
principal or interest.
Ca
Bonds which are rated Ca present 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.
Moody's applies the numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to show
relative standing within the major ratings categories, except in the Aaa
category and in categories below B. The modifier 1 indicates a ranking for
the security in the higher end of a rating category; the modifier 2
indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the
lower end of a rating category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating
assigned by Moody's. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for
repayment of short-term promissory obligations, and ordinarily will be
evidenced by 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, and well established access to a range of financial markets and
assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 (P-2)
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.
Fitch
Bond Ratings
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability
to meet the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The
ratings take into consideration special features of the issue, its
relationship to other obligations of the issuer, the current financial
condition and operative performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as
well as the political and economic environment that might affect the
issuer's future financial strength and credit quality.
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are 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 rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very
high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay
principal is very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA.
Because bonds rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly
vulnerable to foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these
issuers is generally rated F-1+.
A
Bonds rated A are 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 rated BBB are 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 an 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 rated BB 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 rated B 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 rated CCC 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 rated CC are minimally protected. Default payment of
interest and/or principal seems probable over time.
C
Bonds rated C are in imminent default in payment of interest or
principal.
DDD, DD and D
Bonds rated DDD, DD and D are in actual or imminent default of
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 (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol to
indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus
and minus signs, however, are not used in the AAA category covering 12-36
months or the DDD, DD or D categories.
Short-Term Ratings
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are
payable on demand or have original maturities of up to three years,
including commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and
municipal and investment notes.
Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating
analysis, the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on
the existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a
timely manner.
F-1+
Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating
are regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1
Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect
an assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues
rated F-1+.
F-2
Good Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have a
satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of
safety is not as great as the F-1+ and F-1 categories.
Duff
Bond Ratings
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered highest credit quality. The risk
factors are negligible, being only slightly more than for risk-free U.S.
Treasury debt.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered high credit quality. Protection
factors are strong. Risk is modest but may vary slightly from time to time
because of economic conditions.
A
Bonds rated A have protection factors which are average but
adequate. However, risk factors are more variable and greater in periods of
economic stress.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to have below average protection
factors but still considered sufficient for prudent investment.
Considerable variability in risk during economic cycles.
BB
Bonds rated BB are below investment grade but are deemed by Duff
as 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 the
category.
B
Bonds rated B are below investment grade and possess the 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 quality rating
within this category or into a higher or lower quality rating grade.
CCC
Bonds rated CCC are well below investment grade securities. Such
bonds may be in default or have considerable uncertainty as to timely
payment of interest, preferred dividends and/or principal. Protection
factors are narrow and risk can be substantial with unfavorable economic or
industry conditions and/or with unfavorable company developments.
DD
Defaulted debt obligations. Issuer has failed to meet scheduled
principal and/or interest payments.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol (except
AAA) to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating
category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Duff-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned
by Duff. Paper rated Duff-1 is regarded as having very high certainty of
timely payment with excellent liquidity factors which are supported by ample
asset protection. Risk factors are minor.
DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
_________________________
Item 23. Exhibits.
_______ _____________________________________________________
(b) Exhibits:
(a) Registrant's Articles of Incorporation and Articles of Amendment
are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1) of Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed
on February 25, 1994.
(b) Registrant's By-Laws, as amended.
(d) Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (5)
of Pre-Effective Amendment No. (5)(a) to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on January 30, 1995.
(e) Distribution Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)
of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on
Form N-1A, filed on January 30, 1995.
(g) Custody Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8 of
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on
Form N-1A, filed on February 25, 1994.
(h) Shareholder Services Plan is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No.2 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on January 30, 1995.
(i) Opinion and consent of Registrant's counsel is incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (10) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 25, 1994.
(n) Financial Data Schedule.
Item 23. Financial Statements and Exhibits. - List (continued)
_______ _____________________________________________________
Other Exhibits
______________
(a) Powers of Attorney of the Directors and officers
(b) Certificate of Secretary
Item 24. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.
_______ ______________________________________________________________
Not Applicable
Item 25. Indemnification
_______ _______________
Reference is made to Articles SEVENTH of the Registrant's Articles
of Incorporation incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1)(b) of Pre-
Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-
1A, filed on February 25, 1994 and to Section 2-418 of the Maryland
General Corporation Law. The application of these provisions is
limited by Article VIII of the Registrant's By-Laws incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (2) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 25, 1994 and
by the following undertaking set forth in the rules promulgated by
the Securities and Exchange Commission:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 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 such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
(other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered, the
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
Reference is also made to the Distribution Agreement
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed
on January 30, 1995.
Item 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
_______ ____________________________________________________
The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies
comprise a financial service organization whose business
consists primarily of providing investment management services
as the investment adviser, and manager for sponsored investment
companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940
and as an investment adviser to institutional and individual
accounts. Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment adviser to
and/or administrator of other investment companies. Dreyfus
Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dreyfus,
serves primarily as a registered broker-dealer of shares of
investment companies sponsored by Dreyfus and of other
investment companies for which Dreyfus acts as investment
adviser, sub-investment adviser or administrator. Dreyfus
Management, Inc., another wholly-owned subsidiary, provides
investment management services to various pension plans,
institutions and individuals.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ITEM 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Name and Position
With Dreyfus Other Businesses Position Held Dates
Christopher M. Condron Mellon Preferred Director 3/96 - 11/96
Chairman of the Board and Capital Corporation*
Chief Executive Officer
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* President 10/97 - 6/98
Chairman 10/97 - 6/98
The Boston Company Chairman 1/98 - 6/98
Asset Management, LLC* President 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company President 9/95 - 1/98
Asset Management, Inc.* Chairman 4/95 - 1/98
Chief Executive Officer 4/95 - 4/97
Pareto Partners Partner Representative 11/95 - 5/97
271 Regent Street
London, England W1R 8PP
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 1/97 - Present
Franklin Portfolio
Associates Trust* Trustee 9/95 - 1/97
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.**
Director 6/95 - Present
The Boston Company of Director 6/95 - 4/96
Southern California Chief Executive Officer 6/95 - 4/96
Los Angeles, CA
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/95 - Present
Corporation***
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 5/95 -1/98
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 5/95 - 1/98
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc.* Director 5/95 - Present
President 5/95 - Present
Access Capital Strategies Corp. Director 5/95 - 1/97
124 Mount Auburn Street
Suite 200 North
Cambridge, MA 02138
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Chief Operating Officer 3/98 - Present
President 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - Present
Christopher M. Condron Mellon Bank Corporation+ Chief Operating Officer 1/99 - Present
Chairman and Chief President 1/99 - Present
Executive Director 1/98 - Present
Officer (Continued) Vice Chairman 11/94 - 1/99
The Boston Company Financial Director 4/94- 8/96
Services, Inc.* President 4/94 - 8/96
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/94 - Present
Director 5/93 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Exec. Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 10/93 - 1/98
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Chairman 3/93 - 2/96
Company of CA Chief Executive Officer 6/93 - 2/96
Los Angeles, CA Director 6/89 - 2/96
MY, Inc.* President 9/91 - 3/96
Director 9/91 - 3/96
Reco, Inc.* President 8/91 - 11/96
Director 8/91 - 11/96
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 6/89 - 2/96
Company of NY
New York, NY
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust President 9/89 - 6/96
Company* Director 5/93 -Present
The Boston Company Financial President 6/89 - Present
Strategies, Inc. * Director 6/89 - Present
The Boston Company Financial President 6/89 - 1/97
Strategies Group, Inc. * Director 6/89- 1/97
Mandell L. Berman Self-Employed Real Estate Consultant, 11/74 - Present
Director 29100 Northwestern Highway Residential Builder and
Suite 370 Private Investor
Southfield, MI 48034
Burton C. Borgelt DeVlieg Bullard, Inc. Director 1/93 - Present
Director 1 Gorham Island
Westport, CT 06880
Mellon Bank Corporation+ Director 6/91 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 6/91 - Present
Dentsply International, Inc. Director 2/81 - Present
570 West College Avenue Chief Executive Officer 2/81 - 12/96
York, PA Chairman 3/89 - 1/96
Stephen E. Canter Dreyfus Investment Chairman of the Board 1/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating Advisors, Inc.++ Director 5/95 - Present
Officer, Chief Investment President 5/95 - Present
Officer, and Director
Founders Asset Management, LLC Acting Chief Executive 7/98 - 12/98
2930 East Third Ave. Officer
Denver, CO 80206
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 6/95 - Present
Steven G. Elliott Mellon Bank Corporation+ Senior Vice Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 1/99
Treasurer 1/90 - 5/98
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Senior Vice Chairman 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 3/98
Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Mellon EFT Services Corporation Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/96 - Present
Corporation #1 Vice President 1/96 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Vice President 5/93 - Present
APT Holdings Corporation Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Pike Creek Operations Center
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Allomon Corporation Director 12/87 - Present
Two Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Collection Services Corporation Controller 10/90 - Present
500 Grant Street Director 9/88 - Present
Pittsburgh, PA 15258 Vice President 9/88 - Present
Treasurer 9/88 - Present
Mellon Financial Company+ Principal Exec. Officer 1/88 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 8/87 - Present
Director 8/87 - Present
President 8/87 - Present
Mellon Overseas Investments Director 4/88 - Present
Corporation+ Chairman 7/89 - 11/97
President 4/88 - 11/97
Chief Executive Officer 4/88 - 11/97
Mellon International Investment Director 9/89 - 8/97
Corporation+
Mellon Financial Services Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Corporation # 5+
Lawrence S. Kash Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
Vice Chairman Advisors, Inc.++
And Director
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 11/97 - Present
401 North Maple Ave. Chief Executive Officer 11/97 - Present
Beverly Hills, CA
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/95 - Present
President 9/96 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc.++ + Director 3/96 - 12/98
President 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Director 12/94 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ President 1/97 - Present
Executive Vice President 12/94 - 1/97
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc. ++ Director 1/97 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Chairman 5/97 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ President 5/97 - Present
Director 5/97 - Present
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chairman 1/97 - Present
President 2/97 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 2/97 - Present
Director 12/94 - Present
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 5/97 - Present
Corporation++ President 5/97 - Present
Director 12/94 - Present
The Boston Company Advisors* Chairman 8/93 - 11/95
The Boston Company Advisors, Chairman 12/95 - Present
Inc. Chief Executive Officer 12/95 - Present
Wilmington, DE President 12/95 - Present
Cornice Acquisition Board of Managers 12/97 - Present
Company, LLC
Denver, CO
The Boston Company, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 2/92 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ President 12/91 - Present
Executive Committee 12/91 - Present
Member
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Martin G. McGuinn Mellon Bank Corporation+ Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 1/99
Martin G. McGuinn Mellon Bank, N. A. + Chairman 3/98 - Present
Director (Continued) Chief Executive Officer 3/98 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 1/99
Mellon Leasing Corporation+ Vice Chairman 12/96 - Present
Mellon Bank (DE) National Director 4/89 - 12/98
Association
Wilmington, DE
Mellon Bank (MD) National Director 1/96 - 4/98
Association
Rockville, Maryland
Mellon Financial Vice President 9/86 - 10/97
Corporation (MD)
Rockville, Maryland
J. David Officer Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 5/98 - Present
Vice Chairman
And Director Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Residential Funding Corp. + Director 4/97 - Present
Mellon Trust of Florida, N.A. Director 8/97 - Present
2875 Northeast 191st Street
North Miami Beach, FL 33180
Mellon Bank, NA+ Executive Vice President 7/96 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/97 - Present
Director 7/96 - Present
Mellon Preferred Capital Director 11/96 - Present
Corporation*
RECO, Inc.* President 11/96 - Present
Director 11/96 - Present
The Boston Company Financial President 8/96 - Present
Services, Inc.* Director 8/96 - Present
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director
Company* President 7/96 - Present
Executive Vice President 7/96 - 1/99
1/91 - 7/96
Mellon Trust of New York Director
1301 Avenue of the Americas 6/96 - Present
New York, NY 10019
Mellon Trust of California Director 6/96 - Present
400 South Hope Street
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
J. David Officer Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 2/94 - Present
Vice Chairman and
Director (Continued) Mellon United National Bank Director 3/98 - Present
1399 SW 1st Ave., Suite 400
Miami, Florida
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 12/97 - Present
Dreyfus Financial Services Corp. + Director 9/96 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Services Director 4/96 - Present
Corporation+
Richard W. Sabo Founders Asset Management LLC President 12/98 - Present
Director 2930 East Third Avenue Chief Executive Officer 12/98 - Present
Denver, CO. 80206
Prudential Securities Senior Vice President 07/91 - 11/98
New York, NY Regional Director 07/91 - 11/98
Richard F. Syron American Stock Exchange Chairman 4/94 - Present
Director 86 Trinity Place Chief Executive Officer 4/94 - Present
New York, NY 10006
Thomas F. Eggers Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 4/96 - Present
Vice Chairman - Institutional Director 9/96 - Present
Ronald P. O'Hanley Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 3/97 - Present
Vice Chairman
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Chairman 6/98 - Present
Director 10/97 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Chairman 6/98 - Present
Management, LLC* Director 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/97 - 12/97
Management, Inc. *
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc. * Chairman 6/97 - Present
Director 2/97 - Present
Pareto Partners Partner Representative 5/97 - Present
271 Regent Street
London, England W1R 8PP
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/97 -Present
Corporation***
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 2/97 - Present
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon-France Corporation+ Director 3/97 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 3/97 - Present
Ronald P. O'Hanley McKinsey & Company, Inc. Partner 8/86 - 2/97
Vice Chairman (Continued) Boston, MA
Mark Jacobs Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
General Counsel, Advisors, Inc.++ Secretary 10/77 - 7/98
Vice President, and
Secretary The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/96 - Present
The TruePenny Corporation++ President 10/98 - Present
Director 3/96 - Present
Lion Management, Inc.++ Director 1/88 - 10/96
Vice President 1/88 - 10/96
Secretary 1/88 - 10/96
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Secretary 4/83 - 3/96
Corporation++
Dreyfus Service Director 3/97 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Secretary 4/83 -3/96
Major Trading Corporation++ Assistant Secretary 5/81 - 8/96
William H. Maresca The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/97 - Present
Controller
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Chief Financial Officer 12/98 - Present
Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corp.++ Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc. ++
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Vice President 10/98 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
The TruePenny Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc.+++ Treasurer 10/98 - 12/98
The Trotwood Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Site A Corp. ++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chief Financial Officer 5/98 - Present
One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Assistant Treasurer 3/93 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Assistant Treasurer 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
William T. Sandalls, Jr. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chairman 2/97 - Present
Executive Vice President One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
William T. Sandalls, Jr. Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/96 - Present
Executive Vice President Treasurer 1/96 - 2/97
(Continued) Executive Vice President 2/97 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 2/97 - 12/98
Dreyfus Investment Director 1/96 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++ Treasurer 1/96 - 10/98
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Director 12/96 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road President 1/97 - Present
Wilmington, DE 19808
Dreyfus Acquisition Corporation++ Director VP and CFO 1/96 - 8/96
Vice President 1/96 - 8/96
Chief Financial Officer 1/96 - 8/96
Lion Management, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 10/96
President 1/96 - 10/96
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 10/98
Treasurer 10/96 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Consumer Director 1/96 - Present
Credit Corp.++ Vice President 1/96 - Present
Treasurer 1/97 - 10/98
Dreyfus Partnership President 1/97 - 6/97
Management, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 6/97
Dreyfus Service Organization, Director 1/96 - 6/97
Inc.++ Executive Vice President 1/96 - 6/97
Treasurer 10/96 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/97 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Treasurer 5/97 - Present
Executive Vice President 5/97 - Present
Major Trading Corporation++ Director 1/96 - 8/96
Treasurer 1/96 - 8/96
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 1/96 - 4/97
Treasurer 1/96 - 4/97
Chief Financial Officer 1/96 - 4/97
Dreyfus Personal Director 1/96 - 4/97
Management, Inc.++ Treasurer 1/96 - 4/97
Patrice M. Kozlowski None
Vice President - Corporate
Communications
Mary Beth Leibig None
Vice President -
Human Resources
Andrew S. Wasser Mellon Bank Corporation+ Vice President 1/95 - Present
Vice President -
Information Systems
Theodore A. Schachar Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Vice President -Tax 10/96 - Present
Vice President - Tax
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Wendy Strutt None
Vice President
Richard Terres None
Vice President
James Bitetto The TruePenny Corporation++ Secretary 9/98 - Present
Assistant Secretary
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Assistant Secretary 8/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Service Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
Steven F. Newman Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Vice President 2/97 - Present
Assistant Secretary One American Express Plaza Director 2/97 - Present
Providence, RI 02903 Secretary 2/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Secretary 5/98 - 7/98
_______________________________
* The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston,
Massachusetts, 02108.
** The address of the business so indicated is One Bush Street, Suite 450, San
Francisco, California 94104.
*** The address of the business so indicated is 595 Market Street, Suite 3000,
San Francisco, California 94105.
+ The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.
++ The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New
York 10166.
+++ The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard,
Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.
++++The address of the business so indicated is 53 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109
</TABLE>
Item 27. Principal Underwriters
________ ______________________
(a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal
underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or
exclusive distributor:
1) Comstock Partners Funds, Inc.
2) Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
3) Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.
4) Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.
5) Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
6) Dreyfus BASIC GNMA Fund
7) Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.
8) Dreyfus BASIC Municipal Fund, Inc.
9) Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund
10) Dreyfus California Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
11) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
12) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
13) Dreyfus Cash Management
14) Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.
15) Dreyfus Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
16) Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
17) Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
18) Dreyfus Florida Municipal Money Market Fund
19) The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated
20) Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
21) Dreyfus Global Growth Fund
22) Dreyfus GNMA Fund, Inc.
23) Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds
24) Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
25) Dreyfus Growth and Value Funds, Inc.
26) Dreyfus Growth Opportunity Fund, Inc.
27) Dreyfus Debt and Equity Funds
28) Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc.
29) Dreyfus Institutional Money Market Fund
30) Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Money Market Fund
31) Dreyfus Institutional Short Term Treasury Fund
32) Dreyfus Insured Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
33) Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
34) Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.
35) Dreyfus Investment Grade Bond Funds, Inc.
36) Dreyfus Investment Portfolios
37) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.
38) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust
39) The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds
40) Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.
41) Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.
42) Dreyfus Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
43) Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund
44) Dreyfus Massachusetts Tax Exempt Bond Fund
45) Dreyfus MidCap Index Fund
46) Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.
47) Dreyfus Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
48) Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus
49) Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
50) Dreyfus New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
51) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
52) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
53) Dreyfus New Leaders Fund, Inc.
54) Dreyfus New York Insured Tax Exempt Bond Fund
55) Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management
56) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
57) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund
58) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
59) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund
60) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund
61) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund
62) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Short Term Fund
63) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
64) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund
65) Dreyfus Premier California Municipal Bond Fund
66) Dreyfus Premier Equity Funds, Inc.
67) Dreyfus Premier International Funds, Inc.
68) Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund
69) Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.
70) Dreyfus Premier Municipal Bond Fund
71) Dreyfus Premier New York Municipal Bond Fund
72) Dreyfus Premier State Municipal Bond Fund
73) Dreyfus Premier Value Fund
74) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund
75) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
76) The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
77) Dreyfus Stock Index Fund, Inc.
78) Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management
79) The Dreyfus Third Century Fund, Inc.
80) Dreyfus Treasury Cash Management
81) Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management
82) Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund
83) Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.
84) General California Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
85) General California Municipal Money Market Fund
86) General Government Securities Money Market Fund, Inc.
87) General Money Market Fund, Inc.
88) General Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
89) General Municipal Money Market Funds, Inc.
90) General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
91) General New York Municipal Money Market Fund
(b)
Positions and
Name and principal Positions and offices with offices with
business address the Distributor Registrant
__________________ ___________________________ _____________
Marie E. Connolly+ Director, President, Chief President and
Executive Officer and Compliance Treasurer Officer
Joseph F. Tower, III+ Director, Senior Vice President, Vice President
Treasurer and Chief Financial and Assistant
Officer Treasurer
Mary A. Nelson+ Vice President Vice President and
Assistant
Treasurer
Paul Prescott+ Vice President None
Jean M. O'Leary+ Assistant Secretary and None
Assistant Clerk
John W. Gomez+ Director None
William J. Nutt+ Director None
________________________________
+ Principal business address is 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.
++ Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10166.
Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records
_______ ________________________________
1. First Data Investor Services Group, Inc.,
a subsidiary of First Data Corporation
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
2. The Bank of New York
90 Washington Street
New York, New York 10286
3. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
4. The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Item 29. Management Services
_______ ___________________
Not Applicable
Item 30. Undertakings
_______ ____________
None
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, and 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 28th day of January, 1999.
DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
BY: /s/Marie E. Connolly*
__________________________________________
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, PRESIDENT
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signatures Title Date
__________________________ _______________________________ _________
/s/Marie E. Connolly* President and Treasurer 01/28/99
_____________________ (Principal Executive, Financial
Marie E. Connolly and Accounting Officer)
/s/Joseph S. DiMartino* Chairman of the Board of 01/28/99
_______________________ Directors
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/David P. Feldman* Director 01/28/99
________________________
David P. Feldman
/s/John M. Fraser, Jr.* Director 01/28/99
________________________
John M. Fraser, Jr.
/s/Robert R. Glauber* Director 01/28/99
________________________
Robert R. Glauber
/s/James F. Henry* Director 01/28/99
________________________
James F. Henry
/s/Rosalind G. Jacobs* Director 01/28/99
_________________________
Rosalind G. Jacobs
/s/Irving Kristol* Director 01/28/99
_________________________
Irving Kristol
/s/Paul A. Marks* Director 01/28/99
_________________________
Paul A. Marks
/s/Dr. Martin Peretz* Director 01/28/99
__________________________
Dr. Martin Peretz
/s/Bert W. Wasserman* Director 01/28/99
__________________________
Bert W. Wasserman
*BY: /s/Stephanie D. Pierce
________________________
Stephanie D. Pierce,
Attorney-in-Fact
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
(2) Amended By-laws
(17) Financial Data Schedule
OTHER EXHIBITS
(a) Powers of Attorney
(b) Certificate of Secretary
BY-LAWS
OF
DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
(A Maryland Corporation)
___________
ARTICLE I
STOCKHOLDERS
1. CERTIFICATES REPRESENTING STOCK. Certificates representing
shares of stock shall set forth thereon the statements prescribed by
Section 2-211 of the Maryland General Corporation Law ("General Corporation
Law") and by any other applicable provision of law and shall be signed by
the Chairman of the Board or the President or a Vice President and
countersigned by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or
an Assistant Treasurer and may be sealed with the corporate seal. The
signatures of any such officers may be either manual or facsimile signatures
and the corporate seal may be either facsimile or any other form of seal.
In case any such officer who has signed manually or by facsimile any such
certificate ceases to be such officer before the certificate is issued, it
nevertheless may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if the
officer had not ceased to be such officer as of the date of its issue.
No certificate representing shares of stock shall be issued for
any share of stock until such share is fully paid, except as otherwise
authorized in Section 2-206 of the General Corporation Law.
The corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in place of
any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen
or destroyed, and the Board of Directors may require, in its discretion, the
owner of any such certificate or the owner's legal representative to give
bond, with sufficient surety, to the corporation to indemnify it against any
loss or claim that may arise by reason of the issuance of a new certificate.
2. SHARE TRANSFERS. Upon compliance with provisions restricting
the transferability of shares of stock, if any, transfers of shares of stock
of the corporation shall be made only on the stock transfer books of the
corporation by the record holder thereof or by his attorney thereunto
authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with the Secretary
of the corporation or with a transfer agent or a registrar, if any, and on
surrender of the certificate or certificates for such shares of stock
properly endorsed and the payment of all taxes due thereon.
3. RECORD DATE FOR STOCKHOLDERS. The Board of Directors may
fix, in advance, a date as the record date for the purpose of determining
stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of
stockholders, or stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or
the allotment of any rights or in order to make a determination of
stockholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall be
not more than 90 days, and in case of a meeting of stockholders not less
than 10 days, prior to the date on which the meeting or particular action
requiring such determination of stockholders is to be held or taken. In
lieu of fixing a record date, the Board of Directors may provide that the
stock transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but not to exceed
20 days. If the stock transfer books are closed for the purpose of
determining stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting of
stockholders, such books shall be closed for at least 10 days immediately
preceding such meeting. If no record date is fixed and the stock transfer
books are not closed for the determination of stockholders: (1) The record
date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote
at, a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day
on which the notice of meeting is mailed or the day 30 days before the
meeting, whichever is the closer date to the meeting; and (2) The record
date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or an allotment of any rights shall be at the close of business on
the day on which the resolution of the Board of Directors declaring the
dividend or allotment of rights is adopted, provided that the payment or
allotment date shall not be more than 60 days after the date on which the
resolution is adopted.
4. MEANING OF CERTAIN TERMS. As used herein in respect of the
right to notice of a meeting of stockholders or a waiver thereof or to
participate or vote thereat or to consent or dissent in writing in lieu of a
meeting, as the case may be, the term "share of stock" or "shares of stock"
or "stockholder" or "stockholders" refers to an outstanding share or shares
of stock and to a holder or holders of record of outstanding shares of stock
when the corporation is authorized to issue only one class of shares of
stock and said reference also is intended to include any outstanding share
or shares of stock and any holder or holders of record of outstanding shares
of stock of any class or series upon which or upon whom the Charter confers
such rights where there are two or more classes or series of shares or upon
which or upon whom the General Corporation Law confers such rights
notwithstanding that the Charter may provide for more than one class or
series of shares of stock, one or more of which are limited or denied such
rights thereunder.
5. STOCKHOLDER MEETINGS.
ANNUAL MEETINGS. If a meeting of the stockholders of the
corporation is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
to elect the directors, then there shall be submitted to the stockholders at
such meeting the question of the election of directors, and a meeting called
for that purpose shall be designated the annual meeting of stockholders for
that year. In other years in which no action by stockholders is required
for the aforesaid election of directors, no annual meeting need be held.
SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special stockholder meetings for any
purpose may be called by the Board of Directors or the President and shall
be called by the Secretary for the purpose of removing a Director whenever
the holders of shares entitled to at least ten percent of all the votes
entitled to be cast at such meeting shall make a duly authorized request
that such meeting be called.
The Secretary shall call a special meeting of stockholders
for all other purposes whenever the holders of shares entitled to at least a
majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting shall make a
duly authorized request that such meeting be called. Such request shall
state the purpose of such meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on
thereat, and no other business shall be transacted at any such special
meeting.
The Secretary shall inform such stockholders of the reasonably estimated
costs of preparing and mailing the notice of the meeting, and upon payment
to the corporation of such costs, the Secretary shall give notice in the
manner provided for below.
PLACE AND TIME. Stockholder meetings shall be held at such
place, either within the State of Maryland or at such other place within the
United States, and at such date or dates as the directors from time to time
may fix.
NOTICE OR ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE WAIVER OF NOTICE. Written or
printed notice of all meetings shall be given by the Secretary and shall
state the time and place of the meeting. The notice of a special meeting
shall state in all instances the purpose or purposes for which the meeting
is called. Written or printed notice of any meeting shall be given to each
stockholder either by mail or by presenting it to the stockholder personally
or by leaving it at his or her residence or usual place of business not less
than 10 days and not more than 90 days before the date of the meeting,
unless any provisions of the General Corporation Law shall prescribe a
different elapsed period of time, to each stockholder at his or her address
appearing on the books of the corporation or the address supplied by the
stockholder for the purpose of notice. If mailed, notice shall be deemed to
be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the
stockholder at his or her post office address as it appears on the records
of the corporation with postage thereon prepaid. Whenever any notice of the
time, place or purpose of any meeting of stockholders is required to be
given under the provisions of these by-laws or of the General Corporation
Law, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the stockholder and filed with
the records of the meeting, whether before or after the holding thereof, or
actual attendance or representation at the meeting shall be deemed
equivalent to the giving of such notice to such stockholder. The foregoing
requirements of notice also shall apply, whenever the corporation shall have
any class of stock which is not entitled to vote, to holders of stock who
are not entitled to vote at the meeting, but who are entitled to notice
thereof and to dissent from any action taken thereat.
STATEMENT OF AFFAIRS. The President of the corporation or,
if the Board of Directors shall determine otherwise, some other executive
officer thereof, shall prepare or cause to be prepared annually a full and
correct statement of the affairs of the corporation, including a balance
sheet and a financial statement of operations for the preceding fiscal year,
which shall be filed at the principal office of the corporation in the State
of Maryland.
QUORUM. At any meeting of stockholders, the presence in
person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast one-third of the votes
thereat shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, the
stockholders present in person or by proxy, by majority vote and without
notice other than by announcement, may adjourn the meeting from time to
time, but not for a period exceeding 120 days after the original record date
until a quorum shall attend.
ADJOURNED MEETINGS. A meeting of stockholders convened on
the date for which it was called (including one adjourned to achieve a
quorum as provided in the paragraph above) may be adjourned from time to
time without further notice to a date not more than 120 days after the
original record date, and any business may be transacted at any adjourned
meeting which could have been transacted at the meeting as originally
called.
CONDUCT OF MEETING. Meetings of the stockholders shall be
presided over by one of the following officers in the order of seniority and
if present and acting: the President, a Vice President or, if none of the
foregoing is in office and present and acting, by a chairman to be chosen by
the stockholders. The Secretary of the corporation or, in his or her
absence, an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of every meeting,
but if neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present the
chairman of the meeting shall appoint a secretary of the meeting.
PROXY REPRESENTATION. Every stockholder may authorize
another person or persons to act for him by proxy in all matters in which a
stockholder is entitled to participate, whether for the purposes of
determining the stockholder's presence at a meeting, or whether by waiving
notice of any meeting, voting or participating at a meeting, expressing
consent or dissent without a meeting or otherwise. Every proxy shall be
executed in writing by the stockholder or by his or her duly authorized
attorney-in-fact or be in such other form as may be permitted by the
Maryland General Corporation Law, including documents conveyed by electronic
transmission and filed with the Secretary of the corporation. A copy,
facsimile transmission or other reproduction of the writing or transmission
may be substituted for the original writing or transmission for any purpose
for which the original transmission could be used. No unrevoked proxy shall
be valid after 11 months from the date of its execution, unless a longer
time is expressly provided therein. The placing of a stockholder's name on
a proxy pursuant to telephonic or electronically transmitted instructions
obtained pursuant to procedures reasonably designed to verify that such
instructions have been authorized by such stockholder shall constitute
execution of such proxy by or on behalf of such stockholder.
INSPECTORS OF ELECTION. The directors, in advance of any
meeting, may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the
meeting or any adjournment thereof. If an inspector or inspectors are not
appointed, the person presiding at the meeting may, but need not, appoint
one or more inspectors. In case any person who may be appointed as an
inspector fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment
made by the directors in advance of the meeting or at the meeting by the
person presiding thereat. Each inspector, if any, before entering upon the
discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully
the duties of inspector at such meeting with strict impartiality and
according to the best of his ability. The inspectors, if any, shall
determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the
shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum and the
validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots or
consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in
connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes, ballots or
consents, determine the result and do such acts as are proper to conduct the
election or vote with fairness to all stockholders. On request of the
person presiding at the meeting or any stockholder, the inspector or
inspectors, if any, shall make a report in writing of any challenge,
question or matter determined by him or them and execute a certificate of
any fact found by him or them.
VOTING. Each share of stock shall entitle the holder thereof
to one vote, except in the election of directors, at which each said vote
may be cast for as many persons as there are directors to be elected.
Except for election of directors, a majority of the votes cast at a meeting
of stockholders, duly called and at which a quorum is present, shall be
sufficient to take or authorize action upon any matter which may come before
a meeting, unless more than a majority of votes cast is required by the
corporation's Articles of Incorporation. A plurality of all the votes cast
at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a
director.
6. INFORMAL ACTION. Any action required or permitted to be
taken at a meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting if a
consent in writing, setting forth such action, is signed by all the
stockholders entitled to vote on the subject matter thereof and any other
stockholders entitled to notice of a meeting of stockholders (but not to
vote thereat) have waived in writing any rights which they may have to
dissent from such action and such consent and waiver are filed with the
records of the corporation.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1. FUNCTIONS AND DEFINITION. The business and affairs of the
corporation shall be managed under the direction of a Board of Directors.
The use of the phrase "entire board" herein refers to the total number of
directors which the corporation would have if there were no vacancies.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND NUMBER. Each director shall be a natural
person of full age. A director need not be a stockholder, a citizen of the
United States or a resident of the State of Maryland. The initial Board of
Directors shall consist of one person. Thereafter, the number of directors
constituting the entire board shall never be less than three or the number
of stockholders, whichever is less. At any regular meeting or at any
special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of
Directors may increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that
the number thereof shall never be less than three or the number of
stockholders, whichever is less, nor more than twelve and further provided
that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any
decrease in the number of directors.
3. ELECTION AND TERM. The first Board of Directors shall
consist of the director named in the Articles of Incorporation and shall
hold office until the first meeting of stockholders or until his or her
successor has been elected and qualified. Thereafter, directors who are
elected at a meeting of stockholders, and directors who are elected in the
interim to fill vacancies and newly created directorships, shall hold office
until their successors have been elected and qualified. Newly created
directorships and any vacancies in the Board of Directors, other than
vacancies resulting from the removal of directors by the stockholders, may
be filled by the Board of Directors, subject to the provisions of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Newly created directorships
filled by the Board of Directors shall be by action of a majority of the
entire Board of Directors then in office. All vacancies to be filled by the
Board of Directors may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of
the Board of Directors, although such majority is less than a quorum
thereof.
4. MEETINGS.
TIME. Meetings shall be held at such time as the Board of
Directors shall fix, except that the first meeting of a newly elected Board
of Directors shall be held as soon after its election as the directors
conveniently may assemble.
PLACE. Meetings shall be held at such place within or
without the State of Maryland as shall be fixed by the Board.
CALL. No call shall be required for regular meetings for
which the time and place have been fixed. Special meetings may be called by
or at the direction of the President or of a majority of the directors in
office.
NOTICE OR ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE WAIVER. Whenever any notice
of the time, place or purpose of any meeting of directors or any committee
thereof is required to be given under the provisions of the General
Corporation Law or of these by-laws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by
the director or committee member entitled to such notice and filed with the
records of the meeting, whether before or after the holding thereof, or
actual attendance at the meeting shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of
such notice to such director or such committee member.
QUORUM AND ACTION. A majority of the entire Board of
Directors shall constitute a quorum except when a vacancy or vacancies
prevents such majority, whereupon a majority of the directors in office
shall constitute a quorum, provided such majority shall constitute at least
one-third of the entire Board and, in no event, less than two directors. A
majority of the directors present, whether or not a quorum is present, may
adjourn a meeting to another time and place. Except as otherwise
specifically provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the General
Corporation Law or these by-laws, the action of a majority of the directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the
Board of Directors.
CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETING. The Chairman of the Board, if any
and if present and acting, or the President or any other director chosen by
the Board, shall preside at all meetings.
5. REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS. Any or all of the directors may be
removed for cause or without cause by the stockholders, who may elect a
successor or successors to fill any resulting vacancy or vacancies for the
unexpired term of the removed director or directors.
6. COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may appoint from among
its members an Executive Committee and other committees composed of one or
more directors and may delegate to such committee or committees, in the
intervals between meetings of the Board of Directors, any or all of the
powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and
affairs of the corporation, except the power to amend the by-laws, to
approve any merger or share exchange which does not require stockholder
approval, to authorize dividends, to issue stock (except to the extent
permitted by law) or to recommend to stockholders any action requiring the
stockholders' approval. In the absence of any member of any such committee,
the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a
quorum, may appoint a member of the Board of Directors to act in the place
of such absent member.
7. INFORMAL ACTION. Any action required or permitted to be
taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof
may be taken without a meeting, if a written consent to such action is
signed by all members of the Board of Directors or any such committee, as
the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the minutes of the
proceedings of the Board or any such committee.
Members of the Board of Directors or any committee designated
thereby may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of
a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same
time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a
meeting.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
The corporation may have a Chairman of the Board and shall have a
President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall be elected by the Board of
Directors, and may have such other officers, assistant officers and agents
as the Board of Directors shall authorize from time to time. Any two or
more offices, except those of President and Vice President, may be held by
the same person, but no person shall execute, acknowledge or verify any
instrument in more than one capacity, if such instrument is required by law
to be executed, acknowledged or verified by two or more officers.
Any officer or agent may be removed by the Board of Directors
whenever, in its judgment, the best interests of the corporation will be
served thereby.
ARTICLE IV
PRINCIPAL OFFICE - RESIDENT AGENT - STOCK LEDGER
The address of the principal office of the corporation in the
State of Maryland prescribed by the General Corporation Law is 300 East
Lombard Street, c/o The Corporation Trust Incorporated, Baltimore, Maryland
21202. The name and address of the resident agent in the State of Maryland
prescribed by the General Corporation Law are: The Corporation Trust
Incorporated, 300 East Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
The corporation shall maintain, at its principal office in the
State of Maryland prescribed by the General Corporation Law or at the
business office or an agency of the corporation, an original or duplicate
stock ledger containing the names and addresses of all stockholders and the
number of shares of each class held by each stockholder. Such stock ledger
may be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into
written form within a reasonable time for visual inspection.
The corporation shall keep at said principal office in the State
of Maryland the original or a certified copy of the by-laws, including all
amendments thereto, and shall duly file thereat the annual statement of
affairs of the corporation prescribed by Section 2-313 of the General
Corporation Law.
ARTICLE V
CORPORATE SEAL
The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the
corporation and shall be in such form and contain such other words and/or
figures as the Board of Directors shall determine or the law require.
ARTICLE VI
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the corporation or any series thereof shall be
fixed, and shall be subject to change, by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII
CONTROL OVER BY-LAWS
The power to make, alter, amend and repeal the by-laws is vested
exclusively in the Board of Directors of the corporation.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
1. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. The corporation
shall indemnify its directors to the fullest extent that indemnification of
directors is permitted by the 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 same extent
as its directors and, in the case of officers, to such further extent as is
consistent with law. The indemnifi-cation 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").
2. ADVANCES. Any current or former director or officer of the
corporation seeking indemnification within the scope of this Article shall
be entitled to advances from the corporation for payment of the reasonable
expenses incurred by him in connection with the matter as to which he is
seeking indemnification in the manner and to the fullest extent permissible
under the 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 or her
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.
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 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.
4. INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS. Employees and
agents who are not officers or directors of the corporation may be
indemnified, and reasonable expenses may be advanced to such employees or
agents, as may be provided by action of the Board of Directors or by
contract, subject to any limitations imposed by the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended.
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 non-party
directors or otherwise.
6. AMENDMENTS. References in this Article are to the General
Corporation Law and to the Investment Company Act of 1940 as from time to
time amended. No amendment of the by-laws shall affect any right of any
person under this Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior
to the amendment.
Dated: June 8, 1998
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<NAME> DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Margaret W. Chambers,
Marie E. Connolly, Christopher J. Kelley, Kathleen K. Morrisey, Michael S.
Petrucelli, Stephanie Pierce and Elba Vasquez and each of them, with full
power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact
and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or
her, and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities
(until revoked in writing) to sign any and all amendments to the Registration
Statement of Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc. (including post-effective amendments
and amendments thereto), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.
/s/Joseph S. DiMartino June 8, 1998
_________________________
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/David P. Feldman June 8, 1998
_________________________
David P. Feldman
/s/John M. Fraser, Jr. June 8, 1998
_________________________
John M. Fraser, Jr.
/s/Robert R. Glauber June 8, 1998
_________________________
Robert R. Glauber
/s/James F. Henry June 8, 1998
_________________________
James F. Henry
/s/Rosalind Gersten Jacobs June 8, 1998
_________________________
Rosalind Gersten Jacobs
/s/Irving Kristol June 8, 1998
_________________________
Irving Kristol
/s/Paul A. Marks June 8, 1998
_________________________
Paul A. Marks
/s/Martin Peretz June 8, 1998
_________________________
Martin Peretz
/s/Bert W. Wasserman June 8, 1998
_________________________
Bert W. Wasserman
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Margaret W. Chambers,
Christopher J. Kelley, Kathleen K. Morrisey, Michael S. Petrucelli,
Stephanie Pierce and Elba Vasquez and each of them, with full power to act
without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her, and in
his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities (until revoked in
writing) to sign any and all amendments to the Registration Statement of
Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc. (including post-effective amendments and
amendments thereto), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in- fact and agents or any
of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
/s/Marie E. Connolly
_________________________ June 8, 1998
Marie E. Connolly
ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE
I, Stephanie D. Pierce, Assistant Secretary of Dreyfus Global Bond
Fund, Inc. (the "Fund," hereby certify the following resolution was adopted
at a Board Meeting held on June 8, 1998 and remains in full force and
effect:
RESOLVED, that the Registration Statement and any and all amendments and
supplements thereto may be signed by any one of Margaret W. Chambers, Marie
E. Connolly, Christopher J. Kelley, Kathleen K. Morrisey, Michael S.
Petrucellli, Stephanie Pierce and Elba Vasquez, as the attorney-in-fact for
the proper officers of the Fund, with full power of substitution and re-
substitution; and that the appointment of each of such persons as such
attorney-in-fact hereby is authorized and approved; and that such attorneys-
in-fact, and each of them, shall have full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
connection with such Registration Statement and any and all amendments and
supplements thereto, as whom he or she is acting as attorney-in-fact, might
or could do in person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand as Assistant Secretary
of the Funds and affixed the seal this 27th day of January, 1999.
___________________________
Stephanie D. Pierce
(SEAL)
DREYFUS GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC.
